By Brian Livingston / staff Writer
A jury of eight women and four men took five hours to reach a guilty verdict in the Linda Griffin capital murder case in Meridian Wednesday only to see Lauderdale County Circuit Court Judge Lester Williamson Jr. overturn their decision.
Williamson’s unexpected decision effectively acquitted Linda Griffin. She was accused of poisoning her 49-year old estranged husband, Frankie Lee Griffin, to death on the night of Jan. 31, 2006. Frankie Lee Griffin was found dead at his home the next morning.
Family members and friends inside the court room were kept in suspense as the jury deliberated for five hours. At 3:35 Wednesday afternoon, the verdict was read and Williamson followed with his ruling.
“The standard of law needed in this case has not been achieved by the state,” said Williamson, after the jury had been allowed to leave the court room. “I cannot follow the verdict of the jury.”
Stunned members of Frankie Lee Griffin’s family, who just minutes earlier had been read the guilty verdict reached by the jury, sat silent while those in support of Linda Griffin hugged each other and muffled cries of joy.
Stunned as well was Lauderdale County Assistant District Attorney Dan Angero, who had argued Linda Griffin poisoned Frankie Lee Griffin by preparing a meal for him laced with anti-freeze and the prescription pain reliever Darvon. Lauderdale County District Attorney, Bilbo Mitchell, said later Wednesday afternoon there was no room for appeal in the case.
“Because it was a decision rendered by Judge Williamson and not a legal mistake in the process of the trial or in the directions to the jury, the state attorney general said we can’t lodge any sort of appeal,” said Mitchell. “We are, understandably stunned by this turn of events but we respect Judge Williamson’s decision and will of course honor it.”
Mitchell added in his 19 years as district attorney, this is only the second time a ruling of this nature has been made in any of his cases.
Linda Griffin’s defense attorney, Stewart Parrish, was obviously pleasantly surprised and relieved after Williamson’s judgment was made.
“It took a great deal of courage on Judge Williamson’s part,” noted Parrish. “But obviously he didn’t think the state had met their burden of proof.”
Parrish said this was a very technical case with a great deal of scientific testimony entered into evidence. The fact Frankie Lee Griffin was poisoned and died as a result of deadly levels of ethyleneglycol, commonly found in anti-freeze, and that traces of Darvon were found during testing was never disputed. But how he was poisoned was.
During the trial that began Monday, testimony was given that Linda Griffin cooked supper for Frankie Lee Griffin on the night of Jan. 31, 2006. Later that night, a co-worker of Frankie Lee Griffin, Billy Madison, testified his friend became ill. The next morning, Frankie Lee Griffin was dead.
“But no one saw Linda Griffin put anti-freeze in his food or give him the pain killer,” said Parrish during closing arguments. “This is a circumstantial case at best.”
Outside the Lauderdale County Court House in Meridian Wednesday afternoon, Linda Griffin cried into a cell phone, “This is God’s work.”
