Opinion ID: 1894449
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts relating to offenses

Text: Eichelberger was married to Jo Slama on April 21, 1983. The couple's only child was born on December 28, 1983. Slama separated from Eichelberger on June 19, 1984, and on September 1, 1984, while Eichelberger was physically present and represented by counsel, a temporary child support order was entered requiring Eichelberger to pay $225 per month in child support. A decree dissolving the marriage was entered on April 4, 1985, which ordered Eichelberger to pay $100 per month in child support starting on April 1, 1985. Once again, Eichelberger was present in court when the decree was announced and was also represented by counsel. Count I of the information alleges that Eichelberger intentionally failed to pay support under the temporary child support order, and count II that he intentionally failed to pay under the terms of the decree. Eichelberger was employed by the Missouri Pacific Railroad during his marriage to Slama, but worked irregularly due to injuries received in an automobile accident which occurred prior to the marriage. Eichelberger received $550 per month in insurance benefits and $225 every 2 weeks from the Railroad Retirement Board until he returned to work with the railroad. Shortly after returning to work, Eichelberger broke his foot, resulting in another period of disability. Eichelberger filed separate claims through a Lincoln attorney for both the automobile accident injury and the broken foot. On December 20, 1984, Eichelberger received and subsequently negotiated a check from his injuries attorney in the amount of $6,190.05 in partial settlement of the foot injury claim. In July 1985 Eichelberger received and subsequently negotiated another check from his injuries attorney in the amount of $42,669.19 as part of the settlement of the automobile accident claim. In addition, Eichelberger received disability payments from January 1985 through July 17, 1985, totaling $5,145.15, and railroad retirement benefits from October 1984 through April 1985, totaling approximately $3,500. Child support records maintained by the clerk of the district court reflect that Eichelberger made no payments at all under the temporary support order and made only a $10 payment under the decree. Neither Slama nor the child received any other type of support directly from Eichelberger. At the time of trial Eichelberger owed approximately $3,800 in arrearages under both support orders; $1,800 under the temporary support order and $2,083.51 under the decree. Eichelberger introduced no evidence at all at trial, although in pretrial, posttrial, and other proceedings out of the presence of the jury, he made occasional references to surgery he thought he might need at some indeterminate time in the future, at a cost which he could not estimate.