The upcoming jury trial for Brandon Woody, Kyle DeHart and Thomas Hursey is all but set, after Judge Michael Reed confirmed the prosecutor’s motion of joinder Wednesday.
Woody, 22, DeHart, 22, and Hursey, 27, have been charged with two counts of murder for the deaths of Joshua Knisley, 19, and Tara Thornburg, 23, both of Syracuse. Knisley died Feb. 19, 2015, and Thornburg died Feb. 20, 2015.
Kosciusko County Prosecutor Dan Hampton filed the motion Jan. 8. A hearing was then held Jan. 21, where all three defendants’ attorneys were present in Kosciusko County Circuit Court.
Hampton advised that because the three share charges in the same crime, and that the separate trials would initially require the same evidence and witnesses, it would be in the state’s best interest to try the three together.
DeHart’s attorney, Larry Hansen, had argued against the motion, stating that to his knowledge the only thing putting his defendant at the scene of the crime was a statement from Hursey. He told the court that if DeHart was grouped with the other two for a jury trial, it could be implied that he was present at the time. Hansen said that counts one and two of murder are based on Hursey’s preliminary testimony.
Antony Garza, Hursey’s attorney, also opposed the claim, as a joined trial points fingers at everyone involved, leading to negative implications. Woody’s attorney Scott Lennox claimed a similar reason, that the joinder could cause issues for everyone involved.
Later that day, Lennox filed a motion to suppress evidence. It is unclear what this motion is directly referencing.
The jury trial is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. April 28 in Kosciusko County Circuit Court.
