By Becky Manley / Staff Writer
The attorney for the former Knox-Whitley Animal Shelter president charged with forgery and theft has asked the entire jury panel be disqualified because the commonwealth’s attorney’s wife and employee are on the randomly selected list of potential jurors.
The motion filed Monday in Whitley Circuit Court also asks the trial for the former president, Debra Wright, 48, be continued.
The trial for Debra Wright and her husband, Frank Wright, 59, both of London, is scheduled to begin today.
The motion states that the presence of Sherry Trimble, wife of Commonwealth’s Attorney Allen Trimble, and Connie Cord, an employee of Allen Trimble’s, have “tainted” the jury panel and made the “selection of an impartial and fair jury impossible.”
Judge Daniel Ballou will hear the motion today.
Debra Wright and Frank Wright were indicted in August 2008.
During her arraignment, Debra Wright pleaded not guilty to second-degree forgery, theft by failure to make required disposition of property over $300 and tampering with physical evidence.
Frank Wright pleaded not guilty to a charge of second-degree criminal complicity to forgery.
Debra Wright was the president of the shelter board when she allegedly filed for her husband to receive unemployment checks after supposedly losing a job at the shelter, even though he never worked there.
The documents Debra Wright allegedly forged and filed with the Kentucky Department of Employment & Training listed her cell phone as the shelter’s business number, and she signed the document with her maiden name “D.A. Callahan.” Debra allegedly stated on the documents that Frank worked for the shelter for 11 months.
In January 2007, she had allegedly requested that the shelter write a $4,000 check for her husband’s employment costs, though he was only an unpaid volunteer.
Debra Wright was also charged with tampering with physical evidence for allegedly taking records from the shelter after she was asked to resign from the board of directors.
The alleged scam surfaced at a January 2008 Knox-Whitley Animal Shelter board meeting.
At the meeting, Debra Wright claimed that the $4,000 check she asked the shelter to write got mixed up with her personal finances.
Local News
Attorney asks for new jury in forgery case
- Local News
-
-
Sawyers named Times-Tribune publisher
Longtime Sentinel-Echo Publisher Willie Sawyers has been named regional publisher with oversight of both the London paper and the Times-Tribune in Corbin.
-
7 arrested in drug roundup
Seven people were arrested Thursday following a two-month investigation that involved undercover buys of prescription drugs, according to Corbin Police Public Affairs Officer Major Rob Jones.
-
Police seek man wanted for home burglaries
Police are seeking the public’s help in finding a man they believe is responsible for the theft of thousands of dollars worth of jewelry from several burglarized homes in Williamsburg and Whitley County, according to Williamsburg Police Chief Wayne Bird.
-
No report yet on body of Bright
The body of Delmer Bright was returned from the Kentucky Medical Examiner’s office Wednesday by Knox Coroner Mike Blevins.
-
Area legislators wait and see on redistricting
If the courts find the State Legislature’s redistricting plan constitutional, State Representative Marie Rader will find her 89th House District changing dramatically — with a razor-thin strip through the middle of Laurel County, connecting both Jackson and McCreary Counties.
-
Whitley, McCreary Farm Service Agencies to meet today
At 2 p.m. today at the Whitley County Extension office, agriculturalists will discuss the consolidation of the Whitley and McCreary counties’ USDA Farm Service Agencies.
-
Police Roundup - Feb. 2, 2012
London’s Kentucky State Police post has received a report of a scam or fraud trying to get credit or debit card account numbers.
-
Corbin sewer repairs to continue through May
Those crews doing work in the rain on some downtown Corbin streets Wednesday were digging in for a reason — to stop water from getting into the city’s sanitary sewer collection system. And the work will continue at times throughout the next few months before it’s finished.
-
Corbin Main Street prepares for new year
The man who heads Corbin’s Main Street Program says it’s time to do some exciting things. And they run from starting the early stages of master planning for the downtown area, all the way to introducing a new, user-friendly website for his organization.
-
Man dies after crash with train
Delmer Bright, 83, of Flat Lick, was pronounced dead Tuesday at Knox County Hospital just after 1 p.m.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Killer of Fla. Girl Found in Landfill Gets Life
Army Orders Bradley Manning Court-martial
Cancer Charity Revives Breast-screening Grants
Heavy Snowstorm Hits Colorado On Its Way East
2nd Teacher From LA School Arrested on Sex Claim
Prosecutors Close Armstrong Inquiry, No Charges
Sights and Sounds: Football Fans Pour Into Indy
Unemployment Rate Down to 8.3%
Obama: Still Far Too Many Americans Need Jobs
GOP: Jobs Numbers Welcome, Can Do Better
Fla. Man Adopts Girlfriend in Legal Battle
More Deaths As Egypt Clashes Continue
Raw Video: Prince William in Falklands
Egpyt Protesters Blame Police for Soccer Deaths
'Lucky' 9-Year-Old Receives 6-Organ Transplant
Raw Video: Michelle Vs. Ellen in Pushup Contest
First Person: Will Peyton Manning Stay in Indy?
Egypt Shaken After Deadly Soccer Riot
New Suits, New Starts for New York's Unemployed
Hall of Famer Dorsett Speaks Out on NFL Injuries
