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| FIRST ON WGIL: State Rests on Day One of Sheley Jailhouse Assault Case |
POSTED 4:45pm 9/22/09 The first day of testimony in the assault case filed in Knox County against accused spree killer Nicholas Sheley has already seen the state rest.
The state did so after going through their entire witness list following the first day of testimony, and recessed at 4pm Tuesday. Knox County Circuit Court Judge Stephen Mathers sent jurors home until 9:30 Wednesday morning.
Sheley faces charges including Aggravated Assault, Aggravated Battery, and Criminal Damage to property following an alleged altercation with Knox County Sheriffs Department employees at the jail April 17th.
In addition to hearing from a number of Knox County Sheriffs Deputies who entered a pod Sheley was in, jurors were also played the security camera video from that area. Someone is seen blocking the window outside of Sheley's pod and in another video blocking the security camera inside, which then led, Sergeant Jason Landers testified, to him and a group of deputies entering the pod, and using a Taser on Sheley after he allegdly threw four metal chair legs at the group of deputies, and punched another.
Jurors were shown the chair as evidence, as well as photographs of the injuries at least three of the deputies sustained.
Sheley was, at times, displeased with Public Defender Jim Harrell, at one point before lunch questioning why Sheley wasn't being consulted on questions to ask during cross-examination, and saying in the presence of the jury that there were "15 different inconsistencies" in the testimony of one of the deputies.
A motion Harrell gave asking Judge Stephen Mathers to issued a directed verdict in favor of Sheley was denied. One is usually requested by the defense after the prosecution has presented its case.
Harrell says he will likely subpoena Deputy Roger Underwood to testify after he was not called to the stand by prosecutors.
(Nicholas Sheley. WGIL News File Photo.) |
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| 09 22 09 by Newsroom |
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