The trial-of-the-week on In Session is the Rocky Joe Houston murder trial.
I’m watching the cross examination of Rocky Joe’s wife (Nancy Houston). Apparently Rocky Joe was very litigious. The prosecutor keeps asking her “was this suit successful? What about this one?”
None of the suits went anywhere. Nancy keeps saying “No, no, I’m not sure.”
Nancy Houston seems resigned. I half expect her to say,
“Sir, I have no idea. My husband was a paranoid man who thought the government was after him. He gets a speeding ticket and then sues George Bush. What am I supposed to do?! Some men have football, but my husband had law suits. So, no, I wasn’t paying attention to the law suit of the week. Rachael Ray was on okay? Stop asking me!”
“Oh my god that idiot…”
Rocky Joe and his brother Leon are on trial for killing a police deputy and a ride-along. An old fashioned shootout in front of the farmhouse:
Jones, 53, and Brown, a 44-year-old former police officer on disability retirement, died May 11, 2006, in a shootout with Rocky Houston and his older brother Leon in front of the Houston family farmhouse on Barnard Narrows Road south of Kingston. The brothers claim self-defense. (Via Knoxnews)
The original news story was more vivid:
According to the TBI, the deputy and Brown were still in the patrol car in the Houston’s driveway when the two suspects began firing shots into the vehicle with a high-powered rifle. One neighbor claims he heard at least 20 shots fired.
Rocky Joe and Leon were injuried. Rocky was arrested at a hospital, but Leon jumped out of the ambulance and fled through a cemetery. A brief manhunt ensued, shutting down a few schools…
The most dramatic part of the case was the testimony of Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Darinka Mileusnic-Polchan. She described each shot by stabbing an arrow through a mannequin.
It was gruesome. The doctor made it very easy to visualize each bullet entering and ripping through the body. A photo gallery of the trial is here.
High drama. I see why In Session selected this case.
The trial turned out to be, as Professor L would say, “sound and fury signifying nothing.” The jury returned an odd split verdict:
A jury couldn’t agree Friday afternoon after three days of deliberations about Rocky Houston’s guilt or innocence on most of the charges in the men’s deaths.
The split verdict marked the second hung jury in the case. Another jury deadlocked this summer on his brother’s guilt or innocence.
The jury found Rocky Houston not guilty of first-degree murder or facilitation of any other charges in the death of Brown. They couldn’t decide whether Brown’s death amounted to second-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter, reckless homicide or any type of felony murder.
Jurors also couldn’t agree on charges of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, or most other lesser charges in the death of Roane County Deputy Bill Jones, except for facilitation of voluntary manslaughter.
Special Judge James “Buddy” Scott indicated he’d declare a mistrial and said he’ll set a status hearing on the case. (via KnoxNews)
At least In Session has a built-in sequel…
