Winner of $167 million Kentucky Lottery seeks to serve prison term following assault on a police officer
Freaky Turn of Events for Kentucky Millionaire
James Farthing, the lucky Kentuckian who scored a record-breaking $167 million Powerball jackpot in April, seems to be trading in his luck for a jail cell. The dudeβs decided to ditch his right to a trial and just do his time, following his altercation with a cop in a Florida hotel.
You heard it right β Farthing, who initially pleaded not guilty in May to battery charges and called for a jury trial, now wants to give up on that and serve his still-unknown sentence straight away. The Kentucky Parole Board has spilled the beans, saying Farthing's all set to bypass any probable cause or final probation hearing.
The incident with the law enforcement officer went down at a Florida hotel on April 30. That's when Farthing reportedly started brawling with the cop, punching and kicking him while he was trying to end a tussle.
Now, this isn't Farthing's first dance with the law. Historically, he's cooked up quite a mix of trouble, including theft, receiving stolen property, drug charges, evidence tampering, and organized crime charges. He was on parole until August 2024 for these deeds.
After winning the insane amount, Farthing confessed to local press that he wanted to change his ways, as he's been quite the stress for his mama over the years. He was planning to shower his mom with half of the winnings and pay off his debts. He could take the cash in 30 annual installments or grab a lump sum of $77.3 million.
Sources:
- Kentucky man who won massive Powerball lottery wants to plead guilty, avoid trial
- Kentucky Powerball Winner Accused of Assaulting Officer in Florida Hotel
- James Farthing, the Kentucky millionaire who won a record $167 million in the Powerball lottery, is planning to plead guilty to battery charges, opting to serve his sentence without a trial, as reported in the general news.
- Despite his initial plea of not guilty in May, Farthing's history of crime and justice issues, including prior convictions for theft, drug charges, and organized crime, might suggest a stronger connection to casino-and-gambling and lotteries than originally thought.
