Blackledge reconsidering guilty plea

QUINCY — Karen Blackledge, who pled guilty April 1 to two Class X felonies in connection with the assault of an elderly woman who died shortly after the attack, is reconsidering her plea.

Before Judge Debra Wellborn in Adams County Circuit Court Wednesday afternoon, Assistant Public Defender Babs Brennan said she was filing a motion to either withdraw or reconsider the guilty plea in the next few days

Blackledge will be back in court August 19.

Blackledge, 33, pled to one count of home invasion and one count of aggravated sexual assault, both Class X felonies. She was sentenced on May 5 and the plea arrangement called for her to receive 40 years in prison with two 20-year terms served consecutively in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Blackledge acknowledged in court that she illegally entered a home on Quincy’s North Bottom Road on Nov. 9. While in the home, she used a weapon to penetrate Christine “Tina” Schmitt, who died on Dec. 12. 

Blackledge and Bradley S. Yohn, 35, were arrested the next day in Springfield in connection with the incident. Yohn allegedly used force or threatened to used force to carjack a vehicle and kidnap Schmitt, then allegedly forced himself into the woman’s home and assaulted her. He also allegedly had a knife.

Yohn remains lodged in the Adams County Jail and also had a court appearance Wednesday as he has gone through several attorneys and also attempted to represent himself in court.