Man Pleads No Contest in May Stabbing Death

A 19-year-old man faces a 12-year state prison sentence after pleading no contest Tuesday to voluntary manslaughter in the beating and stabbing death of an acquaintance last year in Lancaster.

The man, Joseph M. Curlin of Lancaster, entered the plea as he was preparing to stand trial for murder in the May 22 death of Gary A. Bailey, 42, of Lancaster. The men were former roommates.

Lancaster Superior Court Judge Haig Kehiayan set Curlin’s sentencing for May 11.

Curlin admitted to authorities that he beat and stabbed Bailey at the victim’s house, but said he did so after seeing Bailey try to sexually molest a 15-year-old boy there, according to court documents. The boy corroborated that version, but authorities said they did not believe the story.

Deputy Dist. Atty. David Evans said Curlin and the teen-ager--who was not identified because of his age--stole the victim’s car and television set after Curlin attacked Bailey. They later sold the TV for $7, authorities said.

The district attorney’s office alleged that Bailey’s death occurred during the commission of a robbery and that Curlin also tortured the victim by beating him with a metal pipe or bar and stabbing him in the neck with a crafts knife.

Bailey crawled to a next-door neighbor’s house and later died at a local hospital. Deputies arrested Curlin after finding his fingerprints on Bailey’s car and on another knife found at the house. The boy was not charged in the case, Evans said.

Under the plea bargain, Curlin will be sentenced to 11 years for voluntary manslaughter plus one extra year because a knife was involved. He could have faced life in prison had he been convicted of murder.

Curlin remains in custody pending the sentencing.