A negotiated plea in the works for the man accused of beating and robbing 83 year old Fred Rooth at his rural Joy farmhouse earlier this year. 56 year old Brian Tully of Burlington appeared in Mercer County Circuit Court this morning for a pre-trial conference with the matter continued to December 4th. Other jurisdictions are also involved in the disposition of the case as Tully is also facing charges in Henderson and Warren Counties, according to assistant Mercer County State’s Attorney Matthew Voigts. Tully is facing a Class X felony of home invasion, Class 1 felony of residential burglary and Class 2 felony of aggravated battery in connection with the May 8th crime against the former member of the Mercer County Board. He was arrested in August and remains in custody on $200,000 bond at the Mercer County Jail.
