On July 31, 2013 in the 75th Judicial District Court, a Liberty County jury returned a verdict of guilty against Jimmy Don Casey, 46, to the charge of Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Young Child. After a day of extensive jury selection, the jury heard evidence presented by the state of extensive sexual abuse that Jimmy Don Casey engaged in involving a child who lived in his home.
This abuse lasted over a decade, and the victim testified that it had been going on as long as she could remember. Another member of the home testified that she never even had suspicions that the abuse was occurring.
Trial in the guilt-innocence phase lasted a day. After receiving instructions from the Honorable Mark Morefield, and hearing the argument of counsel for the defendant, Chip Lewis, a prominent Harris County attorney, and the argument of counsel for the state, Matthew Poston, the jury retired and deliberated over four hours before returning the verdict of guilty.
During the punishment phase of the trial, numerous friends and family of the defendant testified that he is a generous and kind person. Further evidence was presented by the state that the defendant had also committed the same unspeakable acts against another child in the home.
The state argued that Casey was a great person in public but a monster in private. Casey elected the jury to decide his punishment and the jury returned a verdict of 30 years incarceration in prison after only 30 minutes of deliberation. A defendant convicted of this crime is not eligible for parole.
In this case, there was no physical evidence presented or available, as is common in cases of this type. Furthermore, this crime was committed outside the presence of any eyewitnesses. The verdict of the jury depended solely on the credibility of the child — now adult — victim.
“We at the district attorney’s office are thankful that the jury had the courage to believe a victim who had only her own memories of these awful events to bring to the jury. It can be said that victims of these cases are dying to tell someone but scared for anyone to know,” said DA Logan Pickett. “This victim overcame her fear and told her secret to 12 strangers sitting as a jury. This verdict is a strong message that Liberty County citizens will protect their children.”
Courtesy Cleveland Advocate
This abuse lasted over a decade, and the victim testified that it had been going on as long as she could remember. Another member of the home testified that she never even had suspicions that the abuse was occurring.
During the punishment phase of the trial, numerous friends and family of the defendant testified that he is a generous and kind person. Further evidence was presented by the state that the defendant had also committed the same unspeakable acts against another child in the home.
The state argued that Casey was a great person in public but a monster in private. Casey elected the jury to decide his punishment and the jury returned a verdict of 30 years incarceration in prison after only 30 minutes of deliberation. A defendant convicted of this crime is not eligible for parole.
In this case, there was no physical evidence presented or available, as is common in cases of this type. Furthermore, this crime was committed outside the presence of any eyewitnesses. The verdict of the jury depended solely on the credibility of the child — now adult — victim.
“We at the district attorney’s office are thankful that the jury had the courage to believe a victim who had only her own memories of these awful events to bring to the jury. It can be said that victims of these cases are dying to tell someone but scared for anyone to know,” said DA Logan Pickett. “This victim overcame her fear and told her secret to 12 strangers sitting as a jury. This verdict is a strong message that Liberty County citizens will protect their children.”
Courtesy Cleveland Advocate
2 comments:
I am glad that the new district attorney is at least saying the right things. I know this website tends to have reservations about DA Logan Pickett but I hope people will reserve judgement as he and his attorneys hold criminals found guilty of child sexual assault accountable.
"liberty county will protect their children" what about the 10 years!
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