By John Estridge
Franklin County resident Benny Flannery, 46, was shot and killed in an apartment located at the Canterbury Apartments in Batesville Labor Day morning.
At this point, Batesville Police Department officers and Franklin County Prosecutor Chris Huerkamp said the shooting seems to be a case of self defense and/or stand your ground.
Police allege Flannery was attacking the mother of the juvenile who shot him dead. Police and Huerkamp allege, while committing a violent act on the mother at the time of the shooting, Flannery was armed with a knife.
Flannery had an extensive criminal history in Franklin and Decatur counties dating back to 2000.
According to the Indiana State Prison website, Flannery got out of prison in 2019.
On July 25, 2014, he pleaded guilty to one count of Conspiracy to Manufacture Methamphetamine and Possession of a Precursor. He was sentenced to 18 years in prison with three years suspended to probation.
More than a month later, on September 8, 2014, he pleaded guilty to Possession of Methamphetamine at least three grams, as a class B felony; Theft, as a class D felony; and Resisting Law Enforcement. A charge of Possession of Meth was dismissed.
He received eight years in prison with one year suspended to probation.
On April 15, 2014, he pleaded guilty to Robbery while Threatening Force, as a class C felony. Charges of Theft, Domestic Battery and Being a Habitual Offender were dismissed. He was sentenced to six years in prison with three years suspended to probation.
On December 18, 2013, he pleaded guilty to Non-Support of a Dependent Child, as a class C felony. This means more than $15,000 was owed to a person receiving the child support. He received a three-year sentence with one-and-a-half years suspended.
On November 11, 2004, he pleaded guilty to Battery, as a class A misdemeanor, but the sentence is not listed in the records.
On March 18, 2005 a charge of Battery was solved by Flannery going the diversion route which means a fee.
On Dec. 2, 2005, he pleaded guilty to Non-Support of a Dependent Child, as a class D felony, and was sentenced to three years all suspended to probation.
On January 10, 2003 he pleaded guilty to Resisting Law Enforcement, as a class D felony and Battery, as a class B misdemeanor. He was sentenced to 16 months in prison with all time suspended to probation.
On February 4, 2003, he was sentenced to four months in jail on a misdemeanor he pleaded guilty to.
In Decatur County, on July 2, 2009, he pleaded guilty to Possession of Precursors, as a class D felony, Dumping Waste (from meth lab), as a class D felony, and was sentenced to 36 months in prison. A charge of Dealing in Methamphetamine, as a class B felony, was dismissed.
Also in Decatur County, he also pleaded guilty on September 21, 2006, to Possession of a Narcotic Drug, as a class D felony, and Driving while Suspended, as a class A misdemeanor. He was sentenced to 20 days in jail with six days suspended and one year of probation. He received a six-month license revocation.