School Bus Transportation News at STN Media

Trial Set for Alleged Tennessee
School Bus Shooter

DOVER, Tenn. - If Joyce Gregory's family has its way, Jason Clinard will never walk free again.

A grand jury formally indicted the 15-year-old boy on Sept. 26 for the murder of the 42-year-old Stewart County school bus driver and mother of two.

Clinard will go on trial Jan. 30 as an adult following months of legal maneuvering by both sides. The defense had asked that Clinard be tried as a juvenile, citing ongoing family problems. A motion to excuse the charges because prosecutors allowed police to question the boy at the crime scene without legal aid present was also dismissed. Pre-trial motions will be heard beginning Dec. 9.

Only 14 at the time of the March 2 shooting, Clinard refused to enter a plea at the behest of his lawyers. His bail was set at $300,000 and he remained in custody at press time.

Clinard allegedly opened fire on Gregory as she loaded students on the school bus at a stop in front of the boy's house. Twenty-four students ranging in age from kindergarten through 12th grade were onboard at the time.

Prosecutors say, although Tennessee has the death penalty, they will only seek only a sentence of life in prison - either with or without the opportunity for parole - due to Clinard's age. Gregory's family hopes his life is spared but that he spends the rest of his days behind bars.

" As for the death penalty, I know it is not an option but even if it were I do not want him to die. I want him to sit in prison for the rest of his life and think about what he has done to our family," said Sheri Maddox, Gregory's niece. "I do not want him to be able to have a life because my aunt does not have that option, and my cousins, uncle and the rest of my family's lives will never be the same because of what he did."

Maddox added that Joyce Wyatt, Gregory's mother, said she hopes Clinard never makes bail because her grandchildren have been through enough.

"JoJo's kids have been through so much and still are having a very hard time dealing with their mother's death. To see Jason would be a huge slap in the face to Dana and Cody," Maddox said.