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GoogleRichard J. Bascom, 42, was set to stand trial March 27-28, before Presiding Circuit Judge Joe Z. Satterfield. However, according to Stoddard County Prosecuting Attorney Briney Welborn that date has been postponed.
"The defendant filed a motion for continuance based on a trial setting in St. Louis County involving murder in the second degree, armed criminal action and robbery," said Welborn in his criminal court docket. "The motion was sustained at that time."
Bascom's new trial date will be set in a hearing scheduled to be held Wednesday, April 16.
Bascom was arrested December 4, 2006, as part of a round-up in Stoddard County of those selling prescription drugs and for other drug related charges.
Bascom has been charged with two counts of the Class B felony of distribution of a controlled substance (Oxycodone) and the Class A misdemeanor of possession of drug paraphernalia.
According to the probable cause affidavit on file, Bascom distributed 23 Oxycodone pills to a confidential informant near Dudley on Wednesday, Oct. 4.
When the warrant for Bascom's arrest was issued, Poplar Bluff Police Chief Danny Whiteley said he was contacted by Missouri State Highway Patrol Cpl. Chris Graves concerning the warrant.
At that that time, Poplar Bluff Assistant Chief Gary Pride went to verify that Bascom's vehicles were at his law office while Graves was en-route to Poplar Bluff. A short time later, Pride notified Whiteley that Bascom and a female got into a vehicle and left the law office.
Whiteley said that he, Task Force Officer Scott Johnston and Graves, who is also a task force member, found the vehicle eastbound on Pine Street and Broadway in Poplar Bluff. The officers conducted a traffic stop and Bascom pulled over and was arrested without incident.
Bascom was booked at the Poplar Bluff city jail and was later transferred to the Stoddard County Justice Center on $50,000 cash only bond.
At the time of his arrest, Bascom claimed he was innocent of all charges against him.
Sacha Champion may be reached via email at schampion@dailystatesman.com
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Prediction: Will be proven guilty or cop a plea. This is the type of activity law enforcement and our legal system should send a message with.
I would like to clarify that I have never had a law practice in St. Louis, MO, and that I was never charged with selling my prescription medication. I have my main office in Poplar Bluff, MO just like I have had for almost the last twelve years. I was charged with allegedly "giving" my wife's cousin some of my percocet prescription medication. However, the only thing that I ever did wrong and pled guilty to was to having my prescription medication in a container that was not the container that it was prescribed in.
I was framed by my wife's cousin, Jeannie Jones, a/k/a Jeannie Horner, a/k/a Jeannie Courter, the confidential informant. She stole my pills and during a SEMO drug task force sting operation gave them to the police. Her sister Amanda Moore, a/k/a Amanda Brown, a/k/a Amanda Couter, was the other informant on the case. Ironically, both witnesses changed their stories against me only directly after being released from the Stoddard County jail and facing prison time.
I have never sold any of my prescription medication, and I will always fight for justice no matter what. I may face storms like this, but I will not let it keep me from always standing up for what is right wherever and whenever injustice occurs.