DANVILLE — A Harrodsburg couple now faces charges of felony wanton endangerment rather than attempted murder, after a judge agreed Wednesday to amend the charges against them.
Shawn L. Brodeur, 32, and his wife, Anne N. Brodeur, 31, were both initially charged with attempted murder after a .22-caliber handgun was fired Jan. 11 into a Danville home where the two had fought with Chaz Young, 31.
Boyle District Judge Jeff Dotson agreed to amend the charges to first-degree wanton endangerment upon a motion by Boyle County Attorney Richard Campbell, the prosecutor. Campbell said later that a review of the case showed that the lesser charge was more appropriate to the circumstances.
Dotson also amended other charges against the Brodeurs. First-degree assault charges against the two were amended to second-degree assault, and first-degree burglary charges were amended to second-degree assault. Young was hit with a baseball bat, but there is disagreement on whether the Brodeurs actually entered the residence, thus warranting a burglary charge, Campbell said.
Danville police did not object to the amended charges.
Shawn Brodeur is the brother of Young’s girlfriend, and Brodeur thought his sister was the victim of domestic violence at hands of Young, said public advocate Melissa Bellew, who represents Shawn Brodeur.
In a posting on MySpace.com, Young allegedly wrote: “I love to beat women. That’s my favorite thing to do. … Couple of days ago, my girlfriend’s brother and wife beat my ass with a baseball bat and now they in jail. … HAHA.”
The message continues: “I deserved it for beating his sister while she was pregnant with my baby. LOL Anyway nobody can take me down now. I was always the one in trouble … now I look like a victim. Oh well I hate that bitch carryin my baby … I wish she wasn’t pregnant. That’s one more I can’t take care of.”
Young was not charged in connection with the Jan. 11 encounter.
Bellew said Shawn Brodeur was attempting to defend his sister. “He was scared for his sister’s life, with Chaz Young’s child. He (Shawn) only went to the house to try and protect his sister.”
Young could not be reached for comment. Court records in Boyle and Mercer counties show Young has been convicted on the following charges: a misdemeanor assault in 2008, terroristic threatening in 2005, and first-degree trafficking in cocaine in 1999.
A preliminary hearing that had been scheduled for Anne Brodeur’s case was rescheduled for March 11 in Boyle District Court.
Shawn Brodeur’s case was waived to a Boyle County grand jury, which will consider the case in March.
Shawn Brodeur is also charged with carrying a concealed deadly weapon.
The Brodeurs were released from the Boyle County jail Wednesday afternoon after posting $1,000 bonds. Dotson had agreed to lower their bonds from $10,000 cash. Among the conditions set by Dotson is that they are to have no contact with Young or Shawn Brodeur’s sister.
RECENT COMMENTS