The jury trial for alleged murderers Brandon Woody, Thomas Hursey and Kyle DeHart will not be happening this week.
The three had a seven-day jury trial scheduled to begin Thursday. According to Kosciusko County court documents, Circuit Court Judge Michael Reed accepted a continuation of the case. The defense filed the motion to continue.
Woody, 22, DeHart, 22, and Hursey, 27, have been charged with two counts of murder for the deaths of Joshua Knisley, 19, and Tara Thornburg, 23, both of Syracuse. Knisley died Feb. 19, 2015, and Thornburg died Feb. 20, 2015.
Kosciusko County Prosecutor Dan Hampton filed a motion Jan. 8 to try all three men together. A hearing was then held Jan. 21, where all three defendants’ attorneys were present. The motion was approved by Reed.
DeHart’s attorney, Larry Hansen, had argued against the motion, stating that to his knowledge the only thing putting his defendant at the scene of the crime was a statement from Hursey. He told the court that if DeHart was grouped with the other two for a jury trial, it could be implied that he was present at the time. Hansen said that counts one and two of murder are based on Hursey’s preliminary testimony.
Antony Garza, Hursey’s attorney, also opposed the claim, as a joined trial points fingers at everyone involved, leading to negative implications. Woody’s attorney, Scott Lennox, claimed a similar reason, that the joinder could cause issues for everyone involved.
Garza was granted a motion for severance for Hursey and he will be tried seperately.
A status conference is scheduled to be held Thursday between the court and the attorneys.
