A trial date was postponed Tuesday in Todd Circuit Court for 70-year old Carson Moore, the man accused of nearly beating his 67-year old wife to death last summer at their Old Trenton Road home.
Kentucky State Police based much of its case against Carson Moore on blood splatter evidence in the home and the belief that Johnnie Moore’s injuries were not consistent with a fall or multiple falls. Defense attorney Ken Haggard doesn’t believe state troopers or EMT’s in the case are qualified as experts to draw scientific conclusions based on their observations.
Circuit Judge Tyler Gill will have to decide before a potential trial if they can testify as experts, or if they can simply testify as to their observations. Detective Luis Palmer testified that former Detective Scott Smith concluded blood splatter several feet up a wall wouldn’t have happened in a fall.
Haggard says he’ll likely hire his own expert on blood splatter and reiterated that EMT’s have been called to the Moore home on numerous occasions when she fell in the past.
Acting lead prosecutor Justin Crocker said he believes jurors would be able to look at photos of the scene and use common sense to find Carson guilty, but he wants troopers and an EMT to be able to testify regarding their conclusions. Judge Gill set a hearing for February 14 when everyone Crocker wants to be qualified as experts will testify on their observations,conclusions and qualifications.
Johnnie Moore has no memory of the incident that caused her injuries. Carson is charged with first-degree assault and is out on bond awaiting trial.