TUSCUMBIA, Ala. (WHNT) — A Tuscumbia woman indicted for manslaughter in a 2023 incident pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of criminal negligent homicide.
Court documents show that Emma Snipes, 25 of Tuscumbia, took a plea deal in Colbert County on April 1 for the lesser charge of criminal negligent homicide. Snipes was originally indicted for manslaughter in November 2023. Records show her vehicle crashed into another vehicle driven by Jimmie D. Smallwood while she was under the influence, and Smallwood was killed.
The incident happened on Alabama Highway 20 in Muscle Shoals.
Court records also say a toxicology analysis report was used on her and showed that alcohol, amphetamines and marijuana were in her system at the time of the crash.
While the incident happened in 2023, Snipes was not indicted by a Colbert County judge until nearly a year later on Nov. 8, 2024. She was arrested and booked into the Colbert County Jail on Nov. 12, where she bonded out later that day.
On Nov. 18, 2024, Snipes filed a plea motion of not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect. Because of this motion, Circuit Judge Kyle Brown ordered a pre-trial and/or settlement conference on Jan. 14 and set the trial date for Feb. 10.
After Snipes’ attorneys filed a motion to continue, which was granted, Judge Brown reset the pre-trial and/or settlement conference for April 1.
At the April 1 court date, Snipes changed her plea from not guilty to guilty to the lesser charge. Her sentence was set to 12 months, split to serve 90 days in the Colbert County Jail and the balance suspended for two years’ probation.
Documents show the plea agreement was made with the approval of the victim’s family and daughter, and she is to pay $1,000 in restitution to the family.
As part of this plea agreement, Snipes was to turn herself in to the jail on April 11 at noon to start her 90-day sentence.
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