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In 1987, a murder trial was underway here that was an open and shut case. The young woman was stabbed over 20 times, her throat slashed, her body slammed with a heavy ashtray... and a disturbed young man charged never denied killing her or taking her body 20 miles away to partially bury her on his family's property.
The then DA had an easy case to argue and win. A first-time trial lawyer could have brought home that guilty verdict in that open and shut case. Even any one of us in the newsroom watching the trial could have successfully argued that case in court.
Plus, they had Eddie's testimony. He was the very last person to see the young woman alive in the company of the man who admitted killing her.
Why exactly the then DA, now judge, thought he needed to involve jail house testimony from a fellow prisoner wanting a legal favor in exchange -- and whatever possessed the then DA to hide from the jury the deal he cut with the jailhouse informant -- it's all anyone's goofy guess.
Now all these years later, the then DA's inappropriately illegal trial actions have come full circle to bite the rest of us in the butt. The heinous murderer could be free in less than 120 days if the county cannot successfully prosecute him again. The murderer lost and then won appeals and now seems to be winning his case that he was intoxicated and knew not what he did and robbed the young woman just as an after thought.
Seems that he was not just intoxicated that one dreaded night that he took the young woman's life. Anyone who knew him knew that it was quite common for him to tie up his sister and assault her. He was the sickest of sick pups long before he murdered.
Should he gain his freedom soon, Eddie and others will be in jeopardy. The jailhouse informant is long ago dead. Clearly, incarceration cannot rehabilitate that one from death row.
In an ideal world, the county will successfully prosecute him again with kosher proceedings. But if released, the admitted murderer should reside next door to the judge or the judge's grandchildren, so that the rest of us can be assured that someone will keep a watchful eye on him.
In an ideal world, voters should hold that judge accountable for this and other inappropriate actions that he may have pulled off as a DA. He's not worthy to wear the robe.
jt
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