A Robbinsdale man struck a woman in the head multiple times with a hammer after forcing his way into her Minneapolis home while wearing a wig, prosecutors say.
Officers responded to the assault at about 8:40 p.m. on Saturday, September 5, in Minneapolis, according to a criminal complaint filed September 9 in Hennepin County District Court.
Damonte Latrentece Richardson, 36, faces a charge of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon causing substantial bodily harm.
READ MORE → Hennepin County coverage
According to the complaint, officers responded to a report of an assault and found the victim lying on the ground, bleeding heavily from her head. The victim told officers that Richardson, who had previously worked for her doing yard work and walking her dogs, arrived at her front door wearing a wig. She said Richardson pushed past her and forcibly entered her home.
Once inside, Richardson hit the victim multiple times in the head with a hammer. The victim reported that Richardson left only after one of her dogs bit him, and she struck him in self-defense. The victim lost consciousness several times while speaking with officers and later required staples to her head.
Officers found a wig and a backpack left behind in the home, as well as a hammer on the couch. The complaint states that the manner in which the hammer was used was calculated to cause great bodily harm or death.
Shortly after the assault, officers learned that Richardson had checked himself into North Memorial Hospital for treatment of dog bite wounds and a contusion on his head. After he was treated, officers arrested him, but he was released before he could be charged. Prosecutors asked for a warrant for his arrest, and a judge issued one when the complaint was filed on September 9.
About This Charge
Minnesota classifies assault by degree under § 609.221 (first), § 609.222 (second), § 609.223 (third), § 609.2231 (fourth) and § 609.224 (fifth). First-degree assault, alleging great bodily harm, carries up to 20 years in prison. The lower degrees range from misdemeanor up to 10-year felony exposure depending on weapon use and harm.
Related MN CRIME Coverage
2 Drivers Argued, 1 Charged After Hammer Threat in Minneapolis • Minneapolis Man Charged After Stabbing Near U of M Campus • Felon Opened Fire on Masked Jeep Crew in Minneapolis Alley
Jurisdictional Context
Hennepin County is Minnesota’s most populous jurisdiction. The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office handles felony prosecutions across Minneapolis and 45 surrounding cities; the Fourth Judicial District presides over felony arraignments and trials at the Hennepin County Government Center in downtown Minneapolis.
