Grand Jury Seated In Taney County
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Taney County Prosecutor Jeff Merrell Image by Taney County Gov.
Its been 14 years at least since the last grand jury was seated in Taney County, now another has been called.
Prosecutor Jeff Merrell says for the next six months the secret panel will examine evidence in "several complex cases."
He tells KTTS News that after going over the material he decided it would be best to request Circuit Judge Mark Orr for permission to call a grand jury.
A fresh set of eyes can help bring justice in murder cases and other crimes, says Merrell.
Rusty and Becky Porter vanished from their home in Willard over a year ago, and a few months after that, their skeletal remains were found in a heavily wooded area near Protem.
No charges have been filed in their deaths, in the meantime a relative is locked up on unreleated charges as officials piece together the smallest of details.
Merrell cannot reveal which cases exactly the grand jury will study, but it is a great tool to have in making tough decisions.
The panel will meet for six months, and during that time the members can be presented with other cases that arise, not just the ones Merrell took before Judge Orr to get his original permission to call a grand jury.
Sometime before 1998 was the last time a grand jury was seated in Taney County.
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