Cathy Russon Reports Live from the Bradley Farrington Trial on Law & Crime Network

TL;DR

The trial of Bradley Farrington, a former police officer charged with the murder of Cassie Marie Farrington, has been declared a mistrial due to the prosecution's failure to disclose autopsy photos to the defense.

Transcript

welcome back to the law and crime Network I'm Stephanie Ellis and I am still with you so glad to be with you this afternoon we were originally supposed to cover the Bradley Farrington case this today it was supposed to start today but we recently learned earlier this morning that um because of some stuff that happened over the weekend a mistrial wa... Read More

Key Insights

• 🥺 Autopsy photos that were not disclosed to the defense have led to a mistrial declaration in the Bradley Farrington case.
• ❓ The cause of Cassie Marie Farrington's death was initially unknown but was later determined to be strangulation.
• 🤨 The state obtained a second opinion on the cause of death without the involvement of the prosecutor, raising questions about the handling of the case.
• 👪 Victims' families often suffer emotional turmoil and delays in finding closure in murder trials.
• 📏 The mistrial highlights the importance of upholding Brady rules and the impact of evidence disclosure on the legal process.
• 💼 Prior issues with evidence disclosure in the case further highlight potential negligence on the prosecution's part.
• 💼 The defense may have valid concerns about the state's handling of the case and the impact on their ability to adequately defend the accused.

Questions & Answers

Q: Why was a mistrial declared in the Bradley Farrington case?

A mistrial was declared because the prosecution did not disclose some of the autopsy photos to the defense, which is a violation of Brady rules requiring the disclosure of evidence.

Q: What was the cause of Cassie Marie Farrington's death?

The initial autopsy could not determine the cause of death, but a second opinion concluded it was strangulation.

Q: Who obtained the second opinion regarding Cassie Marie Farrington's cause of death?

The state obtained the second opinion, but it was not done with the involvement of the prosecutor. The action was taken by a member of the sheriff's department.

Q: How did the defense react to the mistrial declaration?

The defense is likely unhappy with the mistrial, as it is the second time the case has been continued due to issues with evidence disclosure, both of which were the state's fault.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The trial was set to begin with opening statements when the judge declared a mistrial due to the prosecution's failure to disclose autopsy photos to the defense.

• The autopsy initially ruled Cassie Marie Farrington's death as a homicide but could not determine the cause. A second opinion concluded it was strangulation.

• The state obtained the second opinion without the involvement of the prosecutor, leading to an argument over whether the evidence should be admitted.