Tag Archive for 'guilty'

Husband pleads guilty to killing wife

Published
by
H-L Justice Team
on September 25, 2008
in Fayette Circuit Court
. 4 Comments

By Brandon Ortiz
bortiz@herald-leader.com

A man who was the subject of a manhunt in 2007 because of allegations he killed his wife and later confronted his brother at a Richmond newspaper pleaded guilty Thursday to manslaughter charges.

John William Todd Jr., 64, pleaded guilty Thursday to first-degree manslaughter for fatally shooting his wife, Charlene Lynn Todd, on March 8, 2007, at their 1813 Darien Drive home.

John William Todd Jr., 64, pleaded guilty Thursday to first-degree manslaughter for fatally shooting his wife, Charlene Lynn Todd, on March 8, 2007, at their 1813 Darien Drive home.

John William Todd Jr., 64, pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter for fatally shooting his wife, Charlene Lynn Todd, on March 8, 2007, at their 1813 Darien Drive home.

He accepted a plea deal for a 10-year sentence, with one caveat: his attorneys will argue to a judge that John Todd was a victim of domestic violence.

If a judge agrees, Todd could become eligible for parole after serving 20 percent of his sentence, two years.

Violent offenders normally must serve 85 percent of their sentence before they can get a parole hearing.

One of Todd’s attorneys, Jerry Wright, declined to elaborate on why Todd says the shooting was related to domestic violence.

Wright said he will file a motion outlining his arguments by Oct. 24.

Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Jason Moore declined to comment on why Todd was offered a plea deal because the case is still pending.

The day of the shooting, Lexington police were called to the home about 12:45 p.m. for reports of a shooting. Police roped off the street at Traveller Road, and a SWAT team entered the home later that afternoon to find Lynn Todd dead with gunshot wounds. Family frantically called John Todd’s cellphone trying to persuade him to turn himself in.

At 11 a.m., John Todd went to his brother’s office at the Richmond Register.

John told his brother, Jim, that he was having marital problems and had shot his wife to death after a fight. John then pulled out a .38-caliber revolver and told Jim that he had come to kill him, the Register reported.

But John Todd changed his mind, and told Jim that he wanted him to tell John Todd’s children that he had come there to kill Jim but didn’t, according to the Register.

He later turned himself in at 10:40 p.m.

Share/Save/Bookmark

Bed, Bath & Beyond manager pleads not guilty

Published
by
H-L Justice Team
on September 25, 2008
in Fayette District Court
. 7 Comments

By Shawntaye Hopkins
shopkins@herald-leader.com

A Bed, Bath & Beyond manager accused of refusing to help a Danville couple trying to call police about a child they found locked in a hot van in the parking lot pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor charge.

Elizabeth A. Miller, 34, of Richmond, waived formal arraignment in Fayette District Court Thursday afternoon and was not present when her lawyer entered the plea on her behalf. She is charged with failing to report child dependency, neglect or abuse.

Miller was charged days after a couple found a toddler inside a van in the parking lot of the housewares store on Nicholasville Road.

On Sept. 5, Randy and Nancy Belcher said they noticed there was a boy in the van parked next to their vehicle. The boy did not respond to knocks on the van’s windows.

The Belchers thought the child’s parent was probably in Bed Bath & Beyond. They went into the store and were referred to Miller, who told the Belchers it was against store policy to get involved with anything happening in the store’s parking lot, Randy Belcher says. The Belchers say Miller would not let them use the phone or make an announcement over the store’s public-address system to alert the mother or parent that the child was in distress. A corporate spokesman has denied having such a store policy.

The Belchers then returned to their vehicle, got a cell phone and called police. Others in the parking lot also called police.

Police removed Ryan Patel, 3, from the van by breaking the window. He was treated at the scene for dehydration.

His mother, Tanuja Patel, was arrested and charged with first-degree wanton endangerment. She has pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Miller is scheduled to return to court at 10 a.m. Oct. 15 for a pretrial conference.

Share/Save/Bookmark