BENTON, Tenn. — News traveled fast last week in Polk County after Bradley Davis Waldroup Jr. was found guilty on a lesser charge in a 2006 slaying.
Prosecutors had charged Mr. Waldroup with first-degree murder in the death of Meigs County resident Leslie Bradshaw. Testimony and evidence showed Mr. Waldroup shot her eight times and slashed her in the head repeatedly with a machete.
He also chased, slashed and beat his estranged wife, Penny, who survived to testify at the trial.
The state asked for the death penalty.
Instead, jurors convicted Mr. Waldroup of voluntary manslaughter in Ms. Bradshaw’s death.
Some people, including family members of the victims, said they couldn’t understand the verdict.
But the prosecutor and defense attorney said they respect the jury’s decision.
Voluntary manslaughter was among the choices offered jurors, Assistant District Attorney Wayne Carter said.
“In trying to evaluate this, and this is pure speculation, they were all calm when they (Penny Waldroup and Leslie Bradshaw) arrived there,” Mr. Carter said.
Ms. Bradshaw was with Mrs. Waldroup to drop the couple’s children off at their father’s trailer for a visit.
“The discussions began, and Leslie got into it and the heat of passion took over,” Mr. Carter said. Mr. Waldroup testified he told his wife he did not want a divorce.
“It was a really hard decision for the jury to make, but they paid attention to the evidence and the testimony,” defense attorney Sherrie Young said.
She said the prosecution’s death penalty request was built on a combination of felony kidnapping and first-degree murder, “and the jury just didn’t see it that way.”
Jurors also found him guilty of attempted second-degree murder and especially aggravated kidnapping for attacking his wife, and of aggravated kidnapping of Ms. Bradshaw .
Sentencing is scheduled for May 7.
Mr. Carter said the state will ask for consecutive sentences, which would mean Mr. Waldroup could serve up to 55 years in prison.
Ms. Young said she will ask for concurrent sentencing so he could serve all the sentences at once and lower his time in prison.
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