Suspect: RYAN ALEXANDER DUKE, in custody

[Stina_108]

There is a good possibility that at least one more motion/pleading will be filed tomorrow on Ryan's behalf.

 

[Niner]

Grinstead case: New documents reveal possible confession reported in 2005

OCILLA, GA (WALB) -

Explosive new facts are coming to light through court documents obtained by WALB related to the October 2005 disappearance of Tara Grinstead.

Both the State and attorneys for Ryan Duke filed multiple new motions and demands this week in the case against Duke for the killing of Grinstead.
[.....]
One document filed by the public defender's office for Duke is a plea in bar and demurrer to counts two (felony murder), three (felony murder), four (aggravated assault), five (burglary) and six (concealing death of another) of the indictment based upon the statute of limitations.
[.....]
According to the document, Lott told the GBI that back in 2005, maybe in November, he had heard both Bo Dukes and Ryan Duke tell the group they were with that they had killed Tara Grinstead and burned her body.

Lott told the GBI investigator that both Dukes and Duke were intoxicated at the time.
[.....]
The document in which these exhibits were submitted was a motion asking the court to dismiss several charges against Duke, not including the charge of malice murder, because of the statute of limitations.

That document, filed by Duke's attorneys, was submitted to the court on Wednesday, August 15, 2018, along with several other motions including a motion to suppress Duke's statements and for a pretrial Jackson v. Denno hearing, to determine the voluntariness of any statements and to determine the validity of any waiver of counsel prior to the interrogation.

On Aug. 10, District Attorney Paul Bowden filed a Notice of Jackson-Denno hearing, to be held at 9:30 a.m. on September 20.
[.....]
Bowden filed multiple documents with the court on Wednesday, including a state's demand for the defendant to provide written notice of his intention to offer a defense of alibi, a motion for individual, sequestered voir dire (or jury selection), motion for an order requiring the defendant to identify, in writing, all motions which would require an evidentiary hearing, reciprocal discovery notice, and notice of service of list of witnesses.

 

[Carolina Girl]

So, they were told in 2005. Did LE just wait for Bo's Grandfather the Judge to pass before making any arrests?

Suspects in missing teacher's death admitted slaying, court documents say

 

[Niner]

Suspect in Tara Grinstead’s killing hires Cobb County attorneys

The man accused of killing a South Georgia teacher nearly 13 years ago has hired two Cobb County attorneys to represent him.
[.....]
"We decided to take the case because we believe in his innocence,” Merchant said in text message. “We know Ryan wants his story told and we want to help him tell it. He has been demonized and we want to help the truth come out."
[.....]
A motions hearing is scheduled for Sept. 20 in Ocilla.

and another article:

Sealed motion filed in Tara Grinstead case

The attorney for Ryan Duke has filed an ex parte in the Tara Grinstead case that has been officially sealed.

 

[Gardenista]

ATLANTA — New court documents suggest that within weeks of a south Georgia teacher’s 2005 disappearance, two of her ex-students told friends at a party they had killed her and burned her body.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports Ryan Alexander Duke and Bo Dukes made the admission a month after Tara Grinstead was reported missing in October 2005. Court documents filed this week in Irwin County Superior Court say their comments were reported to police but they weren’t arrested until 2017.

Duke’s attorneys say in court motions that because it took so long to arrest them, all but the murder charge should be dropped, due to the statute of limitations.


Documents: Suspects in missing teacher’s death admit slaying

 

[Niner]

Don't know if this is a new article...

Ryan Duke gets new attorney in Tara Grinstead case

OCILLA, GA (WALB) -

Ryan Duke, the man charged with murdering Tara Grinstead, now has a new defense attorney.
[.....]
Duke's new attorney is Ashleigh Merchant. She works for the Merchant Law Firm in Marietta.
[.....]
The prosecution and defense in the Grinstead case are expected to meet Tuesday (8/28) morning.

