Reply #69: Bobby Ray Brewster previously killed his own father. And a month before the instant case, police

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arrested him for domestic battery on Megan Williams; he was out on bail at the time of the later and more famous incident. He pleaded guilty in July 08 to sexual assault and conspiracy to kidnap charges, and was sentenced to 13 - 40 years (not 3 years)

His mother, Frankie Lee Brewster, previously served time for killing her mother-in-law. She pleaded guilty in the Megan Williams case and was sentenced in March 08 to 10 - 25 years (not 3 years)

Karen Burton was indicted for a hate crime (associated with stabbing Megan): she pleaded guilty was sentenced in March 08 to two 2 - 10 year sentences and a third 10 year sentence (not 3 years), to be served consecutively

Karen Burton's son (Linnie Burton Jr) and her daughter (Alisha Burton) both accepted plea bargains. Alisha Burton pleaded guilty in February 08 and was sentenced to 10 years (not 3) for assault and kidnapping; she apparently provided evidence against her mother, before being indicted herself; she also wrote to the NYT corroborating that Megan had been held captive. Linnie Burton Jr was given a 6 month suspended sentence for battery in June 08, as a result of his plea bargain: this was the only minor sentence in the case

Danny Combs pleaded guilty in September 08 to assault and conspiracy to kidnap charges and was sentenced to 4 - 20 years (not 3 years)

George Messer pleaded guilty and was sentenced in February 08 to 10 years (not 3 years)

It is certainly possible that we are dealing with a gross miscarriage of justice here, but the first impression might be otherwise. The household had a history of violence; essentially everyone involved had a criminal record, and Alisha Burton did tell the NYT that Megan Williams had been held against her will. Megan Williams also spent time in the hospital after police removed her from the Brewster residence for the second time within a month in 2007. All defendants negotiated plea bargains, but only one of those involved a minor sentence