IN A SURPRISE MOVE, A SULLIVAN COUNTY JUDGE HAS ORDERED THE MURDER TRIAL OF TWO JOHNSON CITY MEN, BE SEPARATED. 20 YEAR OLD DANNY GREENE AND 24 YEAR OLD JASON AUSTIN ARE CHARGED WITH FIRST DEGREE MURDER IN THE DEATH OF BRIAN RICKER. THE SHOOTING OCCURRED AT THE DAYS INN ON BROWNS MILL ROAD IN JUNE 2005. JUDGE JERRY BECK HAD PREVIOUSLY AGREED TO TRY BOTH MEN AT THE SAME TIME, BUT YESTERDAY CHOSE TO SEVER THE TWO CASES, ORDERING GREENE TO STAND TRIAL NOW AND POSTPONING AUSTIN’S TRIAL UNTIL MARCH 17TH. A JURY HAS BEEN SELECTED AND TESTIMONY WILL GET UNDERWAY THIS MORNING IN WASHINGTON COUNTY TENNESSEE CRIMINAL COURT. AUSTIN AND GREENE REMAIN BEHIND BARS ON A HALF-A-MILLION DOLLARS BOND.