NJ Man Admits Swinging Meat Cleaver at Wife

New Jersey man has pleaded guilty to assaulting his wife with a meat cleaver.

The guilty plea entered Tuesday spares 54-year-old Leroy Sickler of Beachwood from standing trial for allegedly later trying to arrange his wife's murder from his jail cell.

Sickler admitted he swung a meat cleaver at his wife in their home in September 2008, but the woman ducked out of the way and the cleaver struck a chair.

Authorities have alleged that after his arrest for the assault Sickler plotted to have his wife killed, but prosecutors agreed to drop those charges as part of the plea bargain.

It calls for a five-year prison term for the aggravated assault. The Asbury Park Press reports that Sickler also pleaded guilty in an unrelated theft case and faces a four-year concurrent prison term.