Constatação atrasada da gravação de
uma testemunha num caso de assassinato
há 9 anos atrás.
BY JAY STAPLETON, DA EQUIPE DO DAYTONA BEACH NEWS-JOURNAL
07 de janeiro de 2012 12:30 AM
Postado em: Crime - East Volusia
Tagged: Stephen Workman
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DAYTONA BEACH - A gravação de áudio de uma entrevista com uma testemunha em uma investigação de assassinato ficou esquecida, em uma caixa, no Gabinete do Procurador do Estado há mais de quatro anos.
A gravação dos detetives, disse o promotor esta semana, não foi listado como prova no caso de assassinato de segundo grau pendentes contra Stephen Workman, 39 anos, que é acusado de matar Jason Gucwa durante um assalto em 21 de março de 2003.
Em vez disso, a declaração registrada de Joseph Coupas, só foi listada até agora como prova no caso do Estado contra Kristopher Martin, 31 anos, de Holly Hill, que é acusado de ajudar Workman a se livrar do corpo de Gucwa.
A novidade revelada no tribunal esta semana, a declaração feita por Coupas em 16 de julho de 2005, está sendo considerada um elemento importante no caso pendente contra Workman e digno de nova revisão, disse o advogado de defesa de Workman, David Glasser.
"Muita coisa depende do que o Sr. Coupas tem a dizer", disse Glasser.
Na declaração, de acordo com os registros do tribunal, Coupas, 39 anos, afirma que Martin assumiu o crédito do assassinato, dizendo que ele matou Gucwa, 32 anos.
"Isso vai totalmente contra a declaração de Martin à polícia", disse Glasser
ao juiz Michael R. Hutcheson no tribunal. "É impedimento, é defesa, é importante."
Glasser espera poder questionar Coupas sobre o que Martin lhe disse. De acordo com registros do tribunal, Coupas está cumprindo pena em Pinellas County para um caso não relacionado de prescrição de medicamentos.
Ele está preso previamente na Cadeia do Condado de Volusia Branch, segundo registros.
Martin, que também tem um longo histórico criminal, em 2007, não contestou a acusação de assassinato em primeiro grau logo após o fato. Ele está aguardando ainda uma sentença de até 15 anos de prisão. No ano passado, Martin foi acusado de tráfico de oxicodona.
A nova testemunha, Coupas, também foi preso sob acusações relacionadas com a droga, segundo mostram os registros.
No tribunal, o promotor Ed Davis descontou o que Coupas disse à polícia. "Ele é um cabeça de vento, você não pode acreditar no que ele diz", disse ao juiz.
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O corpo de Gucwa foi encontrado às 10:25 da manhã do dia 25 de março de 2003, flutuando em um canal de drenagem ao longo da Old king’s Road em Flagler County. Os investigadores disseram que recuperaram fita gaffers no local, e determinou que Gucwa morreu de "porretadas na cabeça."
Seu carro foi encontrado cerca de
Na investigação que se seguiu, a polícia foi levada para a casa de Workman na Avenida Vermont, em Daytona Beach.
No nº 436 em Vermont, a polícia recuperou o mesmo tipo de fita adesiva presa a uma parede. A casa havia sido pintada, segundo a polícia, e várias áreas do piso reparadas com massa de vidraceiro.
Martin disse à polícia que Workman o chamou à sua casa na manhã em que Gucwa foi morto.
Martin disse aos detetives que Workman tinha o instruído a "trazer um par de sapatos velhos." De acordo com relatórios da polícia, Martin disse que, enquanto estava na casa, ouviu um único tiro. Ele descreveu que ajudou Workman a se livrar do corpo.
Desde o início, Workman negou qualquer participação no assassinato. Martin, que ainda não foi condenado por seu papel, manteve-se como testemunha à disposição do estado.
Workman foi preso em uma produtora de filmes onde trabalhou no Brasil em 2005 e, finalmente, extraditado para os EUA.
De acordo com registros do tribunal, parte do acordo de extradição pede que Workman só pode ser condenado a um máximo de 30 anos de prisão.
Ele é casado com uma brasileira e têm um filho de 7 anos de idade, segundo mostram os registros.
O caso foi definido para ir a julgamento ainda este mês, mas Glasser pediu mais tempo para explorar as informações esquecidas fornecidas pela longa entrevista com Coupas.
