Milan murder trials
Judge says no to venue change
Mary Mattingly
EDITOR
mmattingly@ripleynews.com
Despite the request for a change in venue due to the amount of publicity, the trial for the murder of a Milan woman will remain where the crime occurred, in Ripley County. On December 17, the Ripley Circuit Court denied the defense motion in State vs. Allison Moore for a change of venue. According to the Ripley County Prosecutor’s Office, this matter was litigated and subsequently briefed by both parties. In addition to the ruling, the defense filed a Motion for Test Jury, which was also denied on the same day. A test jury is a mock jury. Hertel said the defense motion was that they question a mock jury before the trial to see if they could be fair and impartial in deciding the murder. If the test jury could be fair then the idea would be that when the trial comes then that jury could be fair too. It has seldom been used in Indiana’s history. The judge denied it here too.
Mary Mattingly, editor for Ripley Publishing Co., was asked to testify last month by the defendant’s attorney for the change of venue. Questions were asked about the past coverage of the case and circulation of the papers.
Moore’s trial is set for March 31. Moore, 23, is being held in the Ripley County Jail. According to the affidavit, she pulled the trigger on Nancy Hershman, 68, when Hershman came upon her during a burglary attempt. Two 15-year-old boys were with her at the time and have also been charged with attempted murder.
The trial for Daniel Hodges has been continued to July 7. The defense and state have a “tentative agreement” regarding Sean Nichols’ case. The court will have a hearing on that Jan. 28, according to prosecutor Hertel. Both of the cases for the 15-year-olds were waived to adult court.
Memorial for Hershman
Meanwhile, a memorial has been planned for Nancy Hershman. Organizers have announced a Light the Night Memorial Vigil for Hershman on Saturday, January 4. It will take place at 6 p.m. at New Craven Cemetery at State Road 101 and East County Road 200 North. Luminaries will be sold for $1 each or six for $5. Funds raised will go toward the Nancy Hershman Scholarship Fund. Contributions to the scholarship fund can also be mailed to Nancy Hershman Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 1, Milan, IN 47031.
The American Cancer Society is seeking volunteers to recruit fundraising teams, garner community support, coordinate logistics, plan entertainment and lend a hand to ensure the success of the 2014 Relay For Life of Ripley County. Cancer survivors, caregivers, community leaders and anyone wanting to make a difference is invited to participate.
The next volunteer committee meeting will be held on Monday, January 13 at 6 p.m. at the Sherman House in Batesville. The meeting will begin the planning process for the Ripley County Relay for Life, which supports the American Cancer Society’s mission of saving lives by helping people stay well, by helping people get well, by finding cures and by fighting back against the disease.
Relay For Life is a fun event that brings together families, friends, businesses, hospitals, schools and faith-based groups to celebrate the lives of those who have had cancer, remember those who lost their battle, and fight back against the disease. The local event will be held once again at the Batesville High School Track. This year it will be held on June 21 and 22, from 8 a.m. to 8 a.m. While the event is still several months away, planning committees are currently recruiting more teams to join the event.
“One in every 100 Americans participates in this fundraising event that has become a global phenomenon,” said Jeni Schnebelt, event chair. “Relay For Life is the community’s chance to unite in the fight against cancer and support the American Cancer Society’s efforts to create a world with less cancer and more birthdays. Volunteers and participants who are willing to give their time and energy to this exciting event are making a commitment to let our community know that cancer can be defeated.”
The event is held overnight as individuals and teams camp out at local high schools, parks, fairgrounds and other gathering places, with the goal of keeping at least one team member on the track at all times throughout the evening, signifying that cancer never sleeps. Teams do most of their fundraising prior to the event, but some teams also hold creative fundraisers at their campsites during Relay.
If you would like to join The Ripley County Relay For Life as a volunteer or team participant, call Jeni Schnebelt at 812-571-0297 or email ripleycorfl@gmail.com.
The next volunteer committee meeting will be held on Monday, January 13th at 6 p.m. at the Sherman House in Batesville. The meeting will begin the planning process for the Relay For Life of |Ripley County, which supports the American Cancer Society’s mission of saving lives by helping people stay well, by helping people get well, by finding cures and by fighting back against the disease.