Kiowa County Judge Denies Treadwell's Plea Withdrawal in Mountain Park Maiming Case

A Kiowa County judge denied Ethan Patrick Treadwell’s application to withdraw his guilty plea to a felony maiming charge on Wednesday, closing the door on a last-minute attempt to undo an admission he made in June. Treadwell, 43, had confessed to savagely beating his 74-year-old neighbor, William Halbert“Junior”Hicks, during an argument over a debt on the rural road where both men live outside Mountain Park.

Treadwell claimed Hicks came at him with a pair of pliers, but evidence presented in the case showed Hicks was holding a mobile phone. Before sentencing, Treadwell brought on Oklahoma City attorney Dustin Phillips, who argued that maiming is a Class C felony punishable by zero to seven years, and that Treadwell entered his original plea through ignorance or influence. District Judge Rafe Hall heard testimony from both sides before ruling against the motion.

Treadwell was sentenced Aug. 5 to 10 years in state prison with 15 years suspended, and that sentence now stands. The case has drawn attention across the county, not just for its severity but for what it says about how quickly disputes between rural neighbors can escalate. What do you think about the judge’s decision? Let us know in the comments.