Judge Boyd Patterson
Criminal Court Judge Boyd Patterson ruled Thursday that the district attorney's office can continue handling the Kendel Robinson murder case.
Matthew Rogers of the public defender's office had asked for an outside prosecutor because DA Executive Assistant Kevin Loper handled the Robinson preliminary hearing and arraignment when he was with the public defender's office.
The judge did say that Andrew Childress, who also moved from the public defender's office to the DA office, could not take part in the prosecution. Assistant DA Childress had recently been added to the case.
Attorney Rogers noted that attorney Childress had worked closely with Executive Assistant DA Loper when they were together in the public defender's office.
Prosecutor Addie Nester said the DA's office had set up a screening process to insure that former members of the public defender office had no involvement in any of their prior cases.
She said DA Executive Assistant Loper is not over homicides.
Michael Dowd, chief homicide prosecutor, also testified, outlining steps that had been taken to insure that former members of the public defender office did not pass on any information gained in their prior roles.
Judge Patterson said all agreed that DA Executive Assistant Loper had a conflict in the case, and he said he had been screened from any participation or passing on information.
Robinson is charged in the Sept. 25, 2021, murder of Jailen Wofford, who was shot multiple times at a gas station on Campbell Street.