Revenge was motive in state rep. attack

CARMEL, Ind. (WISH) - Indiana State Representative Ed DeLaney is out of the hospital, but still recovering from the attack that police say nearly ended in death.

His alleged attacker faced a judge for the first time Monday afternoon.

Before he spoke to the judge he spoke to television reporters, including 24-Hour News 8’s Gene Rodriguez.

Augustus Mendenhall admitted he has held a grudge against Ed DeLaney for nearly 26 years. And he said he lured DeLaney under false pretenses but admits he didn’t want it to end the way it has with Mendenhall in jail and DeLaney recovering from serious injuries.

Mendenhall said he planned his revenge on DeLaney for some time. He claimed he created an elaborate story to lure DeLaney to Carmel.

"I expressed to him that I was a representative of a Russian company and I implied that it was a front for the Russian mafia. I expressed to him that they wanted to launder or implied money through real estate here in Indiana," Mendenhall said.

According to court documents, Mendenhall disguised himself with a wig, gloves and coat and even provided a false name, Victor White ( Read more from Carmel Police Report ).

DeLaney met the man he thought was Victor White in Carmel. Mendenhall admitted to taking a gun with him to the meeting and according to court documents, Mendenhall reached for that gun in a bag and asked DeLaney quote, “If he was right with God.”

Court documents state that Mendenhall pointed the gun at DeLaney.

When 24-Hour News 8’s Gene Rodriguez asked Mendenhall if he pulled the trigger or threatened DeLaney with his life, Mendenhall refused to answer saying, "Its best if I don’t say anything more I believe."

But according to court documents, Mendenhall did pull the trigger, but something appeared to be wrong with the weapon.

Mendenhall admitted that a violent attack followed and said that DeLaney fought back.

Mendenhall said he targeted DeLaney after legal troubles in the 80s that involved his father.

At the time, the current prosecutor, Steven Goldsmith was cracking down on adult book stores and porn shops.

Burke Mendenhall was a retail property owner who was going to lease space to someone who wanted to open an adult bookstore, that’s when legal troubles started.

Goldsmith filed a suit against Mendenhall citing the state's Racketeering and Corrupt Influence laws. The prosecutor seized the property. Ed DeLaney an attorney at the time worked on the case. The case dragged for years through the appeals process.

"My family lost their home," said Mendenhall

Mendenhall blamed DeLaney for it. In 1997, Burke Mendenhall filed suit against the city and that case went to the state Supreme Court.

"When my father had taken this case to the Supreme Court of the United States my brother and I were busy. He and I joined the military so that we could send money home to keep my family eating," said Mendenhall.

The judge ruled in the city’s favor stating that the city couldn’t be held liable for actions by the police or the prosecutor at the time.

Right now, Mendenhall is facing several felony charges including attempted murder and is jailed on a $3 million bond. But jail guards told 24-Hour News 8 Mendenhall is not with other inmates, he is in a cell by himself. That's because Mendenhall is on medical supervision.

Mendenhall, a licensed attorney told the judge in court on Monday he can't afford an attorney. The judge assigned an attorney to the case. Mendenhall faces several felony charges including attempted murder. His trial is scheduled for March 2010.