CARROLL COUNTY, GA — A Carroll County judge says he will rule no later than Wednesday on whether to delay the August murder trial of a teenager charged with killing her mother and stepfather.
Jury selection for Sarah Grace Patrick is scheduled to begin Aug. 3, but her new public defender, Shawn Hoover, is requesting more time to prepare.
Hoover said the defense has new evidence that was not available to Patrick’s previous legal team, including 10 years of DFaCS records and a newly filed report in which an investigator said he “had a hunch” the gun used to kill Kristin and James Brock had been pawned, prompting him to retrieve it for testing.
Hoover said the report raises questions about the investigation and whether there was a “rogue cop” involved.
Prosecutors oppose delaying the trial, arguing the evidence is either not new or not unusual and that there is no “rogue” officer involved. The state also contends any new investigative leads can be pursued without postponing the trial.
The judge said he will review everything in the record before issuing a ruling, which is expected no later than Wednesday.
WSB Radio’s Veronica Waters contributed to this story.