Two area suspects charged in murder cases made court appearances Tuesday.
Lawyers for Dustin Caudill, the Elizabethtown man accused of shooting and killing two men and then setting the Henon Lane residence they were in on fire in October 2024, made a motion to continue the trial past the currently scheduled June 8 start, citing concern with possible overlap of other trials the defense attorneys are representing clients in, and said the continuance was needed to properly schedule defense witnesses. The Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office objected to a continuance until it is determined to be necessary, and noted that the case is already on its third trial date.
Hardin Circuit Court Judge Larry Ashlock noted during the hearing that he previously ordered in the case to remove consideration of the death penalty. Court records indicate an order was issued on March 18 granting the defense’s motion to remove the death penalty while maintaining the possibility of any other sentence. Ashlock said because less time may be needed for the trial without the death penalty consideration he would consider moving the start back a week to June 15, which would have been the second week of the two weeks scheduled for the trial. The court will discuss the continuance as well as the defense’s motion to strike aggravating circumstances in a hearing next week.
Meanwhile, Charles Escalera, the former Campbellsville University student accused of killing another student in his dorm room two years ago, appeared via Zoom in Taylor Circuit Court Tuesday. Taylor Circuit Court Judge Kaelin Reed scheduled the case for a mediation session on May 22, which he said gives the defense and prosecution plenty of time to discuss a possible resolution ahead of the scheduled July 27 trail start date. The prosecution discussed a need to file for an independent examination of Escalera if the defense introduces evidence of mental illness in the case. Reed said he would review relevant case law with his staff attorney, and time could be made to discuss necessary motions the day of the mediation session.
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