GA - TRIAL OF Ryan Alexander Duke & Bo Dukes - Tara Grinstead, 29, Ocilla, 22 Oct 2005 *Guilty/Not Guilty*

  • #221
  • #222
Can not access this article:

Tara Grinstead case headed back to Georgia Supreme Court

Could someone, please give a 10% synopsis on this? And the "date" they are heading back to court?

Or is it the same as the my post #220? TIA! :)
“Georgia's Supreme Court will hear arguments over an appeal filed by Ryan Duke, Tara Grinstead's accused killer, next Tuesday.

Duke's murder trial was scheduled to start April 1, but the state Supreme Court delayed that trial to hear arguments in the case.”

Tara Grinstead case headed back to Georgia Supreme Court

It doesn’t say anything about any new trial dates as I suppose they will have to wait for a ruling from the state Supreme Court which normally takes some time.
 
  • #223
Thanks Suglo - I have him on 5/7 already! :)
 
  • #224
Georgia Supreme Court to hear Ryan Duke case Tuesday

May 5, 2019

"OCILLA — The man accused of the 2005 murder of Tara Faye Grinstead is appealing to the Georgia Supreme Court, arguing the high court has the authority to review his appeal of an Irwin County court ruling.

Prior to his trial, Ryan Alexander Duke is seeking to appeal the lower court’s denial of his request for state funds for expert witnesses and an investigator. Duke’s case is expected to be heard at the court’s 10 a.m. session on Tuesday....

At issue in that appeal is whether an indigent defendant in a criminal case represented by private counsel on a pro bono basis, as opposed to by a public defender, has a constitutional right to government-funded experts and investigators. The parties have presented arguments on whether the state Supreme Court has the authority — or jurisdiction — to consider the substantive appeal...."

Georgia Supreme Court to hear Ryan Duke case Tuesday
 
  • #225
Tuesday, May 7th:
*GA Supreme Court Oral Hearing (@ 10am ET) - GA - Tara Faye Grinstead (29) (Oct. 22, 2005, Ocilla) – only for *Ryan Alexander Duke (33/21 @ time of crime) arrested (2/23/17), indicted (4/2017) & arraigned (5/4/17) with 2 counts of felony murder & 1 count of malice murder, aggravated assault, burglary & concealing death of another. Plead not guilty. Held without bail.
Previous court hearings from 10/13/17 thru 12/21/18 – reference post #203 here: Suspect: RYAN ALEXANDER DUKE, in custody
Previous court hearings from 12/21/18 thru 3/4/19 – reference post #10 here:
GA - TRIAL OF Ryan Alexander Duke & Bo Dukes - Tara Grinstead, 29, Ocilla, 22 Oct 2005 *GUILTY*
Court hearings from 3/8/19 thru 3/25/19 reference post #187 here:
GA - TRIAL OF Ryan Alexander Duke & Bo Dukes - Tara Grinstead, 29, Ocilla, 22 Oct 2005 *GUILTY*

3/27/19 Update: Emergency motions were filed Monday (3/25/19) afternoon. The Georgia Supreme Court has agreed to consider the motions. Motions filed are: To delay trial; To Declare Georgia's Indigent Defense Act Unconstitutional; for Funds For Expert Assistance And For Order Requiring the State to Provide These Funds; & Reveal Any and All Deals. The Defense need funding for three experts to combat prosecution testimony: an expert to analyze findings from a proprietary computer program linking DNA on a latex glove found outside Grinstead’s home to Duke; an expert witness who specializes in false confessions; and an expert psychological witness to perform an evaluation of Duke. But because Duke elected to be represented pro bono by the Merchants, instead of by a state-funded public defender, he is not entitled to get state funds for experts, per Judge.
3/28/19 Update: GA Supreme Court just ordered delay in Duke trial. Supreme Court will look at appeal. The defense filed a motion with the GA Supreme Court appealing some pre-trial rulings. Both sides agree jury selection should NOT start Monday (4/1/19) as was scheduled. They will hear arguments on May 7. Trial postponed indefinitely in Irwin Co. as the GA Supreme Court grants a stay.
Accomplice:
*Bo Dukes (32/21 @ time of crime) arrested (3/3/17) charged with concealing a death, hindering the apprehension of a criminal & 2 counts of giving false statements (to GBI). Released on $16,700 bond on 3/3/17 afternoon; waived right to his first hearing. Violated probation back in jail. Irwin County tried in Wilcox County.
3/8/19 Update: Dukes will be the first to be tried in the case, prosecutors said Friday. His trial is set to begin March 18 in Wilcox County. 3/22/19: Found guilty, sentenced to 25 years.
Also charged with:
*Indicted (June, 2017) by 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. Ben Hill County
*Indicted (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. Wilcox County
Dukes MAY go to trial later this month (March) in charges related to the case in Wilcox County.
*Charged (1/6/19) & arraigned (2/17/19) & indicted (1/15/19) with 1 count of rape, 2 counts for aggravated sodomy, 2 counts for kidnapping, 2 counts for aggravated assault, 4 counts for possession of firearm/knife commission of crime & 1 count for possession of firearm/knife by convicted felon. Plead not guilty. Held without bond. Houston County #2019CR053334 Warner Robins case on 1/1/19.
Court hearings from 11/21/18 thru 1/6/19 reference post #1 here:
GA - TRIAL OF Ryan Alexander Duke & Bo Dukes - Tara Grinstead, 29, Ocilla, 22 Oct 2005 *GUILTY*

 
  • #226
  • #227
Bumping this up for @Suglo - can't recall - can you get into Irwin County in Georgia court site?
Any updates?

