Plea Bargain Struck In Gardner Fight Case

A teenager accused in the fatal beating of another teen entered a plea in the case Monday morning.

KMBC's Dan Weinbaum reported that Dustin Howard, 16, pleaded no contest to aggravated battery. Howard was accused of assaulting Dakota DeRemus, 16, who was found dead the morning after the two fought in early February.

DeRemus had a heart condition, but a medical examiner ruled that his death was a homicide.

A cell phone camera recorded video of the fight. The recording was shown in open court during one of Howard's pre-trial hearings in April.

Howard was charged with involuntary manslaughter. With the plea bargain, he is expected to receive 18 months of intensive probation. Sentencing is set for Thursday.

"Today a plea was entered that was a win-win for both sides," said Debra Vermillion, Howard's defense attorney.

"It is time that we all need to make peace with this and come to some normalcy in our lives," said Angela Meireis, DeRemus' mother. "Right now, we just want to heal and we want to move on, and I just want to get my son's headstone ordered -- let him be at peace."

Weinbaum reported that the judge also granted Howard release from house arrest.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• KMBC
• Gardner
• Kansas
• Dustin
• Howard
• Dakota
• DeRemus
• fight
• plea
• bargain