The District Attorney’s office and the courthouse both closed Wednesday morning. The delays that caused headaches for people with business in the justice system. The Jackson County Circuit Court reopened at one.
Crime scene tape was strung up as a precaution in what police are calling a targeted attack against the Jackson County District Attorney’s office. A bomb exploded in front of the Medford office around 4:30 Wednesday morning.
At this point, District Attorney Beth Heckert said it’s unknown whether the bombing was related to a current case.
“We do get threats,” acknowledged Heckert
“We upset people, get people angry but nothing suggests that this would happen,” she continued.
According to Heckert, no evidence is kept at the office and documents that may have been harmed are backed up electronically.
Meanwhile, all day the District Attorney’s office operated on a skeleton crew.
“Cancelled Grand Jury and court was delayed,” said Heckert.
With court closed until one in the afternoon, it threw a wrench in Magnolia Englehart’s day.
“It’s kind of scary when you see crime scene written across the courthouse. We’re supposed to go take care of issues and you can’t even go in there,” she said.
Her court appointment involved mediation as she tries to resolve parenting issues with her child’s father.
“I’m going to have to wait another week to speak with somebody. Hopefully they’ll call and reschedule […] Now with the holidays I don’t know how likely that will be to get it pretty quick,” said Englehart.
She and others are trying to get their court scheduling issues resolved as police try to resolve their own case of the DA’s office bombing.
The District Attorney’s office was closed all day Wednesday but the plan is to re-open on Thursday.
Heckert said the bombing will have no effect on current cases.
Police Chief Tim George says in many of these types of cases the suspect is trying to disrupt the system.
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