By Staff
FIRST COURT APPEARANCE Sgt. Frankie Springer, right, escorts Peggy Sloan Starns from the Lauderdale County Detention Facility to the courthouse Monday afternoon. Photo by Fredie Carmichael/The Meridian Star.
By Suzanne Monk/The Meridian Star
Aug. 7, 2001
Peggy Sloan Starns, indicted for murder in the 1984 death of Angela Schnoor, pleaded not guilty Monday in Lauderdale County Circuit Court.
The arraignment took place in Circuit Judge Robert Bailey's chambers as friends of Starns and Angela Schnoor's parents waited in the courtroom for the hearing to begin.
Lois Garrett has known Starns since childhood, and visited her Friday at the Lauderdale County Detention Facility.
Starns was arrested last week in Baton Rouge, La., after a Lauderdale County grand jury issued an indictment in the 17-year-old case. A team from Mississippi Attorney General Mike Moore's office re-opened the investigation earlier this year at the request of Angela Schnoor's mother, Debbie Boswell.
Boswell was also present to attend the hearing. She was accompanied by Angela Schnoor's father and her former husband, Michael Schnoor, fianc Charles Pepple, daughter Brandi Boswell and Special Assistant Attorney General Bill East.
Starns' trial has been set for Nov. 26.
She is being held at the Lauderdale County Detention Facility on $100,000 bond.
Suzanne Monk is managing editor of The Meridian Star. Call her at 693-1551, ext. 3229, or e-mail her at smonk@themeridianstar.com.