Recordpub.com - Fetty: Guilty of murder in Lowther case: Pleads to all 3 charges related to death of Rootstown man

By Dave O’Brien
Record-Courier staff writer
One of four defendants charged in a July 2 burglary, robbery and beating of a Rootstown man that resulted in his death pleaded guilty Friday to all three felony charges she faced in the case.
Jodi L. Fetty, of 3647 McClintocksburg Road, Palmyra, entered the plea in front of Portage County Common Pleas Judge Laurie Pittman.
Fetty, 28, pleaded guilty to murder, an unclassified felony, aggravated robbery and aggravated burglary, both first-degree felonies, stemming from the July 2 robbery and beating and subsequent July 30 death of Richard A. Lowther, 68, of Rootstown.
She remains in the Portage County jail, in lieu of a $5 million bond.
The matter was set for a status hearing Friday morning, Portage County Prosecutor Victor Vigluicci said, when Fetty’s attorney, Christopher Van Devere, had a conversation with prosecutors indicating that Fetty would plead guilty and cooperate with the prosecution in the case.
Fetty “has indicated through her attorney that she wishes to cooperate in some way,” Vigluicci said, adding that there was no plea agreement between the two sides, and no promises or recommendations made by his office to Fetty or her attorney prior to the plea.
A message seeking comment was left for Van Devere.
A trial had been scheduled for Jan. 20 in Pittman’s courtroom. The matter was sent for a pre-sentence investigation, Vigluicci said. The complicity to murder charge carries a sentence of 15 years to life in prison. The aggravated burglary and robbery charges each carry a sentence of three to 10 years in prison.
She had been indicted Aug. 17 on three charges: Complicity to murder, an unclassified felony, aggravated robbery and aggravated burglary, both first-degree felonies. Fetty had pleaded not guilty to the charges Aug. 21, and was incarcerated in the Portage County jail on $5 million bond.
Fetty and the other defendants — Darrell L. Dukes, 22, and Jonathan H. Dukes, 23, both of Ravenna, and Cortez M. Oliver, 20, of Fairlawn — are alleged to have beaten Lowther July 2 at his Tallmadge Road home. They made off with $185 in commemorative quarters, police said.
Hospitalized at Akron City Hospital following the attack, Lowther was left paralyzed from the chest down, and died July 30 from his injuries. Charges against the four defendants were upgraded to murder Aug. 17 by a Portage County grand jury.
Fetty previously had been charged with felonious assault for allegedly stabbing a boyfriend in the arm during a drunken argument in April 2008, but was not indicted by a Portage County grand jury, according to Vigluicci and Portage County court records. Other than that case, she has only a minor criminal record in Portage County.
Vigluicci would not say if any of the other three defendants have approached him or his staff with potential plea agreements.
Jonathan Dukes is set for trial Jan. 5 in Portage County Common Pleas Court Judge John Enlow’s courtroom. A trial for Oliver is set for Feb. 2 in Pittman’s courtroom, and Darrell Dukes is scheduled for trial Feb. 25, also in Pittman’s courtroom.

8.	Posted by Old Ma December 19, 2009
	Sdream, I once had a chance to speak with a fella who has just gotten out of prison. I asked him about baby killers and rapists. He told me that the inmates (funny word, in - mates) don't care what your in there for, because they all have to survive and make the most of it. Baby rapists are treated the same as drunk drivers who killed old ladies. Only thing is the whites stick together and the blacks stick with their own kind. The two races don't mix, they tangle. There is compassion among the inmates, no matter what they've done. The food is better and more plentiful than at Momma's, the bedding is freshened every week, free medical, free education, free hotel accommodations. You don't have to get a ride to get to church. school, or the NA-AA meetings. Everything is brought to you and handed to you on a plastic tray, and that includes dope. Once these monsters get out they are coddled by their families and society, given stuff by the churches and our tax dollars. They are beefed up and ready to tangle with anybody who doesn't do their biddings. There isn't a reason for these monsters to behave, they don't want to work or do well. There isn't any reason to do so. Let's face it, the only deterrent from crime is pride and home ownership. If a gal works hard and is able to own a hunk of property, she will be less likely to do or grow dope, shoot somebody, drive drunk, or carry a gun into a store. But, the criminals don't read that sign that forbids guns on that establishment, lol. What ****** me off was the coddling statement by the prosecutor, that this gal has ONLY A FEW MINOR CRIMINAL CHARGES ON HER RECORD. She is and has been a CRIMINAL Sir. YOU are hanging with criminals every day of your life. Minor criminal charges are NOT ACEPTABLE, IN THE SOCIETY YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE TO PROTECT. Yes, she is a small sweet looking little girl in your world, but in the general public, which voted you, time after time into that office, SHE IS A MONSTER WHO KILLED A GREAT AND WONDERFUL MAN. Btw, Folks, Cortez Oliver is due in Oswisk's court this Monday morning for drug charges, un-related to this case. Sweet bunch they all were.

6.	Posted by sdream07 December 19, 2009
	I recently served a few days in the county jail on a minor misdameanor. I seen her in there from afar. She was in lockdown. Portage has accumulated about 10 murders in the jail and decided to put them all in lockdown (that is what a C.O. told me)What was suprising to me was there were other female inmates in there that were so supportive of her and she was looked upon as some sort of icon. I am a very compassionate person but I couldnt for the life of me figue out why a few of the inmates thought she was being treated so badly for simply being in lock down. She could still go to meetings during the day (AA, church). A mans life was lost who was trying to help someone and she is a favorite among inmates? I guess I will never understand.