Amanda Weddle found not guilty in bar shooting case

Amanda Weddle has been found not guilty of being an accessory to a felony for her actions following a bar shooting earlier this year.

Weddle, 20, of 720 N. Kimball, had a trial before Hall County District Judge James Livingston Tuesday after she waived her right to a jury trial on Oct. 1.

She was charged with being an accessory to attempted first-degree murder for a shooting that occurred at El Tabares, 106 W. Fourth St., on Jan. 25. The shooting, which injured two bystanders, stemmed from a disagreement over a drug deal and involved three men, including Weddle's brother, Jacob Weddle.

According to court documents, the state presented evidence that after the shooting, Gabrial Carson, Keith Raker and Jacob Weddle went to Weddle's residence. The shooter, Carson, went to the bathroom, "grabbed a cold beer" and intended to leave. At that time, Amanda Weddle arrived and said police were driving around the house and asked what had happened.

Her brother told her about the shooting and all four people left the home, according to court documents.

Carson went to Doniphan and the Weddle siblings, along with Raker, went to St. Paul, according to police.

Carson has been sentenced to 15 to 30 years in prison for attempted first-degree murder and using a gun to commit a felony. The cases against Jacob Weddle and Raker, who are each charged with aiding and abetting attempted first-degree murder, are pending in district court.

According to court documents, the purpose of the offense of accessory to a felony is "to prevent the accessory from helping a specific person, whom the accessory knows, and when the accessory has generally reliable information of the other person's commission of a felony, avoid arrest and conviction."

The state presented evidence that Carson committed the crime and the only knowledge Amanda Weddle had of the incident came from her brother, according to court documents.

Further evidence was presented that Carson planned to leave the home before Amanda Weddle arrived. There was no evidence she did anything to assist Carson in avoiding arrest and conviction, Livingston ruled.

As a result, Livingston found Amanda Weddle not guilty.

Weddle remained in the Hall County Jail Tuesday because she faces a charge of aiding and abetting first-degree murder for the Aug. 12, 2007, death of Faud Osman, whose body was found in rural Hall County.

One of the co-defendants in that case, Jennifer Ehlers, was sentenced to 36 to 40 months in prison for her role in the death. That time will be served after her sentence of seven to 10 years in prison for an unrelated burglary is completed. John Zechmann is charged with first-degree murder and using a gun to commit a felony. His trial is scheduled for early December.

Weddle had been released on her own recognizance in October 2007 as part of an agreement to testify against her co-defendants in the murder case. That bond was revoked in early August by Livingston, who set the new bond at $250,000.