The Orange Leader
Jury seating lets Wade's trial begin
By Mike Wheeler
Staff Reporter
SHERMAN - Opening arguments began today as a jury of ten men and two women heard evidence in the federal drug trial of suspended Orange County Sheriff James Wade.
After the jurors were picked Monday afternoon, U. S. District Judge Howell Cobb of Beaumont tightened a previous gag order in the case by ruling that "no one can discuss open court testimony with the news media."
Wade, charged May 2 in a federal drug indictment alleging the suspended sheriff was involved in a drug trafficking operation, a conspiracy to obstruct justice and embezzlement of county narcotics funds, was delivered to the Grayson County Courthouse at 8:20 a.m. Monday by federal marshals.
Wade will be held in the Grayson County Jail, located across the street from the courthouse, during the trial.
The sheriff would make no comment as he was escorted into the courthouse by two federal marshals.
Gary Richardson of Tulsa, Okla., and Jeff Kearney of Fort Worth, Wade's attorneys would not comment on the jury selected because of the gag order; however, a sociologist hired by the attorneys to assist in evaluating potential jurors said the jury picked was "as good as one can expect."
"We're satisfied with the jury," said James W. Burgund of Jury Selection Sciences Inc. of Ease Sandwich, Mass.
Burgund said he assisted his clients, Richardson and Kearney, in clients, Richardson and Kearney, in preparing a positive-negative profile of potential jurors as to each jurors' suitability in hearing the testimony and evidence and deciding guilt or innocence in Wade's case.
After the jurors had been dismissed for the day, Cobb issued his order prohibiting the discussion of open court testimony, aimed particularly at the news media. Although the judge would give no reason for his order, he added that he wanted "no speculation or predictions as to what any evidence presented through testimony showed or did not show."
Cobb also denied "at least for (Monday)" a request by Wade's attorneys that the suspended sheriff be released into the custody of his attorneys to allow further preparation for the trial.
Cobb said he intended to "look at" an attorney-client conference room available at the Grayson County Jail in which Wade could meet with Richardson and Kearney.
"If the conference room is not suitable," Cobb said, "then, as I've indicated before, I will rule on releasing the sheriff into (the attorneys') custody on a day-to-day basis."
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