Judge rejects new trial in beating death case

PORTLAND – A judge has rejected a woman’s request to withdraw her guilty plea so she could stand trial for felony murder in the kidnapping and slaying of a Scarborough grandmother.

Leah Estes wept as she begged forgiveness in court three years ago, but she asked to take back her guilty plea because she said her former lawyer didn’t make her aware of battered woman’s syndrome as a defense.

Her new lawyer said Estes wasn’t abused by her boyfriend at the time, but that she had been abused in the past.

Cumberland County Superior Court Justice Carl Bradford ruled that her original lead attorney, Edmund Folsom, did nothing wrong. In fact, the judge said Folsom discussed the possibility of a defense focusing on battered woman’s syndrome.

“The pros and cons were discussed at length,” Bradford wrote.

“Based upon the explanation and advice of Folsom, she made a conscious, informed decision not to pursue the battered woman’s syndrome defense.”

In his decision late last week, Bradford concluded that Folsom was a “thorough and competent” trial attorney who presented all of the options to Estes.

Estes is serving a 17-year sentence, and her former boyfriend, Leslie Lynds, is serving a 45-year sentence.

Police say Lynds kidnapped Virginia Jackson and killed her on Mother’s Day 1997.

Estes, who was with Lynds at the time, made no attempt to help Jackson or report the incident afterward, police said.