Ryan Edwards is getting one last chance to clean up.
The Teen Mom OG dad appeared in court in Tennessee on Friday to answer to four charges: his existing harassment charge (against soon-to-be-ex-wife Mackenzie) and a possession of a controlled substance charge stemming from his arrest in February. The two additional charges he picked up in April— a DUI and another possession of a controlled substance charge— were also addressed in the hearing on Friday.
At the hearing on Friday, it was ruled that Ryan would be allowed to leave jail–where he’s been locked up in jail since April serving a one-year sentence—to attempt rehab one more time.
As The Ashley previously told you, Ryan asked Judge Gary Starnes in June to allow him to leave jail in order to once again attend a rehab program.
Judge Starnes (who has been acquainted with Ryan’s family for years) did not issue a ruling on the request at the time, but on Friday, he ruled that Ryan would be granted a furlough from jail to attend the CADAS rehab program in Tennessee.
(In June, the rehab rep stated that they want Ryan to begin receiving Vivitrol shots within two weeks of him arriving at the rehab. Vivitrol is a prescription injectable medicine designed to help curb alcohol and/or opioid dependence.)
“We’ll give you a furlough. It’s time for you to go to the program,” Judge Starnes told Ryan, according to The Sun‘s reporter who attended the hearing. “It’s your last chance to do this. You need to do what you can.”
The Sun also reports that Judge Starnes informed Ryan— who appeared in court in an orange jail jumpsuit, orange sandals and handcuffs— that if he leaves the rehab early (like he did in April), he will be charged with escape.
“And you will get consecutive sentences. You don’t want to spend two to three years in custody if you can get treatment,” the judge said.
According to The Sun, a rep for the rehab stated that there will be a “treatment plan” created for Ryan, and that after he completes rehab, Ryan will go to live at a halfway house in Tennessee owned by the CADAS rehab center. He will continue to get the Vivitrol injections.
Judge Starnes requested that Ryan undergo a hair follicle drug test to ensure he is clean before receiving the Vivitrol shot.
Ryan— whose hearing was attended by his parents Jen and Larry Edwards, as well as his aunt and estranged wife Mackenzie– agreed to the judge’s terms, and will head to the rehab center on Tuesday. He will stay there 28 days and is not allowed to leave or be unsupervised during his stay.
Speaking of Mackenzie, she has reportedly agreed to allow Ryan to speak to the children they share– Jagger and Stella– on the phone while at the rehab center. The no-contact order Mack has against Ryan was lifted so that he could communicate with the kids through her. (Ryan had been calling the kids from jail and speaking to them while they were at Jen and Larry’s home, but had not been calling when they were with Mack.)
Ryan is scheduled to go before the judge again on August 14.
Unlike his hearing in June, Ryan’s other baby mama Maci Bookout did not attend this hearing. (MTV cameras were not present, either.)
As of press time, Ryan is still behind bars in Tennessee.
RELATED STORY: EXCLUSIVE! Maci Bookout Attends Ex Ryan Edwards’ Court Hearing; Ryan’s Mom & Rehab Rep Testify: Here’s What Went Down Today
(Photos: MTV)
23 Responses
One of the advantages of living in a smallish area or the same town your whole life is having connections lm not hating cause as a young teen and adult I got away with stuff.
The courts must want him to OD at this point, because this doesn’t make any sense. Releasing him is setting him up for failure. He’s never going to learn if he keeps getting slaps on the wrist.
Is this a furlough or a release to a different facility? Because it sounds like he, once again, got a slap on the wrist and is off to a nice little rehab stay instead of being in jail where he belongs. I have very little faith that he will actually abide by these terms. That judge should’ve never heard his case if he knows the Edwards family. I feel awful for Bentley. He’s once again watching his dad fk up with extremely light consequences. This whole thing has to be a fkn joke.
I think it’s a furlough. The place he is going to is the same place he left and crashed his car a couple of months ago.
It’s not like a hospital or a medical facility.
So he would probably have to wear an ankle monitor (he had to wear one last time didn’t stop him), and if he left this time they would charge him with escape, so it would be treated the same way as if he escape from jail.
But he wouldn’t be locked in a jail cell. He would have a room, probably his own bedroom since he’s there are a ward. There are no correctional officers there, he wouldn’t be put in handcuffs and ankle cuffs to transport to different parts.
I have little faith too.
Like nothing stopped him from leaving the last time, he had an ankle monitor, and the last time he knew if he left he would face a year in prison. So what does facing 1-6 years change? Since he’s serving felony charges, it would be felony escape.
You know they have rehab programs in jail….
Must be nice to be a rich white man in a small town where the judge refers to the man who is being charged with threatening to kill his wife and assault and good boy. Since you know the judge is friends with his parents and the judge’s daughter is a friend of Rhine.
