Vanessa Henschel of Mountain Home, charged with stabbing a former friend in a Mountain Home motel room in early 2016, was given 12 years probation after changing her plea to one of no contest during a session of Baxter County Circuit Court Tuesday.The 26-year-old Henschel, who has stood mute during many of her court appearances and, at times — even refused to communicate with her defense attorney — did speak during the brief sentencing procedure. She answered most of Judge Gordon Webb’s questions with one-or-two-word responses. She had to be prompted several times by her attorney, Deputy Public Defender Mark Cooper, as to elements of the agreement. Cooper reminded his client on more than one occasion the agreement was the one he had discussed with her in the jail and again just before the court session Tuesday, including having signed the document in various places.
Henschel was arrested in early February two years ago after she reportedly entered a room at the Town and County Motel and stabbed a then 23-year-old female occupant of the room.
According to the probable cause affidavit, the victim’s boyfriend let Henschel into the room based on the past relationship between Henschel and the female victim. He then went outside to retrieve articles from a vehicle when he heard screaming coming from the room.
He ran back into the room and found Henschel astride his girlfriend stabbing her. The boyfriend struck Henschel knocking her off the victim.
The victim, who received non-life-threatening injuries, was stabbed in the neck and torso. She told police there was no conversation between her and Henschel prior to the attack. She said she was in bed and Henschel jumped on top of her and started stabbing her while saying “I’m sorry” during the attack.
Henschel has undergone a psychological evaluation and been found fit to proceed in the case against her. During one attempt to evaluate her, Henschel refused to cooperate with the examiner rendering it impossible to complete the procedure.
Her behavior in jail was described as “erratic and a concern.” She has also had problems dealing with authorities in the state prison system. According to electronic prison records, during a recent stay in the McPherson Unit in Newport, Henschel racked up 30 disciplinary infractions.
Henschel will be given credit for the 530 days she has been in the Baxter County jail awaiting disposition of her 2016 case.
WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI