Aaron Smith, of Marshall, who was convicted of a felony by a Saline County jury in a little more than an hour and a half of deliberation on March 31, was sentenced to spend more than a decade in state prison on Monday, May 23.

According to the Saline County Sheriff’s Office, it received a call in regards to an assault that had taken place on a farm facility on 105th Road, just south of Marshall Junction on February 28, 2020.

During the trial, court documents say after prosecutor Tim Thompson presented his case and rested, the defendant’s attorneys Joseph Passanise and Taylon Sumner filed motion for acquittal, but the court found a submissible case was made and denied the motion. Smith did not testify, and the defense rested.

The jury returned a verdict of guilty of assault in the first degree.

The defendant’s attorneys’ motion for a new trial on April 25 was taken up and denied by the court on Monday.

Court documents say evidence was heard during the sentencing hearing and Smith has been sentenced to spend 12 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections. He was taken into custody and transported to the Saline County Sheriff’s Department.

However, the court granted a motion for appellate bond at $10,000 cash or surety. Smith posted bond and is out, pending his appeal.