A Danville lawyer has been appointed public administrator for the late Jack Caldwell Sr. and will represent the interests of his estate in a wrongful death lawsuit filed against him by the widow of the man he shot to death.
Attorney Chris Herron was chosen Thursday by Boyle District Judge Jeff Dotson as administrator for Caldwell's estate.
Caldwell did not leave a will and his children did not petition the court to have someone of their choosing appointed administrator, said Vince Pennington, who represents Bonnie Trachsel in the wrongful death claim she filed against Caldwell in Boyle Circuit Court.
Caldwell died Dec. 31, during the middle of his criminal trial for the 2004 shooting death of Jim Trachsel. Caldwell claimed he acted in self-defense when he shot Trachsel, his neighbor, but Caldwell died before the case got to the jury.
Shortly after the shooting Bonnie Trachsel filed the wrongful death action in circuit court seeking monetary damages from Caldwell and children Jack Caldwell Jr., Debbie A. Caldwell, Robert L. Caldwell and John T. Caldwell.
