Bow-and-Arrow Murder Trial Focuses on “Violent or Peaceful” Nature of Victim, Defendant During Third Day

The third day of the bow-and-arrow murder trial of a Varna man was all about character, of both the defendant and the victim.

Anthony Tomkiewicz, the lawyer for 23-year old Bradley French, continued trying to build his client’s case by calling two witnesses who said French had a peaceful nature. Later, the defense called the Amanda Milton who was the fiancée of 38-year old Joshua Scaman, the man who was killed by French on Father’s Day of last year.

She told jurors about how Scaman had acted violently toward her at a bonfire the night he was killed. Those events caused her to run with her family to French’s home, where things would escalate, leading to the eventual fatal confrontation in the Illinois Valley Community College parking lot.

The defense plans to call their final witness before resting their case tomorrow. If convicted of first-degree murder, French could face 20 to 60 years in prison.