Franklin
The sentencing of a former Jennings County resident accused in a 2023 kidnapping, assault and robbery is scheduled for today.
Emily Franklin, 19, was originally charged with robbery resulting in serious bodily injury as a Level 2 felony; kidnapping with serious bodily injury as a Level 3 felony; criminal confinement resulting in serious bodily injury as a Level 3 felony; and aggravated battery as a Level 3 felony, according to court records.
Court documents indicate she was accused of driving the 19-year-old victim under false pretenses to where the brutal assault took place east of Columbus.
Last May, Franklin accepted a plea agreement and agreed to plead guilty to a lesser charge of assisting a criminal as a Level 5 felony, with all other charges dropped. As part of the deal, prosecutors agreed the Commiskey native would not serve more than four years in prison.
But the agreement also stated Franklin must testify truthfully about co-defendants Charles A. Breedlove of 2017 14th St.; Ashton Fields of 762 Clifty Drive-C; and Zablin “Jai” Woodruff of 238 N. Hughes St.
A similar deal was offered to Fields, who resided with Franklin in the Wehmeier subdivision prior to their arrest. Fields, whose participation in the assault and robbery also appears to have been limited, pleaded guilty to assisting a criminal as a Level 5 felony. The agreement calls for Fields to serve a maximum of four years in prison, with the remaining time to be spent in a Community Corrections program.
But like Franklin, the agreement is only valid if Fields testifies truthfully against co-defendants. Although Fields was originally scheduled to be sentenced a few hours after Franklin, a continuance filed Jan. 16 will delay the sentencing until 3 p.m. on May 14.
Only one defendant has not accepted a plea agreement. Woodruff is scheduled to have a change of plea hearing before Judge James Worton at 9:30 a.m. on March 17, with an tentative trial date scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on April 15.
According to online court records, Woodruff is facing formal charges of robbery resulting in serious bodily injury as a Level 2 felony; kidnapping with serious bodily injury as a Level 3 felony; criminal confinement resulting in serious bodily injury as a Level 3 felony, and aggravated battery causing serious permanent disfigurement as a Level 3 felony.
The crimes took place on June 2, 2023, after Franklin offered to drive the male victim to get something to eat, a probable cause affidavit states. Instead, she drove him to a barn located off Bonnell Road, investigators say.
Woodruff grabbed the victim by the neck and dragged him out of the vehicle before Breedlove punched him in the face, a probable cause affidavit states.
Breedlove and Woodruff took turns with a knife attempting to cut the victim before Breedlove brandished a pistol from his waistband and pistol-whipped the victim, according to court documents. 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 told investigators Woodruff held him down while Breedlove cut off his hair and cut the skin covering his throat with a pair of scissors, the affidavit states.
Woodruff asked the victim, “Are you thirsty?” just before he threw liquid on the victim’s face that burned his 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 assault would continue, the affidavit states. Woodruff and Breedlove then took the victim’s 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 arrived at the fourth home, he found himself at the residence of Indiana State Police Trooper Rick Roseberry, who called for emergency medical assistance.
Last February, Breedlove accepted a plea agreement where he admitted his guilt to robbery resulting in serious bodily injury as a Level 2 felony. In March, he was given a 20-year prison sentence, with 10 to be served in prison. Breedlove was also ordered to pay $8,587 restitution.
