Who will be the seventh judge for Jalen Vaden trial? Judge Hensley recuses

Judge Joseph Hensley became the fifth judge to recuse from the Jalen Vaden murder case today, increasing the likelihood the case will be heard by a judge from outside of Jasper County.

The case has now had five judges in the past 16 days and three in the past two days.

Vaden, 23, Carl Junction, is charged with second degree murder and felony child abuse in connection with the December 1 death of Jayda Kyle, 3, at the home Vaden shared with the child's mother, Devyn Kyle.

Hensley was the first judge to hear the case, handling the initial arraignment. When Vaden waived a preliminary hearing and was bound over for trial, Hensley remained eligible to be assigned as the trial judge since he had not heard any evidence in the case.


The first judge assigned to the case in the trial division was Dean Dankelson. Vaden's attorney, Tracey Martin, filed a motion asking Dankelson to recuse because of his friendship with the victim's grandfather, attorney Judd McPherson.

When Dankelson overruled the motion, something that does not happen often, Martin used her one automatic change of judge request and the case was assigned to David Mouton, who recused October 1.

Since that time, the case has seen brief intervals with Gayle Crane, John Nicholas, Stephen Carlton and Hensley as judge.

With Hensley's decision, the case has been returned to the presiding judge, Mouton, for assignment. Since it appears that there are no Jasper County judges remaining who are eligible to try the case, it will be sent to the Missouri Supreme Court, which will appoint an out-of-county judge.

With the judge merry-go-round, the date for the trial, originally set to begin in April, has been stricken.