Motion for Continuance Granted

A hearing was held Tuesday in Fourth Judicial District Court in Sheridan for a motion to continue a jury trial that’s scheduled to begin Monday. Sheridan Media’s Ron Richter has the details.

The motion for continuance was filed by Public Defender Jonathan Foreman in the burglary case against his client William Holliday.  Foreman, during Tuesday’s hearing, said he was not in a fit state to go to trial Monday due to a recent death in his family. The motion for continuance was granted by District Court Judge Darci Phillips to allow Foreman to tend to funeral arrangements. An eight day jury trial that was scheduled to begin Monday, October 30 in District Court, will now begin Friday, November 3 with the jury selection process. Opening arguments and the presentation of evidence will begin Monday, November 6.

Following an investigation by the Sheridan County Sheriff’s Office, Holliday was arrested in March of this year for a string of burglaries in Sheridan County. Holliday is charged with 23 counts of burglary for allegedly breaking into vehicles and stealing items from the vehicles. Each count of burglary is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

Also from Tuesday’s District Court Docket:

A change of plea hearing was held for 41-year-old Lisa Floate of Sheridan. Pursuant to the terms of a plea agreement reached with the State, Floate pleaded guilty to the charge of felony abandoning or endangering children. The State is recommending a deferred prosecution and three years of supervised probation. The plea agreement is non-binding, meaning the Court can reject the plea deal altogether at sentencing and the defendant cannot withdraw their guilty plea.

District Court Judge Darci Phillips ordered that a presentence investigation be completed by Probation and Parole and scheduled sentencing for January 4 at 10:15 am. Bond was continued under the same terms and conditions that were previously set in Circuit Court.

According to court documents, Floate’s arrest stems from an initial incident on May 16 when Sheridan Police responded to a report of a child wandering on Lewis Street clothed only in a diaper. The child was located by law enforcement and further investigation determined it was Floate’s child and she was later arrested and charged with abandoning or endangering children.