DENVER (Reuters) ? One of three Florida siblings accused of shooting at police following a cross-country crime spree pleaded guilty in a Colorado court on Thursday to reduced charges, court documents show.
Lee Grace Dougherty, 29, who was initially charged with attempted murder, pleaded guilty to two counts of felony menacing and attempted first-degree assault, according to a plea agreement filed in Huerfano County District Court.
Prosecutors dropped the attempted murder charge against her last week. In exchange for the guilty pleas, more than 20 charges related to the police chase and shootout were dismissed.
Citing a gag order imposed by the judge in the case, her public defender, Patrick McCarville, declined to comment on the plea deal. Huerfano County District Attorney Frank Ruybalid could not be reached for comment.
Lee Dougherty and her brothers, Dylan Stanley Dougherty, 26, and Ryan Edward Dougherty, 22, were targets of a nationwide manhunt last summer following the attempted shooting of a Florida police officer and a Georgia bank robbery.
A federal grand jury indicted the siblings for robbing a Certus Bank in Valdosta, Georgia of $5,168, and for the use of firearms in commission of a violent crime, the indictment said.
Ryan Dougherty was also indicted for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm related to the bank hold-up.
The trio was arrested in southern Colorado last August after a high-speed chase and running gun battle with police.
According to an arrest affidavit, police said the Doughertys led them on a high-speed chase in a stolen Subaru Impreza at speeds reaching 120 miles per hour outside Walsenburg, Colorado.
When the Impreza crashed into a highway median and became disabled, Lee Dougherty leveled a machine pistol at Walsenburg police chief James Chamberlain, who shot and wounded her in the right thigh.
Lee Dougherty admitted that the fugitives fired at police, but "we weren't trying to hurt anyone, we just wanted them to get back," the affidavit said.
The former topless dancer also admitted to pointing her weapon at Chamberlain, and that she "deserved to get shot," investigators said.
Lee Grace Dougherty faces between nine and 28 years in prison when she is sentenced April 30. As part of the plea agreement, any sentence in the Georgia or Florida cases would run concurrent to her sentence in the Colorado case.
Dylan and Ryan Dougherty both have court hearings next week.
Dylan Dougherty also faces escape and contraband charges after Huerfano County jailers last month found a homemade knife in his cell and detailed jailbreak plans, along with taunting letters to law enforcement.
(Reporting by Keith Coffman; Editing by Mary Slosson, Dan Whitcomb, Paul Thomasch and Cynthia Johnston)
quadrantid meteor shower johnny weir aretha franklin osu football osu football oklahoma state santonio holmes
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.