In a surprising development, one of the two southern Indiana judges who were shot outside an Indianapolis White Castle restaurant in May was charged Friday with two felony battery offenses related to the altercation.
Judge Andrew Adams and two other men, Alfredo Vazquez and Brandon Kaiser, have been indicted by independent grand juries eight weeks after a late-night scuffle escalated into a shooting in downtown Indianapolis.
Parking lot scuffle
Adams, 47, is facing two felony counts of battery resulting in moderate injury. Additionally, the judge was charged with two counts of battery resulting in bodily injury, two counts of battery, and one count of disorderly conduct, all of which are misdemeanors.
A grand jury refused to charge fellow Clark County Judge Brad Jacobs, who was shot twice in the chest, with a crime. Meanwhile, a separate grand jury was convened to consider charges against Vazquez, 23, and Kaiser, 41.
After Adams was charged with the pair of felonies, the Indiana Commission on Judicial Qualifications filed a motion to have him placed on a paid leave of absence. Adams’ defense attorney, Jennifer Lukemeyer, has so far refused to comment on the pending charges or her client’s judicial suspension.
The tale of the tape
Adams and Jacobs were in Indianapolis to attend a judicial conference on May 1 when the shooting occurred. They were accompanied by Crawford County Circuit Judge Sabrina Bell and Clark County Magistrate William Dawkins, who was in the fast food restaurant when he heard shots.
Video surveillance footage released by police shows that around 3:20 a.m., two men pulled into the White Castle parking lot in an SUV where Adams, Jacobs, and Bell were waiting. The two groups exchanged words, police reported, and a physical fight followed. Police have not reported a motive for the fight.
Kaiser fired shots, hitting Adams in the abdomen and striking Jacobs twice in his chest. Jacobs was hospitalized for two weeks before returning to his home in Charlestown, and Adams was discharged on May 16.
“We have not only felt the love of God these past weeks but the love of an entire community,” Adams’ wife, Tammy, wrote on social media in response to support from friends and family. “We ask that you be understanding and know when we are ready to talk, we will reach out.”
Felony offenders
Initially, Kaiser and Vasquez were arrested on May 5, although police later decided not to file charges, pending a further investigation. An independent team of deputy prosecutors eventually brought 14 charges against Kaiser, while his accomplice faced 7 counts.
Kaiser was charged with “aggravated battery when the assault poses a substantial risk of death, aggravated battery resulting in loss or impairment of a bodily function, aggravated battery when the assault poses a substantial risk of death and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon,” according to the Courier-Journal.
For his part, Vazquez faces a series of battery charges, including a felony, and disorderly conduct. Although none of the three men charged in the incident have been arrested, they are expected to turn themselves in to authorities next week.
A pair of temporary judges have been appointed to hear cases while Adams and Jacobs recover at home.
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