Edward Krown
LAKE HAVASU CITY – A couple of Lake Havasu City fraud case victims flipped the script at a change of plea hearing in Kingman, and essentially tried to conduct a mini-trial for defendant Edward Krown, 43.
Judge Doug Camacho had already accepted the plea agreement entered June 5, but that was before two of Krown’s victims railed against the defendant for 20 minutes or more.
A 72-year-old former law enforcement officer questioned the accuracy of the probation department’s pre-sentence report, contending it failed to fully inform the Court of Krown’s criminal history. He offered documents along with commentary as he branded Krown, a 23-year career criminal with consummate con-man skills.
He berated the defendant and the legal system he said keeps letting Krown slip through the cracks of justice and avoid prison. He said Krown deserves to be locked up rather than enjoy the leniency of the probation-guaranteed plea deal that would dismiss eight various counts of theft and fraud for convictions for two auto theft charges.
“It’s a giveaway get out of jail free card,” the victim told Camacho.
Then another of Krown’s six victims offered condemnation. ?“He’s a ruthless, heartless, bad, bad man,” the 52-year-old registered nurse said. “He has hurt a lot of people.”
The nurse told the judge that Krown enjoyed referring to himself as “Dillinger,” contending use of a famous criminal’s nickname proved he is enamored with being a rogue. She, too, offered legal history documents and she read into the record what she said was a transcription of Krown’s cavalier criminal confessions and admissions during a taped telephone call.
The nurse said Krown preyed up the elderly and women. She unveiled herself personally, claiming she was duped into engaging in sexual activity with Krown while rewarding him with thousands of dollars while he merely ?“fake-liked” her.
She alleged she contracted STDs from Krown and that his manipulation of her constituted rape.
“You violated my body for months,” she said of Krown, indicating she has endured 17 counseling sessions for her criminal victim trauma. ‘After everything he’s done to me I am completely broken.”
Deputy Mohave County Attorney Julia Ketchum eventually interceded asking Camacho to end the victim’s presentation.
The Judge subsequently announced he was no longer willing to comply with the probation-guaranteed sentencing limitations of the agreement. After consulting briefly with her client, defense attorney Emily Weiss said that Krown wished to withdraw from the plea deal and asked Judge Camacho to recuse himself.
Judge Camacho did so, and the case will be reassigned to another judge and start from scratch.
Dave Hawkins
