Murder trials are on docket

While two murder trials are among the cases on the Alleghany Criminal Superior Court docket the week of March 24, those cases will be continued until a later date, according to information from the district attorney's office.

The cases against Lonnie Dale Love and Enrique Hernandez (also known as Enrique Hernandez Soto), originally were listed on the calendar. However, Assistant District Attorney Stacy Adams said Tuesday that both cases will be continued unless plea agreements are reached and accepted by the court.

An earlier plea arrangement between prosecutors and Love through Sparta Attorney Donna Shumate, which would have sentenced him to 180 to 225 months with credit for time served, was denied in August 2007 by Judge A. Moses Massey. Under the agreement, Love would be found guilty of second-degree murder, but after Massey did not accept the arrangement, it was withdrawn.

No prior arrangements with Hernandez have been announced publicly.