By SUSAN TEBBEN
Glasgow Daily Times
GLASGOW —
A trial date was set in a case involving a man who led Barren County law enforcement on a high-speed chase.
The commonwealth requested a trial date in the case of Billy Stinnett, most likely on charges stemming from a two-county chase on which he led police in February.
Stinnett, 28, and his co-defendant, Lindsay Craig, 30, were scheduled for trial on Oct. 29, with a final pre-trial on Oct. 25 in front Judge Phil Patton. Stinnett is charged with separate drug charges from a previous offense, and commonwealth’s attorney Karen Davis said she hadn’t decided which case to bring to trial, though in looking quickly, she said it was likely she would go with the car chase case. She will file her official decision with the court this week.
For the police chase, Stinnett is charged with reckless driving, operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs, 25 counts of first-degree wanton endangerment (police), two counts of first-degree fleeing or evading police, two counts of first-degree criminal mischief, two counts of second-degree assault, third-degree assault, two counts of leaving the scene of an accident, five counts of disregarding a stop sign, speeding in a restricted zone and resisting arrest.
The Barren-Edmonson County Drug Task Force charged Stinnett with manufacturing methamphetamine, first-degree possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of meth precursor first offense, possession of drug paraphernalia second offense and knowingly possessing anhydrous ammonia with the intent to manufacture meth.
In the other case, Stinnett is charged with use or possession of drug paraphernalia, second or greater offense. He is in custody at the Barren County jail on $20,000 bond.
Craig is charged with complicity to manufacture meth, first offense, for which she was released on surety bond.
A laptop seized in Barren County and taken to Frankfort for investigation came up in arguments for the case of James A. Taylor, 29, charged with 12 counts of possession of matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor, a class D felony. He was arrested in April as part of an investigation by Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway’s Cybercrimes Unit.
Taylor and his lawyer, Temple Dickinson, would like to have the chance to hire an expert to look at the laptop, but say driving to Frankfort is more than should be required of Taylor.
“It is a burden on my client to pay for travel and for the expert to look at this so we’d like to be able to get an expert of the client’s choosing at a reasonable price, and not have to drive to Frankfort to look at the computer,” Dickinson said.
Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Traci Peppers objected to the motion, saying the rule states the defendants should have an opportunity to look at the laptop, not to “hand it to them on a silver platter.”
Dickinson said they had someone tentatively planned to look at the laptop, but Patton passed the hearing for two weeks and said at the time he would make a decision concerning the laptop.
A man charged with first-degree sodomy will have a competency hearing in Barren Circuit Court Thursday before his trial can begin.
In court Monday, Patton scheduled a hearing for Greg LeCroy, 26, of Cave City, who did not attend the hearing. He has requested not to appear at any court dates in which he is not required, said Greg Berry, from the Department of Public Advocacy.
Patton approved a joint motion by Peppers and Berry for a Kentucky Correctional Psychiatric Center evaluation at a June 28 pre-trial conference, which LeCroy also did not attend.
LeCroy was arrested for alleged first-degree sodomy in which the victim was younger than 12, in February by the Kentucky State Police.
A competency hearing will also be held for the 12-year-old witness after the KCPC evaluation, according to Berry.
LeCroy’s trial was set for Jan. 12, with a final pre-trial conference on Jan. 3. He remains in custody pending trial.
