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U.S. Department of Justice
Office of the United States Attorney
Middle District of Tennessee
Craig S. Morford
United States Attorney
Michael Taxay
Trial Attorney
U.S. Department of Justice
(202) 514-9473
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FRANKLIN WOMAN SENTENCED TO OVER 78 MONTHS
FOR CONSPIRING TO MURDER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR
Nashville, Tennessee - October 24, 2006 - Craig S. Morford, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee, and My Harrison, Special Agent in Charge, Memphis Division announced that Brenda L. Lampley, age 56, of Franklin, Tennessee, was sentenced yesterday to 78 months incarceration and 3 years supervised release for her role in a conspiracy to kill Assistant U.S. Attorney Sunny A.M. Koshy. Lampley previously pleaded guilty on May 18, 2004, at which time she confessed to conspiring with her boyfriend, Parley Drew Hardman, to kill AUSA Koshy.
Hardman has now twice been convicted by federal juries in Nashville for seeking to kill or maim his ex-wife, Cherilynn Collins. AUSA Koshy was the lead prosecutor in Hardman’s first trial, which was conducted in March 2003. Ms. Collins testified at the first trial. Also testifying was Marvin Droznek, who helped Hardman arrange the initial contract to kill Ms. Collins.
Hardman’s second plot to kill Ms. Collins was hatched while Hardman was incarcerated at the Metro Nashville Davidson County Criminal Justice Center, where he was awaiting sentencing on his earlier conviction. According to the proof at Hardman’s second trial, conducted in September 2005, Hardman approached another inmate at the CJC and asked for an introduction to the Gambino crime family. Hardman’s plan was to ask the mafia to murder Collins, as well as AUSA Koshy, Droznek, and a third witness who had testified against Hardman, in retaliation for their roles in Hardman’s September March 2003, conviction.
The inmate approached by Hardman told his lawyer of Hardman’s plans, and the information was passed to the government. The inmate then introduced Hardman to an FBI undercover agent posing as a "hit man" and, on November 7, 2004, Hardman asked the undercover agent to commit the murders. On November 13, 2003, the undercover agent met with Hardman face to face, during which Hardman discussed logistics of the murders, including how and where the undercover agent could find Hardman’s victims. Hardman also gave the undercover agent pictures of Ms. Collins. Later that same day, Lampley met with the undercover agent, paid him $600 to reimburse his travel expenses, and provided a picture of Droznek. Lampley was arrested thereafter.
On December 8, 2005, Hardman was sentenced to 242 months incarceration and five years supervised release. This sentence is to be served consecutively with the 180 month sentence Hardman received for the initial plot to murder Ms. Collins.
The second prosecution of Hardman and Lampley was handled by Michael Taxay of the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office. United States District Judge Robert L. Echols presided over both cases.
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