Former Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department chief deputy Jim Cochran was sentenced Wednesday on attempted assault charges related to an incident this summer involving two jailers.

Thursday, December 21, 2000

Former Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department chief deputy Jim Cochran was sentenced Wednesday on attempted assault charges related to an incident this summer involving two jailers.

Before visiting Judge Everett Burton, Cochran pleaded no contest to two amended counts of attempted assault, second-degree misdemeanors, in Lawrence County Common Pleas Court, according to court records.

Cochran was sentenced to one year of community control sanctions, a $500 fine and court costs. He must report monthly to the county’s sanctions office and adhere to other conditions.

A restriction to prohibit the owning of a firearm was deleted from the sanctions, and appeals counsel was not requested, court records showed.

"It’s still our position that it was a training incident," defense attorney Mark McCown said. "If Jim would have gone to a jury trial, he would’ve been found not guilty. Basically, they made an offer that was too good to pass up."

Cochran would have faced a long period of stressful time awaiting an expensive trial, McCown said.

"He did not want to put his family through the time and mental stress of that," he said.

The no contest plea does not admit guilt but consents to the plea agreement worked out between prosecutors and the defense, McCown said.

Special prosecutor Rick Brown of Scioto County was appointed this summer to investigate claims by two jail employees that Cochran assaulted them.

Cochran was indicted July 20 on two counts of assault on a peace officer, both fourth-degree felonies.