GA - TRIAL OF Ryan Alexander Duke & Bo Dukes - Tara Grinstead, 29, Ocilla, 22 Oct 2005 *Guilty/Not Guilty*

[Niner]

Sometime in May:
*GA Supreme Court Hearing (@ am ET) - GA - Tara Faye Grinstead (29) (Oct. 22, 2005, Ocilla) – for *Ryan Alexander Duke (21 @ time of crime/33/now 36) arrested (2/23/17), indicted (4/2017) & arraigned (5/4/17) with 2 counts of felony murder & 1 count of malice murder, aggravated assault, burglary & concealing death of another. Plead not guilty. Held without bail.
Court hearings from 10/13/17 thru 7/15/19 Reference post #245 here:
GA - TRIAL OF Ryan Alexander Duke & Bo Dukes - Tara Grinstead, 29, Ocilla, 22 Oct 2005 *GUILTY*
9/13/19 Update: After about two and a half hours of arguments, both sides told Reinhardt that they'd like the Georgia Supreme Court to hear the funding arguments before the trial begins. Could be weeks before Judge makes his decision. 1/7/20: Appeal denied by the GA Supreme Court.
1/23/20 Update: Duke's attorneys filed an application for interlocutory review. They're requesting the Georgia Supreme Court to appeal Irwin County Superior Court's ruling that Duke's attorneys not receive state funding for experts and investigators to assist in his case. GA Supreme Court will hear case sometime in May, 2020. Ryan's case should be placed on the calendar for May within 20 days of being docketed so hopefully we'll have date by, or before 2/9/20. Once the Court hears oral arguments, an opinion will be issued in one to five months.
2/13/20 Update: Supreme Court of Georgia has accepted an appeal in the Ryan Duke murder case. In a unanimous decision, the Georgia Supreme Court accepted the appeal from Duke’s defense team. The Supreme Court will hear arguments on the defense funding issue later this year.
Accomplice:
*Bo Dukes: Found guilty (3/21/19) and sentenced to 25 years.

 

[Niner]

Hey @Suglo ! I know the Supreme Court accepted the appeal & they are supposed hear arguments on the defense funding issue later this year.

Was just wondering if there was any updates on the court site for Duke?

TIA!

 

[Suglo]

Hey @Suglo ! I know the Supreme Court accepted the appeal & they are supposed hear arguments on the defense funding issue later this year.

Was just wondering if there was any updates on the court site for Duke?

TIA!

@Niner It says the appeal was accepted and the calendar shows that it should be heard in May 2020. Under Oral Argument Date it says that “This date is not official until the Court Calendar is transmitted to the parties,” so there is no actual date set in May. My guess is that Covid-19 has temporarily stopped the assignment of oral argument dates.

 

[Niner]

Okay - thanks a bunch! I shall leave him in May then.

 

[watergirl62]

@Niner It says the appeal was accepted and the calendar shows that it should be heard in May 2020. Under Oral Argument Date it says that “This date is not official until the Court Calendar is transmitted to the parties,” so there is no actual date set in May. My guess is that Covid-19 has temporarily stopped the assignment of oral argument dates.

I was gone for a long time and missed Bo Dukes trial. 25 years!
I consider that a huge win considering how long this case avoided justice!

Anyways, I went digging around and noticed that the cases that were heard on May 20, where originally scheduled to be heard that day. I also found that nothing that has been heard since April 2020 that is an interlocutory case. I also noticed this: "I = Interlocutory application to appeal an order entered in superior or state court. The Supreme Court must decide either to grant, deny or otherwise dispose of these applications within 45 days of docketing." The next dates for oral arguments are June 16 and 18, but I don't see Duke v. The State (S20I0760) listed.

So nothing new here, we continue to wait.

Justice for Tara!

 

[Niner]

Thanks for the info watergirl!

 

[Stina_108]

On August 3, 2020, Ashleigh Merchant filed a request for an extension of time for filing briefs and on August 4, the the Court granted that extension. Ryan's case is on the calendar for November 2020. A specific date and time will not be published until briefs from the defense and the DA's office have been filed. Screenshot from the docket page of the Supreme Court of Georgia or you can visit https://scweb.gasupreme.org:8088/results_one_record.php?caseNumber=S20A1522

 

[Niner]

On August 3, 2020, Ashleigh Merchant filed a request for an extension of time for filing briefs and on August 4, the the Court granted that extension. Ryan's case is on the calendar for November 2020. A specific date and time will not be published until briefs from the defense and the DA's office have been filed. Screenshot from the docket page of the Supreme Court of Georgia or you can visit https://scweb.gasupreme.org:8088/results_one_record.php?caseNumber=S20A1522

Thank you very much Stina! I'll put him in November now....

