Trials slated for January, February in Union County
EDITOR’S NOTE: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. Scheduled trial dates are subject to change.
As 2024 begins, several trials are scheduled in January and February in 13th Judicial Circuit courts.
Several trials are currently scheduled for the week of Jan. 22 in 13th Circuit, Sixth Division court.
Billy Michael Nelson, 47, El Dorado, who faces a charge of rape, is set to head to trial on Jan. 22. The case previously went to trial in September 2023, but a mistrial was declared after a video revealed disallowed information to the jury, according to court records.
A trial is also scheduled for the week of Jan. 22 for Bruce Aubrey Sanders, 69, El Dorado, who faces charges of attempted capital murder and aggravated assault.
Sanders is accused of shooting James Golden, 59, during an altercation on May 14 at a residence in the 400 block of South Smith, according to previous News-Times reporting.
A trial is also scheduled for Jan. 22 for Dwayne Darrell
Ellis, 35, El Dorado, who faces a charge of second-degree battery.
More trials are currently scheduled to go forward in February.
On Feb. 5, Lovell Govan, 49, Huttig, is set to go to trial for charges including attempted capital murder, kidnapping, residential burglary, theft of property, terroristic threatening and aggravated assault related to an August, 2020 incident in Strong.
A trial in Govan’s case has faced delays, in part, due to the Arkansas State Hospital finding Govan unfit to proceed in late 2021. Govan was deemed fit to proceed in mid2022.
Scheduled for the week of Feb. 22 is a trial for Jardayqueas Kesee, 25, El Dorado, who faces charges including first-degree murder and committing a terroristic act.
Kesee is accused in the shooting death of Nathan Rainey, Jr., who was found deceased by El Dorado Police officers early on the morning of Aug. 6, 2022.
Semajee Dismuke, 25, El Dorado, is set to go to trial on Feb. 26.
Dismuke is charged with sexual indecency with a child and second-degree sexual assault.