Guilty Verdict in Felony Domestic Battery Trial

District Attorney's Office Announces Guilty Verdict In Felony Domestic Battery Trial

February 23, 2016

Reno, Nevada

The Washoe County District Attorney’s Office has announced a verdict in a felony domestic battery trial. The trial began Monday in Department 8 in Washoe County District Court and a guilty verdict was reached later that evening, following several hours of jury deliberation. 

Deon Kenneth Ashley II, 24 (DOB 8/11/91) from Reno, was found guilty on Monday, February 22, 2016, of one count of Domestic Battery, charged as a felony due to Ashley having two prior domestic violence convictions in 2013. 

The case against Ashley began in September, 2014 when the Reno Police Department responded to a report of a domestic disturbance between Ashley and a 24 year old Sparks woman he had been dating.  When officers arrived, they located the victim in the case and were told Ashley had left the scene.  The investigation determined that Ashley had pushed the victim several times and thrown keys and a medication canister at her.  The victim reported being 15 weeks pregnant at the time and said that at one point Ashley had pushed her over a couch armrest, which caused her to fall to the floor and land on her stomach.  Officers located Ashley a short time later and placed him under arrest for domestic battery related charges.  The Washoe County District Attorney’s Office initially charged Ashley with one count of felony domestic battery and one count of domestic battery by strangulation.  However, the strangulation charge was later dropped when it was decided there was insufficient evidence to support a conviction at trial.   

During the one day trial, the Prosecutor played a telephone call for the jury in which the defendant admitted to throwing the canister at the victim and to putting his hands on her, stating in the call he was “somewhat” thankful she wasn’t severely hurt or hospitalized.  Both prior convictions were against the same victim in this case.

Ashley remains out of custody pending sentencing on April 19, 2016. He faces a mandatory prison term of 1-5 years.