MEMPHIS, TN — Sherra Wright and Billy Turner walked into court Monday to learn if their lives will be on the line when they are tried for the murder of Sherra’s ex-husband, Lorenzen Wright.
The prosecutor quickly announced this would not be a death penalty case.
It’s the latest development in the high-profile murder case in which both defendants have been charged with first-degree murder.
“The State will announce today that this will not be a capital case,” said Prosecutor Paul Hagerman.
With that out of the way, the attorneys asked for bond hearings so they clients can get out of jail.
“As it related to Mr. Turner, I would like to respectfully request a pre-trial services report and an intervening bond hearing date,” said John Keith Perry, Junior, the attorney for Billy Turner.
“Ms. Wright would also be entitled to a bond of course with this not being a capital case. We are gonna make a similar request,” said Blake Ballin, who represents Sherra Wright.
The judge set the bond hearing date for April 12, 2018.
Expect to hear from witnesses who will vouch on Wright’s and Turner’s community standing, character and flight risk as they hope for a reasonable bond release.
Sherra Wright’s attorney said she is tired.
“The last thing she said to us is she needs to go lie down. She is having a rough time. I think she has some death in the family. She has some issues going on with her family just like anybody else, just like any of us do,” said Ballin.
The attorney for Billy Turner says his client remains faithful and wants to return to his landscaping business.
“He should be working. He should be carrying out his business like he would if it was March 2017 or March 2019 hopefully,” said Perry.
Lorenzen’s mother has said all along she didn’t want the death penalty for those accused of killing her son. She says that was the easy way out.
Meanwhile, supporters of Billy Turner filled the courtroom.
A woman who says she is his cousin told WREG she doesn’t think Turner killed anyone, and this is rough on his family .
“It’s rough. It is rough. He is a very good man with a good family, with children. It’s just…hard on our family right now,” the woman told us.
Attorneys are not saying if this case will go to trial or if there could be a change of venue.
After the April 12th bond hearing, both Wright and Turner will have a report hearing back in court April 26th.
Both defendants have pleaded not guilty in the case.
Both Wright and Turner will be tried together.
WREG’s April Thompson was LIVE in the courtroom Monday morning.
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