By Austin Nelson

The Lowndes Signal

Jury trials are coming up in Butler, Crenshaw and Lowndes Counties, according to district attorney John Andrews.

Lowndes County will get its jury trials underway first, with two weeks of court scheduled to begin Oct. 12. Crenshaw County will start on Nov. 15 and run for one week, and Butler County will hold their jury trials beginning Dec. 13.

The Crenshaw county capital murder cases involving defendants John Lewis Thomas, Jr. and Antonio Jamar McNear will not be heard this session and have been delayed until late January or early February, Andrews said, due to scheduling difficulties.

“There are some material witnesses that aren’t available until that time, and the case can’t proceed without them,” Andrews said. “The defense needs their witnesses and we need to have ours. It’s nobody’s fault; it’s just a matter of fact.”

Andrews said some citizens have inquired why the case has not gone to trial yet.

“You want to do it right, and you only get once chance,” Andrews said. “There is no need for putting both families through multiple trials.”