A Mitchell man who admitted to pushing his 83-year-old mother avoided a prison sentence Tuesday at the Davison County Public Safety Center in Mitchell.
Timothy John King, 40, was given a suspended execution of a two-year prison sentence from Judge Sean O'Brien. King must pay a $750 fine, court costs of $104 and $1,500 in restitution.
He was sentenced to spend the next eight weekends in jail and was given credit for 10 days already served.
O'Brien said King must also spend a total of 30 hours speaking to others about alcoholism. The specific audiences will be determined by King's court services officer, O'Brien said.
King admitted to the court that he was an alcoholic and praised the treatment programs that are helping him treat his disease.
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With tears in his eyes, he apologized for his actions.
"I did not want to hit my mom," King said, crying. "I love my mom."
Court documents say King was intoxicated when he got into an argument with his mother, Bertha King, last year. He pushed her down and caused injuries to her eye and elbow. The police report says witnesses saw King slapping his mother's head with open hands as well as kicking her.
King's mother appeared in the courtroom Tuesday.
"I'm just happy he's changed his life," she said.
