HICKORY, N.C. — On Wednesday, a Newton man was convicted for assaulting a male victim in 2023 at Catawba Valley Medical Center.
Joseph Lee Rosales, 23, pleaded guilty to assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury and was sentenced to up to eight years in prison.
The assault happened on Feb. 24, 2023, when the Hickory Police Department received a call from the hospital about an assault.
Officers watched video footage of the incident, which showed Rosales and the man he was convicted of attacking, watching television together.
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Rosales then approaches the man from behind and puts him in a chokehold, strangling the victim as he pulls him to the middle of the room. The victim seemed to lose consciousness at that point.
Rosales then punches the victim's face repeatedly.
After the assault, the victim had to have surgery for his injuries from the attack.
In court Wednesday, Rosales apologized to the victim's family, stating “I’d like to apologize to the family for the pain and suffering I’ve caused. I wish I could take it back.”