ROANE COUNTY, Tenn. (WVLT) -- The killings of a Roane County deputy and his friend sparked a massive manhunt and threats of violence toward the accused as well as the law officers bringing them to justice.
Now, after more than two years of evidence gathering and legal maneuvering, the first of the Houston brothers goes to trial next week.
Law officers are taking steps to ensure that Leon Houston's trial isn't as great a disruption, or danger, as the crimes themselves. That seems to be a big worry.
Two questions are no longer are a concern: Roane County won't have to keep Leon Houston in its old, crowded, borderline-condemned jail.
The County won’t have to bed and board the jury once, or if, its picked, but if you need to be in Roane County's courthouse, or anywhere nearby in downtown Kingston, you might think twice.
“If they can finish their business this week, it would be an excellent idea.”
Emergency Manager Howie Rose's advice to his fellow Roane Countians recalls Leon and Rocky Houston's first court dates more than two years ago.
There were uniformed officers with high-powered rifles outside, some were sporting battle fatigues in the courtroom itself.
Chief Deputy Tim Phillips says, “This trial here, we're gonna handle it like any other trial, we're not gonna do anything special.”
That'd seem to imply a scale-back, But Chief Deputy Phillips won't get specific as to how.
Roane County's courthouse already makes you pass through metal detectors.
Rose says, “We generally have long security lines, particularly on days when we have a large court docket, but they will see an added law enforcement presence, and most likely will be additional security.”
Phillips says, “I don't know of any threats or anything like that.”
Rocky and Leon always have played to a packed courtroom.
But after seating their families, the victims’ families, and extra media, there'll be few chairs and no standing room for anybody else.
As for parking, “I don't know what they're gonna do.”
Phillips says, “We don't ever get the best playing cards initially, normally, you're subject to basically anything.”
Phillips is juggling deputies’ shifts, but he's concerned about overtime.
“We've still got people on patrol, serving papers, answering calls for service. I have asked for a couple of other agencies if I could spare a couple of people.”
Roane County, he says, will make the courthouse work, but Howie Rose has already decided Emergency Management's plan.
“Gonna move to an alternate facility, and move our day to day operations out--through the course of the trial.”
Leon's brother, Rocky Houston, also faces trial
Months before their alleged crimes prison guard Cotton Morgan was shot dead during an inmate transfer at Roane County's courthouse. The escapee, George Hyatte, is set for trial in December, all of which runs up Roane County’s bills. Those bills are ultimately paid with taxpayer dollars.
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