 

[Niner]

Grinstead case: Duke's case continued, trial may not start until 2019

IRWIN CO., GA (WALB) -

The murder trial of Ryan Duke may not begin until 2019, following a continuance in Irwin County Superior Court Tuesday morning.
[.....]
Court decides #RyanDuke’s trial will not happen during the next trial term, the week of October 1, 2018. It’s due to pending motions hearings and a pending change in defense attorneys for Duke.
[.....]
Judge Bill Reinhardt granted a continuance because of a pending hearing in the case against Duke and the possible change of defense attorneys for Duke.

Duke was not in court.
[.....]
As of Tuesday afternoon, that had not been officially recorded in the court yet.

 

[Niner]

New attorneys make it official, Duke has new representation in Grinstead murder trial

IRWIN CO., GA (WALB) -

A suspect in the murder of Irwin County teacher and beauty queen Tara Grinstead officially has a new attorney.

On Wednesday, Ashleigh and John Merchant officially filed their entry of appearance with the Irwin County Superior Court, so they are now Ryan Duke's attorneys.
[.....]
Bo Dukes is also still awaiting trial on several charges in the Grinstead case in Ben Hill County.

 

[SeekingJana]

I am SO worried that there will be mistrials and hung juries when this finally does go to trial. Here's what worries me, and what I would want to know if I were on the jury:

1) Both men didn't kill her if the method of death was manual strangulation. They SAY they did, according to the witness statements from years ago, but no. Only one person acted upon her to cause death unless they both caused her death by manual strangulation. How exactly would 2 pairs of grown men's hands fit around her slender neck?

2) Bo Dukes seems to almost be made of Teflon. Is it a matter of financial means and family status?

3) Why is Ryan Duke being charged with more offenses than Bo if they both say they killed her, then burned her body in the orchards? Is LE choosing one over the other? Is the right man charged and being kept in jail for her murder over the other suspect?

4) Is this part of a strategy? Divide the jurors and thereby, conquer? It surely seems suspicious for 2 young men to confess publicly at a party, have at least one eyewitness give sworn statements to police, and it take so long to charge them.

How is the delay of YEARS fair to the family, to her loved ones and those who were unfairly in the cross hairs for years? WHY did it happen this way with so many years passing and the statements on file the entire time??

I want justice for Tara so very much and the facts of this case scare the heck out of me when it comes to the trial and penalty for each man accused. If this was N. Georgia, I wouldn't have the same trepidation. But S. Georgia has a mindset that is very similar to Florida's. ( Anyone recall the Casey Anthony trial outcome?)

I lived in Georgia and I have had relatives in S. Georgia all my life. I've also lived in S. Florida so I am not dissing anyone's location, but the general mindset that is so different from the Atlanta/ Cobb Co. area and the Irwin Co. area.

I am so anxious about it all.

 

[Niner]

