News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The Overton County Grand Jury Meeting has skipped the last two cycles as a result of the pandemic.
A meeting has now been scheduled for September 21. Sheriff John Garrett said postponing has been difficult for law enforcement.
“Just because the grand jury is not meeting does not mean that we have stopped making cases or building cases,” Garrett said. “That case load just builds and builds and builds. So that makes things harder on us and the District Attorney’s office.”
Garrett said to return to where they were before the pandemic the grand jury will take in more cases than normal. However, he said not every grand jury-ready case will be tried in order to not overwhelm the court.
Within a year there are typically four cycles, depending on the county’s needs. Garrett said grand jury meetings speed the prosecution process.
“If we charged everyone immediately with a general sessions warrant or a warrant that would initially go to general sessions court, that would slow our wheels of prosecution dramatically,” Garrett said. “So a lot of times cases will just be held to the next grand jury cycle, the case will be presented, and that gets us on into the criminal court much faster.”
Garrett said the delay has also affected those waiting to stand trial for their outstanding charges.
