Breedlove
Three of four Columbus residents accused in the kidnapping and beating of a 19-year-old man made their first appearance before a judge Tuesday afternoon.
Initial hearings were conducted for Charles Abram Breedlove, 18, of 2017 14th St.; Ashton Fields, 18, of 762 Clifty Drive-C and Emily Franklin, 18, who resides with Fields. The initial hearings conducted by Bartholomew County magistrate David Nowak were held via a teleconference between Nowak’s courtroom and the county jail.
There was no initial hearing for the fourth defendant: Zablin “Jai” Woodruff, 19, of 238 N. Hughes St. His attorney, Patrick Baker of Indianapolis, said Woodruff didn’t want his first court appearance to be held via a Zoom conference. A date will be set for him to appear live in a courtroom for his initial hearing in the coming days, Nowak said.
All four defendants are charged with robbery resulting in serious bodily injury as a Level 2 felony, and Level 3 felony counts of kidnapping, criminal confinement and aggravated battery. Any defendant convicted on all four counts could face between 19 and 78 years in prison, as well as up to $40,000 in fines.
The preliminary not-guilty pleas entered by Nowak for each defendant will become permanent if a change is not initiated by a defense attorney. From this point on, it’s likely all hearings in the four cases will be conducted by Bartholomew Superior Court 1 Judge James Worton.
What remains unknown at this early stage is a motive. No reason for the kidnapping and beating has been provided by investigating officers nor written in police reports.
According to investigators, Franklin offered to drive the 19-year-old male victim to get something to eat the night of June 2. Instead, she drove him to a barn located off Bonnell Road.
Once the vehicle stopped, Woodruff opened the passenger door, grabbed the victim by the neck and dragged him out of the vehicle, the probable cause affidavit states. The victim told investigators Breedlove punched him in the face before he and Woodruff dragged him into the barn where three additional masked individuals were waiting.
Woodruff and Breedlove took turns with a knife attempting to cut the victim before Breedlove brandished a pistol from his waistband and pistol-whipped the victim, court documents state. Breedlove pointed a pistol at the victim’s head multiple times and said, “I’m going to blow your head off,” “these are your last minutes on earth” and “this is it,” the affidavit states.
The victim said a stick was used to hit him, but he did not remember who was responsible for the beatings. But he did remember Woodruff held him down while Breedlove cut off his hair and cut his throat with the scissors, the affidavit states.
Woodruff asked the victim, “Are you thirsty?” just before he threw liquid on his face that burned the victim’s eyes and the lacerations on his face, the affidavit states. Woodruff and Breedlove then grabbed the victim’s index and small fingers and attempted to break them, investigators said.
The victim said he was told by Woodruff to wait in the barn for 30 minutes, as well as warned that if he left earlier, the beating would continue, the affidavit states. Woodruff and Breedlove then took his sweatshirt, shoes and phone, investigators said.
The victim waited for more than an hour before running to nearby homes seeking help, the affidavit states. When he got to the fourth home, he found himself at the residence of Indiana State Police Trooper Rick Roseberry, who called for emergency medical assistance.
When treated at Columbus Regional Hospital, the victim had had a significant amount of dried blood covering the right side of his face, a swollen and bleeding lip, a large laceration on the right side of his face, a long thin laceration across his right cheek, a neck contusion and additional cuts and scrapes on his neck and face, according to the affidavit.
The four defendants were apprehended over the next several days.
Bartholomew County Prosecutor Lindsey Holden-Kay said she would object to any request for bond from the four defendants until she’s given the opportunity to talk with the victim. Nevertheless, North Vernon attorney Mark Dove said he has scheduled a 3 p.m. bond modification hearing for this afternoon for Franklin, who has hired Dove to represent her.
Breedlove said Columbus attorney Sean G. Thomasson will represent him, but the magistrate still scheduled an attorney status hearing for Breedlove at 10:30 a.m. on Sept. 25.
Fields appears to be the only one of the four defendants who has not yet secured an attorney. Nowak scheduled an attorney status hearing for Fields at 8:45 a.m.
The three defendants will share the following hearing dates: Change of plea at 10:30 a.m. on Sept. 25; pre-trial conference at 11 a.m. on Oct. 9 and a tentative trial date to begin at 8:30 a.m. on Oct. 24.
