Mickelson Sentenced In Caddo District Court Today

Eric Dale Mickelson was sentenced to death by lethal injection for the murder of Charles Martin.

Saying he “totally agreed” with the jury which found Mickelson guilty and recommended the death penalty last week, Caddo Parish District Court Judge Scott Crichton officially handed down the sentence after roughly an hour and a half of hearing defense motions.

Judge Crichton denied a pair of defense motions prior to the sentence. He first denied a motion to delay sentencing, saying the court was following the law by issuing the sentence at this time. The penalty phase of Mickelson’s trial ended Aug. 5 shortly after 8 p.m.

Defense attorneys for Mickelson also filed a motion for a new trial, citing several points including: claims their client is mentally ill; claims that they were unable to adequately voir dire jurors during the selection phase; claims their client’s rights under the 8^th and 14^th Amendments were violated; claim the Confederate flag in front of the courthouse should be removed. Judge Crichton discussed each point in the motion, ruled the claims “totally without merit” and denied Mickelson a new trial. 

In another case today:

A Caddo Parish jury today returned a guilty verdict against Jerry Lynn Wallace (d.o.b. 1-23-58) for indecent behavior with a juvenile. Wallace was convicted for an incident involving an underage girl.

Judge Roy Brun ordered Wallace to return to court Aug. 24 for sentencing.