Court postpones criminal trials because of rising COVID-19 case numbers
Published 9:08 am Wednesday, July 29, 2020
- Circuit Judge Toni Walker Terrett
Jury trials scheduled to begin Aug. 3 in Circuit Court Judge Toni Walker Terrett’s courtroom have been postponed.
Warren County Circuit Clerk Jan Daigre’s office announced the postponement Wednesday morning on social media, saying the reason was “due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases in our community.”
Daigre also announced anyone who received a jury summons for trials that were set to begin Aug. 3 are now “excused from serving for this special term.”
Terrett said although these cases are postponed, court is continuing and Zoom is being used as an alternative to most in-person meetings.
Last week, the state supreme court ordered that anyone entering a courtroom in Mississippi must wear a mask.
As for the cases that were postponed, Terrett said they were cases that had previously been delayed and that she was hoping to get them worked in over the next two weeks.
According to the docket for cases scheduled to begin Monday included:
• David Reed, charged with murder and aggravated assault.
• Curtis Ross Jr., charged with attempted murder, drive-by.
• J’Shon Ross, charged with shooting into a vehicle, shooting into a dwelling.
• Deandre Royal, charged with armed robbery.
• Lee Edward Yates, charged with aggravated assault.