FARMINGTON – A Farmington man pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Tuesday afternoon of attempting to murder his mother.

Joshua Osborne, 22, has been jailed since early July when he was charged with shooting his mother, Jannette Osborne, 47, once in the chest during a dispute over the family’s farm.

That farm, which Osborne wanted to own, has since been sold.

At the arraignment in Franklin County Superior Court, the 5-foot 2-inch Osborne, wearing a green T-shirt advertising a logging festival and blue jeans, told Judge Joseph Jabar he was “not guilty” on the three felony counts for which he has been indicted by a grand jury.

Those counts, each punishable by up to 20 years, include Class A attempted murder, Class A criminal solicitation of murder and Class A elevated aggravated assault.

After hearing Osborne’s plea, Jabar told the court he was going to uphold an Aug. 15 decision to order Osborne held without bail until his trial, expected in early 2004.

Osborne was released on $500,000 bail, posted by Livermore Falls businessman Gerard Castonguay, following his initial arrest, but was rearrested on a charge of violating bail conditions two days later.

He is accused of contacting his girlfriend, and also the co-defendant in the case, 26-year-old Donna Enman.

Because of that, in August Jabar ordered Osborne held without bail, citing that there were no conditions of release the court could find that Osborne would definitely not violate.

That decision was upheld Tuesday as Jabar sided with the state and held Osborne until his trial, despite a request from the defendant’s attorney, Kevin Joyce, to set bail.

“I don’t think allowing bail would adversely effect the judicial process,” Joyce told the court. He said Osborne has family ties in the area as well as job opportunities and therefore would not be a flight risk. “I think he has the right.”

sdepoy@sunjournal.com

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