Politics & Government

Ewing Murder Trial for 3 Monroe Men Delayed Again

The three Monroe men facing the death penalty for the alleged murder of Epsie Ewing won't go to trial until next year.

The trial of at least one of the defendants in the 2009 murder of 65-year-old Epsie Ewing, of Loganville, was due to start this year, but delays have put it off yet again.

According to Alcovy Judicial Circuit District Attorney Layla Zon, Cory Butler, one of the Monroe men accused in the murder, was due in court Friday to finish up motions, but his attorney requested a continuance. The other two Monroe men accused in the murder, John Jodie Blackwell Jr., and Barry Marquez Partee, are not expected to go to trial this year. Zon said the judge would be continuing the trial for Butler for some time, the date to be anncouned later.

"In first quarter next year," Zon said, adding motions for Butler would be heard in Nov. 1 and 2."

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The three men are facing the death penalty for the alleged murder of Ewing, who died a month after a home invasion in her Covington Street, Loganville, home May 21, 2009 left her severely beaten.

She was life-flighted to Atlanta Medical Center, where she remained until her death the following month. Her husband, C.F. Ewing, also was injured in the attack but was released from the hospital the same day. Earlier court testimony revealed that Ewing's husband knew Butler, who went to the home on the pretext of wanting to purchase a truck. After taking the truck for a test drive, the three men are accused of forcing C.F. Ewing back into the home at gunpoint, where the beatings are alleged to have happened.

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A neighbor called the police after seeing the subjects flee the scene. All three were arrested within a week of the attack and have remained behind bars ever since. It has, however, been difficult to bring the case to trial. With the three men appearing in court simultaneously up until the actual trials begin, coordinating attorneys has been a challenge.

The delays have been particularly difficult for Ewing’s family.

“It is so sad that it’s been over three years and we still see no end in sight,” said Ewing’s sister, Faye Evans. “We as Epsie's family are devastated and have been since this ordeal happened, but unfortunately we live in a society where there is no justice for the victim and criminals have all the rights in the world.”


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