October 11, 2012 No-contest plea satisfies South Ogden woman By LORETTA PARK Standard-Examiner staff lpark@standard.net FARMINGTON — Ashlee Bambrough believed she was going to testify before a jury in two weeks about what happened to her July 2,2011. Instead, the man whom she accused of beating her and throwing her out of a moving truck entered "no contest" pleas to two charges in 2nd District Court on Wednesday, making the trial unnecessary. Brandon Sloper, 25, of Marriott-Slaterville, entered the pleas to aggravated assault, a second-degree felony, and unlawful detention, a class B misdemeanor. He was originally charged with one count of kidnapping and one count of aggravated assault, both second-degree felonies. Davis County Attorney Troy Rawlings said both sides have agreed that Sloper did grab Bambrough's finger, "twisted Bambrough it and broke it." But there are parts of the case they don't agree on, and those parts will be addressed at the Dec. 5 sentencing hearing. A plea of no contest means the defendant does not admit guilt but agrees there is probably sufficient evidence to bring a conviction. A judge treats the pleas as guilty pleas when it comes to sentencing and is not bound by any agreements between the attorneys. A jury trial had been scheduled for Oct. 25-26. "I think we got as much done with (Sloper) pleading no contest as we would've at a jury trial," said Bambrough, 24, of South Ogden. She at- 221 tended Tuesday's hearing with her family and friends. Bambrough said it was Sloper and his attorney, Glen Thomas, who proposed the plea deal. "I really thought we'd be going to trial," Bambrough said. Rawlings said in court that Bambrough had been a "proactive victim. She has attended all the hearings, and this plea deal was done with her knowledge." According to the probable cause affidavit filed in 2nd District Court by Layton police on Sept. 30, 2011, the two had been a couple for three years and lived together from March 2010 to December 2010. Sloper had picked up Bambrough on July 2, 2011, at her home in South Ogden, according to the court documents. He was supposed to take her to a bar in Ogden, where she worked as a waitress. Instead, Sloper continued driving on U.S. 89, and the two began fighting when Bambrough realized Sloper wasn't taking her to work, according to the document. At one point during the fight, Bambrough was either pushed out or jumped out of the 1996 full-size Chevy truck on Highway 193, according to the court document. Bambrough suffered a number of injuries, including a skull fracture and injuries to her face and right shoulder, according to the document. Her injuries were not consistent with what a person who jumped out of a vehicle would have suffered, police officers wrote in the affidavit. Since the incident, Bambrough has spoken out against domestic violence, attending several public events and speaking at high schools. She works at Salon Bela at 2402 Wall Ave., in Ogden. On Saturday, Oct. 20, the salon is hosting a "Beauty Against Violence" open house event for Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Bambrough said the open house is from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with proceeds going to Your Community Connection in Ogden. The YCC assists victims cf domestic violence.