Photo: Faith Martin and attorney Gary Logsdon appear before Circuit Judge Tyler Gill
A trial date was set Wednesday morning in Todd Circuit Court for the five suspects charged in connection with the September, 2018 murder of Jerry Robertson on Stateline Road near Allensville, but a new judge will preside over the trial.
Daniel Westbrook, Douglas Cropper, Timmie Latham, Faith Martin and Brandi Scruggs appeared in Todd Circuit Court Wednesday morning. Circuit Judge Tyler Gill confirmed he’s retiring from his current role at the end of July and set a trial date for November 18th when a new judge to be appointed by Governor Matt Bevin will be presiding.
Commonwealth’s Attorney Neil Kerr will file a motion to join all five suspects’ cases together and Judge Gill set a resolution deadline for November 13th.
Martin’s family has hired Glasgow attorney Ken Garrett to represent her and she explained her reasons for wanting to fire attorney Gary Logsdon.
Issues arose when Judge Gill learned Garrett represents Latham in an unrelated drug case in Simpson County. Garrett said over the phone he didn’t feel there was a conflict preventing him from representing Martin, but Judge Gill said Garrett had jumped the gun without talking to Latham’s Todd County lawyer and wouldn’t allow him to enter an appearance for Martin at this time.
Kerr said he’s still waiting on a lab report to come in to turn over to the defense and lawyers for all five defendants asked for and will receive the full contents of several phones that were seized as evidence.
Judge Gill granted a bond motion for Cropper, reducing his amount to $1,000 cash. The Commonwealth did not object to the decision.
Westbrook allegedly shot Robertson three times after Scruggs drove the victim in a car to an area just north of KY 848 on Stateline Road. A pickup occupied by Westbrook and the three other suspects passed the car and then stopped in their path of travel, according to the KSP warrant, which says all five suspects fled in the pickup after Westbrook fired the weapon that Cropper provided to him.
Westbrook is charged with murder, while the other four are charged with complicity to murder and additional related counts.