Lexington mother pleads guilty to remaining charge after judge dropped manslaughter offense
A Lexington mother who had a manslaughter charge dropped after a judge ruled that she acted in self-defense has pleaded guilty to evidence tampering and could face three years in prison.
Jennifer Kashuba, 36, was charged with manslaughter, abuse of a corpse and tampering with physical evidence after Lexington police discovered the decomposed body of James “Jimmy” Medlock wrapped in plastic near a dumpster in February 2022. Kashuba admitted to stabbing and hiding Medlock’s body in a closet after he attacked her in her home in 2021.
But a Fayette County judge ruled Kashuba shouldn’t face the manslaughter charge because she was defending herself and her children from Medlock. She still faced the other charges after the manslaughter charge was dismissed. On Monday afternoon, she pleaded guilty to tampering with physical evidence. The abuse of a corpse charge was dismissed.
Kashuba’s attorney, Marcel Bush Radomile, said the plea was a “good resolution.”
“Jennifer acknowledges when she did not report the death and discarded or disposed of the knife, she used and removed the body, she did tamper with evidence,” Radomile said. “She is taking responsibility for what she did — she does not take it lightly.”
Radomile said they will ask the judge for Kashuba to be conditionally discharged or receive probation.
“Unlike most people who get here, she doesn’t have a criminal record,” Radomile told media after the hearing. “She is eager to get back with her children. We have tried every opportunity to get her out and get her released.”
How Lexington murder case was reduced to tampering
Kashuba was originally charged with murder, but that charge was reduced to manslaughter following a grand jury’s ruling.
Medlock was transient and would stay on Kashuba’s couch, according to testimony. The day of the stabbing, Medlock came home and began assaulting Kashuba in front of her three young children, according to court testimony.
Fayette Circuit Judge Julie Goodman dismissed the manslaughter charge two weeks ago. Goodman presided over Monday’s hearing too.
Goodman said there was no question Kashuba killed Medlock and hid his body, but added there was not a “scintilla of evidence” to suggest that Medlock was not the original aggressor.
Kashuba is scheduled for sentencing Oct. 26.
“She is just looking forward to putting this all behind her,” Radomile said.
