Post by Anja on Aug 14, 2006 3:57:40 GMT -5
UPSHUR COUNTY JURY INDICTS THREE SHOOTING SUSPECTS
In Gilmer, an Upshur County grand jury indicted three Gilmer men this week
on capital murder charges in connection with last October's shooting of a
Louisiana man, authorities said.
The suspects, who were indicted Tuesday, are David Ross Sterling Jr., 22;
James Earl Buchanan Jr., 19; and Lajerrius Denard Jackson, 18, said Upshur
County District Attorney Mike Fetter's office. The office announced the
indictments Friday.
The trio is charged with killing 40-year-old Jerry Bittle of Haynesville,
La., during an Oct. 9 robbery at a west Gilmer housing project, said
Gilmer police Detective Sgt. Scott Richardson.
Sterling and Jackson remained in Upshur County Jail Friday under
respective bonds of $1 million and $50,000, while Buchanan was released on
a $50,000 property bond Monday, said the Upshur County sheriff's office.
Fetter said Friday his office unsuccessfully opposed lowering Buchanan's
and Jackson's bonds from their original $1 million levels. Court records
weren't immediately available late Friday to show which judge or judges
reduced the bonds.
Fetter said the 2 oldest suspects are eligible for the death penalty, but
that Jackson isn't because he was only 17 when the shooting occurred.
However, Fetter, who leaves office Jan. 1, said he wasn't ready to
announce whether he would seek death by lethal injection for Sterling and
Buchanan.
In Texas, capital murder is punishable only by death or by life
imprisonment for those who were at least 18 when they committed the crime.
Sterling turned himself in to authorities July 5, while Jackson was
arrested June 30, the day the warrants for the three suspects were issued,
said Richardson. Buchanan was already in jail on drug charges June 30, the
officer said.
Richardson said recently that "there were narcotics involved" in the
robbery-shooting last autumn at the Sorrells Park housing project.
Gilmer police responded at 4:50 a.m. to a report of shots fired at 110
Sorrells Street, Richardson said. The sergeant, who said he was the 1st
officer to arrive, said he found Bittle lying at the front door. Bittle
was in Gilmer to do construction work, Richardson said.
Saying the case was still under investigation, Richardson declined to
identify the type of gun used in the shooting, or the number of times
Bittle was shot.
(source: Tyler Morning Telegraph)
In Gilmer, an Upshur County grand jury indicted three Gilmer men this week
on capital murder charges in connection with last October's shooting of a
Louisiana man, authorities said.
The suspects, who were indicted Tuesday, are David Ross Sterling Jr., 22;
James Earl Buchanan Jr., 19; and Lajerrius Denard Jackson, 18, said Upshur
County District Attorney Mike Fetter's office. The office announced the
indictments Friday.
The trio is charged with killing 40-year-old Jerry Bittle of Haynesville,
La., during an Oct. 9 robbery at a west Gilmer housing project, said
Gilmer police Detective Sgt. Scott Richardson.
Sterling and Jackson remained in Upshur County Jail Friday under
respective bonds of $1 million and $50,000, while Buchanan was released on
a $50,000 property bond Monday, said the Upshur County sheriff's office.
Fetter said Friday his office unsuccessfully opposed lowering Buchanan's
and Jackson's bonds from their original $1 million levels. Court records
weren't immediately available late Friday to show which judge or judges
reduced the bonds.
Fetter said the 2 oldest suspects are eligible for the death penalty, but
that Jackson isn't because he was only 17 when the shooting occurred.
However, Fetter, who leaves office Jan. 1, said he wasn't ready to
announce whether he would seek death by lethal injection for Sterling and
Buchanan.
In Texas, capital murder is punishable only by death or by life
imprisonment for those who were at least 18 when they committed the crime.
Sterling turned himself in to authorities July 5, while Jackson was
arrested June 30, the day the warrants for the three suspects were issued,
said Richardson. Buchanan was already in jail on drug charges June 30, the
officer said.
Richardson said recently that "there were narcotics involved" in the
robbery-shooting last autumn at the Sorrells Park housing project.
Gilmer police responded at 4:50 a.m. to a report of shots fired at 110
Sorrells Street, Richardson said. The sergeant, who said he was the 1st
officer to arrive, said he found Bittle lying at the front door. Bittle
was in Gilmer to do construction work, Richardson said.
Saying the case was still under investigation, Richardson declined to
identify the type of gun used in the shooting, or the number of times
Bittle was shot.
(source: Tyler Morning Telegraph)