Thursday, September 20th:
*Review Hearing (@ 9:30am ET) - GA - Tara Faye Grinstead (29) (Oct. 22, 2005) - Ryan Alexander Duke (33/21 @ time of crime) arrested (2/23/17) & indicted (4/2017) of 2 counts of felony murder & 1 count of malice murder, aggravated assault, burglary & concealing death of another. Plead not guilty.
Expecting new charges to come. Last hearing 3/16/18.
10/13/17 hearing update for Ryan Duke: will go to grand jury re media gag order on Oct. 24th; not expected to rule on this on Tuesday; Court ruled against the gag order 3/5/18; defense filed motions to reinstate. Should have been heard 3/16/18. Trial should be this year.
3/5/18: On Monday (3/5) the Georgia Supreme Court judge threw out a gag order, issued last year by an Irwin County judge, that barred anybody connected to the Grinstead case from talking to the media about it. In response, Duke's lawyers filed three documents Wednesday with the Georgia Supreme Court. One asks the Georgia court to reconsider their unanimous ruling against the gag order. If they refuse, a second says, Duke's team plans to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to review the Grinstead ruling. They also want the Georgia court to leave the gag order in place until the nation's highest court acts on the case.
3/30/18: Ga. Supreme Court rejects appeal to reinstate Grinstead gag order. The Georgia Supreme Court has decided not to review Duke's appeal.
5/18/18 Defense asks for continuance, granted by Judge; trial will be sometime next summer.
7/11/18 Update: Review hearing set for 9/20 & 9/21, & will set trial date then.
8/10/18 Update: Defense files 24 motions: Motion to dismiss the indictment due to the unconstitutional composition of the Grand Jury.
Motion to restrict the use of the word murder during the trial.
That motion states Duke's public defender wants the court to restrict the district attorney and the state's witnesses from using the word "murder," prior to a jury verdict convicting the defendant of that offense.
Several motions in relation to how Duke is presented to the jury.
Those motions include Motion for an order prohibiting Ryan Alexander Duke from being exhibited in jail clothing, Motion to preclude public shackling, and Motion to prevent prejudicial security measures.
Motion filed is a demand for trial by jury.
Several other motions relate to the jury that will eventually be selected for Duke's trial: Motion to disqualify all potential jurors who knew or were acquainted with the victims or their families, Motion for individual voir dire of jurors and sequestration of jurors during voir dire, Motion to protect jury from exposure to victim's family or friends, Motion to limit conversations between jurors and bailiffs, Motion for an order allowing defendant to examine all jurors prior to exercising peremptory challenges, and Motion to exercise his peremptory strikes outside the presence of the panel members.
The 23rd motion filed is to extend the time for closing arguments in the trial.
8/29/18 Update: nothing….
*Accomplice Bo Dukes (32/21 @ time of crime) arrested (3/3/17) charged with concealing a death, hindering the apprehension of a criminal & tampering with evidence. Released on $16,700 bond on 3/3/17 afternoon; waived right to his first hearing.
In June, 2017, a Ben Hill County grand jury indicted Dukes on 3 counts: concealing the death of another, 2 counts of making false statements, tampering with evidence & hindering apprehension of a criminal.
In Sept. 2017, a Wilcox County GJ indicted for 4 charges: 2 counts making false statements (to GBI), 1 count of hindering apprehension of a criminal & 1 count of concealing the death of another. Dukes has not been charged with murder. No updates for Dukes as of 9/19.

 

[Stina_108]

The hearing/s scheduled for today and tomorrow have been postponed. The D. A. requested to reschedule due to one of the State's witnesses being unavailable. As of right now, I do not know when the hearing/s will be held. If I had to guess, there is a good possibility we're looking at October 15, 16, or 17.

 

[Niner]

Thank you Stina!

and

to WS and this thread! Are you an "insider" ??

 

[Stina_108]

Thank you Stina!

and

to WS and this thread! Are you an "insider" ??

I'm a local, I don't know if I would really consider myself an"insider". I have a few connections that just happen to find themselves in the right places at the right times. Also, I'm fortunate in regards to having access to a couple of resources that are unavailable to the general public. As long as the information I receive isn't so sensitive that sharing it publicly could possibly hinder justice, I'll do my best to post updates.

 

[Niner]

Thanks Stina! Sounds good to me!

 

[Sogacakelady]

Deleted...sorry!

 

[Sogacakelady]

I'm a local, I don't know if I would really consider myself an"insider". I have a few connections that just happen to find themselves in the right places at the right times. Also, I'm fortunate in regards to having access to a couple of resources that are unavailable to the general public. As long as the information I receive isn't so sensitive that sharing it publicly could possibly hinder justice, I'll do my best to post updates.

 

[Sogacakelady]

Deleted...sorry!

 

[Sogacakelady]

...

 

[Niner]

Are you having problems posting @Sogacakelady ??

to WS & this thread!!

 

[Sogacakelady]

Are you having problems posting @Sogacakelady ??

to WS & this thread!!

Thanks for the kind welcome. I am pretty green at this and started with a bunch of stumbles. I will get the hang of it shortly. Intrigued so much with the Tara Grinstead case as Ocilla is about an hour from me. I was so frustrated when the info went cold. Doesn't sound they they have the right guy but I only know what is general knowledge. I will enjoy sleuthing with y'all!