TIA!
animated-smileys-waving-011.gif
 
  • #228
Bumping this up for @Suglo - can't recall - can you get into Irwin County in Georgia court site?
Any updates?

TIA!
animated-smileys-waving-011.gif
Unfortunately I cannot find any sort of case information database for the county. Sorry :(
 
  • #229
Oh don't feel bad - I can't get in a lot of them! LOL! :)
 
  • #230
  • #231
  • #232
Monday, June 10th:
*GA Supreme Court Opinion Release (@ 8:30am ET) - GA - Tara Faye Grinstead (29) (Oct. 22, 2005, Ocilla) – only for *Ryan Alexander Duke (33/21 @ time of crime) arrested (2/23/17), indicted (4/2017) & arraigned (5/4/17) with 2 counts of felony murder & 1 count of malice murder, aggravated assault, burglary & concealing death of another. Plead not guilty. Held without bail.
Court hearings from 10/13/17 thru 3/27/19 Reference post #225 here:
GA - TRIAL OF Ryan Alexander Duke & Bo Dukes - Tara Grinstead, 29, Ocilla, 22 Oct 2005 *GUILTY*

3/28/19 Update: GA Supreme Court just ordered delay in Duke trial. Supreme Court will look at appeal. The defense filed a motion with the GA Supreme Court appealing some pre-trial rulings. Both sides agree jury selection should NOT start Monday (4/1/19) as was scheduled. They will hear arguments on May 7. Trial postponed indefinitely in Irwin Co. as the GA Supreme Court grants a stay.
5/7/19 Update: The GA Supreme Court did not make a decision today in the Duke case. Under the Constitution, the court has 2 court terms (4 to 6 months: Sept-Nov) to make a decision. If no decision is made by then, then whatever decision is made by the trial court will stand.
6/8/19 Update: The Supreme Court of Georgia is slated to release an opinion on June 10 @ 8:30am.
Accomplice:
*Bo Dukes: Found guilty, sentenced to 25 years.
Court hearings & other indictments reference post #225 here:
GA - TRIAL OF Ryan Alexander Duke & Bo Dukes - Tara Grinstead, 29, Ocilla, 22 Oct 2005 *GUILTY*
 
  • #233
Georgia Supreme Court denied Duke's application for interlocutory appeal. Since the trial court did not issue a certificate of immediate review, the Supreme Court holds that they do not have any jurisdiction to consider his application. Looking at the court calendar for the Tift Judicial Circuit, I'm thinking the trial could be held as early as the fourth week of July or as late as the first week in October.

https://www.gasupreme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/s19m0969.pdf
 
  • #234
Duke loses Supreme Court appeal

June 10, 2019

"ATLANTA, Ga. (WALB) - The Supreme Court of Georgia has dismissed Ryan Alexander Duke’s application to appeal a pre-trial decision by an Irwin County court that denied his request for state funds to pay for expert witnesses when his case goes to trial.

The high court concluded that it does not have the authority, to consider Duke’s appeal under Georgia Code § 5-6-34 (b)....."

Duke loses Supreme Court appeal
 
  • #235
  • #236
My heart breaks for the Grinstead family, there's no way for me to understand the torture they've endured all these years. One day of not knowing what happened to your baby is one day too many, to think about living that nightmare every day for 4,135 days paralyzes me in fear. But as painful as every delay is for Tara's loved ones, another delay or two will be the lesser evil in order to make sure Duke has a fair trial, meaning 1 trial. I'm afraid if Judge Reinhardt continues to deny the defense's requests despite the gentle warning in the Georgia Supreme Court's opinion and pushes forward with the trial there will be an even longer and costlier delay with a second trial. I've heard people in the community make comments and I've read remarks from others online accusing the Merchant/Gibbs team of using this funding argument as a stall tactic. They can point their finger at the defense all day long blaming them for dragging this out but if a few local LE officers and one former GBI agent had actually done their due diligence when they received that tip in November of 2005 about Ryan and Bo, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be typing this post right now.
 
  • #237
Just bumping to see if anyone has seen any thing new - like a court date?

TIA! :)
 
  • #238
Just bumping to see if anyone has seen any thing new - like a court date?

TIA! :)
No ma'am, I'm not aware of any movement at the moment. I know it takes about two weeks for jurisdiction to be handed back down to the trial court from the Ga. Supreme Court. I'm don't see any reason why that process wouldn't be complete by now. My best guess is that Merchant has done what she said she had planned on doing and that is to make another attempt at getting the trial judge to grant a request for immediate review. I haven't checked with the Court Clerk in Irwin County to see if anything has been filed recently, I'll try to do that today.
 
  • #239
Thank you for doing that Stina! Much appreciated. I can't access Georgia court sites....
 
  • #240
Thank you for doing that Stina! Much appreciated. I can't access Georgia court sites....
Work has been crazy and I'm so sorry I didn't get around to calling the Clerk. However, I came across this headline earlier.
Ryan Duke’s attorneys continue to request state funding in Grinstead case

WALB isn't exactly right in regards to what the defense is asking for, Merchant is simply asking the Judge to grant the Certificate of Review that he had previously denied so that the Georgia Supreme Court can handle the funding issue. And it looks as though the prosecution is in agreement with the defense on this.
 

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