Jeffrey Barth

Jeffrey Barth
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With about an hour to go before attorneys would meet with the pool of prospective jurors summoned for his trial, Jeffrey Barth yesterday pleaded guilty to first-degree kidnapping with a firearm in exchange for his testimony against defendants John Anderson, John Whitaker and Yusef Jihad.
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Barth, 23, faced up to life in prison had he been convicted of the original charges of first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping and conspiracy to commit first-degree kidnapping.By pleading guilty to the reduced charge, he faces only about decade behind bars when he is sentenced.

Barth and Jihad, who is charged with first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping and conspiracy to commit first-degree kidnapping, were scheduled to be tried together over the next several weeks.Because of Barth's plea, Jihad's trial has been postponed until March 5.
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"Clearly, Jeff now wishes he had done something to stop what was going on," Browne said yesterday.
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Browne said Barth will testify that Jihad was much more closely tied to Burkheimer's slaying than has been revealed in the past.
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Browne said Barth will testify that it was Jihad who ordered Anderson to kill Burkheimer.
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In addition to Barth, Matthew Durham, 18, Maurice Rivas, 19, Tony Williams, 21, and Nathan Lovelace, 17, have pleaded guilty to charges ranging from first-degree murder to rendering criminal assistance.