Crime & Safety

Accused Taxi Driver Shooter to be Released Today

Appeals court rules that woman accused of partially paralyzing cabdriver just outside Smyrna was denied the right to a speedy trial.

A woman who police said shot and partially paralyzed a cabdriver just north of the  Smyrna City limits four years ago is scheduled to be released from the Cobb County Jail today.

WSB-TV first reported that an appeals court has ruled that Karan Butler’s case has not been taken to court in a timely matter, and that after almost 1,400 days behind bars, she’ll be a free woman during a hearing on Tuesday.

Butler is accused of shooting a Mayo Taxi cabdriver during a 2007 attempted armed robbery at the Belmont Crossing Apartments that left him without the use of one of his arms. The apartments are located at 1940 Atlanta Road, just north of Pat Mell Road.

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But because prosecutors violated her right to a speedy trial as ruled by the Appeals Court of Georgia, aggravated assault, aggravated battery, and firearm during the commission of a crime charges were ordered by the court to be dismissed against Butler.

WSB reported that during her time behind bars, Butler wrote several letters - to judges, attorneys, the district attorney – stating her innocence and asking why she had not been afforded a jury trial.

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Butler had several attorneys before Sparticus Heyward joined the case last year, and he filed the motion that his client had been denied the right to a speedy trial.

The television station reported that according to Cobb County District Attorney Pat Head, the 32-month delay was, in part, due to Butler’s efforts to make it difficult for prosecutors to locate a key witness.

Heyward indicated that an uncooperative witness is no reason for the trial to have not taken place for nearly three years, while Head said he will seek the appeals court to reverse its decision.

Prosecutors cannot refile the charges according to Butler’s attorney.


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