Capital Murder Trial Set for 2027 in Pregnant Texas Woman's 2016 Death
Two suspects in the 2016 murder of eight-months-pregnant Sheryia Grant appeared in Smith County court Thursday. Trial for one defendant is set for March 2027.
Smith County Suspects in 2016 Pregnant Woman's Murder Face Pre-Trial Hearings
Two of three suspects charged with capital murder in the 2016 death of a pregnant East Texas woman appeared before a Smith County judge on Thursday, kltv.com reports.
Allen Sutton, of Kilgore, and Laneshia Young, of Overton, attended separate pre-trial hearings. A third defendant, Edward Brager of Troup, was not present at Thursday's proceedings. All three face capital murder charges in the death of Sheryia Grant, who was eight months pregnant when she disappeared in 2016. Her body has never been recovered.
Court indictments allege the trio killed Grant by striking her with a blunt object and setting her on fire.
The state is seeking the death penalty for both Sutton and Young. Sutton's trial has been scheduled for March 2027.
At Thursday's hearing, Sutton's attorney Sarah Roland told the court the defence is working through 57,000 pieces of evidence, including thousands of police interviews and jail calls accumulated over a decade. Co-counsel Mitchell Nolte asked Judge Debby Gunter to impose a deadline on the state for turning over evidence.
Prosecutor Natalie Tise said all evidence currently in the state's possession has already been handed over, adding that additional material may emerge before trial.
Judge Gunter said she would take the evidence deadline request under consideration and declined to rule immediately. She did indicate she would set a deadline for the defence to identify its expert witnesses — a matter that drew concern from prosecutors.
"Until we know that information, we can't hire an expert because we don't know what topic we are hiring the expert on," Tise said.
Nolte noted that a staff member who coordinates expert witnesses is occupied with another case through mid-October.
Young's attorneys told the court they have not yet begun discussions regarding expert witnesses either. Both Sutton and Young are due back in court in December.
Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)