Wednesday morning in Trigg County Circuit Court, Judge Jamus Redd told defense counsel and the Commonwealth he will spend the next month considering a potential continuance for Jonathan McCoy’s July trial.
It’s centered on crimes he allegedly committed in a Lyon County arson case prior to his potential involvement in the 2020 murder of Thelma Ileen Barnett.
Redd, however, gave McCoy’s defense team of Rick Lawniczak, Christy Hiance and Wesley Boyarski an early indication.
Lawniczak put forth a strong argument regarding the shifting of these efforts to after the McCoy/Keisha Stewart trial set for February 2025 — noting several concerns.
*First, it’s possible that if McCoy is convicted of aggravated capital offenses in the Barnett trial, it would render satisfaction of crimes committed in Lyon County, and a redundancy of punishment.
*Second, most of the material witnesses and evidence heard in the arson case would be extremely similar, if not identical, for a jury trial six months later.
*Third, criminal prejudice of McCoy could spill over from July into February, making his legal defense more trying.
*And fourth, a shift would be judiciously economic for all parties.
Commonwealth’s Attorney Carrie Ovey-Wiggins argued against both the trial’s delay, as well as any possible pretrial resolution.
Hiance, meanwhile, presented a motion filed in the Trigg County case, regarding DNA testing tied to the murder of Barnett.
All parties will return to court in June.
