Man pleads no contest in July 3 assault
Man pleads no contest in July 3 assault
By KAYLA GAHAGAN, DMG Writer
HOUGHTON — One of the Lake Linden men accused of assault at a park July 3 pleaded no contest Monday in Houghton County Circuit Court.
Mark Karpinen, 23, pleaded no contest to assault with a dangerous weapon, a booted foot. The charge is a felony punishable by up to four years in prison. Pleading no contest is not an admission of guilt, but is used as such for the purposes of sentencing.
Defense attorney Mark Wisti said part of the reason Karpinen was pleading no contest was “fear of civil liability.” No-contest pleas do not require the defendant to admit or explain circumstances of guilt.
Karpinen and Corey Just, 17, were arrested after the July 3 incident, which occurred during a fireworks display and allegedly involved attacking another man from behind.
Just was also scheduled to be in court, but didn’t show because of a mix-up between two attorneys who both thought they represented him. According to court documents, Mark Wisti represents Karpinen and Just. Just’s arraignment is now scheduled for Sept. 6.
Karpinen and Just have each been out of $20,000/10 percent bond, but Karpinen was remanded to the Houghton County Sheriff’s Department after he pleaded.
His sentencing is set for Sept. 25 at 11:30 a.m.
Kayla Gahagan can be reached at kgahagan@mininggazette.com
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