© 2024 88.9 KETR
Public Radio for Northeast Texas
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Woman pleads not guilty in murder case

Hunt County Sheriff's Dept.

A Commerce woman has pleaded not guilty to one count of murder in connection with the November 2012 stabbing death of a Greenville man.
The indictment returned in February by the Hunt County grand jury against Myeisha Simone Garcia also included a lesser charge of manslaughter involving the death of Jamal Stanton.

Garcia entered the not guilty plea Wednesday during an arraignment hearing in the 196th District Court. Judge Steve Tittle accepted the plea and scheduled a tentative trial date for Sept. 9.

Garcia was alleged in the murder count to have knowingly and intentionally stabbed Stanton with a knife on Nov. 28, 2012, or acted with the intent to cause Stanton serious bodily injury, which resulted in the victim’s death.

The manslaughter count alleges Garcia acted recklessly in attacking Stanton with the knife, causing his death.

Murder is a first degree felony, punishable upon conviction by a maximum sentence of from five to 99 years to life in prison. Manslaughter carries a maximum sentence upon conviction of from two to 20 years in prison.

Garcia, 20, remains in custody at the Hunt County Jail in lieu of $500,000 bond.

Garcia is also facing a separate and unrelated charge of assault against a public servant, to which she has pleaded not guilty. Garcia was alleged in the indictment to have hit and kicked a Commerce Police Department officer who was attempting to arrest her on July 18, 2012.