A jury was seated last Thursday in Grant County Circuit Court for the trial of Andrea Packer.
Read that story here.
Suzi Parker
During Packer's trial, Circuit Judge Stephen Shirron mentioned another jury trial the next day. Some of the same jurors could find themselves on that jury, too.
Curiosity bubbled. What trial?
After the Packer trial, I ventured downstairs to the Grant County Clerk's office to get the court docket for Friday. I've covered courts in several Arkansas counties, including Pulaski, and a docket is usually pretty easy to obtain.
Usually. But not in Grant County.
An employee in the clerk's office told me the docket was not available to the public. I explained that I was a reporter and that Shirron had publicly mentioned Friday's trial at least twice, if not three times, during a trial.
That did not matter.
The employee said that the docket was private (not a public document) because people might look it up. I'm assuming "it" meant the case.
What?
I went to lunch at Uncle Henry's (great chef salad, by the way) and researched. I made a few phone calls. True, a judge can seal a docket in extraordinary cases but someone still has to tell you that.
After lunch, I returned to the courthouse and told the woman filling in for County Clerk Geral Harrison (he's on medical leave) I wanted a copy of the docket. She said she would have to check with Judge Shirron.
At 3:20 p.m., I received Friday's court docket via email.
The cases
Later that night, I decided to check out the court docket. Glad I did. There would be no jury trial for either defendent slated for court on Friday.
In the case of the State v. Wesley Ward, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Jeffrey Weber filed a motion for Nolle Prosequi – meaning all charges dropped.
The motion read: "After considering the law, facts, and statements of counsel, the Court is of the opinion that it should be granted. The case is nolle prossed. Any outstanding warrants shall be recalled."
In September, Prosecuting Attorney Teresa Howell filed criminal charges against Ward, a habitual offender. He was charged with Fleeing, a Class D felony; and Battery in the Second Degree, a Class D felony.
According to court documents, Ward committed Fleeing because he knew of his immediate arrest or detention because law enforcement was chasing him. Ward fled on foot, causing "serious physical injury to another person, to wit: he ran from several law-enforcement officers which resulted an Arkansas State Trooper breaking his hand in three places and suffering ligament damage when the trooper apprehended the defendant."
He was charged with battery.
Weber's motion for Nolle Prosequi stated: "After further review of the evidence, the State does not believe it can meet its burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt. Therefore, the State asks that the case be nolle prossed."
The jury was to hear a second case last Friday – State v. Donald Mattox. That trial was rescheduled for Jan. 15, 2026.
Mattox is charged with aggravated assault of a family or household member. The criminal information sheet, filed in court by the prosecuting attorney’s office, states Mattox "purposely impeded or prevented the respiration of a family or household member or the circulation of a family or household member’s blood when he applied pressure on the chest, throat, or neck or by blocking the nose or mouth of the family or household member."
The document states Mattox was in an argument with his girlfriend. He "forced her to the ground, repeatedly struck her, and at one point put his hands around her neck and began to choke her, making it difficult for her to breathe."
On Friday, I asked for Monday's docket. I received it Monday morning with a gracious apology from the acting clerk that she was out Friday.
I thanked her and asked for Tuesday's docket.
Still waiting.
Maybe I will get Wednesday's or Thursday's. Fingers crossed.
It would be nice to know what's on a court docket in a county that I find never boring.
