Guilty Plea in Stabbing

A Texas drifter who stabbed another man in March at a Hermosa Beach all-night laundry pleaded guilty to a charge of assault with a deadly weapon and was sentenced to one year in county jail.

John Mark Skinner, 25, entered the plea Wednesday in Torrance Superior Court. Skinner was also placed on three years’ probation by Judge Cecil J. Mills.

Skinner was at the Pier Coin Wash on Pier Avenue March 19, when he got into an argument with James Routson of Hermosa Beach. Witnesses told police that Skinner had been playing contemporary Christian music on his tape machine and became agitated when Routson and several of his friends tried to replace the tape with another by the rock group Led Zeppelin.

The two men argued and Routson, 28, began throwing punches, one witness said. Skinner retaliated by pulling a 10-inch butcher knife and slashing at Routson, stabbing him in the arms, chest and thighs.

Routson ran across the street toward the police station with Skinner in pursuit, Hermosa Beach Police said. It was not until an officer leveled a gun at Skinner that he ceased the attack, police said.