Las Cruces Woman Accused of Beating Son with Horse Whip Enters Late Plea Agreement

Amaury · Mar 18, 2013

Keyblade Knight has asked me to post this. He didn't want to, and I won't unveil the reasons. If you want to know, ask him.

Source: El Paso Times

Published: 3/11/2013, 12:32 PM MDT

LAS CRUCES — In a plea deal reached midway through the first day of trial Monday, a Las Cruces woman pleaded no contest to a charge that she beat her then-13-year-old son with a horse whip and other implements in 2010.

Sherri Mazzola, 41, was facing four charges, including three counts of child abuse and one count of bribery for allegedly threatening the boy if he testified against her. Together those charges carried a maximum of 12 years in prison.

But that possibility never went to the jury, which had been selected Monday morning. Prosecutors and Mazzola's defense attorney hammered out a plea agreement before the jury returned from lunch.

Mazzola, who according to court records is a military retiree, pleaded no contest to one child abuse charge. In exchange for that plea - one that is treated similar to a guilty plea for the purposes of sentencing - prosecutors dropped the remaining charges.

Longtime prosecutor Daniel Sewell said the district attorney's office offered a plea deal months ago. As recently as "a couple weeks ago," Sewell said, he extended the plea deal again.

Mazzola's attorney, Bernadette Sedillo, declined to explain why her client accepted the plea bargain in the opening hours of the two-day trial.

Sewell added that in his experience, from an outsider's perspective, some people have a change of heart when they see the jury.

An unspecified heath issue for Mazzola came up during court, but Sedillo
declined to elaborate on it or the possible effect that may have had on Monday's decision to take the plea deal.

The jury selection took most of the morning. Sewell said that Sedillo asked about the plea deal during a morning break. By lunch, Sewell said, the parties had an agreement.

Sewell said that Mazzola's son and his caretaker were on board with the plea agreement. They live outside of the state, Sewell said.

None of Mazzola's other children live with her, Sewell said.

Driggers declined to sentence Mazzola on Monday, ordering a pre-sentencing report. That process means it could be weeks before Mazzola is sentenced. She has been out on bond since her arrest in 2010.

As a condition of her release, Mazzola is not allowed contact with any children under age 18. Driggers granted her permission to see her grandchildren, but only if the parents of those children are in the same room.

According to Sun-News archives, court documents state that Mazzola left welts on her son's buttocks, back and legs because he was unable to clean a bathroom in five minutes. Besides the nylon horse whip, investigators allege Mazzola used a metal broom handle and the plastic cap of a spray can.

She was arrested in June 2010. In December 2011, a grand jury indicted Mazzola for threatening the child not to testify against her.

James Staley may be reached at 575-541-5476. Follow him on Twitter @auguststaley

12:32 p.m. update

LAS CRUCES — A trial started Monday for the Las Cruces woman accused of beating her then-13-year-old son with a horse whip and other implements in 2010, then threatening him if he testified against her.

According to Sun-News archives, court documents state that Sherri Mazzola, 41, left welts on her son's buttocks, back and legs because he was unable to clean a bathroom in five minutes. Besides the nylon horse whip, investigators allege Mazzola used a metal broom handle and the plastic cap of a spray can.

She was arrested in June 2010. Then in December 2011, a grand jury indicted Mazzola for threatening the child not to testify against her.

Third Judicial District Court Chief Judge Douglas R. Driggers said Monday that officials selected a jury that morning. The trial is slated for two days.

Mazzola's son was released to foster parents, according to Sun-News archives.
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Labrys · Mar 19, 2013

Yeah she whiped her son just because he didn't clean the restroom in time --that's really messed up to inflict so much pain towards someone that's more precious than her life...... I hate people like that, she is a true scum.
She deserves to rot in prison for her mere utter life.
Her son didn't deserve any of this, he tried to please his mother --the woman who created him in the earth and this is the bullshit he gets?
That poor boy laying down on the flood crying in pain and agony thinking "Why mommy? I'm not good enough, im a bad son. I'm a horrible person ".
Being scared for the rest of life knowing that he was a mistake in her eyes.
That bitch deserves to rot!

This topic moved me alot so I decided to share this.
The reason why I had amaury to post this was because I'm horrible at posting these threads.

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Las Cruces Woman Accused of Beating Son with Horse Whip Enters Late Plea Agreement

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