Judge rules on what we will & won’t hear in the Woodmore bus crash trial

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – A week before the Woodmore bus crash trial begins, Judge Don Poole rules on some of the evidence that the prosecution hoped to use against Jonthony Walker.

The Defense had challenged the use of victim autopsy photos, text messages in the trial, and testimony about Walker’s prior actions on the bus before the day of the crash.

His rulings today were:

1) that the motions to exclude photographs and text messages be granted in part and denied in part in accordance with the parties agreement.

On February 8th, both sides struck the agreement on which evidence should appear before jurors.

At that time, three disputed witnesses testified in court.

School Administrator Carlos Shackleford testified on student complaints against Walker.

Woodmore Principal Brenda Cauthern said that Walker had cursed students and she thought he started and stopped at times.

Jasmin Mateen is a Woodmore mom who testified that she had seen Walker speeding and that he had cursed at her children.

She had filed more than 20 complaints against him.

2) that the motion to exclude evidence of the defendant’s prior conduct be granted for now.

All three witnesses talked about the cursing and speeding habits.

But the defense argues “that his interactions with students have no probative value and are inadmissible under Tenn. R. Crim. P. 401,403, and 404(b).”

3) that, if the state comes to believe developments at trial make evidence of the defendant’s prior conduct relevant and probative, it may request another hearing outside the presence of the jury.

So we’ll have to wait and see how much of Walker’s interactions with students will be used in the trial, if at all.