Accused Hall County killer DeMarvin Bennett pleaded not guilty to the Park Hill Drive murder of Gainesville businessman Jack Hough in Hall County Superior Court Tuesday morning.
Bennett, 24, of Clayton County did not attend the arraignment, but public defender Matt Leipold entered the plea on Bennett’s behalf.
“Bennett wasn’t brought over today because it wasn’t specifically requested,” Leipold said. “At arraignments, it’s not necessary for them to be there unless they want to be."
According to Leipold, there is no scheduled order at this time, but it could be months before the case goes to a trial.
Certain cases remain unscheduled or are given a generic time frame, but in murder cases there are set schedules on when orders, motions and trials will be, Leipold said. As of now, it is too early to know the next step in this case, he said.
Since Bennett’s indictment and arrest for the Park Hill Drive murder, he acquired an additional felony charge on May 20. Bennett was indicted for reckless conduct with the intent to transmit hepatitis after he spit on a corrections officer.
Court documents indciate Bennett had full knowledge of his diagnosis. Hall County District Attorney Lee Darragh denied comment on the case, but Leipold said he plans to challenge the indictment because the charge is too vague.
“I’ve never seen a charge like this, it’s very unusual” Leipold said. “We don’t even know what type of hepatitis he has or how it is transmitted.”
According to Leipold, when a person is charged with the intent of doing something, the charge suggests that person has the highest knowledge and mental state possible to commit that particular crime.
“In order to know how to transmit hepatitis, that person would have to have some kind of advanced medical knowledge,” Leipold said. “According to the CDC, most forms of hepatitis are transmitted through blood,” he said.
Bennett has not been arraigned for the new charge yet.