O procurador Davis insistiu que a entrevista não foi impedida de Glasser intencionalmente. "Foi involuntário", disse ele. O juiz concordou e não encontrou que o Estado violou uma regra de descoberta.
Davis sugeriu que a entrevista com Coupas é contradita por outros e que as outras provas e testemunhos implicam Workman. "Sentimos que esta questão (Coupas) é relativamente menor," disse Davis ao juiz.
Primeiramente, o Ministério Público opôs-se a uma continuação. Mas depois da audiência, foi dado a Glasser mais tempo para ir sobre as evidências e interrogar mais testemunhas, segundo mostram os registros.
O julgamento está previsto para ser realizado em março.
Link da matéria original:
http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/local/east-volusia/2012/01/07/finding-of-witness-recording-delays-9-year-old-murder-case.html
Texto da Matéria Original em Inglês do Daytona Beach News Journal:
Finding of witness recording delays 9-year-old murder case
BY JAY STAPLETON, STAFF WRITER
January 7, 2012 12:30 AM
Posted in: Crime - East Volusia
Tagged: Stephen Workman
DAYTONA BEACH -- The audio recording of an interview with a witness in a murder investigation sat in a box at the State Attorney's Office for more than four years.
The detectives' recording, a prosecutor said this week, was not listed as evidence in the pending second-degree murder case against Stephen Workman, 39, who is accused of killing Jason Gucwa during a robbery on March 21, 2003.
Instead, the recorded statement by Joseph Coupas was listed as evidence in the state's case against Kristopher Martin, 31, of Holly Hill, who is accused of helping Workman dump Gucwa's body
Until now.
In a new development revealed in court this week, the July 16, 2005, statement by Coupas is now being considered an important element in the pending Workman case and worthy of further review, Workman's defense lawyer David Glasser said.
"A lot of this depends on what Mr. Coupas has to say," Glasser said.
In the statement, according to court records, Coupas, 39, claims Martin took credit for the murder, saying he killed Gucwa, 32.
"This goes completely against Mr. Martin's statement (to police)," Glasser told Circuit Judge R. Michael Hutcheson in court. "It's impeachment, it's exculpatory, it's important."
Glasser is hoping to question Coupas about what Martin told him. According to court records, Coupas is serving time in Pinellas County for an unrelated prescription drug case.
He had previously been locked up at the Volusia County Branch Jail, records show.
Martin, who also has a lengthy criminal record, in 2007 pleaded no contest to accessory to first-degree murder after the fact. He is still awaiting sentencing on that charge, which carries up to 15 years in prison. Last year, Martin was charged with trafficking oxycodone.
The new witness, Coupas, also has been arrested on drug-related charges, records show.
In court, prosecutor Ed Davis discounted what Coupas said to police. "He's a pillhead, you can't believe what he says," he told the judge.
Gucwa's body was found at 10:25 a.m. March 25, 2003, floating in a drainage canal along Old King's Road in Flagler County. Investigators said they recovered gaffers tape at the scene, and determined that Gucwa died of "blunt force trauma to the head."
His car was found about 20 miles away, outside the former Pink Pony, a strip club on North Ridgewood Avenue in Daytona Beach.
In the ensuing investigation, police were led to Workman's home on Vermont Avenue in Daytona Beach.
At 436 Vermont, police recovered the same type of tape stuck to a wall. The home had been painted, police said, and several areas of the floor repaired with putty.
Martin told police that Workman called him to the house the morning Gucwa was killed.
Martin told detectives Workman had instructed him to "bring a pair of old shoes." According to police reports, Martin said while in the home, he heard a single gunshot. He described helping Workman dispose of the body.
From the beginning, Workman denied any role in the killing. Martin, who has not yet been sentenced for his role, has remained a willing witness for the state.
Workman was arrested at a movie production company where he worked in Brazil in 2005 and eventually extradited to the U.S.
According to court records, part of the extradition agreement called for Workman to face a maximum of 30 years in prison.
He is married to a Brazilian woman and they have a 7-year-old son, records show
The case was set to go to trial later this month but Glasser asked for more time to explore the information provided by the long forgotten interview with Coupas.
Prosecutor Davis insisted the interview was not kept from Glasser intentionally. "It was inadvertant," he said. The judge agreed and did not find the state violated a rule of discovery.
