Posted 10:35 pm Tuesday, August 21, 2012
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After delay, murder trial testimony to begin today
By PHILLIP WILLIAMS
Special Correspondent
Special Correspondent
GILMER — Opening testimony in the Sharon Anne Maxwell murder trial was unexpectedly postponed until today because a defense witness could not be located Monday.
Judge Lauren Parish of the 115th District Court ordered jurors to report back at 9 a.m. today, and told them she also is considering a motion filed Monday for continuance (postponement) of the trial.
Mrs. Maxwell, 44, of Ore City, is charged with shooting her 10th husband, 46-year-old Gordon Lynn Maxwell, Aug. 30. Maxwell’s body was found in a burned car at the couple’s Ore City area home, but an autopsy showed he died from a gunshot wound, Upshur County District Attorney Billy Byrd said.
Judge Parish told the six-man, six-woman jury Monday that although she could not guarantee it, she still expected the trial to end this week because some matters could be streamlined.
Judge Lauren Parish of the 115th District Court ordered jurors to report back at 9 a.m. today, and told them she also is considering a motion filed Monday for continuance (postponement) of the trial.
Mrs. Maxwell, 44, of Ore City, is charged with shooting her 10th husband, 46-year-old Gordon Lynn Maxwell, Aug. 30. Maxwell’s body was found in a burned car at the couple’s Ore City area home, but an autopsy showed he died from a gunshot wound, Upshur County District Attorney Billy Byrd said.
Judge Parish told the six-man, six-woman jury Monday that although she could not guarantee it, she still expected the trial to end this week because some matters could be streamlined.
After court adjourned, defense attorney Matthew Patton and Byrd said the postponement resulted from inability to locate the defense witness. Patton said he could not elaborate because Judge Parish sealed the matter.
Patton also said he filed the motion for a continuance on grounds the witness could not be located.
The jury for the case was seated Aug. 13, and released after Judge Parish swore in 18 state witnesses Monday morning. Byrd said he has 65 prospective prosecution witnesses in all.
Patton, a Gilmer attorney, has said Mrs. Maxwell’s defense will be that “she was not the shooter.” He said Monday he had four potential witnesses besides the defendant, and that she has not decided whether she will testify.
Mrs. Maxwell, who was jailed Aug. 30 and was once under $500,000 bond, remains in Upshur County Jail at Gilmer after Judge Parish lowered her bond on Feb. 7 to $300,000, said a spokeswoman for Byrd’s office.
The defendant is known by several aliases, and her slain husband was a minister and employee of U.S. Steel in Lone Star, Byrd said.
Patton also said he filed the motion for a continuance on grounds the witness could not be located.
The jury for the case was seated Aug. 13, and released after Judge Parish swore in 18 state witnesses Monday morning. Byrd said he has 65 prospective prosecution witnesses in all.
Patton, a Gilmer attorney, has said Mrs. Maxwell’s defense will be that “she was not the shooter.” He said Monday he had four potential witnesses besides the defendant, and that she has not decided whether she will testify.
Mrs. Maxwell, who was jailed Aug. 30 and was once under $500,000 bond, remains in Upshur County Jail at Gilmer after Judge Parish lowered her bond on Feb. 7 to $300,000, said a spokeswoman for Byrd’s office.
The defendant is known by several aliases, and her slain husband was a minister and employee of U.S. Steel in Lone Star, Byrd said.
