Delayed Justice

This week I have been videofiling the entire preliminary hearing  in White Could of Paul and Matt Jones, the brother accused of the murder of Shannon Marie Siders in 1989.

Wednesday and Thursday…two full days of testimony, legal arguments, and drama. You can read the excellent reportage of John Hausman of the Muskegon Chronicle (mlive) here. There are several related stories to pick and choose from, chronicling the several days. John was filing at least two stories a day. And then yesterday, Friday, Judge Bradley G. Lambrix handed down several legal opinions concerning admissibility of evidence, paused, and launched into his decision binding over the brothers for trial on first degree murder changes. They are scheduled for circuit court arraignment at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, September 30th, before Chief Judge Anthony A. Monton.

While I have every minute of what transpired during court sessions (and plenty outside of that), I choose to share the judge’s decision, the request for bail from each of the brothers’ attorneys, and his denial of same. As well, there is a correction that Judge Lambrix makes in his language. He mischaracterized the nature of the proceedings and he took pains to set the record straight. Lambrix usually works as a family court judge in Oceana County. (Oceana and Newaygo counties share their district and circuit court judges. Newaygo County’s district court judge, The Honorable Kevin H. Drake, had to recuse himself; he was Newaygo County’s prosecuting attorney at the time of the murder of Shannon Marie Siders and through the subsequent several years of the investigation.) Lambrix was very careful in his judging, allowing a reasonable latitude for  defense attorneys in their lines of questioning that might have fallen outside strict boundaries; if there were any doubt he wanted the benefit to go to the accused. Nor was he hesitant to take time to look up black-letter and case law for application to matters before him.

Bind over for trial from David Schock on Vimeo.