Quinton TellisMONROE, La. — A judge granted the state’s request to delay the long-anticipated bench trial of Quinton Tellis Monday after the sudden death of a key expert witness over the weekend.
Retired Brig. Gen. Paul Rowlett, an intelligence specialist whose testimony prosecutors said was critical to their case, died Saturday in a vehicle crash in Hattiesburg. In court Monday, Assistant District Attorney Holly Jones told 4th Judicial District Judge Larry Jefferson that replacing Rowlett would be difficult because of his unique expertise.
Defense attorney Bob Noelle argued that Rowlett’s particular testimony wasn’t needed, that it was simply adding commentary or opinion to the case. Jones explained that Rowlett’s methods take all manner of electronic and cell phone data and draws a timeline of events that can either confirm or contradict a witness’s testimony or the defendant’s story.
Jefferson approved the continuance, resetting the trial for January 5 in the Ouachita Parish Courthouse. Because one prosecution witness is unavailable until January 30, Jefferson also agreed to hold the record open to allow additional testimony after the January 5 start.
In previous weeks, Jefferson had denied two other requests for continuances by the prosecution based on other criteria, as well as a motion by the prosecution to recuse himself.
Tellis is charged in the death of Meing “Mandy” Hsiao, whose burned body was found in 2015 in Monroe. The case, especially in the wake of the high-profile Jessica Chambers case in north Mississippi in which Tellis was the main suspect, has drawn national attention through years of appeals and the previous trials.
Jones said her office is now working to locate an expert with comparable qualifications to Rowlett and will update the court as efforts continue.
The case will return to court on January 5, when the judge is expected to begin hearing testimony.
