BEAUMONT — Kelly Daws will get her day in court — again.

Daws, who was found guilty in March and sentenced to 12 years for criminal conspiracy regarding an attack on her to-be divorced husband, will be granted another trial at a date yet to be specified, according to information Friday from a person with Judge Raquel West’s 252^nd District Court.

The reason, according to both prosecutor Jimmy Hamm and current defense attorney Cory Crenshaw, is that the jury was not given proper instruction on how to weigh testimony of a co-defendant. Her previous attorney at the time was Glen Crocker.

Crenshaw, in a released statement, agreed that the mistakes made at trial were fatal errors and a new trial was warranted.

West agreed and entered an order vacating the conviction and judgment and ordered Daws released on bail pending retrial.

“We are elated that Daws would soon be released from jail, “Crenshaw said. “We are elated that Kelly’s conviction has been thrown out and she will be released from jail. We greatly appreciate D.A. (district attorney) Bob Wortham and his office for promptly reviewing our findings and agreeing a new trial case was warranted. The case against Kelly is tenuous at best and we are confident a new, fair trial will prove her innocence once and for all.”

Daws’ legal team consists of former district attorney and judge Cory Crenshaw of the Crenshaw Law Firm and board certified appellate lawyer Jamie Matuska of the Bernsen Law Firm.

On March 28, Daws was found guilty of conspiring to have her estranged husband Jerry Daws, then a Port Arthur police officer, murdered.

The jury deliberated a little over an hour before returning with a guilty verdict. Daws elected to let the court hand down punishment, which could have ranged from two to 20 years and West sentenced her to 12 years.

The prosecutor in the case was Jimmy Hamm and Glen Crocker represented Daws.

 

The background

The case originated Dec. 22, 2016 when Jerry Daws answered a knock on the door at Willow Lakes Apartments, 2555 95^th St., Port Arthur. An assailant later identified as Joal Riley, then of Woodville, attacked Jerry Daws with what was described as a large hunting knife.

Daws was cut several times on his arms but escaped from his assailant. An affidavit said at the time the suspect told the victim he would have to kill him because he had seen his assailant’s face during the attack.

The victim was treated for his injuries at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Beaumont and remained there for one night.

The affidavit said Daws’ wife, identified as Kelly Daws, had said she was under stress because of her impending divorce and had talked with Riley about getting rid of her husband, according to archive information.

Kelly Daws was originally indicted for first-degree criminal conspiracy and first-degree solicitation. She was later re-indicted for second-degree criminal conspiracy and second-degree criminal solicitation.

In June 2018 Riley was sentenced to seven years in prison in connection with the case.