Mobile County District Attorney Keith Blackwood reassured the public that there are still options available for prosecuting the Prichard murder suspect, Kendarius Welch, despite his case being dismissed due to a detective failing to appear at the preliminary hearing. Although the case was thrown out by Judge Spiro Cheriogotis, it can still be brought to a grand jury for possible indictment.
Blackwood emphasized that the dismissal at the preliminary hearing level does not prevent a grand jury from reviewing the case with additional evidence and making their own decision on whether to indict Welch. The preliminary hearing for Welch took place over several days, with Detective Jason Hadaway failing to show up on the final day, leading to the case’s dismissal.
Judge Cheriogotis cited Hadaway’s absence in his order to dismiss the case, stating that the defendant appeared in court with his attorney but the detective was missing. Blackwood noted that the scheduling of five preliminary hearings in the case contributed to the confusion.
As of now, Welch remains in the Mobile County Metro Jail on a hold for the state Department of Corrections, with additional charges of probation violations at the time of his arrest. The district attorney’s office is exploring further legal options to ensure that justice is served in this case.
Source
Photo credit www.al.com