Staff Report
Trial dates for two upcoming murder trials with local ties could be affected following the Louisiana Supreme Court’s moratorium on criminal and civil trials in all parishes.
The Jan. 11 announcement has pushed back all trials until March 1 due to the surge in COVID-19 cases in the state.
The trial of Michael Anthony Guillory, charged with second-degree murder in the 2016 shooting death of a Church Point woman, will likely be delayed a fourth time.
The trial was originally set to begin April 28, 2020. The last postponement, also due to COVID-19, was a Nov. 23, 2020, decision filed to continue the trial, which was scheduled to begin Dec. 7, 2020.
With the November rescheduling, pretrial was set for Feb. 26 and the court was expected to discuss with all counsel the possibility of rescheduling of the matter as a special fixing, setting the matter on the February/April docket. A docket sounding was slated for April 6-7 and jury selection was set for April 13 and 20.
On May 14, 2019, Guillory, 32, of Church Point, was charged with second-degree murder in the death of Bethany Walters.
The trial is set to be heard at the St. Landry Parish Courthouse in Opelousas in front of 27th Judicial District Judge Jason Meche.
The trial of Church Point teenager Nicholas W. Ardoin, 18, was scheduled to begin Feb. 1. Ardoin is charged with one count of second-degree murder, two counts of attempted second-degree murder and aggravated criminal damage to property in connection with the Nov. 2, 2020 shooting death of 14-year-old Trey’kwan Butler, also of Church Point.
Ardoin’s trial date is still set for Feb. 1, but the trial may be continued. No judge has been assigned as of Jan. 14.
Cameron Byers, 16, of Church Point, was also arrested in connection with the Nov. 2 shooting. He was also charged with one count of second-degree murder, two counts of attempted second-degree murder and aggravated criminal damage to property. Byers’ trial is set to begin April 12, and his trial may also be continued.
No judge has been assigned to the trial as of Jan. 14.
The state’s high court order said trials that are currently in progress may continue to conclusion, at the discretion of the local court.
Time periods of continuances are excluded from speedy trial computations
The order does not impact pretrial or post-trial matters, but the court ordered a continuation of social distancing and limits on how many people can be in courtrooms — 50% of total capacity as determined by the State Fire Marshal, counting both the number of employees and members of the public present.
Grand jury sessions will not be impacted by the order. New grand juries may be empaneled as necessary.
Courts are encouraged to hold remote proceedings by telephone, video, teleconferencing or any other means that do not involve in-person contact as long as all parties and the judge agree.