Judge Bars private investigator from working in murder case

Judge Debra Jones

Calhoun County Circuit Judge Debra Jones ruled wednesday that a private investigator was not qualified to investigate a capital murder case.  Jones ruled that Bishop Ernest Lattimore could not contact witnesses or investigate the case concerning the 2011 shooting death of 17 year old Oliver Jackson.  Judge Jones told Lattimore that by doing so in this case, he was working outside his “area of competence.”  A trial for the three Anniston men charged with Jackson’s death is set to begin April 6. 24 year oldMilton Curry, 22 year old Jodeci Sanders,  and 23 year old Nebrasker Burnhart,  were arrested in August 2011 and charged with capital murder in connection with Jackson’s death.  Prosecutors allege that the three men were all in the same car when they pulled up to Jackson, who was standing outside of Norwood Homes. One of the men in the car shot Jackson in the chest.  In August, a county prosecutor accused defense attorneys of hiring Lattimore, but all three attorneys who represent the defendants said in court that they had not hired Lattimore. Prosecutors say Lattimore intimidated a witness to the shooting.  Lattimore told the court Wednesday that Victor Kelley, an attorney for Milton Curry, asked him in February to help Kelley’s investigator, Dan Herrin, on the case. Lattimore said that he is a licensed private investigator in Alabama and has a business license to work in Anniston.  Lattimore said Kelley did not pay him or offer a contract for his work, but that the Curry family paid him $500 for his help on the case.  Calhoun County District Attorney Brian McVeigh asked Lattimore about an incident in which Lattimore warned a potential witness in the case that her previous criminal convictions would be brought out in court if she agreed to testify.  Lattimore said that he did have that conversation with a family member of that witness.