Woman, man plead guilty in connection with police officer's death

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

photo Rachel Kathleen Mathews, 21.
photo Rachel Mathews' boyfriend, James Poteete, 26.

A man and woman who helped a man accused of killing a Chattanooga police officer pleaded guilty today in federal court.

Rachel Mathews, 21, and her boyfriend, James Poteete, 26, gave their guilty pleas to U.S. District Judge Susan Lee. She set their sentencing date for Nov. 14.

Mathews and Poteete pleaded guilty to three of the 10 federal charges each faced - accessory after the fact, conspiracy to obstruct justice and withholding information on a crime.

Mathews is the sister of Jesse Mathews, the 26-year-old who faces felony murder charges in the shooting death of Sgt. Tim Chapin during a botched robbery on Brainerd Road on April 2.

Poteete was Rachel Mathews' boyfriend at the time of her arrest. She has been in jail since her arrest, but Poteete posted bond in the days after.

After today's pleas, Mathews was taken back into custody.

For complete details, see tomorrow's Times Free Press.

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