Below is an update from the Indychannel, WRTV6 website.
The man accused of brutally beating an Indiana state legislator over the weekend admitted to the attack Monday and said it stemmed from a grudge he has held for 26 years. In an interview from jail, Augustus Mendenhall, 38, told 6News’ Jennifer Carmack that an old court case in which State Rep. Ed DeLaney, D-Indianapolis, was involved back in 1983 was the impetus for the attack.
“Mr. DeLaney, through his power and influence, has done a great injustice to my family,” Mendenhall said. “I simply wanted Mr. DeLaney to recognize what he had done and to ensure to make him promise he would never use his power in that way again.”
In that case, Mendenhall’s father, Burke Mendenhall, owned a building in the 4200 block of West 38th Street in which he intended to set up an adult bookstore. According to court records, the Marion County prosecutor at the time, Stephen Goldsmith, directed the Indianapolis Police Department to “lock, seal and secure” the bookstore on Mendenhall’s property. There was a long, drawn-out court battle that lasted six years. Both DeLaney and his wife, Ann, were involved in the case at the time. Ann DeLaney was deputy prosecutor. Mendenhall said that his family has never been the same since that court battle and that DeLaney “wronged” his family. Mendenhall also said that he just intended to scare DeLaney and that he’s sorry for the way the attack turned out, but never said he was sorry that it happened.
According to the probable cause, Mendehall put the gun to DeLaney’s head and pulled the trigger, but the gun was jammed. DeLaney suffered broken bones in his face, several broken ribs, a punctured lung and needed several staples in his head after the attack, which happened Saturday morning just off Catherine Drive in Carmel.
Mendenhall was charged with several felonies, including attempted murder. He was being held without bond in the Hamilton County Jail.
Please visit http://www.theindychannel.com/news/21498809/detail.html to watch the video interview and read the entire article.
Comments