KINGSTREE — Third Circuit Court Judge Clifton Newman did not accept a guilty plea to a charge of involuntary manslaughter from a man charged in connection with the 2007 death of a Hemingway woman.
"It's a difficult case" Judge Newman said. "I think that the interest of justice in this case is one which the individual should be presented to the jury."
Marty Baggett of Hemingway was found on Claire Road in Hemingway standing over the lifeless body of Jean Roberts Turner, of 101 Claire Road, on March 8, 2007, according to a Williamsburg County Sheriff’s Office incident report.
After a grand jury originally charged Baggett with kidnapping, murder and involuntary manslaughter, the 3rd Circuit Solicitor’s Office was prepared to offer him a guilty plea to involuntary manslaughter, an offense that carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
“I’ll leave you where I found you Mr. Baggett,” Newman said after announcing his decision during court proceedings Friday in Kingstree.
Kim Barr, a prosecutor for the solicitor’s office, said the case will be brought back to that office and what happens next will be decided within the next 30 days.
“I think it’s justice being served,” Jean Turner’s mother, Linda Hughes, said after the hearing. “That’s all I asked for the whole time.”
“We feel this is a huge step towards what we were hoping for,” the victim’s son, Talmadge Turner, said. “The family did not feel comfortable with the plea that was being offered.”
Barr called the matter a “low-evidence case,” meaning there aren’t enough facts available to establish a motive for Baggett in the crime.
An autopsy report from the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston said the woman’s death resulted from “massive blunt head trauma,” “probable truck v. pedestrian.”
With the evidence available, the solicitor’s office felt confident it could pursue an involuntary manslaughter charge whereas questions existed regarding the murder and kidnapping charges, Barr said.
The family of Jean Turner has been working toward getting the case to trial since the crime occurred. Talmadge Turner has spearheaded the effort, which involved creating a group on the social networking Web site, Facebook.
“We feel her story is starting to get out,” he said.
While the family of Jean Turner said they understood if the case does go to trial the verdict may not be what they are hoping for, they will be satisfied that the process was allowed to take its course.
“We will deal with it and go about our business,” Turner said. “But at least that way we know that we have done everything we can possibly do.”
Members of Baggett’s family were in the courtroom when Newman announced his decision. They left soon after the proceedings ended and could not be reached for comment immediately afterward.
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