A Cottage Grove man has been sentenced for stabbing of his wife in the stomach.
Henry Freiling, 71, pleaded guilty in July to attempted second-degree murder. Washington County District Court Judge Tad Jude sentenced Freiling on Wednesday to nearly 13 years in prison, but stayed 10 years of his sentence.
Freiling, who had credit for serving 420 days, also was ordered to comply with mental-health treatment. He will be residing at an approved assisted-living facility.
According to court documents, Freiling’s wife called 911 on May 20, 2019, to say that he was threatening her with a knife. During the call, Freiling allegedly stabbed her once in the abdomen with a butcher knife with a 7½-inch blade, according to the criminal complaint.
She told police that the day before, Freiling had tried to strangle her, then tried to suffocate her with a pillow, saying, “I have to kill you so I can go to prison,” according to the complaint.