And this comment from the defense attorney in the above article:TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — In the first degree murder trial of Christopher Scholtes, the man who is charged with killing his two year old daughter by leaving her in a hot car, the defense attorney hinted at a rare and dangerous tactic: Scholtes may testify in his own defense
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Scholtes’ defense attorney Marc Adair says he is developing information about other hot car deaths that may mitigate Scholtes’ situation. Adair says he has found only one other case of someone prosecuted for first degree murder when a child died in a hot car.
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The defense attorney says he wants Scholtes to have a psychiatric exam after hearing family reports that Scholtes may have memory problems. He mentioned the psychiatrist he wants to use is an expert in cases of Guilty Except Insane, which under Arizona Law would confine someone to a psychiatric hospital instead of prison.
Dad in hot car death may testify in own defense
Christopher Scholtes, charged with killing his two year old daughter by leaving her in a hot car, the defense attorney hinted at a rare and dangerous tactic: Scholtes may testify in his own defense.www.kgun9.com
Oh boy. More at the link. Wife and kids have been subpoenaed by the state, judge rejected motion by the defense for a continuance so trial is still scheduled for end of October.
Defense attorney still looking for a plea deal: Scholtes rejected a previous one for second degree murder.
Seems like the defense is all over the place. JMO
It may be a first for Arizona but there are cases in Texas and Florida where caregivers were indicted for first degree murder.
Adair better do better with case preparation. There are at least 4 others that have been charged with first degree murder in hot car deaths. JH (who also alleged memory problems) was the most notable, as he was convicted and sentenced to LWOP. He served 10 years before the conviction was overturned.
www.cbsnews.com
www.timesfreepress.com
and used to getting his own way, one way or another.
No money for beer? No problem! He just drinks it in the convenience store restroom (allegedly). Erica doesn’t want it to go to trial? She should’ve thought of that when she left him alone with those little girls. She was aware he was driving under the influence (dui) with the kids in the car. She knew he would speed with the girls in the car >130mph just weeks before Parker’s death. She knew he left the kids in the car alone, for years! DD#1 was 5 or 6 yrs old when he left her in the car while he worked 10 years prior to Parker’s death! How many times did she tell him not to do so?! If my husband had pulled any of those things I wouldn’t tell him twice! After the first time, had he done it again he wouldn’t have had the opportunity to do it a third time. Maybe it was his bad memory that caused him to forget he was told not to leave the girls in the car! Maybe it was the alcohol causing him to be forgetful & not to do those things! I don’t actually care if he was forgetful! If he brought Parker in the house when he got home he wouldn’t have to remember to go get her in 20 minutes or so before the car stopped running! But then he wouldn’t have been free to drink, play video games & watch just like most parents with a toddler in the house!Did the police ever publish a BAC on CS?
Father may have been distracted by PlayStation when toddler died in hot car
A 2-year-old girl died last week after she was left in a vehicle in Arizona. Now, authorities say her father, 37-year-old Christopher Scholtes, may have been playing a video game when his daughter died.www.wlbt.com
I can't find anything. But this article mentions a DUI 15 years ago. I don't give anyone a pass for a DUI. MOO is that people who got a DUI, probably drove drunk many times before finally be charged. In Montana, courts pretty much let it slide several times, but finally they do charge a person with a DUI after several other times they let it go.
TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — In the first degree murder trial of Christopher Scholtes, the man who is charged with killing his two year old daughter by leaving her in a hot car, the defense attorney hinted at a rare and dangerous tactic: Scholtes may testify in his own defense
…
Scholtes’ defense attorney Marc Adair says he is developing information about other hot car deaths that may mitigate Scholtes’ situation. Adair says he has found only one other case of someone prosecuted for first degree murder when a child died in a hot car.
…
The defense attorney says he wants Scholtes to have a psychiatric exam after hearing family reports that Scholtes may have memory problems. He mentioned the psychiatrist he wants to use is an expert in cases of Guilty Except Insane, which under Arizona Law would confine someone to a psychiatric hospital instead of prison.
Dad in hot car death may testify in own defense
Christopher Scholtes, charged with killing his two year old daughter by leaving her in a hot car, the defense attorney hinted at a rare and dangerous tactic: Scholtes may testify in his own defense.
Oh boy. More at the link. Wife and kids have been subpoenaed by the state, judge rejected motion by the defense for a continuance so trial is still scheduled for end of October.
Defense attorney still looking for a plea deal: Scholtes rejected a previous one for second degree murder.
Seems like the defense is all over the place. JMO
They couldn't even get item 1 correct. Parker is listed as "male". And in Item 3d, they list a different name - LS - as the father. That's a different case entirely. Was this report a poorly edited cut and paste job?
He could get off easy with second degree murder in Arizona. It could bring a sentence of 10-25 years.
kwos.com
tucson.com
Oh I would LOVE for him to testify. I would love for him to get up on that stand and let the jury see what he's really like, in its full glory. (You're absolutely right that it's a horrible idea from a defense standpoint. I'm just hoping that he's one of those defendants who gets on the stand, gets cocky and runs his mouth right into his own grave.)
