Legal-Henderson County Now

Man Gets 10 Years for Possession of Methamphetamine

Press release

On Monday, February 9, Harold Eugene Merchant AKA “Spider” pled guilty to Possession of a Controlled Substance and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. The 53-year-old also plead true to two enhancement paragraphs which enhanced the charges to a second degree felony.

Assistant District Attorney Justin Weiner prosecuted the case on behalf of Scott McKee’s District Attorney’s Office. Merchant was sentenced in the 173rd Judicial District Court with Judge Dan Moore presiding.

Merchant was indicted by a Henderson County Grand Jury last year after a June 3, 2014, investigation by Sheriff Nutt’s Narcotics Investigator Kay Langford. Langford obtained a narcotics search warrant for Merchant after she received credible and reliable information that Merchant was staying in a residence at the Luther Lane Trailer Park in Gun Barrel City. Investigators had previously executed another narcotics search warrant on the same residence when it was occupied by Roy Chancellor, Jr., back on October 2, 2013. Continue reading “Man Gets 10 Years for Possession of Methamphetamine”

Steve Green Receives Board Certification in Criminal Law

Press release

Texas Board of Legal Specialization (TBLS) announced Steven R. Green received Board Certification in Criminal Law making him a criminal defense attorney under the US constitution. Green currently practices in Athens where he is a solo practitioner in the law office of Steven R. Green, Attorney and Counselor at Law. With twо decades оf courtroom еxреrіеnсе аnd ѕuссеѕѕ, Scott Nolan оffеrѕ thе high-quality criminal dеfеnѕе thаt еvеrу client nееdѕ whеn fасіng criminal сhаrgеѕ in thе Fаіrfаx and Mаnаѕѕаѕ areas. You can go official site for FAIRFAX CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY.

Board Certification is a voluntary designation program certifying Texas attorneys in 21 specific areas of law. Board Certified attorneys must be licensed for at least five years, devote a required percentage of practice to a specialty area for at least three years, attend continuing education seminars, pass an evaluation by fellow lawyers and judges and pass a 6-hour written examination.

“A criminal defense lawyer has to do something extra to get certified and then they have to continue to work and acquire knowledge in their specialty area to remain certified. You could say it is a life-long commitment,” said R. Hal Moorman, Chairman of the TBLS Board of Directors. Continue reading “Steve Green Receives Board Certification in Criminal Law”

Man Receives 20 Years in Prison for Domestic Violence

Press release

Marc Jamison Woodcock, 45, of Waxahachie, was sentenced to the maximum of 20 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice by Judge Carter Tarrance on January 26 after a punishment hearing in the 392nd District Court.

Woodcock plead guilty to assaulting his wife in July 2013 and opted to have the court assess his punishment. Woodcock was indicted by a Henderson County Grand Jury last year after police were dispatched to his home after his wife, Karen Woodcock, went to a neighbor’s home asking for help. When the neighbor answered the door, Ms. Woodcock was badly beaten, bleeding and covered in bruises. She had also been strangled around the neck. Ms. Woodcock was taken to the hospital and released later that night.

During the punishment hearing, which was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Jenny Huckle and Danny Cox of Scott McKee’s District Attorney’s office, the court heard testimony that while out on bond for assaulting his wife, Woodcock attacked his wife again in Ellis County, hitting her in the face and shoving dog feces down her throat. Continue reading “Man Receives 20 Years in Prison for Domestic Violence”

U.S. Supreme Court Refuses Latest Appeal of Randall Mays

Press release

Randall Wayne Mays was denied his latest challenge to his conviction by the United States Supreme Court today, bringing him one step closer to execution for the 2007 murders of Sheriff’s Deputies Paul Habelt and Tony Ogburn. Kevin Harris was also seriously wounded in the gunfire from Mays.

The Court denied his petition for writ of certiorari without any other language. His denial was included amongst a list of many others. According to Henderson County District Attorney Scott McKee, a party who wants the Supreme Court to review a decision of a federal or state court files a “petition for writ of certiorari” in the Supreme Court. If the Court grants the petition, the case is scheduled for the filing of briefs and for oral argument. A minimum of four of the nine Justices is required to grant a writ of certiorari.

Judge Carter Tarrance, who presided over the trial, signed an execution order and death warrant on July 10th of last year, setting Mays’ execution date for March 18th, 2015 after the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals refused to grant Mays a Certificate of Appealability. Continue reading “U.S. Supreme Court Refuses Latest Appeal of Randall Mays”

Henderson County DA’s Office Bids Farewell to Longtime Employees

Press release

District Clerk-elect Betty Herriage and Ronni Harris received a warm farewell Thursday at a ceremony in the District Attorney’s Office. Herriage will assume office as District Clerk on January 1. Ronni Harris will join Herriage in the Clerk’s office.

Herriage joined the District Attorney’s Office in October 1996 as a court secretary and was soon promoted to Grand Jury coordinator and then Victim Assistance Coordinator. Herriage was eventually promoted to office manager by District Attorney Donna Bennett and kept those duties when Scott McKee took over the office in 2009. Continue reading “Henderson County DA’s Office Bids Farewell to Longtime Employees”