The trial of a Bossier Parish handyman accused of attempting to kill his employers with a homemade bomb has been postponed. Douglas Holley, 56, was distraught over the death of his horse Charlie and blamed a veterinarian for the death.
Holley is accused of placing pipe bombs under the home of Dr. Robert Hewlett then detonating the explosives in the middle of the night blowing the veterinarian and his wife out of their bed. Holley lived nearby on the Hewletts farm in Benton.
On Monday prior to jury selection it was learned that Holley had filed a handwritten motion alleging that the presiding Judge Parker Self as well as all the other elected Bossier Parish judges are biased against him and that the trial should be moved to another venue. Holley’s attorney was not aware of the pro se filing and did not adopt the motion.
Judge Self ordered that matter be referred to the Louisiana Supreme Court for the appointment of an outside judge to hear Holley’s motion before the matter can proceed to jury trial. The prosecution objected to the delay. A new trial date has not yet been set.
