Phillip Garrido surprised the courts today by pleading not guilty to charges against him in the Jaycee Dugard abduction case that shocked the nation. INSIDE EDITION has the details.
It's an unexpected twist in a case that shocked America.
Phillip Garrido, accused of abducting 11-year-old Jaycee Dugard and holding her captive for 18 years, was expected to plead guilty after reportedly making a deal with prosecutors.
But instead, he pled not guilty to kidnapping and rape.
"No matter what happens in this case, Garrido will be spending the rest of his life in prison," said his attorney, Susan Gillman.
Garrido's wife Nancy also pled not guilty. Off camera, she was seen mouthing the words 'I love you' to her 60-year-old husband.
Dugard, 31, was forced to live in a squalid backyard compound and had two children with Garrido. She was not in court.
Dugard's stepfather says she has slowly built a new life with her mother and sister in the two years since Garrido's arrest.
"I think it is back to normal. My ex-wife is up there with her, and the kids are doing good. One is very smart in school and I hear they are doing well," said her stepfather.
Dugard received a $20 million settlement, under which the state of California acknowledged that several mistakes were made by parole agents who were responsible for monitoring Garrido, a sex offender.
