Featherston Changes Plea to Guilty in New Jersey Homicide Case
23.05.12
A 24-year-old Salem man has changed his plea from not guilty to guilty in a New Jersey homicide.
According to nj.com, Wade Featherston changed his plea in Cumberland County, New Jersey Superior Court Friday afternoon on the charge of reckless manslaughter in the killing of 37-year-old Robert 'Freak' Costello in April 2010. In changing his plea, he admits that he caused the death of Costello, but not on purpose.
Sentencing will take place on March 23rd. Featherston is looking at facing five-to-ten years in prison, instead of facing 30-years to life in prison on homicide charges. Featherston will have to serve at least 85-percent of his sentence before he is eligible for parole. He is expected to be credited for two-years time served in the Cumberland County Jail in New Jersey.
The two men were in Vineland, New Jersey in April 2010 for training in an advanced method of body piercing. Featherston was working as an apprentice under Costello, who had a piercing station at Ancient Custom Tattoo Shop in Salem. An altercation followed at their hotel room, and Costello was found dead on April 3rd. The New Jersey Medical Examiner's office ruled Costello's death a homicide due to blunt force trauma to the neck and head area.
Source: WJBD Online