After confusion over who is now prosecuting deadly hit and run case, matter continued
Pretrial for Lacy Jordan now set for Sept. 29 in the Rapides Parish Courthouse
ALEXANDRIA, La. (KALB) - A 29-year-old Oakdale woman, charged in a hit and run crash that killed a cyclist just south of Alexandria, was back in court on Wednesday, August 10, for a pretrial conference.
Lacy Jordan is facing charges of hit and run, negligent homicide, careless operation of a vehicle, limitations passing left, improper tinted windows, and expired license plate. She is accused of hitting Taurus McQuarn, 50, and leaving the scene on Jan. 9, 2020, on Highway 165 South. Jordan was arrested later that evening.
The case ran into a roadblock on Wednesday when there was confusion about which assistant district attorney was assigned to the case. The previous prosecutor, Christopher Bowman, accepted a new job in a different parish.
“We had come today with the view of concluding the case today,” said Jordan’s defense attorney, Mike Small.
Judge Greg Beard told Assistant District Attorney Kenneth Doggett, Jr. who was filling in, that the district attorney’s office had plenty of notice to get a permanent prosecutor assigned.
“The DA’s Office should have had this placed by now, because they knew someone was leaving,” said Beard.
Beard said he didn’t want another continuance and urged Doggett, Jr. to check with District Attorney Phillip Terrell or 1st Assistant District Attorney Monica Doss about what they wanted to do.
Small said he had reservations about starting over with a new prosecutor.
“We had what I thought was a completely resolved matter. If I have to start over with a new DA...we had numerous conversations with the previous ADA...I thought it was pretty certain it would be concluded today,” he told Beard.
Small said since a new assistant district attorney would be assigned, he wanted to talk to that person before deciding on setting a potential trial date.
Ultimately, a new pretrial conference was scheduled for Sept. 29 to give everyone a chance to work out the details.
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