Hearing held in death penalty case
A woman accused of murdering a young mother in September as part of an elaborate plan to steal her newborn was in Catoosa County Superior Court Friday afternoon, April 24, as her new attorneys addressed the future of the case and pending trial.
Thirty-seven-year-old Catherine Joann Goins of Hixson, Tenn., has been in jail for 213 days after being brought back to Catoosa County on Sept. 24 and denied bond on charges of felony murder, malice murder, aggravated assault, tampering with evidence, and possession of a firearm during commission of or attempt to commit a crime.
The arrest came four days after detectives concluded she lured 30-year-old Natalia Roberts and her children to a friend’s house in Catoosa County and then shot and killed her on Friday, Sept. 19.
Goins was initially being represented by Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit chief public defender David Dunn. But the case was turned over to the Georgia Capital Defenders Office in January after district attorney Herbert E. “Buzz” Franklin filed to seek the death penalty.
The case falls under the Georgia’s statue of crimes punishable by the death penalty, which is defined as “murder with aggravating circumstances; kidnapping with bodily injury or ransom when the victim dies; aircraft
hijacking; and treason.”
Goins is now moving forward with Jerilyn Bell as her attorney, along with co-counsel Crystal Bice.
Friday’s initial unified appeal hearing presided over by judge Ralph Van Pelt Jr., featured Goins’ attorneys, Franklin, and assistant district attorneys Alan Norton and Chris Arnt.
The hearing was brief, with Van Pelt discussing the checklist of items the defense could motion for in future hearings such as manner of arrest, gag orders, surpassing evidence, and public shackling during future hearings and trial.
Bell stated it would be the preference of the defense to sort through and resolve all discovery motions in the beginning as the scheduling moves forward.
She also told the court that the defense team has filed 14 motions in the case. The court subsequently agreed that those motions would all be heard at an arraignment hearing on Tuesday, May 26.
“We have no problem with that,” Franklin responded.
After a brief meeting with Goins, Bell informed the court that Goins would continue to invoke her right to silence.
Bell also stated that she would not be seeking a bond hearing in the future.
Several family members of Natalia Roberts attended the hearing, and some were understandably visibly emotional.
Goins’ next court appearance will be May 26 at 10 a.m.