Much remains to be done before Jonathan McCoy and possible associates head to trial next February for the 2020 Trigg County murder and subsequent arson of Thelma “Ileen” Barnett and her Will Jackson home.
But another step was taken in Trigg County Circuit Court Wednesday morning, when Circuit Judge Jamus Redd ordered two more hearings for December 19 and January 10, 2025, in which a number of motions and deadlines must be met before a jury selection begins.
Among them:
+ Commonwealth’s Attorney Carrie Ovey-Wiggins is seeking reciprocal discovery from defense team Wesley Boyarski, Christy Hiance and Rick Lawniczak, pertaining to a standing motion to sever Keisha Stewart as a co-defendant in the coming trial.
+ Defense is seeking a serious mental issue motion be granted for McCoy, against the death penalty.
+ Ovey-Wiggins has renewed a motion asking for further re-examination of McCoy by the Kentucky Correctional Psychiatric Center, in order to further assess McCoy’s potential mental health issues.
+ A renewed motion from defense, asking for their expert to be present for the KCPC mental health assessment.
+ A response from defense needed for the Commonwealth’s motion asking for a pre-trial ruling on allowed use of videos and other authentication issues.
+ A motion for DCBS and other protection permanency records be released to the defense.
+ And a new motion from the defense for change of venue, potentially allowing a jury be selected and the trial be held outside of Trigg County.
Ovey-Wiggins did say that a recent report delivered by the defense shows concerns of McCoy’s mental health, and Boyarski argued a competency evaluation wasn’t necessary.
Redd, however, ruled for such an evaluation be completed in “sua sponte” for the Commonwealth, which in Latin means “of his, her, its or their own accord,” thus taking an act of authority without formally prompting Ovey-Wiggins and her team, Jill Giordano and Chad Nelson.
Furthermore, McCoy’s defenders have also filed a new motion, asking for the disclosure of discovery surrounding the April 2024 murder of Caldwell County’s Dorothy Sparks — who was found dead in her South Jefferson Street, Princeton home.
According to sources, the Sparks homicide currently has few leads, and no indictment has been made at this time.
Lawniczak told the court that their defense believes there is a “high likelihood” that the Sparks and Barnett murders are related, which would exonerate McCoy since he has been incarcerated over the last three-plus years.
Redd said it can’t be as simple as releasing notes from the Sparks investigation.
Ovey-Wiggins further argued it is a “huge leap” to say the two murders are related.
An informal, off-the-record conference was held between these parties Tuesday in Livingston County Circuit Court.
+++Lawniczak Discussion+++
