Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney Brian Rickman confirmed the case against Lowanda "Peanut" Kilby is set to begin May 12.
"The judge has set aside two weeks - the week of May 12 and the following week," Rickman said. "I think both sides expect probably jury selection is going to take longer than its usual because it's a widely-publicized case."
Rickman said it will take longer to work through the jury pool to determine what those people have heard or read in order to empanel an impartial jury.
"I think there will probably be at least two days of jury selection, and the evidence won't actually begin probably until that Wednesday, the 14th." Rickman said. "And we'll look at finishing up probably the middle or the end of that next week is what we expect."
Kilby was the subject of a 60-count grand jury indictment in September. That indictment accused Kilby of 29 separate acts each of computer theft and theft by taking, as well as a count of theft by taking and a violation of the Georgia Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.
The indictment alleges Kilby used computers to fraudulently take donations intended for the shelter's Lucky Dog/Lucky Kitty program through PayPal. The money collected was diverted into her personal bank account.
Donations were solicited under the claim that Boggs Mountain was a no-kill shelter and that the animals for which donations were specifically solicited would not be put down, but more than two dozen animals were. Sixteen dogs and 12 cats were referred to by name in the indictment.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2014/4/273845