Judge rules on motions in Collins murder case

The woman accused of murdering former Arkansas State Senator Linda Collins will be allowed to meet with attorneys in person, but won’t be permitted to visit a doctor after a series of judge’s decisions during a pretrial hearing at the Randolph County Courthouse in Pocahontas on Friday, according a report from KAIT-TV in JonesboroRebecca “Becky” O’Donnell is facing capital murder charges in the death of Collins, who served in District 19 from 2014-2018. The district includes eastern Fulton County and all of Izard, Sharp, Independence and Randolph counties.Judge John Fogleman ruled O’Donnell could have have access to her counsel, which her lawyers claimed they had been denied since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Also granted was a request for O’Donnell to appear in civilian clothes and without restraints when in the presence of a jury. The judge issued a ruling which prohibits the display of emotional outbursts – approval or disapproval – and any other prejudicial behavior in the courtroom, the station reports.

Fogleman ruled against O’Donnell in a request to remove the death penalty from the table, due to a precedent set by the Arkansas Supreme Court. Also denied was a motion to dismiss the capital murder charge. Prosecutors have alleged O’Donnell committed the murder for monetary gain. A request to visit a local physician for an examination was denied, but a doctor will be allowed to visit O’Donnell at the jail and determine if further evaluation is needed.

Other motions denied Friday were:

• A judicial review of all impact evidence prosecutors plan to introduce in the capital sentencing part of the proceeding;

• A motion to bar Special Prosecuting Attorney Robert Dittrich from violating improper action in the case. Fogleman denied the motion, but said he would not allow personal opinion or appeal to bias or prejudice to be used in the case.

Fogleman did not rule on a request by O’Donnell’s attorneys to prohibit photographic evidence of the crime scene and the autopsy. That motion will be considered in a hearing slated for Aug. 6-7.

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