Davis suggested the interview with Coupas is contradicted by others and that the evidence and other witness testimony implicates Workman. "We feel this (Coupas) issue is fairly minor," Davis told the judge.
At first, the prosecutors objected to a continuance. But after the hearing, Glasser was given more time to go over the evidence and question more witnesses, records show.
The trial is expected to be held in March.
Link:
http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/local/east-volusia/2012/01/07/finding-of-witness-recording-delays-9-year-old-murder-case.html
Texto da Matéria Original em Inglês do Daytona Beach News Journal:
Finding of witness recording delays 9-year-old murder case
BY JAY STAPLETON, STAFF WRITER
January 7, 2012 12:30 AM
Posted in: Crime - East Volusia
Tagged: Stephen Workman
DAYTONA BEACH -- The audio recording of an interview with a witness in a murder investigation sat in a box at the State Attorney's Office for more than four years.
The detectives' recording, a prosecutor said this week, was not listed as evidence in the pending second-degree murder case against Stephen Workman, 39, who is accused of killing Jason Gucwa during a robbery on March 21, 2003.
Instead, the recorded statement by Joseph Coupas was listed as evidence in the state's case against Kristopher Martin, 31, of Holly Hill, who is accused of helping Workman dump Gucwa's body
Until now.
In a new development revealed in court this week, the July 16, 2005, statement by Coupas is now being considered an important element in the pending Workman case and worthy of further review, Workman's defense lawyer David Glasser said.
"A lot of this depends on what Mr. Coupas has to say," Glasser said.
In the statement, according to court records, Coupas, 39, claims Martin took credit for the murder, saying he killed Gucwa, 32.
"This goes completely against Mr. Martin's statement (to police)," Glasser told Circuit Judge R. Michael Hutcheson in court. "It's impeachment, it's exculpatory, it's important."
Glasser is hoping to question Coupas about what Martin told him. According to court records, Coupas is serving time in Pinellas County for an unrelated prescription drug case.
He had previously been locked up at the Volusia County Branch Jail, records show.
Martin, who also has a lengthy criminal record, in 2007 pleaded no contest to accessory to first-degree murder after the fact. He is still awaiting sentencing on that charge, which carries up to 15 years in prison. Last year, Martin was charged with trafficking oxycodone.
The new witness, Coupas, also has been arrested on drug-related charges, records show.
In court, prosecutor Ed Davis discounted what Coupas said to police. "He's a pillhead, you can't believe what he says," he told the judge.
Gucwa's body was found at 10:25 a.m. March 25, 2003, floating in a drainage canal along Old King's Road in Flagler County. Investigators said they recovered gaffers tape at the scene, and determined that Gucwa died of "blunt force trauma to the head."
His car was found about 20 miles away, outside the former Pink Pony, a strip club on North Ridgewood Avenue in Daytona Beach.
In the ensuing investigation, police were led to Workman's home on Vermont Avenue in Daytona Beach.
At 436 Vermont, police recovered the same type of tape stuck to a wall. The home had been painted, police said, and several areas of the floor repaired with putty.
Martin told police that Workman called him to the house the morning Gucwa was killed.
Martin told detectives Workman had instructed him to "bring a pair of old shoes." According to police reports, Martin said while in the home, he heard a single gunshot. He described helping Workman dispose of the body.
From the beginning, Workman denied any role in the killing. Martin, who has not yet been sentenced for his role, has remained a willing witness for the state.
Workman was arrested at a movie production company where he worked in Brazil in 2005 and eventually extradited to the U.S.
According to court records, part of the extradition agreement called for Workman to face a maximum of 30 years in prison.
He is married to a Brazilian woman and they have a 7-year-old son, records show
The case was set to go to trial later this month but Glasser asked for more time to explore the information provided by the long forgotten interview with Coupas.
Prosecutor Davis insisted the interview was not kept from Glasser intentionally. "It was inadvertant," he said. The judge agreed and did not find the state violated a rule of discovery.
Davis suggested the interview with Coupas is contradicted by others and that the evidence and other witness testimony implicates Workman. "We feel this (Coupas) issue is fairly minor," Davis told the judge.
At first, the prosecutors objected to a continuance. But after the hearing, Glasser was given more time to go over the evidence and question more witnesses, records show.
The trial is expected to be held in March.
Link:
http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/local/east-volusia/2012/01/07/finding-of-witness-recording-delays-9-year-old-murder-case.html