 

[Synergizer Bunny]

...
But don't get it twisted, I don't believe Ryan is completely innocent. I know he was involved, he admitted to his attorney that he helped with the disposal of Tara's body. I'm just not convinced he was the one that killed Tara.

I think Bo Dukes murdered Tara; and, he somehow talked Ryan into helping him after the fact.

 

[momrids6]

someone please get me some FACTUAL evidence Ryan had a drug problem. I know what I know personally about both of them as well as others in Ocilla- but I cannot say anything here unless verified-and I'm not .

 

[Niner]

@JerseyGirl - I see Bo Dukes name on this thread - so posting this article re his next court date.

Suspects still awaiting trial in Tara Grinstead case 15 years after her disappearance

October 22, 2020

...............

There is a hearing set for November 24, 2020, in Wilcox County for Dukes.

The judge will consider Dukes' request for a new trial.

Bo Dukes has also since been indicted twice on two unrelated rape cases out of Houston County.

 

[Carolina Girl]

Marking a place. I still think Bo did it and convinced Ryan he did it.

 

[Stina_108]

someone please get me some FACTUAL evidence Ryan had a drug problem. I know what I know personally about both of them as well as others in Ocilla- but I cannot say anything here unless verified-and I'm not .

I can't find any evidence of habitual drug use back in 2005. Not the hardcore drugs anyway. Was meth even a thing in this area back then? I'm thinking crack was still king at that time, maybe. The people I've spoken with that knew him well enough to know if he did have a drug problem at that time, all said Ryan was not a drug addict. From what I've gathered, Ryan's poison of choice was alcohol, he would smoke a little weed sometimes and if someone offered him a line of coke, he wouldn't hesitate to oblige. I'm fairly certain the hardest drug he used was coke and that was just on a social basis. He wasn't addicted to it and was not one to go out and buy it. Bo even admitted to Shoudel that Ryan was a drinker that occasionally used pot and coke. Plus, during Ryan's bond hearing while being cross examined by Ashleigh, Shoudel testified that Ryan didn't have a drug habit and that he never admitted to breaking into any other houses to support any alleged drug habit. Ryan allegedly admitted to casing a few other homes, but that was it. After Tara was killed, Ryan began drinking more and self medicating with whatever pills he could get his hands on.

 

[Stina_108]

@JerseyGirl - I see Bo Dukes name on this thread - so posting this article re his next court date.
Suspects still awaiting trial in Tara Grinstead case 15 years after her disappearance

October 22, 2020
...............
There is a hearing set for November 24, 2020, in Wilcox County for Dukes.
The judge will consider Dukes' request for a new trial.
Bo Dukes has also since been indicted twice on two unrelated rape cases out of Houston County.

According to the motion filed, an attorney from the Cordele Judicial Circuit Public Defender's Office is now representing Bo. However, John Fox is still listed as his counsel of record for his charges in Houston County.

As for Ryan, the defense and the State have both filed their briefs with the Ga Supreme Court. The defense filed a response to the State's brief on October 8, but his case isn't on the official calendar for the month of November yet. I'm not sure what the hold up is. I noticed something interesting though. Three attorneys have filed Amicus Briefs in Ryan's case. One from the Southern Center for Human Rights filed an Amicus Appellant. Another from the Cherokee County DA's office and one from the Prosecuting Attorneys Council of Georgia both filed an Amicus Appellee.

 

[Niner]

I believe the hold up is that the Judge denied public funding for Ryan since he has "private" attorneys - and the attorneys appealed that decision.... so we wait...

 

[Carolina Girl]

That is my understanding also. But I have never heard, You have a right to choose an attorney, but if you pick a private one, we deny other rights given to others. I would fight that all the way to the top!

 

[southernmimi]

Marking a place. I still think Bo did it and convinced Ryan he did it.

I agree. Looking at the history of both men, I think Bo is written all over her murder.

 

[Carolina Girl]

Bo does not come across to me as the kind of person that would risk everything to help a friend, by burning a body on his family property. He does come across as someone that would take advantage of a friend, and get them drunk or high to convince them they did a horrible deed. He would not jeopardize his privilege and social standing. Just does not make sense.

 

[Niner]

@Stina_108 - since we are now in November!! Was wondering if there might be a date for Ryan Duke?

TIA!

 

[Niner]

up for @Stina_108 - just in case you missed my previous post!