SANDERSVILLE, Ga. — A second trial for three Washington County deputies accused of killing Eurie Martin could happen in five months. Seven years ago, Martin died after being tased by the side of Deep Step Road.
Deputies tried to talk to Martin for allegedly walking in and along the road, but the prosecutors say the deputies had no right to arrest him or tase him.
A family friend of Martin, Leonard Jordan, said the family is ready to put this behind them, so they're ready for the trial to begin.
"They just want justice. They want this to end. But they want justice," Jordan said.
The deputies — Henry Lee Copeland, Michael Howell and Rhett Scott — were fired and now face eight charges, including felony murder and manslaughter.
The case went to trial in 2021, but the judge declared a mistrial when the jury couldn't agree on a verdict.
Now, the case is heading back to court. On Thursday, a Washington County judge heard pre-trial motions on the case.
For about an hour, Judge Gibbs Flanders spoke with the defense and the prosecution about what's left to do before trial.
Flanders didn't mention anything about moving the trial out of the county.
The defense called two new witnesses in the evidentiary hearing. One of them was Randi Cowart. She said she was driving towards Milledgeville on Deep Step Road when she saw Martin walking.
The defense asked her if she knew specifically where she saw Martin walking.
"I honestly can't. I don't remember. Like, I mean, he was on the right-hand side. Like coming towards traffic," Cowart said.
The second witness they called was Christopher Godfrey. He said he was in the car with Cowart when they had to drive around Martin to avoid hitting him.
"Yes sir, he was almost like kinda — like dancing," Godfrey said.
The defense didn't say why they brought new witnesses. The prosecutors argued dash cam video shows Martin wasn't walking on the road.
Martin's family including his nephew and son were in court on Thursday but didn't speak. Jordan spoke on their behalf. He said the family hasn't lost hope in justice since the mistrial in 2021.
"We gonna trust God. And we gonna trust God to work through that prosecution team," Jordan said. "We gonna put our trust in him."
The judge asked the defense and prosecution teams to send him a couple days that could work for the beginning of the trial. The judge said that will take about two weeks. Those days for trial could be after the first two weeks in September or after Oct. 9.
Defense lawyers will be asking Judge Flanders again to throw out the charges. They say Copeland, Howell and Scott were just doing their jobs, and the judge should grant immunity.
Martin's family said they hope organizations and groups like the NAACP join them in court to support them.