MOUNT PLEASANT, Texas (East Texas News) – A judge approved the venue change for the former Mount Pleasant city administrator and four former council members.
Tracy Craig, Sherri Spruill, Galen Adams, Henry Chappell, and Ed Thatcher are charged with theft and misappropriation of public funds. They are accused of pocketing forged fuel-reimbursement payments.
Judge Lauren Parish approved a motion to move the five cases to another county, but she has not yet decided which one. She also approved a motion to try each defendant separately.
Thatcher’s trial is scheduled for October 27. Adams and Chappell were set for November 10, but those dates will be postponed. Gregg and Spruill were scheduled for November 17, but they will be postponed.
Parish also heard arguments to dismiss the indictment against Thatcher and said she would issue a ruling on the motion by the end of the week.
“That was what the hearing was about: the lack of notice and specificity in the indictment,” said David Moore, Thatcher’s attorney. “The indictment says that, basically, one has the right to be told exactly what one is charged with. And our position is that the current indictment is void and somewhat imprecise in that regard. Therefore, we request that the motion be granted and that the indictment be amended and that greater specificity be provided.”
