GUILTY KY - Sheena Baxter, 32, Scott Co, 14 Feb 2020 *arrest*

[PommyMommy]

MAR 6, 2021
Slain Scott County mom remembered with balloon release, candle-light vigil - ABC 36 News (wtvq.com)
On Saturday night, friends and family of Sheena Baxter held a candle-light vigil and balloon release to celebrate her life and what would’ve been her 34th birthday.

[...]

The family says there’s a status hearing for Baxter’s case on June 28.

The trial date is set for Aug. 23-31, but it could go on longer.

 

[Luckyzmom]

Thanks@PommyMommy.apprecite the update

 

[kogeliz]

Has there been anymore details on what exactly happened? COD?

 

[?!?]

MAR 6, 2021
Slain Scott County mom remembered with balloon release, candle-light vigil - ABC 36 News (wtvq.com)
On Saturday night, friends and family of Sheena Baxter held a candle-light vigil and balloon release to celebrate her life and what would’ve been her 34th birthday.

[...]

The family says there’s a status hearing for Baxter’s case on June 28.

The trial date is set for Aug. 23-31, but it could go on longer.

Any update appreciated....

 

[JudgeJoe]

Any update appreciated....

Haven’t seen much since his arrest. He plead “not guilty” March 2, 2020.
Joseph Hicks, accused in murder of Sheena Baxter, appears in court

https://apnews.com/article/93db699486977feb7295c1733f0cc41d

Suspect in Sheena Baxter Murder Investigation Pleads Not Guilty

 

[PommyMommy]

Any update appreciated....

From the court site:

HICKS, JOSEPH E (D)

• SCOTT : 20-CR-00076
COMMONWEALTH VS. HICKS, JOSEPH E
W / M
Next STATUS HEARING is scheduled for 01/03/2022 at 1:00 PM in room C

CourtNet 2.0 (kycourts.net)

 

[PommyMommy]

FEB 23, 2022

Grand jury issue could put two murder indictments in jeopardy in Scott & Bourbon Counties

Investigators are looking into the way a commonwealth’s attorney mishandled the grand jury process in at least two high profile central Kentucky murder cases.

www.wkyt.com

[...]

Criminal proceedings for the 2020 murders of Sheena Baxter in Scott County and Jekobi Wells in Bourbon County could soon change.

After misconduct allegations were raised about the prosecutor, defense attorneys in the two cases called into question how many grand jurors deliberated when their client was indicted.

[...]

If any of the indictments are thrown out without prejudice, the commonwealth can re-indict the defendants.

Eldahan says starting over would take a lot of time and money.

“It should never have happened in the first place,” said Eldahan. “It’s a very simple rule to follow.”

She says a whole new grand jury would need to be brought in and the victims and defendants would spend their time repeating the procedure.

[...]

 

[PommyMommy]

APR 4, 2022

Family of Scott Co. murder victim speaks out after suspect’s new indictment

Joseph Hicks is accused of killing Sheena Baxter in 2020. A grand jury indicted him that year, but a judge threw out the decision.

www.wkyt.com

Joseph Hicks is accused of killing Sheena Baxter in 2020. A grand jury indicted him that year, but a judge threw out the decision. The prosecutor involved was accused of mishandling the process.

On Monday afternoon, a not-guilty plea was entered on Joseph Hicks’ behalf.

[...]

Investigators say Commonwealth’s Attorney Sharon Muse Johnson had mishandled the case. A judge determined Johnson used more than the legal number of grand jurors.

The news frustrated Christa Crumley, Baxter’s sister. She hopes prosecutors will better handle Hicks’ new indictment.

[...]

Family members tell us Hicks is due back in court in June.

 

[PommyMommy]

APR 8, 2022

Hicks murder case proceeds uninterrupted

Joseph Hicks, the man accused of killing his former girlfriend on Valentine’s Day 2020, will stand trial in August. Hicks has twice entered a ‘not guilty’ plea.

www.news-graphic.com

[...]

“The status of the case of Commonwealth versus Hicks is that the case is scheduled for trial in August of this year,” she said in an email message. “As is standard practice in my office in all cases, we have spoken with the victim’s family and will continue to do so.

[...]

“The case was never thrown out.’ When an issue arose about the grand jury in this case, we proactively sought and obtained a superseding indictment so that there was never any interruption in the prosecution of this case. The bond for Mr. Hicks has been set at 41 million full cash since February 2020 and that remains the bond today. The parties will continue to prepare for trial and litigate the matter in court.”

[...]

Hicks pleaded not guilty following the original indictment but entered a second not guilty plea this week following the questions regarding the first grand jury indictment. Evidential hearings have been held in the Hicks’ case, including one last month, and another hearing is set for June. The trial is set for August after a request by defense counsel.

[...]

 

[PommyMommy]

JUN 10, 2022

Scott County man pleads guilty to murder of Sheena Baxter, faces up to 45 years in prison

The man accused of killing his ex-girlfriend in 2020 could face decades in prison after pleading guilty on Friday.

www.lex18.com

[...]

Joseph Hicks pleaded guilty to the murder of Sheena Baxter. ...

Hicks could serve 45 years in prison in total. That would be 25 years on the murder charge and 20 years for robbery.

His sentencing is scheduled for July 11.

JUN 11, 2022

https://www.kentucky.com/news/local/crime/article262409427.html

[...]

Under a plea deal, Hicks could be sentenced to 45 years in prison for murder, first-degree robbery, felon in possession of a handgun, tampering with physical evidence, first-degree criminal mischief and falsely reporting an incident.

“Defendant agrees to serve a total of 45 years, 25 years are on violent offenses which require a minimum of 85% of service or 20 years before he is parole eligible, and 20 years are on non-violent offenses which require a minimum of 20% of service before he is parole eligible,” the plea agreement states.

[...]

 

[PommyMommy]

JUL 11, 2022

Scott County man sentenced to 45 years in prison for murder of Sheena Baxter

Joseph Hicks was sentenced to 45 years in prison for the murder of his ex-girlfriend Sheena Baxter in 2020.

www.lex18.com

Commonwealth’s Attorney Sharon Muse said that the killing of Baxter was intentional and planned.

“All murder is horrific,” Muse said. “This one was particularly horrific — he abused her body when it was over — it was things that no family should have to think about or hear about.”

Hicks pleads guilty to Baxter murder

With prosecutors seeking the death penalty and “overwhelming evidence” against him, Joseph Hicks entered a guilty plea for the murder of his former girlfriend, Sheena Baxter.

www.news-graphic.com

Hicks was originally indicted by the special called grand jury on six counts including murder, first-degree robbery, possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, tampering with physical evidence, criminal mischief and falsely reporting an incident. Court reports state Hicks had previously been charged in 1999 with first degree rape, which was amended to sexual assault, first degree and a charge of failure to comply with sex offender registry in 2012, as well as various theft charges.

JUL 12, 2022

Georgetown man accused of killing ex- girlfriend sentenced to 45 years

A Georgetown man accused of killing his ex-girlfriend was sentenced to 45 years in prison Monday.

foxlexington.com

Hicks was sentenced to 25 years for murder and 20 years for robbery which he will serve consecutively.

https://www.kentucky.com/news/local/crime/article263402488.html

Though Hicks will be eligible for parole, Judge Jeremy Mattox told Hicks in court that it was his opinion that he should not be granted parole and that he had not shown signs of remorse, WKYT reported.