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GUYMON, Okla. – The attorney for one of the five defendants in the 2024 murders of Veronica Butler and Jilian Kelley has appealed the denial of a recusal request for the judge in the case. The appeal was filed April 21, in Texas County, Okla.
Butler, 27, and Kelley, 39 – both of Hugoton - were kidnapped and murdered March 30, 2024, in Rural Texas County Okla.
Butler was in a custody battle with her mother-in-law Tifany Adams over her two young children with Wrangler Rickman, Adams’ son.
Adams, Tad Cullum, and three others were arrested one year ago and charged with murder.
Cullum, one of the five people charged with the brutal murders is trying to get the judge removed from his case. The judge, Jon Parsley, was the lawyer for Tifany Adams in a separate case 15 years ago in Cimarron County. District judge Buddy Leach denied a motion to have Parsley recused because of that case, but Cullum’s attorney is appealing the denial.
Cullum’s lawyer, Joi Miskell, says that it still looks bad and could create an unfair trial and is asking for Parsley to step aside.
The law says a judge has to be completely neutral — and even the appearance of favoritism or a conflict of interest can be enough to cause a mistrial. Parsley scheduled a DNA hearing for May 14, but Cullum’s lawyer says that can’t happen while a recusal motion is pending.
“As minimum, the Court’s actions raise an appearance of impropriety and partiality against (the) Defendant, despite the fact, the Court believes it harbors no actual bias or prejudice against Mr. Cullum,” the motion states, saying that the length of time (15 years) since Parsley represented Adams is irrelevant.
“The fact that a co-defendant has been represented previously by the Court is enough to prove the burden appearance of impartiality,” the motion continues.
In his motion to deny the recusal, District Judge Buddy Leach said, “In a rural area like we have out here we meet everyone, we talk to everyone, we know everyone, and there’s a lot of common sense in our system.” Cullum’s lawyers say even though Texas and Cimarron counties are large counties, the population density is very low. This further evidences the need for another judge to be appointed who does not live or regularly practice in the Panhandle of Oklahoma.
“This case has made national news, if not global news,” the lawyers say in the motion. “There is a microscope on this case from the public, and we must ensure that both the State of Oklahoma and Mr. Cullum receive a fair trial with an impartial judge.”
In a related matter, lawyers for defendant Tifany Adams responded to an order allowing for the consumptive testing of evidence. In a motion filed April 21 in Texas County, Adams’ lawyer asked that the defendant have an expert present for the testing.
A hearing for all five defendants in the case is scheduled May 14 in Guymon.
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