COLUMBUS — Columbus woman accused of murdering her unborn child is slated to stand trial in Lowndes County Circuit Court this term.
Rennie Taria Gibbs, 20, of 300 S. Lehmberg Road in Columbus, No. 25, was 15 when she got pregnant. The baby died in 2006 when Gibbs was 36 weeks pregnant, but prosecutors discovered Gibbs had a cocaine habit. Gibbs faces a murder charge under the state’s rarely used depraved-heart murder law, for the stillbirth of her child due to cocaine overdose.
The February term of the Lowndes County Circuit Court began Monday and runs through March 2.
Gibbs’ case has been continued multiple times since 2006.
Carrie Jourdan is her attorney. Daniel Jackson will represent the state. Judge Jim Kitchens will preside over the case, which is scheduled for Feb. 21.
Capital murder cases
Several capital murder cases also are up for trial, though court officials said the cases are unlikely to be tried this term.
Under state law, all were denied bond.
Murder case
The 2011 murder case for George J. Strickland, 45, of 6214 Highway 50 E., is set for Feb. 21. Strickland claims he shot Christopher Wayne George, 36, multiple times in self-defense at Strickland’s home in the Steens community. George was said to be a family friend who was living with the couple. He also was charged with aggravated assault with a weapon for shooting at his wife.
Authorities reported the incident as a domestic dispute, though no other details were released.
The complexity of the case has held it up in circuit court. In August 2011, Judge Jim Kitchens continued the case. Parties needed more time to prepare “due to the complex and serious nature of the charges,” according to court filings.
Strickland remains in custody at the Lowndes County jail; he was denied bond. His attorney is Carrie Jourdan.
Additional hearings, trials
In 2010, Lavento Fox, along with his brother, Sugi Kamar Fox, 30, of 1801 Third Ave. S., broke into a home, fought with two men and stowed one in the trunk of a car. The man eventually popped open the trunk and escaped. Lavento Fox will not face those charges during this term.
Lowndes County deputies seized all computers and jump drives in Triplett’s home. Authorities initially found the images when searching for Morris, Triplett’s stepdaughter, in 2009. Morris’ disappearance remains unsolved.
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