Guilty plea entered in 2018 death

A Poplar Bluff man pleaded guilty Tuesday afternoon to a lesser charge in connection to the death of another man, who died as the result of a “fight that got out of control.”

Accompanied by his attorney, Ian Page with the Public Defender’s Office, Skylar Thomas Carter pleaded guilty to the Class C felony of first-degree involuntary manslaughter before Presiding Circuit Judge Michael Pritchett.

The 26-year-old entered his plea after the state filed an amended information with the court.

It alleged on Nov. 17, 2018, Carter recklessly caused the death of Daniel Lashley by striking him.

Carter originally was charged with the Class A felony of second-degree murder in the death of Lashley. The 59-year-old Poplar Bluff man died from blunt-force trauma to his chest.

“You wish to enter a plea of guilty to amended information,” Pritchett asked.

Carter answered affirmatively, just as he did when asked whether he understood the charge against him and its punishment range — three to 10 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections.

Pritchett then went over Carter’s rights, including his right to a jury trial.

“Are you pleading guilty because you are, in fact, guilty of the offense,” Pritchett asked.

“Yes,” Carter responded.

The attorneys told Pritchett Carter was entering an “open plea,” and Page was requesting a sentencing assessment report be completed by Probation and Parole.

Sentencing will be at 1 p.m. April 14.

“How do you plea to the amended charge of the Class C felony of involuntary manslaughter in the first degree,” Pritchett asked.

“Guilty,” Carter responded.

Pritchett then asked Butler County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Matt Michel what the state’s evidence would have been had the case gone to trial.

The state’s evidence, Michel said, would have proven on Nov. 17, 2018, Carter recklessly caused the death of Lashley.

The state’s witnesses, Michel said, would have included several Poplar Bluff police officers, the coroner and pathologist.

Michel said police detective Andy Cleaveland would have testified that officers responded to the area of Woodrow and Henry streets regarding a subject being in a ditch.

Michel said Lashley was breathing, but unresponsive in the ditch on the south side of Henry.

As officers were rendering aid, Lashley stopped breathing and CPR was initiated, Michel said.

“EMS arrived shortly after, and the victim was transported to Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead in the ER,” Michel said.

During the investigation, Michel said, witnesses were identified and information was obtained that Lashley had been involved in a fight in the ditch.

The witnesses, he said, reported the suspect, who was identified as Carter, “jumped into the ditch, landing on the victim.”

As Lashley was in the ditch, Michel said, the witnesses would testify Carter continued punching and kicking him.

The pathologist, Michel said, would testify the injuries inflicted “from the defendant to the victim is what caused the victim to perish.”

When asked if he agreed with the state’s account of the evidence, Carter indicated he did not.

Page said his client indicated he and Lashley “fell in to the ditch together.

“In talking to Mr. Carter, he disputes he jumped into the ditch” onto Lashley.

After falling into the ditch together, Page said, his client indicated he punched and kicked Lashley which caused his injuries.

Carter confirmed he agreed with the information provided by his attorney.

At that point, Pritchett accepted Carter’s plea, saying it was made freely and voluntarily and with a full understanding of the charge and his rights and there was a factual basis for the plea.