Crawford Sentence to Life Without Parole by Franklin County Jury
A Franklin County Jury sentenced James Crawford, 21 to Life Without Parole in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice following a two weeks and a day trial in Eighth Judicial Court there. Crawford, of Talco, was tried for the murder of 75-year old Kenneth Raley of Mt. Vernon. The body of Raley was found in his Miller Street home. The home had also been burglarized. Crawford was tried for Capital Murder but did not face the death...
Kari’s Law Requires Direct Access to 9-1-1
All Texas businesses with multi-line telephone systems (MLTS) allowing for outbound calls must comply by September 1st with a new state law requiring direct 9-1-1 access. The law requires that anyone making a 9-1-1 call not be required to dial “9” or another prefix to access an outside line for emergency calls. Kari’s Law, was passes in response to an East Texas incident where a child was unable to call for help from a motel room...
Tilley Given a Second, Second Chance by 8th Judicial Criminal Court
He has been to prison more than once and sitting in Eighth Judicial District Court Tuesday afternoon with his wife, who is pregnant with his fourth child, and three children sitting in the rows behind him, he now faced the possibility of 25 years to life for his fourth DWI. However, Eric Wydell Tilley was given a second, second chance when Judge Eddie Northcutt pronounced what he called the toughest decision he has had to make in the...
Mapps Testifies on His Behalf Wednesday; Jury Finds Him Guilty
At noon Wednesday, Tilton Joshua Isaiah Mapps was found guilty of the murder of Jonathan Trahern Young. Mapps is accused of the murder of Young at Pacific Park on June 8, 2015. Just before 10 a.m., both the Prosecution and defense closed their case before a Hopkins County Jury in Eighth Judicial Court in Hopkins County in the murder trial. The punishment phase of the trial will begin at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, August 10, 2016. The final...
Frazier Testifies He Saw Mapps Shoot Young; Said Young Did Not Have Weapon
Testimony continues in the murder trial underway in Eighth Judicial Court in Hopkins County. TTilton Joshua Isaiah Mapps, 21, is being tried for the murder of Jonathan Trahern Young. Mapps is accused of the murder of Young at Pacific Park on June 8, 2015. On Monday, Assistant District Attorney Matt Harris Harris had begun opening arguments stating that the shooting developed over time due to an argument between Kendall Frazier and K C...
Mapps Trial Begins With Testimony From Young’s Mother and SSPD Officer First on Scene
A jury trial began Monday morning in 8th Judicial District Court for Tilton Joshua Isaiah Mapps, 21, who is being tried for the murder of Jonathan Trahern Young. Mapps is accused of the murder of Young at Pacific Park on June 8, 2015. Following opening instruction to the jury by Judge Eddie Northcutt, Assistant District Attorney Matt Harris arraigned Mapps reading his indictment before the jury. Standing with his hands in his pocket...
Mapps Trial Begins Monday
Tilton Joshua Isaiah Mapps, 21, will be tried for the murder of Jonathan Trahern Young in the Eighth Judicial Criminal Court beginning Monday. Mapps is accused of the murder of Young at Pacific Park on June 8, 2015. He has been held in Hopkins County Jail on a $1- million bond for murder and a $20,000 bond for tampering with physical evidence. He was indicted for the charges by a Hopkins County Grand Jury on Wednesday afternoon,...
Historical Impact of Christianity on American Culture
By Intern Steven Payne In the past decade, American society has begun a transition to an increasingly more secular state of existence. Petitions on www.change.org call for the removal of the phrase “In God We Trust” from American currency, as well as the removal of all references to religion from the Pledge of Allegiance. The military has also recently lost a legal battle against the Military Religious Freedom Foundation...
Local Law Enforcement and Community Responds to Ambush of Dallas Officers
As news of Dallas Police Officers killed and wounded in an ambush style shooting that occurred during Thursday night’s protest march in the city, local law enforcement, clergy, and citizens responded to the incident. Sulphur Springs Police Chief Jay Sanders stated the incident is “…tragic…[and that he is praying for all the families.” SSPD Detective David Gilmore posted to social media, “… my heart is broken for my fellow officers in...
Final Pre-Trial For Mapps Set for July 15; Trial Set for August 8
A pre-trial hearing was conducted Thursday and the final pre-trail hearing is set for July 15th, as the District Attorney’s office moves toward an August 8th trial date for Joshua Isaiah Tilton Mapps, 21 . Mapps is scheduled to be tried for murder, a Felony 1 and Tamper/Fabricate Physical Evidence with Intent to Impair, a Felony 3. Mapps is accused of the murder of Jonathan Trahern Young at Pacific Park on June 8, 2015. Since July 2,...
