A man who pleaded guilty in 2007 to killing a Chattanooga woman and dumping her body into the Tennessee River agreed Thursday to plead guilty in federal court to charges stemming from an attempted jail escape.
Steven Szabo, 57, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Bill Carter and attempted to fire his attorney and withdraw a plea agreement because he was angry the trial date for his co-defendants had been postponed.
In a letter to the court, Mr. Szabo wrote that he was “tricked” into pleading guilty.
“My lawyer ill-advised me on the contents (of the plea agreement), and without proper legal advice I signed,” he wrote.
Defense attorney John Shoaf said he was surprised by his client’s letter.
“I’ve done the best I can,” Mr. Shoaf said. “Mr. Szabo and I have really gotten along well. I am distressed that he is unhappy with my representation.”
Mr. Szabo said he was frustrated when he wrote the letter and agreed to move forward with his guilty plea after Judge Carter explained that the trial date for co-defendants will not affect how quickly his case is concluded.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Neff said he was unaware a plea agreement had been signed, but he would get it to Chief U.S. District Judge Curtis Collier so that a hearing can be set for Mr. Szabo to enter his plea.
Mr. Szabo faces up to five years each in prison on charges of conspiracy to escape and assisting in an escape attempt.
He is charged in the escape attempt with Rejon Taylor, Joey Marshall, Adijah Uhuru and Reba Taylor, Mr. Taylor’s mother.
According to court records, Mr. Taylor devised the plan and began discussing it with the other alleged co-conspirators in December 2005.
On April 14, 2006, the four men assaulted Hamilton County Jail corrections officers with a rope made from bed linens, pipes and other crudely made weapons and tried to take their keys and radios, records show.
Ms. Taylor drove from Atlanta to Chattanooga to provide her son and the other escapees with transportation, according to records.
Mr. Taylor and Mr. Marshall also are charged with kidnapping Atlanta restaurateur Guy Luck from the parking lot of his Violette restaurant and killing him in Collegedale on Aug. 6, 2003. Mr. Marshall has pleaded guilty for his role in the crime, but Mr. Taylor is awaiting trial, at which prosecutors plan to seek the death penalty.
Mr. Szabo currently is serving a 25-year sentence after pleading guilty in April 2007 to the bludgeoning death of 31-year-old Jacqueline Lindsey.
“I wish only to go back to the Turney Center and finish my sentence,” he said.
