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Absent court reporter delays hearing in murder case

By Nathan Baker

MOUNTAIN CITY — A scheduling error Tuesday in Johnson County Criminal Court delayed a hearing for one of two men charged with killing a Doe Valley couple in their home after a dispute on a social media website.

Jamie Lynn Curd, accused of two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Billy Payne Jr. and Billie Jean Hayworth, appeared in court on a motion asking Senior Judge Jon Blackwood to sever his case from his co-defendant, Marvin “Buddy” Potter Jr., but the judge was unable to conduct any official business because a court reporter was not scheduled to record the proceedings.

After calling court into session, Senior Judge Jon Blackwood put the proceedings on pause when he realized a court reporter was not present in the room, and after a 10-minute wait, reset the handful of cases scheduled on the docket when he was informed one could not be in court until almost noon.

A court reporter is the member of staff responsible for maintaining the official record of the court’s actions and orders.