Homicide trial goes to jury
WAUPACA — A jury will begin deliberations today in the first-degree intentional homicide case against a New London man accused of killing his elderly neighbor in 2007.
The prosecution and defense concluded their cases Wednesday in Waupaca County Court in the trial of Chad W. Magol- ski.
The 35-year-old is accused of killing 77-year-old James Park in December of 2007.
Prosecutors say an unemployed Magolski killed Park and stole his money to make a partial payment of rent under threat of eviction from his landlord.
Magolski's attorneys say their client is innocent and was tried based on coincidence supported by flimsy evidence.
Assistant Atty. Gen. David Wambach this week acknowledged the case was built on circumstantial evidence, which included Park's DNA on one of six $ 50 bills handed over to police by the landlord.
One of those bills was given to the landlord by Magolski the same week as Park's stabbing death.
Magolski and Park lived in a house split into three apartments.
During Monday's opening arguments, Wambach highlighted the animosity Magolski held against his downstairs neighbor and comments he made during a gathering on the porch two months before the stabbing death.
"The defendant said, 'someone could kill (Park) and he would lay there and rot and no one would ever find him,'" Wambach said.
Park died a week before he was discovered.
At the October gathering Magolski surmised Park had "a lot of money," Wambach said.
Emily Nolan-Plutchak, one of Magolski's attorneys, noted during opening statements that Magolski's DNA wasn't present on the knife that is thought to have been used in the murder.
Alan Friedman, a DNA expert, was the defense's lone witness on Wednesday and offered about 15 minutes of testimony.
Magolski chose not to testify on his own behalf.
He faces a life prison sentence if convicted.
Read More @ Source Casey Anthony: Murder Trial - Day 17 - 5/31/11 Part 18
Criminal Stories Here
Comments