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Monday, Nov. 26th:
*Review Hearing (Day 1) (@ 9:30am ET) - GA - Tara Faye Grinstead (29) (Oct. 22, 2005, Ocilla) - *Ryan Alexander Duke (33/21 @ time of crime) arrested (2/23/17) & indicted (4/2017) of 2 counts of felony murder & 1 count of malice murder, aggravated assault, burglary & concealing death of another. Plead not guilty.
10/13/17 hearing update for Ryan Duke: will go to grand jury re media gag order on Oct. 24th; not expected to rule on this on Tuesday; Court ruled against the gag order 3/5/18; defense filed motions to reinstate. Should have been heard 3/16/18. Trial should be this year. On Monday, (3/5/18) the Georgia Supreme Court judge threw out a gag order, issued last year by an Irwin County judge, that barred anybody connected to the Grinstead case from talking to the media about it. In response, Duke's lawyers filed three documents Wednesday with the Georgia Supreme Court. One asks the Georgia court to reconsider their unanimous ruling against the gag order. If they refuse, a second says, Duke's team plans to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to review the Grinstead ruling. They also want the Georgia court to leave the gag order in place until the nation's highest court acts on the case. 3/30/18: Ga. Supreme Court rejects appeal to reinstate Grinstead gag order. The Georgia Supreme Court has decided not to review Duke's appeal.
5/18/18 Defense asks for continuance, granted by Judge; trial will be sometime next summer.
7/11/18 Update: Review hearing set for 9/20 & 9/21, & will set trial date then.
8/10/18 Update: Defense files 24 motions: Motion to dismiss the indictment due to the unconstitutional composition of the Grand Jury.
Motion to restrict the use of the word murder during the trial.
That motion states Duke's public defender wants the court to restrict the district attorney and the state's witnesses from using the word "murder," prior to a jury verdict convicting the defendant of that offense.
Several motions in relation to how Duke is presented to the jury.
Those motions include Motion for an order prohibiting Ryan Alexander Duke from being exhibited in jail clothing, Motion to preclude public shackling, and Motion to prevent prejudicial security measures.
Motion filed is a demand for trial by jury.
Several other motions relate to the jury that will eventually be selected for Duke's trial: Motion to disqualify all potential jurors who knew or were acquainted with the victims or their families, Motion for individual voir dire of jurors and sequestration of jurors during voir dire, Motion to protect jury from exposure to victim's family or friends, Motion to limit conversations between jurors and bailiffs, Motion for an order allowing defendant to examine all jurors prior to exercising peremptory challenges, and Motion to exercise his peremptory strikes outside the presence of the panel members.
The 23rd motion filed is to extend the time for closing arguments in the trial.
8/29/18 Update: nothing… In August 2018, Duke hired Cobb County attorney Ashleigh Merchant & her husband John Merchant to represent him in court. Duke was formerly represented by public defenders.
9/20/18 Update: The hearing/s scheduled for today (9/20) and tomorrow (9/21) have been postponed. The D. A. requested to reschedule due to one of the State's witnesses being unavailable. As of right now, do not know when the hearing/s will be held. 10/25/18 Update: New hearing dates are 11/19 & 11/20. 11/9/18 Update: Defense files motion for change of venue. Review hearing for 33 motions on 11/19 & 11/20 moved to 11/26 & 11/27.
*Accomplice:
Bo Dukes (32/21 @ time of crime) arrested (3/3/17) charged with concealing a death, hindering the apprehension of a criminal & tampering with evidence. Released on $16,700 bond on 3/3/17 afternoon; waived right to his first hearing.
In June, 2017, a Ben Hill County grand jury indicted Dukes on 3 counts: concealing the death of another, 2 counts of making false statements, tampering with evidence & hindering apprehension of a criminal.
In Sept. 2017, a Wilcox County GJ indicted for 4 charges: 2 counts making false statements (to GBI), 1 count of hindering apprehension of a criminal & 1 count of concealing the death of another. Dukes has not been charged with murder. Dukes is awaiting trial in Ben Hill County.
11/21/18 Update: NOT regarding current charges re Tara. A Federal Judge will decide whether to revoke Duke’s bond & sent him back to prison. Hearing set for 11/29 in Macon. They result from a 2013 case when Dukes pleaded guilty to stealing more than $150,000 from the Army. He served 27 months in prison & was sentenced to three years' probation, but prosecutors say Dukes has violated probation by failing to keep up with restitution payments and community-service work.
