Jason Futch
Reporter2.riverbendnews@gmail.com
The trial of Jason Andrew Bullock, charged with organized fraud in 2023, is set to go before a jury in November, following a scheduling conflict with Judge Katy Land’s original trial date.
According to an email sent to the victims involved in the case by Assistant State Attorney Colin Klein, Judge Land was informed of a conference she had to attend following the change of plea hearing where she set the trial date on Bullock’s case. Because both the state and the defense agreed to keep Judge Land as the presiding judge on the case, they decided to move the trial to the November term. Klein stressed the decision was made by the judge and not by the State Attorney’s Office or Bullock’s defense team.
The trial comes as Judge Land rejected Bullock’s plea deal during a change of plea hearing on Monday, Sept. 8. The deal proposed to Judge Land included 30 years of probation, a $10,000 up-front restitution payment, which Bullock had in his possession at the time of the hearing, and $1,500 monthly additional restitution. According to Judge Land, she was not comfortable with the deal and, after 20 minutes of discussion, chose not to accept it and moved the case to trial.
The trial is now set for the week of Monday, Nov. 17, barring any further issues.