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Timothy Jones Jr.- Case Archive
2019 Murder Trialtrial-daytrial-dayShawn GrahamRick HubbardSuzanne MayesRobert MadsenCasey SecorBoyd YoungSandra BlackChrystal BallentineJodie DurneyRuby DurneyJoy LorickTimothy Jones, Sr.Carolyn WilliforddirectcrossredirectrecrossDay 21 - May 29, 2019Defense witnesses gave differing accounts of Jones Jr.'s parenting, discipline, behavior, and family history as the court admitted selected exhibits and maintained limits on social-history testimony.
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Day 21 - May 29, 2019

Childcare, Family, And Discipline Testimony

Judge Eugene C. Griffith, Jr.
21Proceedings
8Pages
7Witnesses
2,936Lines
Day 21 of 32
Appearing:
Shawn Graham Rick Hubbard Suzanne Mayes Robert Madsen Casey Secor Boyd Young Sandra Black Chrystal Ballentine Jodie Durney Ruby Durney Joy Lorick Timothy Jones, Sr. Carolyn Williford

Defense witnesses gave differing accounts of Jones Jr.'s parenting, discipline, behavior, and family history as the court admitted selected exhibits and maintained limits on social-history testimony.

Full day summary

Defense witnesses described Timothy Jones Jr.'s parenting, household life, discipline, and their observations of his behavior. Childcare providers Jodie and Ruby Durney said they saw no bruises, drug use, or apparent mental-health problems during the periods they knew him, while Chrystal Ballentine and Joy Lorick described controlling conduct, belt punishment, concerns about the children, and varying observations of his awareness and behavior. Carolyn Williford and Timothy Jones Sr. testified about family violence, substance use, Jones Jr.'s childhood and later conduct, and the family's response after the children were reported missing. The court admitted selected defense exhibits, limited additional family-history testimony to Jones Jr.'s own life, and heard notice of an anticipated limiting-instruction request before Dr. Frierson's testimony.

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1. Jodie Durney — Direct/Cross

Jodie Durney described Timothy Jones's care of the children and said she saw no bruises or other cause for concern. She also said he appeared to communicate clearly and rationally before the summer of 2013.

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Procedural
Morning Session Opening
6 lines
Direct
Jodie Durney — Direct Jodie Durney Robert Madsen
142 lines

Former childcare provider Jodie Durney described her observations of Tim's parenting and acknowledged prior convictions.

Cross
Jodie Durney — Cross Jodie Durney Suzanne Mayes
21 lines

Jodie Durney said Timothy Jones appeared mentally well and communicated clearly during their childcare-related interactions.

Highlights

Jodie Durney — Directtestimony highlightDurney testified that she saw no bruises or other cause for concern while caring for the children, including during outdoor play.

2. Ruby Durney — Direct/Cross

Ruby Durney described providing childcare for Tim Jones's children and said she had not observed drug use or mental-health problems before her contact ended in mid-2013.

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Direct
Ruby Durney — Direct Ruby Durney Robert Madsen
47 lines

Ruby Durney described Tim as a prepared, protective father and said she saw no signs of drug use, voices, or fear of his children.

Cross
Ruby Durney — Cross Ruby Durney Shawn Graham
35 lines

Ruby Durney said her observations of Tim ended in mid-2013 and did not cover any later drug use or behavior.

3. Chrystal Ballentine — Direct/Cross/Redirect

Chrystal Ballentine was questioned about Jones's discipline, substance use, and her observations of his awareness and behavior after his divorce.

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Direct
Chrystal Ballentine — Direct Chrystal Ballentine Boyd Young
173 lines

Chrystal Ballentine described Jones as increasingly controlling, disputed parts of her prior statement about his behavior, and Defense Exhibit 267 was admitted subject to objection.

Cross
Chrystal Ballentine — Cross Chrystal Ballentine Suzanne Mayes
116 lines

Chrystal Ballentine described harsh discipline and bruising she said she observed, while testifying that the defendant appeared aware of reality and right and wrong.

Redirect
Chrystal Ballentine — Redirect Chrystal Ballentine Boyd Young
12 lines

Chrystal Ballentine said Jones mentioned his mother only briefly and appeared depressed after his divorce.

Highlights

Chrystal Ballentine — Crosstestimony highlightBallentine testified that she heard the defendant whip the children, saw bruising, and described punishments involving standing on tiptoes in a corner.

4. Sandra Black — Direct/Cross

Sandra Black testified about Chrystal Ballentine's 2014 statement before the court addressed proposed trip photographs and video outside the jury's presence.

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Direct
Sandra Black — Direct Sandra Black Boyd Young
47 lines

Detective Sandra Black authenticated Chrystal Ballentine's written statement and confirmed its reported references to Mr. Jones talking to himself.

