Moe Gibbs, 35, pleaded guilty to six felony counts involving five inmates at the Barnes County Jail.

Last month, a jury found him guilty in the death of Valley City State University Mindy Morgenstern. His first murder trial on the charge, in July in Minot, ended in a deadlocked jury.

Defense attorney Ross Brandborg would not say why Gibbs changed his pleas to guilty. The plea deal calls for a 25-year prison sentence with 10 years suspended.

Prosecutor Jonathan Byers Byers said Gibbs' "acceptance of responsibility" figured into the lower sentence. "There has to be some benefit to him for doing that," Byers said.

Authorities say the assaults took place from May to September last year. Under questioning from Byers on Friday, Gibbs said he had sexual contact with two inmates while they were either asleep or waking up.

The judge agreed to Brandborg's request to delay sentencing on the assault charges. Gibbs is to be sentenced on the murder conviction Monday and for a 2004 rape next Thursday.