April 15th, 2019
It could be months before a capital murder charge against an Alabama man accused of killing an 11-year-old girl last month is presented to a grand jury.
Christopher Wayne Madison, 33, is jailed in the death of Amberly Alexis Barnett, a next-door neighbor who went missing from her aunt's house where she lived on March 1. Her body was found the next day in an area behind Madison's home in DeKalb County. That day, Madison was
booked on capital murder charges, jail records show. He also was charged with possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia.
Evidence, including blood and hair, were collected from Madison's home and the scene where the body was found in the woods.
But it could take some time to process some of that evidence, said Bob Johnston, chief deputy district attorney in Ninth Judicial Circuit Attorney General Mike O'Dell's office.
He wasn't sure when the next grand jury meets but said the case would not be ready by then. There's no timeline on the forensic work, he said. DeKalb County court officials said a date for the grand jury's next session has not been set.
"It'll be a few grand juries from now, I would think, before we're ready," Johnston said.
Meanwhile, the circuit court judge has adopted the case so some preliminary motions can begin taking place, said Johnston, who will assist O'Dell. O'Dell will lead the prosecution if the grand jury hands up an indictment and the case goes to trial.
Madison is represented by Decatur attorney Brian White and Huntsville attorney Jake Watson. Neither could be reached for comment.
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Grand jury presentation could be months away in capital murder case against Alabama man accused of killing 11-year-old girl
