TheeBadOne
Member
A jury composed of eight women and four men began hearing testimony in Dearborn Circuit Court, Lawrenceburg, Monday, Oct. 13, in the murder trial of Tommy R. Pruitt, 40, the Morgan County man charged with the fatal shooting of a Morgan County deputy sheriff.
In his opening statement, Morgan County Prosecutor Steve Sonnega, said the state will attempt to take the jury on “a journey to justice†much “in the manner in which you put a jigsaw puzzle together.â€
Sonnega also made a comparison between slain deputy Sgt. Daniel Starnes and Pruitt.
He described Starnes as a giver, a man “who had made a commitment to serving others besides himself.â€
He said Pruitt was “a taker who shot Starnes before he had a chance to defend himself,†and who didn’t want go to jail for burglarizing a Bloomington sporting goods store a few days earlier.
Sonnega said Starnes “was shot five times at close range with a stolen weapon before he had a chance to defend himself, and that he “was enforcing the law†during the exchange of gunfire on Thursday, June 14, 2001.
The shooting occurred after Starnes spotted Pruitt on a rural road about an eighth of a mile from the deputy’s home, said Sonnega.
Starnes turned around and was behind Pruitt when he pulled off to the side of the road. The deputy obtained Pruitt’s license and registration and called them in.
Another officer, at the sheriff’s department, notified Starnes by radio that Pruitt might be in possession of stolen guns and he should search the vehicle.
Pruitt, the prosecutor said, was listening to the radio conversation by a police scanner in his vehicle. When Starnes approached Pruitt’s car again, Pruitt opened the door and started shooting.
The prosecutor said Starnes’ youngest son, Ryan, 19, a jail officer, was unarmed and riding with his father when the shooting occurred.
Pruitt fired one shot at Ryan Starnes through the cruiser’s windshield, but missed, said Sonnega.
Starnes was able to wound Pruitt seven times. Then, the younger Starnes popped open the trunk of the sheriff’s cruiser obtained a shotgun and held Pruitt at bay for five minutes until help arrived.
Sonnega said the state may present testimony from up to 40 witnesses.
Doug Garner, Lawrenceburg attorney representing Pruitt, said Pruitt shot Starnes five times in the exchange that occurred between the two men.
He said the defense will focus on three questions: “How did this happen? Why did it happen? And why did deputy Starnes die?â€
In an interview with reporters following the morning session, defense attorney William Van Der Pol Jr., said after Starnes’ condition began to deteriorate, Methodist Hospital surgeons conducted a third surgery of the wounded officer, and at that time uncovered a previously unknown hole in his esophagus.
The defense contends that a medical error led to Starnes’ death, said Van Der Pol.
Defense attorneys hope to use that argument to help save Pruitt from the death penalty.
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=10328247&BRD=2075&PAG=461&dept_id=386538&rfi=6
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Am I reading this right? Is this POS claiming that he's not responsible for the death of the Officer, that it's the fault of the Medical personal for not saving his life after he shot him full of holes?!
:banghead:
In his opening statement, Morgan County Prosecutor Steve Sonnega, said the state will attempt to take the jury on “a journey to justice†much “in the manner in which you put a jigsaw puzzle together.â€
Sonnega also made a comparison between slain deputy Sgt. Daniel Starnes and Pruitt.
He described Starnes as a giver, a man “who had made a commitment to serving others besides himself.â€
He said Pruitt was “a taker who shot Starnes before he had a chance to defend himself,†and who didn’t want go to jail for burglarizing a Bloomington sporting goods store a few days earlier.
Sonnega said Starnes “was shot five times at close range with a stolen weapon before he had a chance to defend himself, and that he “was enforcing the law†during the exchange of gunfire on Thursday, June 14, 2001.
The shooting occurred after Starnes spotted Pruitt on a rural road about an eighth of a mile from the deputy’s home, said Sonnega.
Starnes turned around and was behind Pruitt when he pulled off to the side of the road. The deputy obtained Pruitt’s license and registration and called them in.
Another officer, at the sheriff’s department, notified Starnes by radio that Pruitt might be in possession of stolen guns and he should search the vehicle.
Pruitt, the prosecutor said, was listening to the radio conversation by a police scanner in his vehicle. When Starnes approached Pruitt’s car again, Pruitt opened the door and started shooting.
The prosecutor said Starnes’ youngest son, Ryan, 19, a jail officer, was unarmed and riding with his father when the shooting occurred.
Pruitt fired one shot at Ryan Starnes through the cruiser’s windshield, but missed, said Sonnega.
Starnes was able to wound Pruitt seven times. Then, the younger Starnes popped open the trunk of the sheriff’s cruiser obtained a shotgun and held Pruitt at bay for five minutes until help arrived.
Sonnega said the state may present testimony from up to 40 witnesses.
Doug Garner, Lawrenceburg attorney representing Pruitt, said Pruitt shot Starnes five times in the exchange that occurred between the two men.
He said the defense will focus on three questions: “How did this happen? Why did it happen? And why did deputy Starnes die?â€
In an interview with reporters following the morning session, defense attorney William Van Der Pol Jr., said after Starnes’ condition began to deteriorate, Methodist Hospital surgeons conducted a third surgery of the wounded officer, and at that time uncovered a previously unknown hole in his esophagus.
The defense contends that a medical error led to Starnes’ death, said Van Der Pol.
Defense attorneys hope to use that argument to help save Pruitt from the death penalty.
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=10328247&BRD=2075&PAG=461&dept_id=386538&rfi=6
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Am I reading this right? Is this POS claiming that he's not responsible for the death of the Officer, that it's the fault of the Medical personal for not saving his life after he shot him full of holes?!
:banghead: