Judge denies one Gautreaux motion, new trial appeal re-set for February

27th Judicial District Judge James Doherty, Jr. on Friday denied a motion by convicted killer Warren Gautreaux’s attorney to order the state to find a girl it wants to talk to in his bid for a new trial.

Friday’s hearing was initially set to hear argument on attorney Jarvis Claiborne’s motion for a new trial. That hearing was delayed because in the interim Clairborne filed the motion seeking production of a juvenile who allegedly made a statement to Gautreaux’s sister that could support the re-trial motion.

Doherty gave both sides until Dec. 20 to file any further motions and responses in the matter and scheduled a hearing on Feb. 18-19.

Gautreaux was convicted in June of this year of the first-degree murders of Youric and Mary Courville in January 2006 in Eunice. He faces mandatory life without parole if the conviction stands.

Capital punishment was not sought by the state, at the request of the Courville family.

Gautreaux was arrested in November 2011 after then-new Police Chief Ronald Dies re-opened the case investigation.

At issue Friday was something that a juvenile allegedly told Courville’s sister before the trial.

Because a juvenile is involved, The Eunice News is reporting generalities of the issue, rather than details which were discussed in court.

The defense wants to talk to the girl, but can’t locate her.

Asst. DA Donald Richard argued that finding her is not the state’s responsibility.

Doherty agreed.

“The court cannot order the state to find her. You (the defense) have to find her and if an issue is determined after talking with her, then the matter can be re-opened through your motions,” he said.