Couple acquitted on charge of concealing fugitive

A rural Beecher City couple was found not guilty of concealing a fugitive in a three-day jury trial last week in Fayette County.
A Fayette County jury deliberated 35 minutes before returning not guilty verdicts for Brett A. and Linda R. Wood last Wednesday afternoon.
The trial began on Monday with the selection of jurors and continued on Tuesday with Assistant State’s Attorney Brenda Mathis presenting the prosecution’s case.
As that portion of the trial was completed, the Woods’ defense attorneys made a motion for a directed verdict, a judge’s ruling in favor of the two defendants, according to court records.
 The motion was denied by Fayette County Resident Circuit Judge, and after the defense rested without calling any witnesses, a motion for a directed verdict was made again; Sheafor denied that motion a second time.
The third and final day of the trial ended on Wednesday morning with Mathis and the two defense attorneys, Mark Wykoff for Brett Wood and Monroe McWard for Linda Wood, presenting their closing arguments.
The case was turned over to jurors at 10:19 a.m., and they returned with not guilty verdicts at 10:54 a.m., according to court records.
The Woods were charged with concealing a fugitive in information filed by the office of Fayette County State’s Attorney Joshua Morrison on Oct. 2, 2014.
It was alleged in the information that on Oct. 1, 2014, Brett and Linda Wood knew that Ricky Garner was wanted on a Fayette County warrant and that they concealed Garner in their home “with the intent to prevent Ricky Garner’s apprehension.”
The charge is a Class 4 felony offense punishable by up to three years in prison and/or a fine of up to $25,000.
Garner was taken into custody on Oct. 1, 2014, according to court records.
Those records show that Garner pleaded guilty on Jan. 16 of last year to a charge of driving while his license was revoked, a Class 3 felony that alleged that he had been convicted of driving while his license was suspended or revoked nine times.
He was sentenced to two years in prison, receiving 110 days credit for time previously served, according to court records.