Arkansas Five Starting Sentencing

In case you missed the news about the trials of Wendi Cox, Jaci Rae Jackson,  William "Billy" Hamilton, and some others in the theft of the horses from the Arkansas State University Rodeo Team's barn along with tack and a trailer last year, the verdicts are in and those courts STILL don't play. While there's no noose, there's still some hard time.

Wendi Cox, mother of Jaci Rae Jackson, received 60 years for 8 counts. Probably because this was her first offense, the judge cut her sentence from the maximum of 92 years. Under Arkansas rules, she is required to serve at least 10 years before becoming eligible for parole. 

Only one witness was called for the defense-a woman who said that Cox was tending to the needs of her son's dialysis needs on the evening of the theft and the morning after, and couldn't have been taking care of stolen horses. 

That was not the case for the prosecution who called all five owners of the stolen horses, Jaci's former roommate at ASU, Wendi Cox's sister-in-law, the sheriff who found the trailer at Jaci's uncle's home, her former boyfriend and co-conspirator William "Billy" Hamilton, George Berrish, Jade Jackson (another daughter), and, not least, Jaci Rae Jackson. (For complete details and a timeline of the actual events, see the article referenced.)

In the end, it all came unraveled because someone knew that one of the horses-Credit Card-was too recognizable for re-sale. It may have spelled his doom, but it also saved the lives of the other four. Law enforcement found the remains of the horse and at least had an idea of where to look and who might be involved. 

We applaud the vigor of the prosecution in this case and wish we saw more of it. Thank you, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Butler of Columbia County, Arkansas.

http://www.magnoliareporter.com/news_and_business/local_news/article_def2ab34-97c3-11e2-aeed-0019bb2963f4.html