*Review Hearing (Day 1) (@ 9:30am ET) - GA - Tara Faye Grinstead (29) (Oct. 22, 2005, Ocilla) - *Ryan Alexander Duke (33/21 @ time of crime) arrested (2/23/17) & indicted (4/2017) of 2 counts of felony murder & 1 count of malice murder, aggravated assault, burglary & concealing death of another. Plead not guilty.
10/13/17 hearing update for Ryan Duke: will go to grand jury re media gag order on Oct. 24th; not expected to rule on this on Tuesday; Court ruled against the gag order 3/5/18; defense filed motions to reinstate. Should have been heard 3/16/18. Trial should be this year. On Monday, (3/5/18) the Georgia Supreme Court judge threw out a gag order, issued last year by an Irwin County judge, that barred anybody connected to the Grinstead case from talking to the media about it. In response, Duke's lawyers filed three documents Wednesday with the Georgia Supreme Court. One asks the Georgia court to reconsider their unanimous ruling against the gag order. If they refuse, a second says, Duke's team plans to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to review the Grinstead ruling. They also want the Georgia court to leave the gag order in place until the nation's highest court acts on the case. 3/30/18: Ga. Supreme Court rejects appeal to reinstate Grinstead gag order. The Georgia Supreme Court has decided not to review Duke's appeal.
5/18/18 Defense asks for continuance, granted by Judge; trial will be sometime next summer.
7/11/18 Update: Review hearing set for 9/20 & 9/21, & will set trial date then.
8/10/18 Update: Defense files 24 motions: Motion to dismiss the indictment due to the unconstitutional composition of the Grand Jury.
Motion to restrict the use of the word murder during the trial.
That motion states Duke's public defender wants the court to restrict the district attorney and the state's witnesses from using the word "murder," prior to a jury verdict convicting the defendant of that offense.
Several motions in relation to how Duke is presented to the jury.
Those motions include Motion for an order prohibiting Ryan Alexander Duke from being exhibited in jail clothing, Motion to preclude public shackling, and Motion to prevent prejudicial security measures.
Motion filed is a demand for trial by jury.
Several other motions relate to the jury that will eventually be selected for Duke's trial: Motion to disqualify all potential jurors who knew or were acquainted with the victims or their families, Motion for individual voir dire of jurors and sequestration of jurors during voir dire, Motion to protect jury from exposure to victim's family or friends, Motion to limit conversations between jurors and bailiffs, Motion for an order allowing defendant to examine all jurors prior to exercising peremptory challenges, and Motion to exercise his peremptory strikes outside the presence of the panel members.
The 23rd motion filed is to extend the time for closing arguments in the trial.
8/29/18 Update: nothing… In August 2018, Duke hired Cobb County attorney Ashleigh Merchant & her husband John Merchant to represent him in court. Duke was formerly represented by public defenders.
9/20/18 Update: The hearing/s scheduled for today (9/20) and tomorrow (9/21) have been postponed. The D. A. requested to reschedule due to one of the State's witnesses being unavailable. As of right now, do not know when the hearing/s will be held. 10/25/18 Update: New hearing dates are 11/19 & 11/20. 11/9/18 Update: Defense files motion for change of venue. Review hearing for 33 motions on 11/19 & 11/20 moved to 11/26 & 11/27.
*Accomplice:
Bo Dukes (32/21 @ time of crime) arrested (3/3/17) charged with concealing a death, hindering the apprehension of a criminal & tampering with evidence. Released on $16,700 bond on 3/3/17 afternoon; waived right to his first hearing.
In June, 2017, a Ben Hill County grand jury indicted Dukes on 3 counts: concealing the death of another, 2 counts of making false statements, tampering with evidence & hindering apprehension of a criminal.
In Sept. 2017, a Wilcox County GJ indicted for 4 charges: 2 counts making false statements (to GBI), 1 count of hindering apprehension of a criminal & 1 count of concealing the death of another. Dukes has not been charged with murder. Dukes is awaiting trial in Ben Hill County.
11/21/18 Update: NOT regarding current charges re Tara. A Federal Judge will decide whether to revoke Duke’s bond & sent him back to prison. Hearing set for 11/29 in Macon. They result from a 2013 case when Dukes pleaded guilty to stealing more than $150,000 from the Army. He served 27 months in prison & was sentenced to three years' probation, but prosecutors say Dukes has violated probation by failing to keep up with restitution payments and community-service work.