ST PAUL, Minn. — A man accused of the multi-day assault of a St. Catherine University student in her dorm has reached a plea deal with prosecutors Friday.
Keanu Avery Labatte, 20, was charged last September with five felonies, three of which were first degree criminal sexual conduct.
According to court documents, Labatte was visiting his girlfriend at the university when he became "infuriated" by messages on her phone. She told police Labatte raped, strangled, punched, threatened and waterboarded her over the course of three days.
On Sunday he let her go to the cafeteria for food but she went to police, who noted they could see red, black, and blue marks on her neck, documents state. Labatte was arrested at the dorm room.
A plea deal was reached Friday. With it, Labatte is pleading guilty to a single amended charge of second degree sexual conduct. The other charges were dismissed, and his sentence is capped at seven and a half years.
The sentencing is scheduled for November.
