Jury finds Holden not guilty of capital murder

ORANGE - A capital murder case that took 15 years to work its way to trial has ended in an acquittal, and a KFDM camera captured video of James Edward Holden emerging from jail to the cheers of waiting family and frieneds.

A jury in Orange County deliberated Thursday and Friday before deciding Holden, 42, of Deweyville, was not guilty of capital murder in the kiling of 28-year-old Theresa Foskey of Bridge City.

Foskey was stabbed in the lung and killed in September of 1995.

Her body was dismembered and parts of it surfaced in the Sabine River between Deweyville and Newton.

Prosecutors said evidence linked Holden to the crime but the jury disagreed.

Holden spent a year in jail and is now making plans for the future.

"Are we going to play golf?" Holden asked as he emerged from jail to the cheers of waiting family and friends.

Dozens of friends and family cheered as Jamie Holden walked out of jail a free man.

"It feels good," Holden told KFDM News. "A little sunshine on me. 394 days is a long time. It's time for this to be over."

Holden's parents, brothers, cousins - just about his entire family - sat through the trial.

Everyone lined up to get a hug

Holden's mother got one of the first hugs.

"I'm just so thankful for that jury," said Nancy Sue Holden. "Just so much joy in my heart. I just can't tell you. Our God gave us a miracle today. Finally, finally, finally."

The Holdens say this has been one of the hardest weeks to endure.

"Them knowing I was innocent," said Jamie Holden. "You see these people here. It hurts them just as much as it does me."

They understand this week was just as hard on Theresa Foskey's mother and family.

"I hope God blesses her and gives her the justice and peace that she deserves," said Holden's mother.

But for now, Holden's plans are simple

"Any way, I'm going to be with my wife."

Theresa Foskey's family declined to comment on camera.

One of her cousins told KFDM News she knows justice will be done, but the Foskey family didn't want the wrong man to go to jail.

This afternoon we spoke with the lead prosecutor in the case.

Krispen Walker Choate has no regrets about taking the case to trial and says although she is disappointed, the justice system works.

"We have to leave it up to the system," said Choate. "This jury worked very hard. They worked for two, three days deliberating over this case. So we've got the best system in the world, and sometimes we have to go with that system even though we aren't happy with the results all the time."  

The D.A.'s office wasn't seeking the death penalty. If convicted, Holden would have faced a life sentence.