Three individuals in two high profile criminal cases made separate court appearances in Clinton Circuit Court in December and January before Circuit Judge David L. Williams.

On December 7, Travis Slone, who had originally been charged with murder in the death of James D. Guffey over a year ago, entered a guilty plea on a lesser charge of manslaughter, pursuant to a plea agreement made with the Commonwealth last November.

Slone was formally sentenced to seven years on the second degree manslaughter count.

Stearns, York appear

before Judge Williams

Meanwhile, two defendants who stand accused of attempted murder and other charges in relation to the robbery and beating of an elderly Clinton County man Bill Russell, in November of 2016, were in a court session held Thursday, January 11.

Danny Joe Stearns and Lisa Sue York are both charged with attempted murder, first degree assault, theft by failure to make required disposition and theft of an auto in relation to the incident that took place on the Bell Camp Road in the Piney Woods community.

During a pretrial conference during a motion to reduce bond, Judge Williams scheduled a new trial date for Stearns to be held on May 14 with a pretrial conference set for February 8.

During a motion to enter a plea in the York case, a pretrial conference was scheduled for May 10 and the court allowed the defendant to be released on a $10,000 surety bond to be signed by her mother. While on bond, the defendant shall operate on a curfew and is to remain at her mother’s house, according to court records.

(More details on other court docket cases from both December and January sessions can be found in separate articles elsewhere this week.)