A Saline County jury found Vincent Lamar McKenzie, age 27, of Little Rock guilty of residential burglary and domestic battery in the third degree, according to Prosecuting Attorney Chris Walton.
Read more below.
The jury recommended that McKenzie serve 10 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections and pay a $15,000 fine.
According to testimony presented during the trial, the incident occurred on March 9, 2025, when Officer Brandus Howard with the Benton Police Department was approached by a woman who reported she had been involved in a physical disturbance with her ex-boyfriend.
Authorities said the woman had severe injuries, including a swollen eye that was bruised blue and purple.
The victim told officers that her ex-boyfriend entered her home without permission and began striking her with a brass knuckle knife.
Police later located McKenzie and took him into custody. During the arrest, officers found a brass knuckle knife in the defendant’s vehicle, according to prosecutors.
BENTON PD OFFICER’S NARRATIVE ON MARCH 9, 2025:
“I was approached by the victim, Chasity Lewis whose left eye was severely swollen and closed shut. The area around her left eye was purple, red, and there was red marks on her arms. Ms. Lewis reported her ex-boyfriend, Vincent McKenzie kicked the back door of her residence and entered her bedroom as she was sleeping in bed with her children. Ms. Lewis reported that Mckenzie pulled a silver pair of brass knuckles with a knife attached and said he was going to kill her. Lewis said Mckenzie then began punching her in the face and choked her with her hands cutting off her ability to breathe. I located McKenzie outside the residence and placed him under arrest for the above listed charges. A door lock plate was found in Mckenzie’s pocket and after looking at the damage to the backdoor I noticed that the top plate was missing from the door and there was a crack in the frame of the door.”
Walton praised the work of the responding officer and the victim for participating in the case.
“I would like to thank Officer Brandus Howard for his work with the victim at the scene and his testimony at trial,” Walton said. “He spoke with her in a compassionate manner while simultaneously getting her medical attention.”
Walton also acknowledged the difficulty victims often face during the court process.
“The trauma caused by this type of attack can be overwhelming and debilitating,” Walton said. “Testifying in front of the accuser is brutal. Although not easy and with obstacles, she made it through the process. I hope the jury’s sentence helps with her recovery.”
The case was prosecuted by Deputy Prosecuting Attorneys Jayme Butts-Hall and Mary Grace Daughtrey on behalf of the State of Arkansas.
McKenzie was represented by attorneys Jonathan Camp and Jessica Ratcliffe.
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