MADISONVILLE-With the Jim Miller murder trial scheduled to start in less than a week, Judge Walter Kurtz ruled on four motions presented by the defense.

Jessica Powers Kennedy is charged in the July 2010 murder of Sweetwater businessman Jim Miller, who was found shot and stuck in the trunk of a burning car off Sands Road. Pre-trial hearings have shown Kennedy told many different stories about what happened, including one where she said she pulled the trigger and shot Miller.

Kurtz has already ruled that confession can be heard by the jury, but he did give the defense a couple of breaks.

See full story in the Wednesday, August 8, edition of The Advocate & Democrat.