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| RYAN (MIDDLE) IS THE LEADER |
THE leader of the deadly Dougherty gang, who shot up a cop car in a high speed pursuit and the robbed a bank "lived in a fantasy world" according to his lawyer.
Along with his brother Dylan Dougherty Stanley and sister Lee Grace Dougherty, Ryan Dougherty has been on a crime spree since last Tuesday, when they were last seen holding up the bank in Valdosta, GA.
Despite being the youngest at 21, cops consider Ryan to be the leader of the terrible trio, who are now believed to be hiding out in Tennessee.
But Robert Eddington the Daytona Beach attorney, defended Ryan the last two years against a lewd and lascivious conduct charge said his client "lived in a fantasy world" and he fears he may strike again, with more deadly consequences.
He told
ABC Action News Ryan entered his office with a blank stare on his face and communicating with the young man was very difficult.
He said: “He didn’t seem particularly there in terms of his mentality. He seemed to be in another place.
"There was a blank look on his face. It was hard for him to focus and look into my eyes because I wanted him to understand fully what was going on.”
He added: "Ryan had the maturity of a 15-year-old boy and often lived in a fantasy world. I’ve seen it before when someone won’t look at you.
"They have this expression, they don’t want to focus and it’s very concerning.”
Eddington was able to make a deal with the prosecutor that, in exchange for pleading guilty to the lewd and lascivious conduct charge, Ryan was able to avoid jail time.
That deal was finalized in a courtroom last Monday, but the very next day Eddington was told that Ryan had cut off his court-required ankle monitor and was now accused of shooting at a police officer.
He said: “I’m only concerned about their safety and the safety of the public as well. I just hope this comes to a conclusion quickly without injury to anybody other than what’s already occurred.”
