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HARTINGTON – While lawyers argued for a change of venue in the next Laurel murder case trial, it also gave the parties a chance to talk potential logistics.
Carrie Jones, 45, likely won’t be tried until next summer with the three-week trial held potentially in Antelope or Madison counties, although no dates or locations have been finalized. Judge Bryan Meismer indicated he would like to have a potential venue in mind when he makes his written ruling on the change of venue motion.
“I have begun reaching out to potential sites in anticipation of granting the motion,” he said.
Jones is accused of first-degree murder, tampering with evidence and being an accessory to murder. Prosecutors say she pushed her husband, Jason Jones, to kill Gene Twiford because of sexually charged statements Twiford directed toward her over several years.
She is also accused of harboring her husband after the murders and disposing of the clothes he was wearing at the time.
Jason Jones was convicted of shooting Twiford, his wife, Janet, and daughter, Dana, along with another Laurel woman, Michele Ebeling, and setting their homes on fire on Aug. 4, 2022. A jury found him guilty and the crimes aggravated, making him eligible for the death penalty.
His case was moved and tried in Dakota County. Housed at the Boone County Jail, Carrie Jones appeared through videoconference for Monday morning’s hearing in Cedar County District Court.
Her lawyer Doug Stratton, Norfolk, said the trial approach will be much different than that of Jason’s trial.
“This case is a much more subtle case than the Jason Jones case,” he said. “The evidence against Jason Jones was a sledgehammer to beat him to a pulp. This is a case where we’re talking about first-degree murder, but it’s on a theory of aiding and abetting. So, when I talk about the sledgehammer evidence and much more subtle evidence, the makeup of the jury makes a difference.”
He said Carrie Jones, just like it was ruled in Jason Jones’ case, is unable to receive a fair trial in Cedar County according to juror questionnaires in which: - 24 of the questionnaires were sent to Laurel addresses, many within blocks of the crime scenes and one located right across the street.
- 113 indicated they already formed an opinion of Carrie Jones’ guilt based on media coverage or speaking with witnesses.
- 80 stated they couldn’t set aside their opinion of Carrie Jones’ guilt.
- 72 have expressed their opinion of her guilt to others.
- 47 directly knew the Twifords or their family members.
- 60 knew at least one person on the witness list.
Stratton said the questionnaires also indicated a “deep and bitter prejudice” toward Carrie Jones with comments like “The Twifords deserve justice also I would be concerned about my safety of my hometown if either walked free ever again,” and, “My mind is already made up, Mrs. Jones is a devil worshipper.”
Stratton also detailed media coverage which began the day of the murders and continued to be widespread over the last two years during the investigation and pre-trial proceedings. The coverage of the Jason Jones’ trial also allowed the presentation of actual evidence - some of which will be the same as in Carrie Jones’ case.
He said to try Carrie Jones in Cedar County or use a compromised jury would violate her right to a fair trial by an impartial jury guaranteed by the Sixth and 14th Amendments to the U.S.Constitution.
In making an argument against the change of venue, Prosecutor Corey O’Brien said he was “straddling a fine line.”
He cited case law which stated the prevalence of media coverage alone does not represent a showing that an impartial jury could not be picked. He said while media coverage in the Jones’ cases has been extensive it has been factual. He also said the responses on the juror questionnaires don’t rise to the level of warranting a change in venue.
The only way to really know if an impartial jury could be picked in Cedar County is to try to do just that, O’Brien said.
“I don’t want to waste the court’s time and go through that,” O’Brien said . “It would be a challenge. We recognize that. We do not want to give Ms. Jones an appellate issue saying this court was wrong in not granting a change in venue.”
Meismer will issue a written ruling at a later date. Carrie Jones’ next court date is set for Nov. 25. The parties agreed to further discuss setting a potential trial date and venue at that time.
