Man ordered imprisoned in killing with bat, pogo stick

ST. LOUIS -- A St. Louis man convicted of using an aluminum softball bat and pogo stick to kill an acquaintance and injure another man has been ordered to spend 30 years in prison.

Richard Bilauski was sentenced Thursday to 20 years on a voluntary manslaughter conviction in the 2001 death of Robert Vessell, 41. St. Louis Circuit Judge Timothy Wilson also assessed a consecutive 10-year term for a second-degree assault count linked to another man's injuries in the attack.

Bilauski, 30, also got two concurrent 10-year terms for armed criminal action.

Jurors in January deliberated three hours before convicting Bilauski, initially charged with second-degree murder, of lesser voluntary manslaughter, along with the assault count for beating Danny Rose.

Vessell, 41, died two months after he was beaten in the early hours of June 10, 2001, when Bilauski went to Vessell's apartment building and found Vessell and Rose drinking beer in the back yard.

Bilauski asked about the whereabouts of his girlfriend, whose daughter was engaged to Vessell.

When Vessell and Rose told Bilauski to leave, Vessell picked up a pogo stick lying nearby and hit Bilauski in the leg. Bilauski grabbed the toy from Vessell and began beating him with it.

Rose grabbed a bat and used it to hit Bilauski on the head. Bilauski seized the bat and beat both men. Rose suffered a head wound and a loss of hearing. Police found Vessell unconscious from severe head wounds.

Bilauski claimed self-defense, testifying that Vessell and Rose were drunk and attacked him.