Melinda Brady is being indicted today! UPDATED

Posted By

Message

Member since 1/09

18021 total posts

Name:

Melinda Brady is being indicted today! UPDATED

I hope she's charged up the ying yang!

CHARGES HAVE BEEN UPGRADED

The wife of accused of Medford pharmacy massacre shooter David Laffer will not face murder charges, but is facing a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison after the robbery charge against her was upgraded Tuesday, officials said.

Melinda Brady had been charged with third-degree robbery and obstruction for what police and prosecutors said is her admitted role in helping her husband plan the Father's Day robbery that left four inside a local drugstore brutally murdered. But in a grand jury indictment unsealed Tuesday, a single count of first-degree robbery replaces the third-degree robbery and obstruction charge against Brady.

Her Legal Aid attorney, Bryan Browns, entered a not-guilty plea in a three-minute arraignment in Suffolk County Court in Riverhead

Judge James Hudson ordered Brady held without bail. Her next court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 22, the same date her husband, who has been charged with five counts of first-degree murder and resisting arrest, is due back in court.

Suffolk police said Laffer killed pharmacist Raymond Ferguson, drugstore employee Jennifer Mejia, 17, and customers Jaime Taccetta, 33, and Bryon Sheffield, 71, inside the Haven Drugs pharmacy in Medford in a robbery of prescription painkillers.

Prosecutors have said that Brady, 29, drove the getaway car. According to felony complaints filed after her arrest, she told detectives she worked with Laffer to plan the robbery, even helping him with the disguise -- but said Laffer wasn't supposed to kill anyone.

"She helped her co-defendant, David Laffer, plan the robbery," Assistant Suffolk County District Attorney James Chalifoux said during the arraignment.

Chalifoux also told the court Brady drove the getaway car and helped provide an alibi.

Last month, Chalifoux, speaking on behalf of District Attorney Thomas Spota, told a court Brady was charged "based on her admitted role in what I submit is the most horrific and chilling robbery murder in Suffolk County history."

Family of the victims were present Tuesday at the arraignment, but declined to comment.

From Newsday
---------------------

Melinda Brady, accused of aiding her husband in the robbery that resulted in the execution-style slayings of four people in a Medford pharmacy last month, has been indicted by a Suffolk County grand jury, according to the district attorney's office.

Brady, 29, of Medford, who had been charged with third-degree robbery in the June 19 shooting at Haven Drugs, is expected to be arraigned in Suffolk County Court in Riverhead Tuesday, said Robert Clifford, spokesman for District Attorney Thomas Spota.

It was not known Monday night whether Brady's indictment, which was still sealed, contains other charges in connection with the shooting. But when Brady was arraigned after her arrest last month, prosecutors said charges would likely be upgraded.

Brady's Legal Aid attorney, Jeremy Mis, could not be reached to comment last night.

Brady is married to David Laffer, 33, the man Suffolk police said murdered pharmacist Raymond Ferguson, drugstore employee Jennifer Mejia, 17, and customers Jaime Taccetta, 33, and Bryon Sheffield, 71, in a robbery of prescription painkillers.

Laffer was indicted on first-degree murder and resisting arrest charges on June 27.

Prosecutors have said that Brady drove the getaway car. According to felony complaints filed after her arrest, she told detectives she worked with Laffer to plan the robbery, even helping him with the disguise, but he wasn't supposed to kill anyone

Message edited 7/19/2011 11:57:27 AM.

Posted 7/19/11 7:02 AM