Pridgeon trial set for Nov. 2023
Aug. 12—Muskogee County District Court Judge Timothy King set a date for trial on Thursday for a man accused of slaying six people.
Jarron Deajon Pridgeon, 27, who is accused of killing five children ages 2-9 and his brother Javarion Lee, 24, on Feb. 2, 2021, will stand trial beginning Nov. 10, 2023, in Muskogee.
King explained the reason behind the selection was due in part to case load.
"There are three three-week jury trial dockets scheduled," he said. "This would at least allow a trial docket exclusively for this and not other cases."
Prior to the actual trial start, another status conference is set for this November. After that, the defense has until May 2023 to to obtain expert testimony should it desire to proceed with an insanity defense.
Pridgeon is charged with six counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of the five children and his brother, one count of assault and battery with a deadly weapon in the shooting of Brittany Shakeria Anderson, 29, the mother of the five children, and one count of possessing firearms after conviction or during probation.
Pridgeon appeared in court remotely along with his attorneys Gretchen Mosley and Gregg Graves while Benjamin Hilfiger represented Pridgeon in court.
Mosley assured King that the May deadline was attainable.
"We will do our best to meet that deadline," she said. "It should be no problem. By then we should have our expert testimony and our case solidified."
Mosley also dropped a hint of the defense's possible strategy.
"If an insanity defense is pursued, the state might want to investigate further," she said.
Muskogee County District Attorney Larry Edwards addressed the issue of two deprived-child cases pending against Pridgeon.
"We have forwarded all of the discovery to the defense," he said. "I would like to add that all the copies are unredacted and not to be disseminated outside the courtroom."
