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A man who nearly killed his 86-year-old landlady apologized on Friday for the attack just before a judge ordered him to prison for the crime.
Arthel Burnett Martin, 45, turned to face his victim, Anne Smart-Pearce, who sat in a courtroom supported by a walker and flanked by close to 30 family members and supporters.
"You have a heart of gold and no one can take that," Martin said. "I tried. And I'm sorry."
Smart-Pearce, now 87, told Martin she has forgiven him during her chance to speak at his sentencing before 3rd District Judge Katie Bernards-Goodman, who ordered him to serve three years to life in prison.
Smart-Pearce said she's thankful Martin apologized for breaking into her Brickyard-area home in Salt Lake City on New Year's Day, locking the door to her bedroom, and severely beating her until a neighbor heard the commotion and stopped the assault. She was hospitalized for several days for her injuries.
Smart-Pearce told her attacker that she plans to pray for him daily and hopes he becomes a model prisoner.
"He belonged to the same church I did, so he knows about repentance," she said.
Smart-Pearce oversaw several rental units near her home and connected with Martin when an organization with ties to a hospital contacted her to see if she would rent to Martin, a recovering cancer patient.
She had been in the hospital for treatment for a broken hip at the time, and trusted health care employees were sending her a quality tenant. Smart-Pearce had been told Martin received donations from people who had pooled their money to help him after he finished cancer treatment and left the hospital. Those who helped Martin had noticed Smart-Pearce's advertisement about a room for rent, family members of Smart-Pearce said.
A week after her return home, Martin attacked and attempted to strangle Smart-Pearce. He stole her cell phone, purse and rent money she had collected from tenants. He evaded authorities, but turned himself into California police 10 days after the assault.
Martin's attorney said in court on Friday that his client was intoxicated on New Year's Day and that the assault was out of character.
Martin, however, has a criminal history that includes four separate cases filed against him for co-habitant abuse in 3rd District Court. The cases stem from 2003 to 2008. Martin also filed a case against a woman for co-habitant abuse in 2008 and has drug-related and disorderly conduct misdemeanors on his record as well.
Martin in October pleaded guilty to first-degree felony attempted murder in connection with assaulting Smart-Pearce.
Prosecutor Gregory Ferbrache told the judge on Friday that Martin is a danger to society who intentionally and deliberately chose to attack Smart-Pearce. Bernards-Goodman told Martin the "seriousness" and "senselessness" of his behavior warranted the maximum sentence of three years to life in prison.