Judge Lays Groundwork in Running Death Trial
GADSDEN, Ala. (AP) – A judge is laying the final groundwork for the capital murder trial of an Alabama woman accused of making her 9-year-old granddaughter run until she collapsed and died.
Circuit Judge Billy Ogletree met in court Monday with prosecutors and defense attorneys for 49-year-old Joyce Hardin Garrard.
Garrard is set to stand trial beginning Sept. 22 in the February 2012 death of Savannah Hardin.
Prosecutors say the woman forced the girl to run for about three hours as punishment for a lie. The child collapsed and died days later.
Hardin says she’s innocent and blames the death on medical problems.
THe judge says he plans to call 750 potential jurors, or about twice as many as normal. Attorneys also discussed logistics like jury questionnaires, security and parking.
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