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Culpeper prosecutor asks court to pay for expert witness to testify in trial of man charged in wreck that killed four Date published: 1/13/2010
BY DONNIE JOHNSTON
Culpeper County Commonwealth's Attorney Gary Close has filed a petition in Circuit Court asking Judge Jack Berry to provide his office with up to $15,000 to pay an expert witness to testify in a traffic accident case that killed four people. Close, who had first tried to get the money from the Board of Supervisors but pulled back that request last week, filed his court petition late Monday. The commonwealth's attorney is seeking funds to hire Dr. William Christopher Winter of Charlottesville to testify in the May trial of Eugene T. Green. Green is charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter stemming from an automobile accident on State Route 3 March 22. Green is accused of driving on the wrong side of the road when he crashed into another car. Killed in the crash were Tianna Jones, Tyler Harlow, Joseph Sahnow and James Cook. In the affidavit filed Monday, Close states that Green had been awake for 20 straight hours when the late night crash occurred and had slept only six or seven hours during the previous 48-hour period. The court document further states that Green told police that he was unsure what lane he was in when he saw the approaching headlights. Close said that Winter, who is a sleep-deprivation expert and has worked with several professional sports teams, would testify as to Green's physical condition at the time of the wreck. The affidavit alleges that Green had driven 165 miles that day and had spent 12 hours moving furniture in Northern Virginia. No date has been set for a hearing on the request. Close has indicated that if he doesn't get the money from the court, he will return to the Board of Supervisors in February. Donnie Johnston:
I don't think it would take any convincing to make a judge or jury understand how tired this guy must've been, much less $15,000 worth of testimony. Furthermore this sleep deprivation expert guy (Captain Obvious) needs a swift kick in the pants and a serious ethics review.
So what if he was tired, so what if he worked so many hours. He killed 4 people by selfishly propelling a large chunk of metal down the road in a condition that he should have been aware was dangerous. How hard would it have been to sleep at anytime, safely off the road for a couple of hours, even twenty minutes. There is nothing that he was doing or going to that was more important thant the safety of those sharing the road. He should get the max. The end.
Why wouldn't this guy come willingly to help these families? YOU Have to be pai to do the right thing? Are you kidding me? What is this world coming to?
but wouldn't causing an accident while sleep deprived still fall under involuntary manslaughter?
ugggh, i'm in the wrong biz
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