Cross
Sandra Black — Cross Sandra Black Suzanne Mayes
79 lines

Sandra Black confirmed the contents and limits of Chrystal's statement about Timothy Jones, including reported substance use and self-talk but no reported hallucinations or loss of reality.

5. Joy Lorick — Direct/Cross/Redirect/Recross

Former babysitter Joy Lorick described summer 2014 childcare, concerns about the children’s food and home environment, and a belt spanking she witnessed during a Florida trip.

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Direct
Joy Lorick — Direct Joy Lorick Boyd Young
281 lines

Former babysitter Joy Lorick described household conditions, family trips, discipline, and concerns about the children's food; defense travel records and photographs were admitted.

Cross
Joy Lorick — Cross Joy Lorick Suzanne Mayes
162 lines

Joy Lorick described observed discipline and a DSS report while saying Mr. Jones appeared mentally clear and aware during the time she knew him.

Redirect
Joy Lorick — Redirect Joy Lorick Boyd Young
36 lines

Joy Lorick clarified her DSS report and said the discipline she observed was wrong, though Tim stopped some conduct after she objected.

Recross
Joy Lorick — Recross Joy Lorick Suzanne Mayes
26 lines

Joy Lorick said Jones asserted authority over discipline and did not recall marks on Gabe after the reported whipping.

Highlights

Joy Lorick — Directtestimony highlightLorick described Mr. Jones spanking Nahtahn and Gabe with a belt in a Florida hotel room after returning from a bar.Joy Lorick — Direct“What end up happening, after Mr. Jones went across the street to the bar, Nahtahn started jumping around and I asked him to stop. And Gabe just started screaming, like squealing to the top of his lungs, and I kept asking Gabe to stop. Well, by that time, Mr. Jones came back and heard it. And he was like didn't she -- I know I just heard her tell y'all to stop, y'all didn't. And he pulled down both their pants and spanked them with a belt.”— Joy LorickLorick described a specific disciplinary incident she said she witnessed during the Florida trip.

6. Carolyn Williford — Direct/Cross/Redirect

Carolyn Williford, Timothy Ray Jones Jr.'s stepmother, described violence, substance abuse, and family tensions during his childhood, then acknowledged on cross-examination that her knowledge of several later events was limited.

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Direct
Carolyn Williford — Direct Carolyn Williford Casey Secor
307 lines

Carolyn Williford described Tim, Jr.'s childhood family environment, later behavioral changes, and continuing relationships with his brothers; the court admitted one accident-related family photograph.

Cross
Carolyn Williford — Cross Carolyn Williford Suzanne Mayes
77 lines

Carolyn Williford limited her knowledge of Timmy's drug history, Navy discharge, and the events of August 28, 2014, while clarifying that he later visited her home with his family.

Redirect
Carolyn Williford — Redirect Carolyn Williford Casey Secor
13 lines

Carolyn Williford acknowledged family violence and substance abuse during brief redirect examination.

7. Timothy Jones, Sr. — Direct/Cross (Part 1)

Timothy Jones, Sr. testified about his son's upbringing and family relationships, his concerns about parenting and custody, and his efforts to help investigators after the children were reported missing.

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Direct
Timothy Jones, Sr. — Direct Timothy Jones, Sr. Casey Secor
677 lines

Timothy Jones, Sr. described family history, efforts to locate the children, and post-arrest interactions with Timmy; the court limited a custody-related line of questioning and admitted family photographs.

Cross
Timothy Jones, Sr. — Cross Timothy Jones, Sr. Rick Hubbard
527 lines

Timothy Jones, Sr. described his son's behavior, marriage and separation, contact before the children were reported missing, and his efforts to help investigators.

Procedural
Post-Testimony Evidentiary Proffers and Rulings
24 lines

Highlights

Timothy Jones, Sr. — Directtestimony highlightJones said he contacted police, Intel, and the school after learning the children were missing, and told Investigator Creech that he worried Timmy might have an undiagnosed mental-health problem.

8. Timothy Jones, Sr. — Proffer (Part 2)

Timothy Jones, Sr. gave a defense proffer about family history, but the court kept its limit on social-history testimony to Tim, Jr.’s own life.

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Direct
Timothy Jones, Sr. — Proffer Examination Timothy Jones, Sr. Casey Secor
128 lines

Timothy Jones, Sr. described family history in a defense proffer, but the court kept its earlier limit on pre-Tim, Jr. social-history evidence.

Highlights

Timothy Jones, Sr. — Proffer ExaminationrulingThe court adhered to its earlier ruling limiting social-history testimony to Tim, Jr.'s own life and excluding earlier family history.Timothy Jones, Sr. — Proffer Examination“I don't think that my limiting the testimony of the social history of Tim, Jr.'s life only and excluding anything prior has affected his right to a fair trial, it has been a fair and complete defense.”— Eugene C. Griffith, Jr.The judge explained why he declined to expand the admitted social-history evidence beyond Tim, Jr.'s own life.
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