Brothers get a year in jail for beating, urinating on their grandmother

Two brothers who beat up their grandmother while she was showering, then urinated on her and her clothing, attempted to explain why they attacked and humiliated the 66-year-old Salt Lake City woman.

But 3rd District Judge Robin Reese said the violence made "no sense" and sentenced each man to probation and a year in jail, which includes mental health therapy.

Christopher Eugene Hansen told the judge: "I was intoxicated and not thinking and she was kind of there at that point. My anger got the best of me."

"So your grandmother was a convenient outlet for your anger?" asked the judge.

"Yes, sir," Hansen replied.

Michael Levi Hansen Jr., 20, admitted he blamed his grandmother for his mother's death earlier this year from a drug overdose.

"I had questions and I thought [my grandmother] had answers," Michael Hansen told the judge.

Defense attorney Chad Steur claimed the defendants' mother had died at the home of their grandmother and the defendants wanted to know where their mother had obtained the drugs.

Steur added that the defendant's older brother had died from a drug overdose in 2007. He said the family had been through "a lot of trauma and upheaval."

Both defendants apologized and said they loved their grandmother, who publicly forgave them.

Rita Avery told the judge, "I want them to know I still love them and forgive them, but I regret that it happened. I feel we can go forward and have a good relationship."

Avery added: "They've always had explosive tempers. But so have I."

The brothers were each charged with third-degree felony aggravated abuse of an elder and misdemeanor counts of lewdness and criminal mischief. They pleaded guilty to lewdness, criminal mischief and a reduced misdemeanor count of elder abuse.

The judge gave them credit for 95 days they have spent behind bars, fined them each $500 and ordered full restitution.

shunt@sltrib.com