THE COMMUNITY OF LAFAYETTE SEEMED TO FEEL A SENSE OF RELIEF THAT THE THREE WEEK MURDER TRIAL OF SAM PARKER ENDED LAST THURSDAY. THE FORMER LAFAYETTE POLICE SERGEANT WAS FOUND GUILTY ON THREE COUNTS, INCLUDING THE MURDER OF HIS ESTRANGED WIFE, THERESA PARKER, BY A JURY SELECTED FROM BARTOW COUNTY.  HE WAS SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON.  BUT, AS YOU MIGHT EXPECT, THE PROCESS IS FAR FROM OVER.  

PUBLIC DEFENDER DAVID DUNN, WHO REPRESENTED PARKER… SAYS IT COULD TAKE MORE THAN A YEAR TO EXHAUST THE UPCOMING APPEALS PROCESS.  FIRST, HE PLANS TO FILE MOTION FOR A NEW TRIAL. TRIAL JUDGE JON "BO" WOOD COULD RULE ON THAT MOTION IN A FEW MONTHS, ONCE THE TRIAL TRANSCRIPT HAS BEEN COMPLETED.  IF THE MOTION FOR A NEW TRIAL IS DENIED… DUNN SAID HE WILL APPEAL TO THE GEORGIA SUPREME COURT. 

WQCH