Latest news with #CircuitCourtDivision3
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Yahoo
Court denies motion to move Boards trial to Anderson City Court
ANDERSON — A request to move the murder trial of Carl Roy Webb Boards II to the Anderson City Court has been denied. Boards is charged with the July 2022 shooting death of Elwood police officer Noah Shahnavaz. He is scheduled to go on trial in January on charges of murder, two counts of resisting law enforcement, unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, firearm enhancement, habitual offender, life without parole and the death penalty. The Madison County Prosecutor's office filed a motion in Madison Circuit Court Division 3 to move the trial to the city court for logistical reasons. Judge Andrew Hopper denied the request on Tuesday, but said he is considering the motion and will make a determination five to six months before the actual trial date. In the motion, Chief Deputy Prosecutor Andrew Hanna notes the trial could take three to six weeks. The motion states seating in the Anderson City Court is approximately 120 for members of the public, as compared to 38 in the courtroom. Hanna's motion states there are three secure holding cells at the city court and none in the courthouse. He said the Anderson City Court would be able to accommodate the number of lawyers involved in the case and provide additional room for the necessary court proceedings. Hanna believes there will be more than two alternates selected for the trial. He noted that the jury box of Circuit Court can only seat 14 people; the city court jury box could be arranged for more than 14 people. Anderson City Court Judge Jason Jamerson has already agreed to the use of his courtroom and Anderson Police Chief Mike Lee said his department will provide any necessary support during the trial. Judge Hopper granted a request from the prosecutor's office to review a book being written by Boards since his arrest. The judge ruled that the prosecutor's office could review one page of the book that didn't violate the attorney-client privilege. Hopper ruled the state should receive page 35 (B) of the book. A motion had been filed by deputy prosecutor Jesse Miller for the defense attorneys to compel the turning over of the book. In Miller's motion, it's noted that Boards was arrested on Aug. 1, 2022 and as early as Aug. 15, during a call from the jail, he indicated that the first chapter of the book had been written. During that telephone call, Boards said he wrote about meeting his father for the first time as a narrative about 'grown men with daddy issues.' The motion states that at least four times from Aug. 15, 2022 to Aug. 26, 2022, Boards mentions the book and wanting to sell it for a profit. Boards was informed in September 2022 by his lawyer that the book cannot be published until after the trial. His attorneys objected to the request of the prosecutor's office for the book as being 'work product' falling under the attorney/client privilege. Just after 2 a.m. on July 31, 2022, Shahnavaz stopped a 2012 Buick LaCrosse near the intersection of Indiana 37 and County Road 1100 North. Police have not provided a reason for the traffic stop. Officers from Elwood and Madison County found the wounded Shahnavaz and administered life-saving measures until medical personnel arrived. Just after 2:30 a.m., Hamilton County officers located the Buick and attempted a traffic stop. The Buick continued southbound on Indiana 37. Hamilton County sheriff's deputies pursued the Buick and deployed a tire-deflation device near the area of Indiana 37 and 146th Street.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Yahoo
Boards murder trial moved to January
ANDERSON — The trial of Carl Roy Webb Boards II, charged in the shooting death of Elwood police officer Noah Shahnavaz, has been continued. Madison Circuit Court Division 3 Judge Andrew Hopper granted a motion for a continuance in the trial, which was not objected to by the Madison County prosecutor's office. Boards is charged with the July 2022 shooting death of Shahnavaz. He was scheduled to go on trial in September on charges of murder, two counts of resisting law enforcement, unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, firearm enhancement, habitual offender, life without parole and the death penalty. Judge Hopper set a new trial date of Jan. 26, 2026, with jury selection to begin on Jan. 12, 2026. The jury will be selected from Delaware County; Hopper indicated a jury questionnaire would be sent in November of this year. Deputy Prosecutor Jesse Miller said the process of selecting a jury would begin around Thanksgiving and continue through the Christmas holiday. Hopper said there were several weeks between the two holidays. Hopper set a hearing for April 15 concerning defense attorneys' request for an intellectual disability hearing for Boards. The state wants the process of having an insanity evaluation of Boards to start at the same time. Defense attorney Joe Duepner said the insanity evaluation should take place after an intellectual disability evaluation is completed. 'That could result in a complete shift in our strategy,' he said. Duepner said different people should perform the separate evaluations of Boards, who has already filed an insanity defense in the case. Duepner recommended the intellectual disability evaluation be done by July, and the insanity evaluation by October. Andrew Hanna, chief deputy prosecutor, said that timeline would jeopardize the January trial date. Judge Hopper agreed that could impact the trial date. 'We have already moved the trial date from September to January,' Hanna said. 'There is no reason the insanity evaluations can't start now.' Boards was found competent to stand trial by three doctors in April 2024.
