Noah Grage of Durant, Iowa has agreed to plead guilty to a serious misdemeanor assault charge after allegedly punching and calling a first-year Grinnell College student a slur at an on-campus party. Grage, 20, who is accused of committing the crime on the night of Nov. 2, originally faced a felony assault charge before an offer to settle the case came forth.
In Iowa, a conviction for a serious misdemeanor assault causing bodily injury can carry a punishment of up to one year in jail and a $2,560 fine.
Dennis McKelvie, Grage’s defense attorney, filed Grage’s guilty plea on Thursday, June 26. McKelvie is seeking a deferred judgment for Grage, which means Grage could be not convicted of the crime and the case could be sealed from public record if he were to successfully complete a probationary term. McKelvie did not respond to a request for comment.
“In terms of the plea, the victim was consulted multiple times and the plea was made with his intent and to honor what he wanted to see with the case,” Poweshiek county attorney Bart Klaver told The S&B in a phone call.
A final ruling in the case is still pending. A plea hearing continued from June 19 will be held Thursday, July 3 at the Poweshiek County Courthouse in Montezuma, Iowa.
