Jail ordered in assault case

A Spokane man accused of threatening to kill a woman and her baby pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree assault Thursday.

A Spokane County Superior Court Judge sentenced 38-year-old Tedzo Baker II to three months in jail for each charge, with credit for time served.

Baker was initially charged with two counts of second-degree rape, second-degree assault and two counts of kidnapping. However, the alleged victims didn’t respond to detectives or the prosecutor’s office. Subpoenas for those witnesses also were returned as undeliverable, so prosecutors decided to move forward on the amended charges rather than seek material witness warrants.

Baker initially was accused of punching a man on Nov. 25, preventing two others from leaving a home overnight and raping one of the captives, but he denied those allegations.

He also was accused of lunging at the woman and her baby with a knife at the Spokane Transit Authority Plaza on Nov. 26 after becoming upset that an alleged victim from the previous day was talking to the woman about Baker. Police said he refused orders to drop his knife after walking out of the Plaza, and they used a stun gun to detain him.

Baker, who also was sentenced to 12 months of community custody, apologized at his sentencing for assaulting the Plaza victims.

Baker’s defense attorney said Baker was soft-spoken and personable and the attack was out of character. As part of his sentencing, the judge barred Baker from entering the Plaza.