Judge Would Not Budge…Killings Faces "Reckless Homicide" Trial

February 1, 2010

On Monday (2/1/2010) Circuit Court Judge David Bragg ruled that the former sheriff’s detective would face reckless homicide charges next week. This was after Ron Killings’ (left photo) attorneys filed a motion saying that their client was a victim of racial injustice and that reckless homicide charges should be dropped.

After listening to arguments from attorney Terry Fann, the judge said that of the 58 examples presented…most were not charged with reckless homicide because those defendants died. Fann noted that of the two cases in which reckless homicide charges were filed, one involved a woman and the other involved Killings, who is Black. He noted that both are a “protected class of citizen”.

Special prosecutor Joe Baugh agreed that Killings was a separate class of citizen, stating that he was a law enforcement officer…and as such “is under a higher obligation to to maintain the proper conduct that would save the lives of citizens.” The special prosecutor earlier noted that information taken from the police car’s black box indicated the detective’s vehicle was traveling at 62 miles per hour when the child was hit. The posted speed limit is 30 miles per hour.

Since there has been so much local pre-trial publicity about the case, jurors will be selected from Hamilton County. They are scheduled to be chosen on Monday (2/8/2010) with the trial slated to begin Tuesday (2/9/2010). WGNS News will keep you informed.

Case Background

Hopkinsville’s Lakeisha White (left photo) was visiting her grandmother in Murfreesboro. Shortly before 9:00 o’clock on the evening of July 17th, the 11-year old was walking from her grandmother’s apartment along Bradyville Pike to visit a nearby aunt. She was struck by an unmarked Rutherford County Sheriffs Office vehicle as she reportedly attempted to cross the roadway. Sheriffs Detective Ron Killings was on-duty and driving that vehicle. Family members told police that they saw the driver of the car put two bottles in a nearby trash can. When Murfreesboro Police did not collect that evidence, members of the deceased girl’s family took the bottles to their attorney who had them analyzed. Reportedly, when they were linked to Detective Killings, their attorney presented that evidence to District Attorney General Bill Whitesell. In addition, surveillance video from a convenience store shows Detective Killings buying non-alcoholic drinks a half-hour after the incident occurred. Reports from an alcohol test that was made later in the evening did not show alcohol as a factor. The deceased girl’s family asked that Rutherford County D.A. Whitesell step-down from the case, since he regularly works with the Rutherford County Sheriffs Office and the Murfreesboro City Police. The family asked that a special prosecutor be appointed to handle the case. Former Williamson County DA Joe Baugh was chosen.

$7.5-Million Lawsuit

On August 8, 2008 the deceased child’s family filed a $7.5-million lawsuit against Rutherford County, the Rutherford County Sheriffs Office, and Detective Sergeant Ron Killings. Lakeisha White’s mother is asking for $5-million dollars in the wrongful death suit. Montessa Gomez asks that her six other children each receive $250-thousand dollars. Witnesses to the crash, that include a grandmother and three cousins, also seek to be paid $250-thousand dollars each. The suit states that they were in the danger zone and suffer from observing the tragic event.

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Written by BartWalker · Filed Under News

Comments

5 Responses to “Judge Would Not Budge…Killings Faces "Reckless Homicide" Trial”

Larry Wilson on February 1st, 2010 10:18 pm

This is one case in which the jury needs to be presented ALL of the evidence and then make their verdict. I can’t imagine why there would be efforts to prove racial discrimination, since the defendant and the deceased child are both African Americans. Hopefully, Judge Bragg and the courts will not hide any evidence and will allow everything to be presented so that the jury can make a decision based on everything. Now police have a chance to right the wrongs they made in their earlier investigation that obviously was botched based on the “blue brotherhood”.
Alicia Wright on February 1st, 2010 10:26 pm

I have been shocked at how the police were bending over backwards as evidence was gathered almost 2 years ago. I hope the judge doesn’t weaken and allow evidence to be omitted. I agree with Mr. Wilson, the jury needs to know everything. There is still a chance for a fair trial. The jury needs to hear the case, not the public through news stories.
David on February 2nd, 2010 10:04 am

Mr. Killings is an Honorable man who made a horrible mistake. Going 70 mph on Bradyville Pike is Reckless under any circumstances.

Good honorable people are convicted everyday. It does not mean they are necessarily bad people but made a bad decision.

I agree that the little girl probably did “dart out”, however she was probably accustomed to knowing how much time she had to cross the street with vehicles going 30-40 mph. She probably was too young to realize the increased rate of closure of a vehicle going 70 mph. Her prior experiance probably gave her a reference point which led her to believe she couls cross safely if a vehicle was at a cerrtain point from her perspective.

This was a bad decision and hopefully he will be treated as fairly as anyone else.
Old Bill on February 3rd, 2010 2:09 pm

I am deeply sorry for the family of this unfortunate child. Now, with the gleam of a seven and a half million dollar law suit in their eyes, I doubt the sincerity if their “grief.”
Kay on February 9th, 2010 2:10 pm

I agree with Old Bill, Why do people always try to equat money with grief. I feel extremely bad for this family, but money will bring her back. Yes this was a horrible accident and now two families are ruined. why make things harder by seeking money.

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