Search:

EL DORADO, Ark.—Six judges in south Arkansas want to recuse from a case involving a Union County justice of the peace accused of firing an assault rifle at hunters in March.

In a letter to the state’s Administrative Office of the Courts, dated July 1, the judges ask not to hear the case against Jack Reynolds, 55, of El Dorado. He faces seven felony counts of aggravated assault.

The letter was written by Circuit Court Judge Hamilton Singleton, who was assigned the case.

“I, and the other five judges in the 13th Judicial District, have recused in the above captioned case,” Singleton wrote. “The defendant is a member of the Union County Quorum Court and is the chair of the Finance Committee which approves the court budgets in Union County.”

The other five judges are Carol Crafton Anthony, Larry W. Chandler, David F. Guthrie, Edwin A. Keaton and Michael R. Landers.

Court documents filed by prosecutors allege Reynolds confronted hunters John Gregory Booker and Earnest Hampton during a dispute March 12. The men told troopers Reynolds began cursing at them and pulled an AR-15 assault rifle from his truck. The men said Reynolds fired over Hampton’s head, then warned them never to come back. Reynolds remains free after posting a $25,000 cash-only bond. Reynolds also was ordered to surrender all of his firearms.