July 17, 2017 - Three out of four individuals alleged to have been involved in a 2016 kidnapping and beating have made plea agreements with the Shelby County District Attorney's office, and the fourth now has at least two state's witnesses prepared to testify against him in court.
Tobby Mardis pleaded guilty or no contest June 29, 2017 to aggravated kidnapping, first degree felony, in relation to the kidnapping of Michael Bridwell on December 14, 2016.
As a result of his plea the charge was reduced to kidnapping, second degree felony, and Mardis was given 20 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Institutional Division (TDCJ-ID). Mardis' charge of aggravated robbery, first degree felony, was reduced to robbery, second degree felony, per plea agreement and he also received 20 years for that charge.
The time on both charges will run concurrently and both are contingent upon the truthful testimony of Mardis against his co-defendant. Two other charges Mardis was facing, engaging in organized criminal activity, and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon were dismissed as a result of the plea agreements.
Charles Lynn Edwards, Jr. was charged with aggravated kidnapping, first degree felony, and on March 16, 2017 received 10 years in the TDCJ-ID. He also received 63 days credit for time served and two other charges against him of engaging in organized criminal activity and aggravated robbery were dismissed.
Morgan Magee was already on probation for three felony 2015 cases which included possession of a controlled substance, third degree felony; and two burglary of a building, state jail felony, charges. Probation was revoked as a result of her additional charges for aggravated robbery and engaging in organized criminal activity. Due to the revocation on January 26, 2017 of the previous probations, Magee was sent to state jail for 24 months.
As a condition of her plea Magee had 462 days time served to go toward her sentence and the District Attorney's office agreed January 26, 2017 not to pursue the pending cases of aggravated robbery and engaging in organized criminal activity in exchange for truthful testimony against her co-defendants.
Only one co-defendant in the kidnapping case has failed to make arrangements with the District Attorney's office at this time, and that is Kevin Wayne Askew. Askew remains in the Shelby County Jail and is facing charges of aggravated robbery, first degree felony; aggravated kidnapping, first degree felony; aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, second degree felony; and engaging in organized criminal activity, felony one degree higher: first degree felony.
Related articles:
- Report of Brutal Beating, Kidnapping Results in Arrest of Two
- Third Suspect Arrest Made in Beating, Kidnapping
