Boring Case Continued, Again
By SUSAN JACOBS
District Attorney (DA) T. Wright Barksdale appeared in Jasper Superior Court Tuesday morning for a pre-trial hearing in the criminal case of Matthew Boring, indicted on five counts from a December 2022 vehicular homicide case.
The criminal case has been continued several times over the course of two and a half years. The DA said the state is ready to go to court while Attorneys Melinda Johnson and Bryan Frost for the defendant requested another continuance of Judge Stephen Bradley.
Attorney Johnson said that Mr. Boring’s legal team had just received some 6,000 new files from the Georgia State Patrol regarding the accident and requested a continuance to August in order to review the files and prepare for trial. She went on to say that she and Frost were new to the case and had been working diligently in the last month.
DA Barksdale rebutted, “there are no new 6,000 files. The GSP released 4,500 initially and some of the new files will be repetitive. What have they been doing since 2022? The family of the victim has been waiting for their day in court.”
Attorney Johnson said that her legal team would like copies of the deceased victim’s hospital records and that “we would like to stop these continuance but we have to do it the right way. We should be working to secure everyone’s rights including Mr. Boring’s.”
Judge Bradley applauded Attorney Johnson for her thoroughness over the past month but noted that the state is ready to proceed and that he was not inclined to continue the case. He then called for a five minute meeting with the attorneys in closed chambers.
Upon return from closed chambers, Judge Bradley set May 6 as the date for the case to be reviewed again.
In the criminal case of Barry Dendy, indicted for two counts each of aggravated stalking, conspiracy to commit a felony, and criminal solicitation, Attorney Amanda Clark Palmer requested that that the two counts of conspiracy be demurred (dismissed). She noted that the alleged co-conspirator, who has a different lawyer, had not been charged with those counts and that it didn’t seem that Mr. Dendy should be either. Assistant DA Brent Cochran agreed and Judge Bradley approved the dismissal.
Attorney Palmer also requested a continuance beyond the May calendar date as the other lawyer involved on the case had a conflict with the timing. Judge Bradley agreed to move the case to the August trial calendar.
The arraignment calendar review saw several individuals seek the assistance of the public defender and enter not guilty pleas while some no shows resulted in bench warrants issued. All cases with not guilty pleas will be placed on the August trial calendar, if not settled before that time.
Superior Court sentences from the April 11 motion day include:
•Katherine Denise Proctor, sentenced to eight years suspended with entry into a long-term in-patient substance abuse treat program for possession of methamphetamine with intent, giving false information to a law enforcement officer, and possession of drug related objects. Credit for time served from December 2024 until April 1, 2025 and fined $2,500.
•Jennifer Wiggins, sentenced to five years with first 70 days in Jasper County jail for obstruction of an officer. Credited with time served and fined $2,000.
•Kendrick Eubanks, sentenced to five years and ordered to remain in jail until entry into the Georgia Department of Corrections substance abuse program for possession of cocaine and crossing the guard line with contraband. Credited with time serve and fined $1,000.
•Joshua Toney, sentenced to five years of probation for theft by taking x 2, financial transaction card fraud, crossing the guard line with contraband, and possession of methamphetamine. Fined $1,500.
•Michelle Garrett, sentenced to five years of probation for possession of a schedule I controlled substance, possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug related objects. Fined $2,500.
•Corry Johnson, sentenced to three years with the first period of time in jail until entry into the ITF program for possession of a schedule I controlled substance or possession of marijuana. Fined $1,500.
