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Melissa Louise Newsom, 39, 222 Tipton St., testified in Lake County Circuit Court that Charles McElyea never sexually assaulted her.
"Charlie never did try to hurt me," she said. "The whole thing was accidental. ... Charlie was a nice guy. Things just kind of got out of hand."
Newsom didn't describe what happened Aug. 30, 2007, when McElyea was hit by his own Ford Ranger pickup truck and left for dead. His body was discovered that morning on the grounds of a county materials yard on Harrell Street.
Newsom's testimony was part of her plea bargain. Newsom entered a "best-interest" plea to a charge of second-degree murder and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Because of the violent nature of the crime, she must serve the entire sentence.
Her attorney, Public Defender Jimmy Lanier, prompted the testimony by reminding Newsom that she'd given several different versions of what had happened.
When Judge Lee Moore heard Newsom say that the "whole thing was just an accident" he questioned whether he should accept the plea. Moore typically does not accept pleas when defendants decline to accept responsibility for the crime.
Lanier interjected, saying that Newsom had, at one point, said McElyea was at the driver's door when Newsom began driving away and that he'd gotten caught under the vehicle. The physical evidence showed that McElyea was hit head-on, Lanier said.
McElyea was 68 years old. He'd been a resident of Ridgely until his home burned in September 2006. After that, he reportedly lived in his truck, often parking it for the night on the lot of his old homeplace.
Newsom was identified as McElyea's girlfriend, but he had filed a criminal summons against her the day before his death. He had claimed in the summons that she'd stolen about $2,000.
Thanks goodness the TBI investiated this or there may not have been any justice served.
A CRIME IS A CRIME AND CITY LEADERS ARE HELD TO A MUCH HIGHER STANDARD, BESIDES, COCAINE WILL GET YOU MORE TIME THAN MURDER....NOT PICKING ON YOUR BOY TIMMY, JUST KICKED A FACT.......
And that is pale in comparison to the crimes of David Lanier and Tommy Cribbs! They committed crimes against others not made a personal mistake!
ACCIDENT AND DISCOVERY OF COCAINE.....SLAP ON THE WRIST......DID HE EVER GO TO COURT?
What's Tim Naifeh done to compared to Tommy Cribbs and David Lanier?
TRUST ME BLONDY, IT ISN'T BECAUSE OF BLACK FOLKS OR AN OLD WHITE MAN....YOU GOT TO LOOK AT THE POLITICAL POWER....YES, SMALL TOWN POLITICIANS AND CONNECTED WORKERS DOES HAVE A LOT OF PULL...LOOK AT DAVID LANIER, TOMMY CRIBBS, TIM NAIFEH....THESE GUYS GET AWAY WITH MURDER AND UNTIL THE PRESS OR NEWS COVERAGE MAKES IT NATIONAL, THEY WILL CONTINUE TO GET AWAY....
i dont know any of these people or the facts of what happened but why did she get such a large sentence when in other articles people kill people and just get a slap on the wrist???? i am so confused.... someone explain it to me please... is it because he was an old white man and the others were black folks???? i know my friend got murdered in a very cruel way and nothing has happened in that case the man was let go.... i am talking about cristin robinson just because she was at the wrong place at the wrong time and hung around with black people the police didnt bring her murderer to justice. but this woman melissa killed an old white man and she got 15 yrs she will have to do in full. so will someone explain the law to me??? or is there law in dyer and surrounding counties??? or is it just who you kill that determines how much time you do???
wasn't she in prison before for murder?i could be mistaken because after all this girl has done sooooo much.i know that she supposedly had something to with an aunsolved murder case in lake county but if she did or whoever did it will not ever be brought to justice.these old men that want a little affection from these younger girls who are on drugs in exchange for money need to be careful,this is why this man is dead.
her family could not pay mr.creasey any longer because herfather the fire chief and other family members were charged with arson. lets see a murderer for a daughter.a arsonist for a father and grandson.what a family!! they all received sleps on the wrist....
Isnt this the same defendant who had Jason Creasey as an attorney when she was first arrested for this offense? She paid him well but obviously he decided not to pursue the case. Just wondering...maybe i'm wrong but don't think so. why didn't he defend her this time?
Uh, excuse me, but wasn't Lanier suppose to be HER attorney? Geeez, sounds like he was more of a prosecutor than defense lawyer.
AM I LOOKING AT A CIGARETTE IN HER HAND?....JUST GIVE HER A DRINK TOO.......
Mr. Charlie was a good man. I knew him from several years ago in my younger days. He was peculiar in alot of ways but seemed to be a good man that was quiet and to himself. It's a crying shame what this piece of trash did. She should be executed in my opinion. I'm free most evenings if they need someone to flip the switch.
I agree, dirtfarmer! Why (if Judge Moore does not typically accept plea bargains when the defendants decline responsibility) was she not forced to tell the truth? Hopefully this article is the condensed version of what happened in court. Poor Mr. Charlie was using his heart, not his common sense in even associating with this scum.
Crack cocaine will make a person do awful things, just as Melissa did to poor Mr. Charlie. She will have alot of time to think about what she did, and for what? Just a few minutes or seconds of drug induced bliss. Sin is pleasurable for a season but then you must face your Supreme maker and pay day will be hell!
why was she not made to tell what really happened? u didnt have to accept the plea.she is still trying to blame charlie.