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Story Archives: Conclusion of hearing next week in Woodland murders in Ferriday


Conclusion of hearing next week in Woodland murders in Ferriday
posted Thursday, February 21st, 2008 @ 8:13 amE-mail Story E-mail Story | Print Story Print Story 
Judge Leo Boothe may issue a ruling next week on whether two confessions given by 16-year-old defendant Conner Wood will be admitted into evidence in his April 14th trial on three counts of first degree murder.

Eleven witnesses testified in a hearing on February 13th concerning the admissibility of Wood's confessions. Jack Fletcher of the Concordia Parish Sheriff's Office will testify to conclude that hearing at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, February 27.

Boothe told First Asst. Dist. Atty. Brad Burget and Wood's lawyer Paul Lempke of Harrisonburg to submit briefs on the matter on Monday, February 25.

Wood took the stand during the hearing last week in which he said he did not understand his rights prior to talking to police officers and Concordia Parish Sheriff's Office (CPSO) Investigator David Hedrick.

Wood is accusing of shooting to death his parents, Geraldine Trevillion Wood and John David Wood, and his friend, 16-year-old Matthew Whittington 11 months ago. The murders occurred in the Wood's home on 119 Shady Lane in the Woodland Subdivision of Ferriday on March 14, 2008.

Also testifying for Wood was a relative, Wesley Zeigler.

Three CPSO deputies testifying last week were David Cobb, Jerry Emfinger, and Larry Lawrence. Hedrick and Capt. Frankie Carroll also testified.

Correctional facility employees testifying included Michael Schevia, Kadria Williams and Kelly Evans, and Ferriday Police Department officers Elbert White, John Hawkins and Derrick Freeman.

Judge Leo Boothe denied a motion by Lempke at the outset of the hearing to hold the proceeding in a closed session.

Wood has pled not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity and is being held at the parish correctional facility under a $900,000 bond.

Lempke's motion seeking to throw out Wood's two confessions states that while Wood was talking to "certain law enforcement officers" that Wood "was either under arrest or substantially deprived of freedom by the attendant conduct of the officers and surrounding circumstances and that his statements made were not knowingly made and voluntarily given and were made without assistance of counsel."
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