BULLHEAD CITY — Local judges have struggled with plea agreements offered to resolve criminal cases involving a May 14 drive by shooting incident in Bullhead City. Brendon Laflair, 19, and Madilyn Hammerstet, 20, are the only defendants charged in the case and they have both blamed the gunfire on another mystery man in an attempt to reduce their criminal culpability.
The defendants and their attorneys have conceded in various hearings that they traveled together to the River Springs apartment complex in the 1700 block of Arriba drive after text message confrontations that involved the father of Hammerstet’s child. There’s no dispute that a woman outside the complex dove under a vehicle to take cover when gunfire erupted from Hammerstet’s vehicle.
No one was injured.
Hammerstet pleaded guilty to an aggravated assault charge during a December 9 hearing before Judge Derek Carlisle. Her lawyer told the Court that Hammerstet was the front seat passenger and allowed her vehicle to access the apartment complex knowing that a confrontation was planned.
Judge Carlisle further forced Hammerstet to admit that she knew a shooting could transpire before he accepted the plea deal. Hammerstet faces punishment ranging from probation up to 8.75 years in prison when sentenced February 12.
Judge Billy Sipe has twice rejected plea deals proposed for Laflair, once in October and again on December 5. Sipe said he was troubled that Laflair failed to admit that he was responsible for the gunfire.
Both the Bullhead City police department and deputy county attorney Melinda Bonson have asserted that it was Laflair who fired from the vehicle. Yet, Laflair and Hammerstet claim an uncharged and unidentified third person in the vehicle opened fire.
Laflair maintained his gunfire denial even though Sipe said he could not accept a mandatory prison plea deal if the defendant did not commit aggravated assault under the law. Sipe said it might be best for a trial jury to sort out who did what rather than trying to achieve justice by flimsy compromise.
“To me it’s a laughable plea agreement quite frankly,” Sipe said. “I just don’t feel comfortable with this disposition.”
Defense attorney Ross Carponelli asked that Judge Sipe recuse himself after he formally rejected the proposed plea. Laflair’s case will be assigned to another local judge and begin anew.
