MILAM CO. MURDER TRIAL DELAYED AGAIN

  

Health issues and scheduling conflicts with witnesses have forced a delay in the Milam County capital murder trial of Sherill Small, for the third time this month.

District Attorney Bill Torrey made the request in Judge John Youngblood’s courtroom. Jury selection is set to begin on Oct. 27. Small is charged with the July 2013, murder of 2-year-old Alexandria Hill.

Police say Small became frustrated with the girl, who was in foster care.  The say Small picked the little girl up, swung her over her head and brought her down near the ground with—what they describe as “a lot of force.” Small did this twice and on the third time, she lost her grip and the child’s head hit the floor.

Small was arrested Aug. 1, 2013, by Rockdale police, a day after Alexandria’s parents took her off life support in a Temple hospital. The capital murder trial was originally set to begin Sept. 2, but was delayed until Sept. 15, and pushed again to Sept. 29. Doug Kunkel, investigator for the district attorney’s office, said that a health issue with one of the state’s witnesses was the reason for the most recent delay. Kunkel said the trial shouldn’t take long once it begins.

Torrey has already announced his office isn’t seeking the death penalty.