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Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Ind. Courts - "Harrison Sheriff Deatrick's court hearing canceled while judge appointment is decided"

Updating a list of ILB entries under the heading "Harrison sheriff indicted in lengthy sexual harassment probe", the most recent of which was May 10, 2010, Grace Schneider reported yesterday in the Louisville Courier Journal:

Harrison County Sheriff Mike Deatrick's first day in court following his arrest nearly two months ago was postponed Monday because a special judge first must be found to oversee the criminal case.

While it's unclear when the Indiana Supreme Court will act on a request to reassign to the proceedings, Special Prosecutor Nancy Jacobs said Monday that she expects the July 20 trial to be postponed weeks or months because the judge appointed to the case likely will already have a full calendar.

"In my experience, it would be unusual to see that would be a trial date that would be kept" after a special judge is appointed, Jacobs said in telephone interview. * * *

Harrison Superior Court Judge Roger Davis had asked the court to step in earlier this month after Davis recused himself, citing conflicts in handling the case, and after Crawford Circuit Judge Lynn Lopp declined to take the case.

Although "the court is considering the request," said court spokeswoman Kathryn Dolan, there's no set timeline for when the judges will decide on how to respond to Davis' request.

Kristen Drew of WLKY had this story yesterday:
HARRISON COUNTY, Ind. -- A pre-trial conference for a southern Indiana sheriff facing criminal charges was canceled Monday after a judge recused himself from the case.

A Crawford County judge said he declined the appointment to hear the case because he grew up in the same community as Harrison County Sheriff Mike Deatrick.

As of now, the sheriff's attorney said the case is legally in limbo.

Deatrick is facing 12 criminal charges, including sexual battery and obstruction of justice.

The charges come after two female dispatchers claimed Deatrick forcibly sexually abused them in 2007. * * *

A judge ordered Deatrick to not have contact with the women, but one of them still works as a dispatcher in Harrison County.

Harrison County commissioners have asked Deatrick for his resignation, but his attorney, Bart Betteau said the sheriff is not going anywhere.

"There is no way the sheriff will resign," he said.

Deatrick was indicted last month but Betteau said he will remain sheriff.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on May 25, 2010 10:22 AM
Posted to Indiana Courts