HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The jury in the trial for a 32-year-old Hutchinson man charged with two alternate counts of kidnapping found him “guilty” as charged. The jury got the case just before noon Thursday, but took a lunch break before starting their deliberations.
Todd Lloyd is now convicted for holding his girlfriend at knife point in front of several police officers after he tried to elude community corrections officers who wanted him taken into custody on a violation from an earlier case. This occurring back on April 23.
The state rested their case on Wednesday and the defense rested their case Thursday morning after being denied a judgment of acquittal.
Both sides then gave their closing where District Attorney Keith Schroeder argued that he held his girlfriend by force telling Hutchinson Police Sgt. Eric Buller that he would hurt her. The defense contends that she was not held by force or threat and in fact was there trying to protect him because she was afraid he might commit “suicide by cops.” Attorney Carl Maughn asked the jury to look at all perspectives, not just those of law enforcement. He also reminded them that they shouldn’t consider other wrongs of the defendant such as his addiction to methamphetamine. In other words says Maughn, “you can’t assume the bad guy did it.”
But, Schroeder questioned the defense contention in asking the jury to ask themselves, if Jennifer Hartman was there trying to protect him, why did she drop to the ground when asked to do so by Hutchinson Police Sgt. Josh Radloff? He called it an “oops” moment because once she did that, the defendant made it known that he didn’t really want to die. Schroeder says, “he put his hands up and tossed the knives away.” He says officers went out of their way to avoid killing someone.
During the altercation, Lloyd repeatedly asked officers to shoot him. Schroeder called that “cheap words” for someone hiding behind his girlfriend.
The defense did manage to get a lesser included offense of criminal restraint added to the jury instructions over the objection of the state. But, the jury rejected that charge.
Judge Trish Rose set sentencing for November 21.