Man to spend 8 years in prison for assaulting girlfriend with golf club

The violent man must be locked up for a long time, a judge says.

STAFF REPORT

YOUNGSTOWN — A 39-year-old man, who was convicted of assaulting his girlfriend with a golf club, has received the maximum sentence — eight years in prison.

Johnny Donald Jr. drew the prison term Wednesday from Judge R. Scott Krichbaum of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court, who adhered to the prosecution’s sentencing recommendation. Donald will be on parole for three years after he leaves prison.

“I’m not going to have somebody like you in our community,’’ the judge said. “There should be no mercy shown to you. There should be no forgiveness,” the judge added.

Donald, who apologized to the judge and the victim, was convicted Tuesday of felonious assault by a jury that deliberated only 12 minutes at the end of a three-hour trial.

Donald struck Shirlynne Ford on her left arm and side with a steel-shafted golf club, which broke into three pieces, in a March 23 domestic dispute in the Ridge Avenue residence he and Ford shared.

Ford suffered bruises and extreme pain, and her left arm was placed in a sling, but she suffered no broken bones, said Dawn Krueger Cantalamessa, assistant county prosecutor.

Donald’s lawyer, Jeff Limbian, said an appeal will be filed.

In 2004, Judge Krichbaum sentenced Donald to two years in prison for hitting a man on the head with aluminum siding while the victim tried to block the blows with his walking cane.