Court Watching: Judge adjourns accused murder’s final conference until May 23

By Diane Madigan
Independent Court Reporter
On April 30, Judge Gregory Bill took only a few minutes to adjourn until May 23 the scheduled final conference for accused murderer Richard Jackson, Jr. in his courtroom at the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice in Detroit.
But, this was after 2 1/2 hours of waiting in Judge Bill’s courtroom by everyone involved in the case. The defense attorney was there, but then he left. Then the prosecutor showed up and was waiting. She left. Then the defense attorney came back and was waiting. Members of the victim’s family were waiting the whole time.
Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Nicole James and Jackson’s court-appointed attorney Mark Procida couldn’t coordinate their schedules to be in the Judge Bill’s courtroom at the same time.
Van Buren Township resident Richard Jackson Jr. is accused of premeditated murder in the stabbing death of his wife Travisteen in their home on Dec. 17.
Jackson’s trial date is set for Aug. 7. Judge Bill said the final conference on May 23 is the last day to take a plea in the case and they have until then to work something out.