UPDATE – WEDNESDAY, MAY 7 4:00 AM
The state has rested its case in the first degree murder trial of Lavelle Scott. The defense for the 29 year old Greeneville man charged with the death of his 31 day old daughter will present its case beginning today.
After the state rested around 5:40 Tuesday afternoon, Defense attorney T. Hunter Shelton made a motion for acquittal on all counts which was denied by Judge John Dugger, Jr. Although he had said Monday Lavelle Scott would not testify in his own defense, Shelton confirmed that again in open court with his client before court recessed for the day.
MEDICAL EXAMINER TESTIFIES TO CAUSE OF DEATH
Medical Examiner Dr. Matrina Schmidt testified late Tuesday afternoon that infant Sophia Flora Fields “died by homicide as a result of multiple blunt force injuries”. Her description of the internal and external injuries included graphic autopsy photos of the infant. One of the two women who have been sitting in court with the girls mother throughout the week left in tears as the first photo was shown. The mother, Brandi Fields and another person along side her , cried as the photos were shown to the jury of eleven women and one man. It’s a jury that has appeared, at least to this reporter, very engaged and stoic as they have listened to the testimony this week. However, as might be expected, several jurors were seen wiping tears during and soon after the pictures were shown on the big screen next to them.
Dr. Schmidt, who performed the autopsy on Sophia Flora Fields in 2020, testified of the broken ribs, bite marks and other external and internal injuries.
It’s not relevant to this case but of note, Dr. Schmidt also conducted the autopsy on Evelyn Boswell of Blountville. Her mother Megan is scheduled for sentencing May 22nd in the death of her daughter, also by the way, in 2020.
LAVELLE SCOTT RECANTS EARLIER STATEMENTS IN INTERVIEW WITH TBI SPECIAL AGENT
Earlier in the day the jury watched video of Lavelle Scott admitting to causing injuries that he believed could have led to the death of his daughter.
The interview by TBI Special agent Darby Wood began with Scott initially saying, as he had in earlier interviews, that after his daughter fell from his bed, he tripped coming through the hall of his residence and dropped the girl causing her to strike her head. Scott showed remorse that he believed that could have led to her death.
The video with Wood and Scott over a two day period including her updating him on autopsy results. It was an autopsy that showed 32 fractures to her ribs (later confirmed as 36 by the Medical Examiner). Wood explained to Scott those injuries could not have been caused by her falling from his bed, only something more intentional.
Wood continued to press on the matter as an emotional Scott then began to recant earlier comments. Joined by Detective Sgt. Hobbs and TBI Special Agent Brian Fraley, Scott would later sign a new statement admitting to hitting and punching the girl, even putting a pillow over her in an effort to stop her crying.
Testifying later in the day, Fraley testified the infant died in the hands of her father. Fraley by the way was also involved in the Megan Boswell prosecution.
DEFENSE ATTORNEY QUESTIONS LAW ENFORCEMENT PROCEDURES WITH OTHER SUSPECTS
Defense attorney T. Hunter Shelton spent a lot of his cross examination Tuesday questioning why his client seemed to be the only suspect investigators turned their attention to. That included Diana Scott, the mother of Lavelle, who is documented to have a history of neglect and other such charges. Chris Franklin with DCS would later tell the state there were 17 different cases attached to Diana Scott. Only two of those he said were substantiated. Diana Scott, currently incarcerated, was brought into the courtroom around 5:15. Video of an interview by Police with Diana Scott after the girls death was played to the jurors as evidence. Scott, five years removed from that interview where she was very coherent and engaged with investigators , entered court Tuesday with a jailer, walking almost as if to catch every step, with either nods or short answers to questions from council. Her longest answer was in response to attorney Shelton’s question if she knew the man seated at the defense table as her son when she responded she didn’t even know him since it had been so long since she had seen him.
COURT RECONVENES AT 9 , JURY COULD GET THE CASE LATER IN THE DAY
Court reconvenes at 9 this morning. It’s expected the jury will get the case later in the day.
