Tommy Witherspoon
WacoTrib.com
"Ellison has said that Baker cannot get a fair trial without county funds to hire the experts, none of whom will come cheap. Ellison has indicated in a motion that he needs to hire a crime scene reconstruction expert, a toxicologist, a pharmacologist, a pathologist and a psychologist to combat prosecutionwitnesses in those fields.
Stan Schwieger, former president of the McLennan County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, said the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that indigent defendants are 'basically entitled to the basic building blocks of a defense,' including court-approved funds to retain expertwitnesses, if that is what it takes." (read more)
It does stink that the taxpayers of McLennan County will be footing the bill for Matt's experts, but I do see why it is that way. The Judge knows what happens in cases like this. The Judge knows that if you don't give these "constitutional rights" to defendants like Baker, they can and will come back with mistrial and appeal shenanigans. The Judge wants this impending conviction to STICK. So.....we pay.....for justice. Like Tommy says, they do not get an open check. Basic building blocks. Bring 'em on. The truth will shine through.
"More rare, Mark said, isto be asked to assess the mental condition of someone whom he cannot see or talk to, such as in the case of Kari Baker. In 32 years, he has done it twice, he said.
A psychologist appointed for the Baker defense will be asked to assess if she was suicidal by speaking with her husband, friends,co-workers and others and examining any medical or psychological records that may exist, Mark said.
'You do a psychiatric autopsy, if you will,' Mark said. 'There are anumber of things you can do, but I don’t think it would be that precise in any case, looking at it after the fact. You can point to pros and cons, think this is why it may have occurred, look at all the factors involved, like whether there were cyclical bouts of depression. But the bottom line is that you may never really know for sure.'" (read more)
Assess away! Please! Those other than Matt, his mother (who thought suicide wasn't a bad option for Kari) and his ever-dwindling circle of supporters in Kerrville that didn't even know Kari....others actually IN Kari's life that knew her in the past or at the time of her death will clearly attest to her character and attitude and lifestyle. Assess away! It might cost the taxpayers more money because the line of these people will be sooooo long, but go for it. Please and thank you.
