LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC 36 NEWS NOW) — On Friday, ABC 36 News Now spoke with the family of Corry Jackson who has been behind bars since April of 2021, facing murder charges.
The Jackson family is frustrated with the judicial process and how slow it has been.
The trial is set to begin next month, but before that, there’s one last status hearing.
Commonwealth attorney Kimberly Henderson Baird has decades of law experience under her belt, including some lofty accomplishments, like becoming the first African-American female in Kentucky to serve in the role of Fayette Commonwealth’s Attorney.
“Our job as a commonwealth is we are pulling evidence from multiple sources that I am not in control of,” says Henderson Baird of why sometimes it may feel like a case is moving slow.
Henderson Baird says she understands the frustration of families with the judicial process, but says even when it seems nothing is happening, “that same waiting that goes with an individual whose loved one has been charged is the same waiting that’s happening with the victim of the crime. If there’s something that’s sent to the lab for DNA testing, I’m not doing the testing, and I can’t make them go any faster than they are. So they are suffering, as many agencies are understaffed and underpaid and not a lot of resources. So, sometimes DNA testing can take 12 to 18 months before we can even get it.”
Adding that the process slowed down even more during COVID-19, “it doesn’t help me to have a case, that I just want to, just indict and run through there. That’s not what the commonwealth is about. It’s about finding the truth and about holding people responsible for what it is that they’ve done, if they’ve done something. So we want to make sure we get it all right.”
Henderson Baird says that although it may seem like a status hearing may not provide much, “most of the conversations are happening in between status hearings. So we’re negotiating or discussing or talking with the defense about a variety of things. And then the status hearing is just kind of update the judges to where we are. So whether it’s, we’re on track or whether it is, we’re having some issues or, in some cases it’s, we’re on, but we need to file motions or, have a hearing on something. So that’s what the status dates are, and so a lot of times when people come, you won’t see anything happening because we are already having those discussions in between time.”
She also says, the process can also be delayed depending on what the prosecution or the defense may need.
“A lot of times people think it’s one sided, keep in mind, we’ve also had many cases continued because the defense needed a witness and that person couldn’t get there, they couldn’t find them. So cases gotten continued when the defense is asked. So that happens on both sides,” she adds.
Henderson Baird also saying that it is not out of the ordinary if a prosecutor handles two cases that are similar.
Some get assigned because of a potential history.
“There’s nothing wrong or sinister about if you happen to Have a case with two different people,” added Henderson Baird.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
