Trial Date Reset In 2012 Homicide

COFFEEVILLE–A man charged in the brutal shooting death of his sister-in-law is scheduled to go to trial in March.
    Circuit Judge Smith Murphrey set March 24 as the trial date for Jermaine Crump, after hearing a pre-trial motion requesting a mental evaluation for the defendant last week. The trial had initially been set for this month.
    Murphey also ruled that Crump did not need a court order for the mental evaluation because the defendant’s family will bear the expense of the mental evaluation.
    Jermaine Crump has been incarcerated since last November after allegedly shooting Crystal Crump multiple times at a residence outside Coffeeville on County Road 436. She was 26 at the time of her death.
    Crystal Crump was married to Jermaine’s brother, Richard Crump Jr. and the two brothers shared ownership of the residence.
    There were three children and an adult, in addition to the shooter, in the residence during the incident, sheriff Lance Humphreys told the Herald after the shooting.
    Jermaine Crump appeared in court with his attorney, Randolph Walker, during the pre-trial hearing.
    “The family is in a position to pay a phycologist,” Walker testified. The defense attorney added that he would supply the name of the doctor performing the evaluation within 30 days.
    While Murphrey respon-ded that a court order was not necessary, he directed Walker to share the results of the evaluation with prosecutors within a week of completion.
    He also reminded Walker that the district attorney could request to have their own mental evaluation performed.
    Murphey set a deadline of January 2, 2014, for any additional pre-trial motions, and adding that he did not want last minute additions to delay the trial.
    “The jury will be here,” Murphey stressed.
    Walker had also filed a motion requesting a change of venue prior to last Thursday’s hearing in Coffeeville.
    After meeting with District Attorney John Champion prior to the hearing, he withdrew that motion.
    However Murphrey  did address  the issue during the hearing.
    “In this case, as I do in every  case as a matter of standard operating procedure,  I will inquire  of the jury pool what, if any,  exposure they have had from news media or other sources,” Murphey told Crump and his attorney.
    County supervisors Frank “Bubba” Tillman and Tommy Vaughn were in the courtroom and prepared to testify for Champion that the venue change was not necessary because pre-trial publicity had been minimal.
    Champion excused both men prior to the hearing when Randolph withdrew the motion.
    Also prior to the hearing  Champion   advised Circuit  Clerk Daryl Burney to send summons  to 300 potential jurors  for the March trial.