Garrard denied bond judge to decide on change of venue motion

A motion to dismiss capital murder charges against Joyce Garrard and a renewed motion for bond were both denied Friday by Etowah County Circuit Judge Billy Ogletree.  Garrard is charged in the death of her 9-year-old granddaughter, Savannah Hardin, whom she allegedly forced to run for about three hours in February 2012 as punishment for a lie. Ogletree also heard a motion for a change of venue and said he would rule on that early this week.  During the motion to dismiss the charges, Garrard’s attorney, Dani Bone, said his client was not guilty of the charges because Savannah had a seizure and was not treated properly when the family brought her to GRMC, causing the child’s death.  Chief Deputy District Attorney Marcus Reid interjected that each side could argue the merits of its case, but this was a motion to dismiss and there were no procedural rules, such as stand your ground, that would allow for the dismissal of a capital murder charge. Bone agreed and the motion was denied.