The Circuit Courtroom is located on the second floor of the Barren County Courthouse. Circuit Courts have jurisdiction over capital offenses, felonies, land disputes and general disputes over $4,000. Michael Crimmins/Glasgow News 1.
By MICHAEL CRIMMINS
Glasgow News 1
Several cases were covered in Barren County Circuit Court on Monday, Oct. 13, including the murder case of Dedontae Morrison, the assault case of Shane Reece, and the arson case of Thomas Houchens.
Dedontae Morrison
Morrison had his next pretrial conference set for Dec. 15 at 1 p.m. after his attorney, Lauren Hunter, requested a bond modification, which was opposed by Commonwealth’s Attorney John Gardner.
“The commonwealth is opposed to any bond modification,” Gardner said. “I’ve spoken to the victim’s family [and] they are opposed. Also…we believe the bond is set [appropriate to] the offense. Not only that, Morrison has a lengthy criminal history. The commonwealth requests that the court not modify [Morrison’s] bond at this time.”
Judge John Alexander said he would not decide on any potential bond modifications right now. Morrison’s bond is currently set at $500,000 cash, according to the Barren County Detention Center.
Gardner and Hunter also mentioned the possibility of mediating the case.
Morrison was arrested in March 2024 by Barren County sheriff deputies in the area of Lee Fendell Road, north of Glasgow and connects Ky. 90 and Stovall Road, after allegedly stabbing 55-year-old Robert Fields. His case is moving forward after several months awaiting a mental evaluation from the Kentucky Correctional Psychiatric Center.
Shane Reece
Reece is scheduled to undergo an evaluation by the Kentucky Correctional Psychiatric Center to address competency.
“Based on some conversations we have had I have some concerns about his ability to understand to the level he needs to,” his attorney Lauren Hunter said. “I do plan to address competency.”
“Since she is planning to address competency on her end, I think it would be prudent for the court to order a [Kentucky Correctional Psychiatric Center] evaluation,” Commonwealth’s Attorney John Gardner said.
Hunter also requested Alexander to consider a bond modification, which Gardner said he opposed.
A pretrial conference in his case was scheduled for Nov. 24 at 1 p.m.
Reece was arrested on May 20 by Glasgow police at a duplex on McGrah Avenue after allegedly shooting a woman, who was transported to T.J. Samson Community Hospital for her injuries and later taken to the University of Louisville Hospital, and setting fire to the bedroom. His bond is set at $250,000 cash.
Thomas Houchens
Houchens has a tentative competency hearing scheduled for Nov. 14 at 9:30 a.m.
He was arrested in November 2024 after allegedly setting fire to a garage on Lyon School Road because “he wanted the money for his half of the split wood” that was in the garage, according to the uniform citation written at the time.
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