Day Three of witness testimony in the trial of a Mulberry Grove man charged with murder in the September 2017 death of a rural Brownstown man again revolved around witnesses called by the state as they make their way through a lengthy witness list. Fayette County State’s Attorney Josh Morrison continued to lay out his case against 71-year old David Leroy Bright for the September 17, 2017 murder of James Skinner of rural Brownstown. The first state witness of the day was Illinois State Police Crime Scene Investigator Bridget Howard who testified about processing a white van owned by Bright and in the possession of Melissa Watkins on September 21, 2017. Howard testified about a red blood-like substances found in different places in the van as well as on clothing found in the van as well. The state next called ISP Crime Scene Sergeant Dewayne Morris to the stand. Morris is a Senior Blood Stain Pattern Analyst and testified about processing the crime scene at the Skinner residence in rural Brownstown. Morris testified about how blood spatter and cast off matched the cause of death of blunt force trauma that was discovered as a result of an autopsy of Skinner. Morris also testified about his discovery of the murder weapon, a sledgehammer, that was found in grass and brush outside of the Skinner residence that had visible blood and hair remnants on the head of the hammer.
Following the mid-day lunch break, the state recalled ISP Special Agent Andrew Smith to the stand before playing a nearly 2-hour long interview to the jury that Smith and ISP Agent Scott Rhodes had conducted with Bright on September 21, 2017 at the Greenville Police Department. During the interview Bright was questioned about and discussed with the ISP agents the fact that he had bought a new phone in the days after the murder of Skinner and was pressed when he could not remember the phone number of the previous phone he owned which was used to make 12 phone calls to Skinner on the morning of his death. In the interview, Bright said he did not recall making that many calls to Skinner that day. During cross examination of Smith, Public Defender William Starnes repeatedly questioned Smith as to why he withheld information from Bright as the agents were interviewing to which Smith said they were trying to get the truth from Bright. Starnes also repeatedly questioned Smith about telling Bright several times about how Watkins was being interviewed in another room by other ISP officers, creating what Starnes referred to as a tactic called “prisoner dilemma.”
After the lengthy recall testimony of Smith, SA Morrison called Watkins to the stand. Watkins testified that Bright contacted her on the morning on September 17, 2017 telling her they should go to the city that day before showing up with a large amount of cash. Bright informed Watkins he had gotten the cash from a cousin but Watkins also had previously stated during testimony that Bright was supposed to be borrowing $20 from Skinner. Watkins and Bright went to the Florissant, Missouri area where they shopped and Watkins said Bright got a new phone and shoes and also paid for things she bought for her son. Watkins also testified that Bright uncharacteristically cried on the trip to St. Louis and when she questioned him about the money he had, told her “the less you know the better.” When questioned, Watkins also confirmed that she was in possession of Bright’s van on September 21, 2017 and did give officers consent to search the van. Prior to cross examination by the defense, PD Starnes said there would need to be some setup of technology to be used during his cross examination and Judge Kimberly Koester and the attorneys decided that was a good breaking point for the day and the trial was put on recess until Friday morning at 9am at which time Watkins will retake the stand to continue her testimony.
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