Casper Man Charged with Domestic Battery, Strangulation

A Casper man was charged with a felony count for strangulation of a household member, which is punishable by up to ten years imprisonment. He was also charged with Domestic Battery, his 3rd offense, also a felony punishable by up to ten years imprisonment.

James Edward Knight III heard the count during his initial appearance before Natrona County Circuit Court Judge Nichole Collier last week.

On November 20, at approximately 5:30 p.m. officers responded to a caller reporting their female roommate having a verbal and physical altercation in a bedroom. This per an affidavit related to the investigation.

Get our free mobile app

When officers arrived they noticed the female had a swollen lip, bruising around her eyes, hands, legs and chest.

In an interview with the victim, she told investigating officers that her ex-boyfriend, Knight, had been harrassing her since the 18th.

On the 19th, Knight saw the woman at a bar and stated "she needed to leave with him, or he would kill her and her kids."

The woman told investigators she was scared, so left with Knight. She thought he was going to drop her off at her apartment, but Knight went into the apartment with her.

After asking Knight to leave multiple times, Knight allegedly sat on top of her and punched her in the face multiple times in the face. He then grabbed her by the neck with one hand and put his hand over her mouth. The affidavit claims that while he was strangling her, Knight head-butted her.

Knight left the apartment before officers arrived on scene. They later found him hiding in a shed under a pile of wood.

Knight will have a preliminary hearing before a Circuit Court judge in ~10 days if he doesn't bond out and in 20 days if he does. That hearing will determine whether a crime probably occurred and the accused probably committed it. If the judge agrees with the prosecutor, the case will be bound over to Natrona County District Court for trial.