Judge Winston Kidd held a bond hearing today in Hinds County Circuit Court on a motion to deny bail filed by the Hinds County District Attorney against Charles Louis Kuebler. A Hinds County grand jury indicted the twenty-six year old Mr. Kuebler on September 28, 2010 for the crime of Deliberate Design Murder in the death of Tamra Stuckey on June 30, 2010. A Jackson municipal court judge had set his bond at $100,000 when first arrested. Judge Kidd revoked his bond on October 18 and decreed he would settle the matter of bond for Mr. Kuebler today.
Scott Rogillio represented the state while local criminal defense master Tom Royals appeared on behalf of the defendant. The state called Jackson Police Homicide Detective Maurice Kendrick to the stand. The seven-year veteran is the investigating officer for the case. He testified he arrived at the scene between 2:00 and 3:00 AM after other police officers were already present. He testified Mr. Kuebler was "yelling and screaming". He went inside the Morningside apartment and found Ms. Stuckey lying on the couch with a gunshot wound to the head.
Mr. Kendrick then testified on the results of the investigation. Mr. Kuebler had residue caused by the discharge of a firearm on his right hand. The state crime lab conducted a "drop test" on the gun. The gun did not fire when dropped and the detective stated "the only way to discharge is to pull the trigger." Mr. Kendrick also stated the gunshot wound showed the shot was straightforward and firearm could not have been fired from an upward or downward angle. He said there were "a large amount of beer cans" as well as traces of marijuana and cocaine. Mr. Kendrick testified the defendant was "intoxicated" although he admitted there was no BAC test taken at the time. Sadly, the detective further testified the toxicology results on the deceased showed she had drugs in her system.
Mr. Royals then went on the attack as he asked the detective if he was "passing judgment on him for yelling and screaming" in reference to some of the racial slurs Mr. Kuebler directed at the police. Mr. Kendrick repeatedly said he does not "pass judgment" on such comments, as befitting someone his experience and training. Mr. Royals finally gave up with this line of questioning and moved on to his next line of attack.
Mr. Royals then postulated through his questions Mr. Kuebler killed her by accident and claimed Mr. Kuebler reported shooting to his neighbors, asked for help as well as for someone to call an ambulance, made no attempt to escape or destroy evidence, and the gun was dropped. The exchanges between the attorney and police officer revealed several statements made by Kuebler that horrific night: "I think it was an accident", Me and Tammy had been fooling around and the gun went off, and "no, I think you have the whole story". Mr. Royals repeatedly argued the defendant never actually said he dropped the gun. They sparred further over the actual statements before Mr. Royals closed by arguing there were no witnesses, no confession, and it was a circumstantial case. The noted attorney claimed Mr. Keubler was "hysterical" and didn't act like someone who committed "premeditated murder."
The prosecutor responded in a manner worthy of Voltaire by stating "people lie, circumstances don't" and the defendant did indeed tell one of the neighbors it fell to the ground. At this point testimony revealed a text message was sent by Ms. Stuckey to a friend between 1:30 and 1:50 AM stating "wake up, I need your help". Friends of Ms. Stuckey told this correspondent it actually said "wake up, save my life".
Mr. Royals then called Laura Kuebler, the mother of the defendant, to the stand. Several friends and family of the defendant were in attendance. She testified he had been in the Common Bond Treatment Center. The prosecutor got her to admit her son had alternated between school and various jobs since he graduated from high school but never actually got a degree, not even one of the Associate's variety.
The two sides made their closing arguments with Mr. Rogillio stating "this man killed that young lady". Charles Louis Kuebler sat impassively through the entire ordeal, staring straight ahead as he appeared to be in a fog. Mr. Kidd ruled he would decide the matter this afternoon but a few minutes ago, sources said he had taken the motion under advisement and would decide in his own time.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Judge Kidd yet to rule on bond for Kuebler
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8 comments:
Thank you so much for your update.
They did toxicology tests on the victim, but not on Louie? Is that normal? I see it says no BAC test was performed but I don't see anything about tox tests on the defendant. Certainly he had coke and god knows what else in his system at the time "the gun dropped". But it would seem to me that in the absence of evidence of a test of what's in the defendant's system that Royals could argue the drugs found were all the victim's. Which is bullshit. Am I reading that right Kingfish?
Also, can you find any court records that Louie was arrested for two separate DUIs in the week prior to the murder? I do believe the first was reported, but I have heard anecdotally that there was a second as well.
Finally, and this is speculation open to any comments, but would you agree that Royals is posturing for an endgame that would be probably be a guilty plea to involuntary manslaughter? I mean, there's no way this thing is actually going to go to trial. A guy with a questionable (to be nice) past, who shoots a poor girl in the head, claims the gun dropped, and then bashes out the window of the police cruiser screaming "Ni**er" at the cops. Though Royals might be able to get the cop screaming part suppressed or excluded in limine, I don't see how he stands a chance at trial. And that text message from the victim -- if it actually said "wake up, save my life" -- WOW. That's incredibly powerful.
Appears to be a quasi-George Bell defense shaping up. Royals end game is to keep him off Death Row. Unless JPD has majorly fucked up, again, don't see how this could get watered down to manslaughter.
6:55 - I don't think the death penalty is an issue at all. He isn't charged with capital murder...
Have heard that reduction of charge to manslaughter is the goal. I sure hope the young woman has someone speaking for her. I wondered why a blood alcohol was not taken also...does the accused have to consent to it??
i honestly thought before louie killed anyone else, he would kill himself, doing us all a favor, instead, he took the life of an innocent girl. louie has always been irrational and though he is very intelligent, he says some very ignorant things....i'm happy he fled, because i couldn't stand knowing he was out. louie was arrested for sure in the week or so prior to the murder of Tammy, he handed the officer his debit card instead of his license and almost killed two friends of mine driving under the influence and would not let them drive. i believe this is not on his record, this is what he said to me and people i know. so. there.
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