In a recent trial in Miller County, a commercial truck driver hailing from Doddridge, Ark., named George Jenkins was acquitted of methamphetamine possession charges by a unanimous decision from the jury. The verdict was reached astonishingly quickly, taking just five minutes, as the jurors were convinced that the charges against Jenkins were unfounded.
According to Texarkana attorney Shorty Barrett, Jenkins had steadfastly maintained his innocence ever since his arrest in September 2022. Barrett explained that Jenkins had ventured into Texarkana for a casual evening of pool and drinks at a local establishment. Sensibly acknowledging that he had consumed too much alcohol to drive, Jenkins sought the assistance of a fellow bar patron to safely transport him and his vehicle to a nearby motel where he could spend the night.
At the time of Jenkins’ arrest, his truck was being operated by an individual from Texarkana with a lengthy criminal record. Additionally, a female passenger in the backseat had also been linked to criminal activities, as per Barrett. Law enforcement officers, conducting drug interdiction surveillance at the Oyo Hotel on State Line Ave., intercepted Jenkins’ truck as it entered the Motel 6 parking lot, based on a probable cause affidavit.
The driver, found with a meth pipe in his possession, incriminated Jenkins by claiming that the drugs in the vehicle belonged to him. Subsequently, a baggie containing less than two grams of methamphetamine was discovered in plain sight on the front seat floorboard, leading to Jenkins’ arrest. Though the driver and female passenger were apprehended for outstanding warrants, they were not charged in connection with the methamphetamine.
Upon securing bail, Jenkins underwent a hair follicle test in an effort to refute the allegations of drug use. Barrett emphasized that both the results of this test and the drug screenings conducted over the past three years as part of Jenkins’ employment with a DOT-regulated company corroborated his innocence.
Barrett expressed gratitude to the jurors for their swift and just decision, highlighting the importance of their participation in the judicial process. Julia Goodheart, a member of Jenkins’ jury, affirmed the unanimity among jurors regarding Jenkins’ innocence and commended Barrett’s legal representation, stating her willingness to hire him in the future.
The case was presided over by Circuit Judge Wren Autrey.
