CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The attorney for the son of state Supreme Court Justice Margaret Workman says Edward “Teddy” Gardner, and his family are glad “the truth has come out” about an Aug. 5 fight between Gardner and his sister, Lindsey.
“We’re happy to have at least the criminal part of this behind us,” attorney Jesse Forbes told MetroNews “Talkline” on Friday. “At the end of the day, we knew very early that these accusations were unfounded.”
A charge of malicious wounding against Gardner, 27, was dropped earlier this week. That charge was based on his sister’s initial claims that her brother had beaten her and kicked her multiple times in Charleston’s Quarry Creek area—near their mother’s home.
Officials with the Kanawha County prosecutor’s office said there was no evidence of an assault. Instead, prosecutors said they determined Gardner was defending himself after Lindsey Gardner went after him. They believe she fell and hit her head during the altercation.
“The medical records showed that Ms. Gardner was never kicked. She was never punched. She was never thrown out of a car. She wasn’t even in a car with Teddy Gardner. She was in a separate vehicle,” Forbes said.
“The entire initial accusations here were really blown out of proportion and unfounded.”
Following the incident, Lindsey Gardner was hospitalized for a cut to the head and a possible concussion. Charleston police said she was not cooperative when officers tried to question her at the hospital, and 10 days passed before she gave an official statement.
At that later date, she reportedly said she was “talking out of her head” when she first claimed her brother had attacked her.
Teddy Gardner was not interviewed.
Charleston Police Chief Brent Webster has said he and his officers are “standing by the original police report.”
There have been no public comments from Workman on the matter.