They should have charged in with escape the last time. When he was given a chance to leave jail to go to rehab and had to wear an ankle monitor and they found him in a car unconscious up a curb with drugs in the passenger seat and they had to Narcan him two times in the ambulance.
Yeah, because that has worked out so well before ?
It’s not fair that he gets out of jail,which he needs to do that year,because this Judge knows the family.”No let him do the jail time,then send him to rehab.
Is this…a joke…? He’s allowed to LEAVE JAIL to attend a rehab – that mind you he’s done before and failed at, and for only 28 days!!!! What part of that makes sense to the judge, or to anyone with at least 1 brain cell??? At a certain point you have to say okay, this is an addict who has repeatedly failed at staying clean. We have to accept that jail is the best place for him for all involved. You don’t give a person who has this serious of addiction yet another chance. We all know how this story ends.
Big mistake. If he wants rehab instead of jail time fine. But you stay the full sentence in rehab. This will not work. He will be arrested on day 29, if that long.
28 days is not long enough for any rehab, it never has been, it never will be. For him, it most definitely will not be. He’s getting off pretty easy here and we all know he’ll take advantage of it and screw up again.
I’m extremely bothered by the fact that he’s allowed any contact with the kids at all. Given what has been claimed (and some proven) he’s done, he would be considered a threat to their safety in most states. The order of protection and no contact against him for Mack would also apply to the children in most states as well. I don’t understand why she encourages him to be in their lives at all given how scared of him she says she is.
Again, please don’t think I am saying she shouldn’t be or that he didn’t do the things he’s been accused of. I am certain he did at least some of them (I’m not sure about all, but some, absolutely), and that he’s dangerous. But any mother that would allow someone dangerous to even contact their children, is not of sound mind. She said she feared for her and her kids’ lives, hence the order of protection….none of her own actions since make any sense.
Which states would protect the children like that? That’s reassuring to know that some states do offer those protections. In my experience, the courts don’t want protection orders to circumvent custody cases. If the mom has a protection order against the dad, the dad is still allowed to be in contact with his children unless there is a different ruling through family court re: custody. IME courts only factor DV against the mother into custody if they’re penalizing the mother for exposing the children to a dangerous home environment. A lot of courts see abusing a partner to be a separate issue from the children.
The states I have experience with who have required orders to be filed on behalf of the children, or they are automatically granted as a condition of the filer’s protection (it may depend on the reason(s) and evidence presented for the original order) are OH, PA, IN and KY. Sometimes the order is filed and granted at a later date, sometimes immediately.
There are some states where it’s suggested, but not required. The only state I have experience with on that is FL-it was suggested there, filed and granted a few days later. NC doesn’t require or suggest it and often times won’t even grant it at all (for children) without medical evidence of actual constant and systemic physical abuse over an extended period of time regardless of the reasons for the order, or potential dangers to anyone involved. I can’t stand the court system in NC, it’s one of the most horrible systems I’ve ever dealt with-and I’ve dealt with some really terrible judges over the years. I’m sure there are some courts that don’t care, and expect people to just know, but it really should be automatic in all cases.
I deal with them a lot unfortunately. The only case I’ve ever had where contact was permitted and even ordered to the offending party was in NC. It took almost a year to get that stopped, and it’ll take a lifetime to repair the damage it caused.
“I don’t suppose they’d also agree to let me talk on the phone to my dog, would they?”
Absolutely the best caption
I’m sure Jen and Larry are excited. I just hope Larry hides his truck keys! Jail, rehab, sobriety, relapse, rinse and repeat..Believe it or not this cycle can go for decades, just take a look at Butch’s life. I’m sure Mimi Jen is stocked up on Naloxone and has some in every room.The drug addict must come first in every family!
You mean the judge that knows him and his family personally is giving him oNe lAsT cHaNce??
Sounds about yt.
Why do I feel like this is going to be a Bam Margera situation?
He needs to be in rehab for ATLEAST 3 months. 28 days is not enought time for him to learn how to function and stay sober.
Must be nice to be friends with YOUR JUDGE.
He should have been recused himself bc he admittedly is a friend of the defendant/family.
Ridiculous.
He basically just signed away this dudes death.
28 days will do NOTHING for him.
Terrible plan. Terrible, terrible plan.
Dudes a menace! If he weren’t a white boy who’s friend with the judges family head ROT…calling bulkshit on the crooked judge
Oh look – another dead beat abuser given a 10000000 chances to kill someone. Lovely.
He needs more than 28 days in rehab. This will not end well.
Absolutely horrible idea.
How many times has he been to rehab?
Just another ploy to get what he wants.