Court adjourned for todayPosted Mar06, 2008 at 03:41 PMAfter hearing from six witnesses today in the capital murder case against William Morva, Circuit Judge Ray Grubbs has adjourned court for the day. Grubbs had told jurors to expect testimony until 5:30 or 6 p.m., but it moved along more quickly than expected and there were no more witnesses at the courthouse, ready to testify. As he let jurors go for the day, Grubbs told them not to get accustomed to the early release. Hospital witnesses testify in Morva casePosted Mar06, 2008 at 02:46 PMJurors have heard from three more witnesses in the case against William Morva. A woman who was a patient at Montgomery Regional Hospital said she saw Morva shoot security guard Derrick McFarland in the face.A physician's assistant and a nurse said they tried hard to save McFarland's life, but their efforts were in vain. Deputy describes being knocked outPosted Mar06, 2008 at 12:42 PMIn dramatic and at times chilling testimony, Montgomery County sheriff's deputy Russell Quesenberry described how he escorted Morva from the jail to Montgomery Regional Hospital and how, after he had been knocked unconscious, Cpl. Eric Sutphin tried to comfort him, telling him everything would be OK. Quesenberry took the witness stand for about an hour before court broke for lunch. On the night of Aug. 19, 2006, inmates informed guards at the Montgomery County Jail that a man was down, he said. It was Morva, who claimed he had hurt himself in a fall. A medic was called from home to examine Morva and determined he should be taken to the hospital. Because he had scrapes on his leg and a knot on his wrist, he wasn't shackled and only one hand was cuffed to a waist chain. Morva defense: 'This is a question of why'Posted Mar06, 2008 at 12:32 PMIn his opening statement, defense attorney Tom Blaylock told jurors to remember that Commonwealth's Attorney Brad Finch's statement was not evidence. "Time will tell what the commonwealth can or cannot prove," he said. "Remember what you promised to do and that's to keep an open mind." A murder case has three major issues, he said: who, how and why. This is not a case about who or how, he said. "This is a case of why. Why did this happen. And during the course of this trial, we will attempt to answer this question." Continue reading "Morva defense: 'This is a question of why'" » Morva prosecutor's opening statementPosted Mar06, 2008 at 12:15 PM Montgomery County Commonwealth's Attorney Brad Finch holds up the gun that he said William Morva took from Montgomery County sheriff's deputy Russell Quesenberry and used to shoot Derrick McFarland and Eric Sutphin, Finch said. William Morva's trial has kicked off with opening statements presented by Montgomery County Commonwealth's Attorney Brad Finch and defense attorney Tom Blaylock. One witness, Montgomery County sheriff's deputy Russell Quesenberry, has testified, taking the stand for about an hour before court broke for lunch. In his opening statement, Finch told jurors that the evidence will show that Morva "violently beat and attacked" Quesenberry, who had transported him to the hospital early the morning of Aug. 20, 2006, after he reported injuries in his jail cell. Morva asked to use a bathroom at Montgomery Regional Hospital, Finch said, and "it was in that bathroom that the defendant began his deadly escape." He beat Quesenberry unconscious, shot unarmed security guard Derrick McFarland in the face from about two feet away and later shot Cpl. Eric Sutphin in the back of the head, Finch said. Judge formally seats Morva juryPosted Mar06, 2008 at 10:32 AMCircuit Judge Ray Grubbs has overruled defense objections to the jury panel and formally seated the nine women and five men -- 12 jurors plus two alternates. Opening statements by prosecutors and defense attorneys come next in the capital murder trial of William Morva. Testimony is expected to last through next week. Jury selected for Morva trialPosted Mar06, 2008 at 09:36 AM William Morva enters Washington County Circuit Court under tight security Wednesday morning. However, Morva's defense attorneys have objected to the seating of the jury, based primarily on objections they made to potential jurors as they were selected for the pool. Circuit Judge Ray Grubbs has not yet ruled on the motion. He is expected to rule after a brief recess. It is expected that Grubbs will rule to seat the jury and opening statements will begin. Jurors arrive at courthousePosted Mar06, 2008 at 08:30 AMIt's the third day in the case against William Morva, and court was expected to begin at 8:45. The 24 potential jurors who were chosen over the last two days are on their way into the courthouse to get started. The first item of business this morning will be to allow the prosecution and the defense each to strike five of the potential jurors. A bailiff carries a list of the potential jurors to the prosecution, who strikes one, then to the defense, who strikes another, and so on until 10 people have been eliminated. Once a jury of 14 - 12 jurors plus two alternates - has been chosen, the two sides are likely to begin with their opening statements. |
.....Advertisement.....
|
...Advertisement...
...Advertisement...
