Jackson case going to trial

GREENCASTLE -- A Greencastle woman charged with four counts of felony battery will go to trial on July 28.

Treva J. Jackson was in court Thursday for a final pretrial conference. Prosecutors and Jackson's attorney, James Holder, have been unable to reach a compromise with regard to a plea agreement.

"So there is no way this is going to go off the calendar?" Judge Diana LaViolette asked.

Holder said there was not, and requested a trial date for his client. Jackson's trial has been continued three times.

Jackson, 36, allegedly injured four people with a knife she was brandishing at Old Toppers Tavern in Greencastle on Sept. 19.

Court records said Jackson became involved in a verbal altercation with Jessica Phares, another patron at the bar, and that the exchange escalated into physical violence between the women. A narrative on the case said three men were injured when they attempted to break up the fight between Jackson and Phares.

Phares' boyfriend, Scott Hoover, is currently incarcerated at the Putnamville Correctional facility for his role in the Dec. 15, 2007 prescription drug overdose death of Jackson's teenage son Dietrich Jackson.

Phares was also initially charged in connection with Dietrich Jackson's death, but all charges against her were dismissed.

Jackson is now facing four charges of Class C felony battery by means of a deadly weapon. Each charge is punishable by a maximum prison sentence of eight years.

Over objections from the state, Jackson's original $20,000 cash only bond was reduced on Oct. 13 to $20,000 with 10 percent allowed. Jackson posted bond and was released from jail on Oct. 15.

As a condition of her bond reduction, Jackson was required to be placed on electronic home monitoring immediately upon her release from jail.

Jackson's former attorney, Kristin Szczerbik of Cloverdale, requested on Nov. 12 that Jackson be released from home monitoring, but that request was denied by the court. Holder took over on Jackson's case in January.

Originally, Jackson was represented by former Putnam County Public Defender James Recker.