A woman who pleaded guilty to lesser charges in a Wichita fatal hit and run and shooting, is now asking to change her plea. Charity Blackmon, 32, was initially charged on suspicion of first-degree murder in a hit-and-run and a shooting that killed bicyclist Merrill Rabus, 54, in east Wichita in March of 2021.
She pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of second-degree intentional murder and criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon on Friday, March 18.
On Monday, April 11, Blackmon said she wanted to change her guilty plea. After that request was made, her public defender requested to be removed from the case, which was granted on Wednesday April 13. Blackmon will now be assigned a new public defender.
Blackmon’s next court appearance is scheduled for Thursday, April 28, for a hearing on the motion to withdraw her plea.