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Kennett, Missouri · Saturday, March 20, 2010
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Prosecutor: Arnold's plea of guilty was for charges of 'Voluntary Manslaughter'

Friday, May 1, 2009
George Anderson
(Photo)
Max Arnold
A miscommunication between the Daily Dunklin Democrat and Dunklin County Prosecutor Steve Sokoloff led to the charges against Max Arnold, 26, of Kennett, being incorrectly reported as "involuntary manslaughter."

Arnold, who appeared in court on April 22, 2009, with his attorney Andrew Bullard of Kennett, actually entered a guilty plea of voluntary manslaughter regarding the 2008 death of Phillip Jarvis, Jr., 32, of Sullivan, Mo.

Arnold, who was originally charged with second degree murder and armed criminal action, received the charge of voluntary manslaughter following a plea agreement.

According to Dunklin County Prosecuting Attorney Steve Sokoloff, the charge was amended due to the lack of evidence to support the previous charges.

Arnold was sentenced to eight years in prison for the crime.

In response to questions the public had regarding why Arnold was charged with voluntary manslaughter instead of being acquitted on self defense, Sokoloff said that there was an issue as to whether Arnold brought out the knife prior to Jarvis picking up the tire tool. Sokoloff also said that Arnold had struck Jarvis in the head with a beer bottle earlier that night.

Editor's note:

The Daily Dunklin Democrat regrets the error of incorrectly reporting the actual charge of

'voluntary' manslaughter, as 'involuntary'

in the Thursday, April 30, 2009 edition.

© Copyright 2009 Daily Dunklin Democrat

Comments
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if people could read the police reports they would see that it was a case of self defense,when garvis came at him with the tire tool, he ask for someone to call the police, but no one would,they were affraid that he would go back to jail,so if arnold is guilty, then every one there should be guilty too, cause they refused to make the phone call, but there is more to the story, arnold did not stab that boy, he was stabbed by another person who was there, he finds it amussing that he got away with it, he's even bragged about it to a few other people, he even addmits to picking up the knife, he even showed the police where it was,so something is really wrong with the leagal system. the reason arnold got what he did is because he didn't have any money. isn't it ashame that you have take this because you can't afford a trial, but only a plea bargain, and have to admitt to something you didn't do, it just goes to show that people have no compassion anymore, its all about how much money you have.

-- Posted by concercedparent on Sat, May 2, 2009, at 10:08 PM

Mark it up as another win in the win loss column for ole sokoloff.

-- Posted by lilmissbossy on Tue, May 5, 2009, at 10:14 AM

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