Mistrial In 2003 Homicide
Mistrial In 2003 Homicide
On October 21, 2008, in the Circuit Court for the City of Richmond, Judge C.N. Jenkins declared a mistrial at the end of the first day of what was scheduled to be a three day jury trial of Spencer Peters on the charge of first degree murder. Mr. Peters was represented by Horace F. Hunter of the law firm of Hunter & Lipton, PC in what had been a highly contested, often contentious case involving the 2003 murder of Ambrose Carpenter.
Spencer Peters has always maintained his innocence, but the prosecution, relying mostly on the statements of federal detainees, attempted to link him to the 2003 homicide. In an effort to do this, the prosecution attempted to get in at trial evidence that Mr. Peters was involved in drug dealing. However, because the prosecution conceded that the murder was not drug related, Judge Jenkins ruled the prior week during a pre-trial hearing that no evidence of drug activity would be admissible because it was not the alleged motive for the crime and would therefore be highly prejudicial to the defendant. Judge Jenkins ruled that people generally associate drugs with violence which is often true. But if drug activity is in no way, shape, or form associated with the murder, then any mention of drugs activity would be highly inappropriate.
In spite of this ruling, throughout the first day of trial the prosecution made several references to Spencer Peters’ alleged involvement in drug activity. Finally, Judge Jenkins declared a mistrial and the case has been scheduled for re-trial on February 4, 2009. Horace Hunter reiterated to the Richmond Times Dispatch the he planned to mount a very vigorous defense and present evidence that contradicts the prosecutions’ witnesses and the entire basis of the prosecutions’ case.
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