Patterson, 47, of Wichita Falls , is the former president of a Wichita Falls automotive group who was first arrested in February 2021 and eventually indicted on 20 felony charges involving child trafficking and child sex crimes.
Anthony Patterson in the 78th District Court on Thursday, June 13 (Photo credit: Josh Hoggard, KFDX/KJLT)
During a hearing on Thursday, June 13, 2024, a new date was agreed upon and set for Patterson’s upcoming trial in Tarrant County.
Presiding Judge Meredith Kennedy said that jury selection for Patterson’s trial will begin on Tuesday, October 29, 2024, and testimony is set to begin on Monday, November 4, 2024.
Why a hearing was held on Thursday afternoon
Patterson’s defense counsel is led by high-profile attorney Toby Shook, who is assisted by Michael Mowla, Kim Laseter, and Chuck Smith. Brooke Grona-Robb, Wichita County’s Special Victim’s Chief, is leading the prosecution with the assistance of John Gillespie, Wichita County’s District Attorney.
Over a year after Patterson’s trial was initially set to begin, a hearing was held on Thursday, June 13, 2024, in the 78th District Court, where presiding Judge Meredith Kennedy ruled on a motion for independent DNA testing of new evidence filed by Patterson’s defense counsel.
According to court documents, the evidence in question was three articles of clothing, including a shirt, leggings, and underwear, believed to have been worn by one of Patterson’s alleged victims when she left his house in December 2017.
Court documents revealed that on November 22, 2023, a search warrant was signed compelling Patterson to submit a DNA swab for comparison purposes. Patterson’s defense counsel filed a motion on May 10, 2024, requesting independent DNA testing on the evidence.
Why Patterson wants further DNA testing
The hearing got underway at 3 p.m. on Thursday, June 13, in the 78th District Courtroom.
Patterson’s defense team in the 78th District Court on Thursday, June 13, 2024 (Photo credit: Josh Hoggard, KFDX/KJTL)
Patterson’s defense called Dr. Angie Ambers, an expert in DNA and forensics, to testify. She testified that she and Mowla had previously worked together in a trial involving the use of DNA analysis.
Dr. Ambers testified that preliminary DNA testing wasn’t done on the three articles of clothing from the alleged victim until December 2023, after it had sat in the hands of the police for about six years. She testified that this could cause the samples to produce incomplete DNA profiles and that it was not optimal for the evidence to be sitting in a locker for that long.
Dr. Ambers testified that the initial DNA testing conducted at the DPS lab in Lubbock returned inconclusive results, adding that some samples were indecipherable and that one excluded Patterson.
According to Dr. Ambers’ testimony, the private lab Patterson’s defense intends to utilize is equipped to conduct more in-depth DNA testing than the DPS lab. She testified that this lab’s procedure could produce up to 200 times more biological material for DNA testing than the initial tests.
Dr. Ambers testified that in addition to creating a complete DNA profile, the testing conducted by the private forensics lab could confirm what the stains on the alleged victim’s clothing were, whether they were blood, urine, sweat, saliva, or semen.
“There’s no legitimate reason for semen to be on a child’s clothing, correct?” Mowla asked Dr. Ambers, who testified she agreed.
Patterson’s hearing in the 78th District Court on Thursday, June 13, 2024 (Photo credit: Josh Hoggard, KFDX/KJTL)
After Dr. Ambers left the stand, Judge Kennedy said she would grant the motion for additional DNA testing, something the prosecution agreed to, and that Patterson’s defense team would be responsible for covering the cost.
Grona-Robb then asked Judge Kennedy about setting a date for the trial. Judge Kennedy said that both parties have agreed to begin jury selection on October 29, 2024, and for testimony to begin on November 4, 2024.
Voir dire proceedings and jury selection had barely begun in Tarrant County before Patterson’s lead defense attorney, Toby Shook, was seriously injured.
78th District Court Judge Meredith Kennedy, presiding over the case, reluctantly granted a motion filed by Patterson’s defense for a continuance, and the trial was pushed back to February 26, 2024 .
This is a developing story. Stick with Texoma’s Homepage for the latest updates from Anthony Patterson’s case . All individuals charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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