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Man sentenced to 20 years in prison for Aurora hammer attack

Aurora man gets 20 years in hammer attack
Aurora man gets 20 years in hammer attack 00:21

CHICAGO (CBS) -- An Aurora man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison, after agreeing to a plea deal for hitting a neighbor in the head with a hammer.

Kane County prosecutors said Johnathan McDonald knocked on the door of an acquaintance on Nov. 20, 2021, and after the victim opened the door, McDonald hit them in the head with a hammer.

The victim fell to the floor and blacked out. After the victim regained consciousness, McDonald hit them in the head with the hammer again.

"There was no clear motivation for Mr. McDonald's heinous, violent and unprovoked attack. Their relationship before this brutal incident had been friendly," Assistant Kane County State's Attorney Mark Stajdohar said in a statement.

McDonald pleaded guilty to one count of attempted murder, and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. He must serve at least 85% of that sentence, but will get credit for more than a year he's already spent in jail. 

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