KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A Tennessee judge says a toddler who witnessed her mother's death will not have to testify in her father’s murder trial.
The Knoxville News Sentinel reports Knox County Criminal Court Judge Steve Sword ruled the child would not have to testify about the 2015 death of her mother.
Jury selection was scheduled this week in the trial of the child's father, who is accused of killing his ex-wife and kidnapping their daughter and fleeing to Ohio.
Prosecutors wanted to use tapes of an interview with the then 2-year-old girl as evidence. They said they would need the now 4-year-old girl to introduce the tapes from the witness stand.
Sword listened to the interview and ruled the girl was unable to describe a “coherent historical recitation” of what she saw.
- Posted September 26, 2017
- Tweet This | Share on Facebook
Toddler won't have to testify in father's murder trial
headlines Macomb
- Macomb County judge honored
- Mount Clemens woman pleads no contest to charge stemming from threats sent to Mount Clemens mayor
- MDHHS seeks applications for Rural Health Transformation Program Workforce for Wellness Initiative
- Prosecutor warns of fake jail bond scam targeting families
- Governor welcomes new unemployment protections for survivors of domestic violence
headlines National
- Chemerinsky: Supreme Court leaves many Second Amendment issues unresolved
- ACLU and BigLaw firm use ‘Orange is the New Black’ in hashtag effort to promote NY jail reform
- After emergencies mar bar exam, New York State Bar Association aims to add new procedures
- When you get blasted by your own canon
- Ex-lawyer seeks bar reinstatement after US House primary win
- Trump selects newly confirmed federal judge for open seat on 5th Circuit
