The West Virginia Supreme Court recently decided further
investigation is needed into Kanawha County Circuit Judge Carrie Webster's docket
after she entered a dismissal order that may have resulted in the release of a
criminal defendant.
In its March 14 administrative order, the court decided
investigation is warranted into procedures in Webster's office and the office
of the circuit clerk.
This comes after a March 12 state Supreme Court document that
announced the administrative director would launch an official inquiry into
Webster's docket.
Jeremy Carter was released last week from South Central
Regional Jail before his attempted kidnapping charge was heard, according to
WOWK reports. He was arrested a second time shortly after the court realized
its mistake.
Carter is accused of trying to kidnap a child near South
Charleston last year.
In a statement, Webster said it was misinterpretation of her
order, directed at a psychiatric evaluation, rather than the kidnapping
charges.
"The Court never intended to dismiss the attempted
kidnapping charge against Mr. Carter," Webster said in her
statement.
Webster says the release should have been confirmed with her
office before officials at South Central Regional Jail released Carter.
"At the very least, there should have been communication
with the Court regarding its intent, particularly since the underlying felony
number WAS NOT contained in the Dismissal Order, and in light of the fact that
the Jail Release Form was executed six days AFTER the Dismissal Order was entered
and filed."
It is not clear, according to Webster's statement what caused
the mistaken release, but she said there is an investigation underway.
"While questions still linger regarding why or how this
inadvertent mistake occurred, it is abundantly clear that the Court DID NOT
enter an order directing dismissal of 12-F-2685 or authorizing Mr. Carter's
release on that charge. It is equally clear that his release resulted from a
document other than the Dismissal Order, and was specifically authorized by someone
other than the underlying judge," Webster said.
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