Friday, June 13, 2014

UPDATE::Religious beliefs can be used in manslaughter case, judge rules

I am surprised but yet pleased by this ruling. As I wrote back in April, this judge ruled in favor of a defense request to exclude information about the death of Wenona Rossiter’s brother at trial and also ruled against allowing evidence of prior bad acts regarding a lack of medical care for Syble Rossiter.
A judge ruled last week that religious beliefs and practices can be used as evidence in the manslaughter trials of Travis and Wenona Rossiter, an Albany couple accused of depriving their 12-year-old daughter of life-saving medical care.

“The court cannot find that evidence of a religious motive is more prejudicial in this case than the absence of such evidence,” wrote Judge Daniel Murphy, in his May 20 opinion letter.

He added that if the Rossiters religious beliefs compelled their conduct, than this was a form of motive evidence and relevant.

Murphy called the defense’s tactic of trying to prevent evidence of religious beliefs “unusual.”

Without their religious convictions, the Rossiter’s actions appear “wanton and grossly reckless,” Murphy wrote.
Religious beliefs can be used in manslaughter case, judge rules

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