StarBulletin.com

Sex crime plea deal includes life term


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POSTED: Tuesday, December 09, 2008

A man who videotaped himself sexually assaulting his infant daughter has agreed to accept a life prison term with the possibility for parole.

 

;[Preview] Defendant In Shocking Sex Assault Case Gets A Life Sentence
;[Preview]
 

Danny Fiddle admiitted having sex with a baby in his care and recording it on video.

 

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In a plea agreement with the state, Danny Franklin Friddle, 31, of Honokai Hale pleaded guilty yesterday to eight counts of first-degree sexual assault, three counts of first-degree promoting child abuse and three counts of third-degree sexual assault.

 

Circuit Judge Patrick Border said he will abide by the terms of the plea agreement when he sentences Friddle in February.

Friddle remains in custody at Oahu Community Correctional Center, unable to post $100,000 bail.

He will request that the Hawaii Paroling Authority grant him eligibility for parole after 15 years.

Douglas Chin, first deputy prosecutor, said the state will ask that Friddle serve at least 20 years before he is eligible.

“;Regardless of the recommendation of the prosecutor or the public defender, his responsibility will be to plead his case in front of the parole board. And it is up to the parole board, what he's eventually sentenced to,”; Chin said.

Police arrested Friddle on March 12 after they recovered a videotape of Friddle sexually assaulting a baby girl who appeared to be less than 6 months old in one segment. A second segment showed Friddle apparently assaulting the same girl, who appeared about 1 year old. Date stamps on the video clips were June 25, 2006, and Jan. 28, 2007.

“;What Danny Friddle did was shocking, despicable. It was an outrage to the entire community,”; Chin said. “;This life sentence with the possibility for parole that he is agreeing to sends a clear message from the community to any offender out there that this kind of behavior will not be tolerated.”;

Police said a woman turned over a bag containing the mini-DV videotape and Friddle's work identification, which she said was left at a bus stop in Kalihi.

Chin said the woman's child found the bag.

According to state court records, Friddle and his ex-wife had a daughter who was born June 2006. Friddle and his wife separated in August 2006 and were divorced in September 2007. The court granted the ex-wife physical custody of the child but allowed Friddle visitation.

Police said when they showed the video to Friddle's ex-wife, she identified the child as her daughter and the location of the assault, Friddle's Honokai Hale home.