Jennifer Emmi's murder-for-hire case: Colorado animal rights lawyer's request to lower $3M bail rejected
Jennifer Emmi, a prominent Colorado animal rights lawyer, allegedly attempted to hire a hitman to kill her former husband’s girlfriend. Emmi, who was arrested in January 2021, reportedly made several calls to the alleged ranch hand to discuss if she can “get rid” of her husband’s girlfriend. Now, her defense attorney has said that it is unlikely she will be able to post the bond since she “will not find $3 million of cash in her jail cell.” However, after much contemplation, a judge has denied a request to lower the $3 million bail.
According to The Denver Post, Jennifer Edwards, who also goes by the name Jennifer Emmi, was arrested in January and charged with solicitation of first-degree murder, two counts of retaliating against a witness, and three counts of stalking. Emmi is accused of asking Timothy Lindsey, 28, to help kill her husband’s girlfriend in November 2020. Emmi was also accused of soliciting multiple people to murder, harass and retaliate against her estranged husband and his new girlfriend. Lindsey admitted that he had played along when Emmi talked about killing her husband’s girlfriend and told her that the price of killing someone would cost her between $50,000 and $100,000. Emmi reportedly agreed to the amount.
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Meanwhile, Emmi has revealed her side of the story during an interview with FOX31. As per Emmi, she struggled with the autoimmune disease caused by a brain bleed that landed her in the hospital. Emmi alleged that she never planned to murder her husband's girlfriend. “I was set up, and I have been repeatedly set up. All I can say is I want the truth to come out,” Emmi said. “The whole thing is crazy. I don’t want to hurt anyone.” However, Emmi's husband has told the investigating officers that he was fearful of Emmi killing him and their children. He added that along with his girlfriend and children, he had gone into hiding.
After Emmi's arrest, several friends and supporters spoke up for the popular animal rights activist, with one saying, "@NancyGrace I saw your story about Jennifer Emmi in which you ask the question, “What if she didn’t love animals?” Anyone who knows Jen knows that is the furthest thing from the truth. Yr assumptions are disgusting. Anyone who knows her knows what happened".
@NancyGrace I saw your story about Jennifer Emmi in which you ask the question, “What if she didn’t love animals?” Anyone who knows Jen knows that is the furthest thing from the truth. Yr assumptions are disgusting. Anyone who knows her knows what happened
— Victoria chenault (@VictoriaBeth04) February 19, 2021
Who is Jennifer Emmi?
Emmi, 42, is a resident of Evergreen, Colorado, and has previously worked as an animal rights attorney. She even founded the non-profit The Animal Law Center, where she hosted a Facebook show about animals. She also discussed ongoing animal rights investigations on cable news. Emmi and her husband parted ways and are currently in the midst of divorce proceedings.
Emmi is currently being held in the Jefferson County Jail on a $3 million cash bond that she must post herself. The latest charges against her are in addition to 16 felonies and 16 misdemeanors that allege domestic violence and attempts to influence public servants over the last year. As per the affidavit, she reportedly wanted to surveil other witnesses and victims in her criminal and civil cases. The affidavit also talked about an informant who alleged that Emmi contacted him about committing the murder and offered several thousand dollars as start-up money. When the informant warned her that her husband might be killed in the process, she reportedly said, "I'm inclined to kill two birds with one stone".
Emmi’s attorney has stated on February 08, 2021, that he has not seen any evidence in the case but added that the charges against his client are largely based on Emmi’s conversation with Lindsey. Emmi’s attorney also alleged that his client had been diagnosed with a mental health disorder.
“It’s not unusual for someone whose husband is having an affair with the au pair to be upset and mad,” Attorney Colin Bresee said. “The line of saying how mad you are and how enraged you are and saying it to other people -- it seems odd one of them was then a confidential informant who was working with police.”
Bresee also said to the police that his client did not plan to go through the discussed plot. He told new station KDVR that “the allegations, at least the way the warrant reads, is she’s understandably upset. She finds out that after sacrificing her body and had three beautiful kids that her husband literally traded her in for a much younger girl”.
Bresee has now told The Oxygen that his client had been upset to discover the relationship and had just been venting to her friends. “In the affidavit, it is alleged that Jennifer's divorce attorney told Jennifer that the au pair had replaced her. On the same day, Jennifer first learned that the 20-something girl was sleeping in her bed, having relations with her husband, and having Jennifer's kids call the au pair 'mom,” Bresee said. "It is alleged that Jennifer called a few trusted friends and said some unsavory things."
As per Bresee, one of Jennifer’s friends reportedly recorded the call and reached out to share the information with the husband.