photo by: Kim Callahan/Journal-World

Marquise Zontae Bowens, right, is pictured Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025, at the Judicial and Law Enforcement Center.

A man who was accused of repeatedly stabbing a homeless woman in the head with a knife last spring was sentenced on Wednesday to more than 10 years in prison.

Marquise Zontae Bowens, 20, was originally charged with attempted second-degree murder in the May 15 incident after Lawrence police responded to Clinton Park near the intersection of West Sixth and Maine streets and found an injured 35-year-old woman. A witness had reported that he saw the woman “covered in blood.” The woman identified her assailant as Bowens. Police found Bowens a few blocks away, and said he also had knife wounds. Police identified Bowens and the woman as homeless individuals.

On Aug. 13, Bowens pleaded no contest to a reduced charge of aggravated battery. Because he has the highest criminal history score possible under state sentencing guidelines, he faced up to a little over 11 years on prison. As part of the plea agreement, the parties recommended that he serve just over 10 years.

In following the mitigated recommendation, Judge Amy Hanley cited the joint request of the parties and the fact that Bowens quickly “accepted responsibility” for the crime, waiving a preliminary hearing and facilitating the relatively fast resolution of the case in just five months.

Bowens’ high criminal history score stems from a string of juvenile convictions in Bourbon, Sedgwick, Butler and Saline counties.

The victim did not appear at Wednesday’s hearing. When Hanley asked Bowens if he’d like to address the court, he said, “I don’t have anything to say, ma’am.”