Grand jury delivers indictment in Edwards case

Joshua Daniel Edwards, 25, was indicted on all charges by an Orange County Grand Jury today. 

An indictment is a formal charge or accusation of a serious crime. 

Edwards, a former UNC student, has been charged with six different felonies relating to an incident with an explosive device on UNC’s campus last November. The charges include malicious use of explosives to inflict injury and assembling a weapon of mass destruction. 

If convicted of the most serious of these charges, Edwards would be required to serve a mandatory minimum sentence of over three years. In addition, if convicted of all charges, Edwards could up to eight to 10 years of jail time, according to Assistant District Attorney Jeff Nieman. 

Edwards was released from custody to the care of his parents on a unsecured bond of $1 million. His parents are only required to meet the bond if Edwards breaks the terms of his bond.

Previously, Edwards had a secured bond of $200,000, which would have required him to meet the bond to be released from jail. 

Edwards’ public defense attorney, Natasha Adams, had previously requested that Edwards’ bail be reduced. Adams claimed that Edwards’ family wanted to take him back to Davidson to care for him and ensure proper treatment at a local mental health facility. 

A small explosive device was detonated on UNC’s campus on Nov. 2, 2017. The device was set off against the famous Davie Poplar tree in an apparent attempt to cause damage to the tree.

Dan Reichart, a UNC professor of physics and astronomy and director of the Morehead Observatory, was injured in the incident. Reichart said his injuries initially seemed minor. However, he eventually lost nearly all of the skin on his hands, arms and face. 

Reichart, who has worked at UNC for 15 years, will be returning to teaching after missing the rest of last semester after the incident. 

“I hold no ill will against him,” Reichart said in December. 

“There should be judicial repercussions. But in terms of his mental care, I hope he gets the help he needs,” he said.

Edwards will most likely have his next court date on March 6, according to a statement by Nieman. 

@NewkirkSeth

city@dailytarheel.com