Troy King
Connie Sanders KingThe Coffee County, Tenn., murder trial in the slaying of former Jo Dee Messina stage manager Thomas Colucci was supposed to start today but has been delayed until at least May.
Connie Sanders King and Troy King each are charged with first-degree murder in Colucci’s Nov. 13, 2012, slaying at his home on Maple Springs Road near Manchester, Tenn.
14th Judicial District Attorney General Craig Northcott said the November death of longtime public defender Bethel Campbell Smoot, who was representing Troy King, and motions by both defendants’ lawyers to separate their cases created the delay as those issues are ironed out.
The new trial date is May 14.
“They’re indicted under separate indictments, and we filed a motion to consolidate it to try them together. If they’re not consolidated, then, obviously, one of them won’t be able to be tried in May,” Northcott said.