An Indiana decide dismissed a homicide trial due to a “staffing disaster” on the prosecutor’s workplace – because the sufferer’s household nonetheless waits for justice 20 years after the killing.
Kevin Maddox, accused of fatally capturing 20-year-old Chad Rouse throughout a 2006 botched theft, was launched from jail after Howard County Superior Courtroom Choose William Menges abruptly dismissed the case Tuesday simply because it was set to kick off.
Menges’ order cited the Howard County Prosecutor’s workplace’s hectic trial schedule, “staffing disaster” and the very fact it was “overburdened with pretrial motions on the eve of trial.”
The prosecutor staffing downside “hinders its capacity to adequately put together for consecutively scheduled main jury trials,” the order mentioned.
Maddox’ case was dismissed “with out prejudice” — that means that the prosecutor’s workplace may convey it once more at a later level — however in the meanwhile Rouse’s household has to proceed ready for justice, based on Fox59.
Maddox was charged alongside Amber Brigham within the deadly capturing of Chad Rouse on Nov. 15, 2006. Rouse had gotten right into a struggle with the intruder and was shot within the again — however the assailant’s identification was a thriller and the case went chilly till February 2023, stories mentioned.
Maddox, 48, of Indianapolis, and Amber Brigham, 36, of Kokomo, had been indicted within the case in Could 2023 with Maddox going through homicide, theft and conspiracy prices and Brigham going through conspiracy theft prices.
“It has been 16 and a half years,” Chad’s mom, Athena, mentioned in 2023. “We’ve missed plenty of good instances with him.”
Athena mentioned she’d given up hope that her son’s assailants would ever be delivered to justice and was afraid to consider it may really be true.
Brigham’s case was slated to go to trial in January however it was pushed again a number of instances earlier than in the end getting dismissed on April 7 by Choose Blake Dahl.
Her case was additionally dismissed with out prejudice, leaving the door open for prosecutors to in the future convey it again. However the decide didn’t give any rationalization for the dismissal.
The Howard County Prosecutor’s workplace didn’t instantly return a request for remark Wednesday afternoon.
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