KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Jackson County judge on Friday denied a man’s request to get his bond reduced and prosecutors said they want to upgrade the charges against 28-year-old Eric Patton.
Prosecutors say Patton brutally beat 88-year-old Kenny Johnson in Johnson’s home on W. 44th St. near Pennsylvania Ave. in the Westport area back in August.
Johnson was attacked on Saturday, Aug. 25, but wasn’t discovered until Tuesday, Aug. 28.
Patton worked for the Rent-a-Center on Main St. near 38th St. Detectives said business records reveal Patton went to the home for a delivery and to service the victim’s television earlier in the year. They said when the T.V. was stolen in the robbery, they traced it to a pawn shop. They said it was pawned for $100 by Patton. Detectives said Patton eventually confessed.
Patton is being held on a $100,000 cash bond.
Johnson has suffered many health problems since he was beaten in the summer, which is the reason prosecutors want to upgrade the charges to a Class A felony assault from a Class B.
Johnson’s grandson, William Michael Tunley, said his grandfather already suffered health problems before the assault, and said his health has since declined.
“He was a really good guy. I’d say he had a longevity life, he just wanted to live forever. And he loved everything to be just very routine. He was just a good guy, he was just a good old man,” Tunley said of his grandfather in September. “He took us out to play basketball and as a kid he just did a lot for me. So he’s there for me all my life,” he said.
