STORY: "Mistrial denied in David Camm murder trial," by reporter Marissa Alter, published by WLKY on September 18, 2013.
PHOTO CAPTION: "For the second day in a row, David Camm's defense requested a mistrial."
GIST: "Special prosecutor Stan Levco asked in Bevel's opinion, was this crime more consistent with domestic violence or sexual assault. That led to an objection from the defense and the request for a mistrial. Defense attorney Richard Kammen called the question profoundly prejudicial and said it inferred past violence and asked how that bell could possibly be unrung. Levco countered the state's theory is Camm shot his wife -- that in itself is domestic violence. Dartt denied the mistrial motion, but agreed to clarify to the jury that there are no prior allegations against Camm besides the crimes 13 years ago.........The judge hasn't granted Tuesday's mistrial motion, but he also hasn't denied it yet, telling both sides he still needs to do more research. (The motion was made during testimony by blood stain pattern analyst Tom Bevel. HL); Also on the stand Wednesday was a woman Camm asked to clean the Bronco after the murders and a handwriting expert who testified about a scratched out portion of Charles Boney's statement.The state expects to rest Thursday."
The entire story can be found at:
http://www.wlky.com/news/local-news/indiana-news/blood-spatter-expert-takes-stand-in-david-camm-murder-trial/-/9718538/21995036/-/tht9yb/-/index.html
See Gordon Boyd's detailed Wave 3 News report of today's (Wednesday's) testimony: "Camm's team argues that Bevel relied upon poorly-labeled photos and his own, less-than-detailed notes. Specifically, Kammen referred to a single stain on the Bronco's rollbar that has been confirmed to be a drop of Jill Camm's blood.
"It's not part of the main group of stains, that's not what you told the jury," Kammen stated.
"It is farther to the left than I said it was," Bevel replied.
"It's kind of hard to admit you were wrong, isn't it, Kammen asked.
"I believe I'm saying the same thing," Bevel responded.
Bevel also was unable to explain how one photograph shows no blood on the back of the bench seat after Jill Camm's body was removed, yet another photo indicates a collection of blood.
"I don't recall seeing them (amounts of blood)," Bevel said. "I wasn't focused on blood drips, but on spatter."
"You were never asked to examine it," Kammen asked.
"No sir," Bevel replied.
Bevel conceded that he never has detailed his findings in the Camm case in a full formal report, though his firm tells other clients that such reports are standard operating procedure.
"If I had any idea that I would be testifying in court about it, I would have," Bevel told jurors when they pressed the question.
Bevel said he was hired strictly as a second opinion to confirm or debunk other analysts' findings prior Camm's first trial. Subsequently, Bevel has testified in depositions and in Camm's second trial.
Jurors also were curious about other blood stains on Camm's shoe, and why he got no blood on his shorts.
"Again, it depends on the (blood drops) angle of flight," Bevel answered. "The fact that we don't have any (on the shorts) doesn't alter my opinion that that shirt has back spatter.""
The entire story can be found at:
http://www.wave3.com/story/23470624/camm-trial-918-defense-denied-mistrial-but-keeps-hammering-blood-evidence
PUBLISHER'S NOTE:
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