Hopkins County Man Sentenced For Beating Woman With Bat

A Sulphur Springs man accused of beating a woman with a baseball bat, causing serious injuries, was slated for a jury trial Monday, but the jury was dismissed when he decided to plead guilty in the case. Joe Lee Cathey, 55, pleaded guilty to first-degree felony Aggravated Assault, Family Violence with a Weapon and was sentenced to 45 years in prison because of his extensive criminal history. Cathey had previously turned down a plea bargain for 30 years behind bars.