Home News Husband-wife defendants charged with abuse to face complex trial

Husband-wife defendants charged with abuse to face complex trial

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Unless one or both of the husband-wife defendants change their pleas, they are headed for a complicated trial date here on April 4.

The couple, Thad Keith, 45, white male, and Danita Keith, 46, white female, now with a Broken Bow, Okla., address, are charged uncommonly in the same red criminal folder in the circuit clerk’s office. The case number is CR2015-47. The couple was charged in June 2015 with a class B felony – permitting the abuse of a minor – in which a two-year-old child was allegedly physically abused in the couple’s Nashville home.

Part of the complication is a recent supreme court ruling that cases in which the defendant is younger than 14 must be brought to trial within nine months of the filing of charges. The judge’s office must write a letter to the Supreme Court noting the delay.

Further complicating the case is that the trial date for the couple, who would be tried separately, could conflict with the regular day for criminal court here, meaning there would need to be two judges and two courtrooms. First to be tried would be the husband. The Keiths are free on $25,000 bond.

Pretrial motions are to be heard March 23.

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