Ian Clark Guilty Of Murder
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Daniel [email protected]
The verdict came at 11:30 a.m. today.
Clark was on trial in Kosciusko County Circuit Court for the May 25, 2007, murder and beating death of his ex-fiance's daughter, Samantha Muchowicz, 2. Muchowicz died from severe blunt force trauma and suffered many injuries over her slight 2 foot, 11 inches, 27-pound body.[[In-content Ad]]In today's closing arguments, prosecuting attorney R. Steven Hearn displayed a picture of Samantha during his time with the jury and reasserted that Clark was well aware of the acts he committed upon Samantha.
"What happened to Samantha was savage and barbaric," said Hearn. "How could there be enough justice for the ruthless brutalization of a little girl?"
While speaking of Clark, Hearn stated, "His face is nothing more than a mask for a monster."
During defense attorney Bryon J. Berry's closing arguments, Berry launched an extensive oratory extolling the virtues, of among other things, the state of Indiana and the U.S. Constitution. He reiterated that Samantha's death was caused by a serious of falls by a negligent Clark.
Berry asked the jury to find his client guilty of reckless homicide, a class C felony, but that Clark was not a murderer. Berry pointed out that Clark was intoxicated and made no attempt to leave the scene of Samantha's death.
The jury received the case shortly after 10 a.m. today.
In front of a near-capacity courtroom, a confident and often defiant Clark testified in his own defense Thursday.
On Thursday, Berry called just five defense witnesses - including Clark. Clark's testimony was combative both with prosecuting attorney R. Steven Hearn and Berry.
On Thursday, Clark claimed he was drunk at the time of Muchowicz's death, and while on the stand described the week of May 25.
"Monday through Friday was pretty much a blur," said Clark.
Clark described his relationship with Muchowicz as a father-daughter relationship and stated he didn't believe in spanking a child.
Clark is accused, among other things, of throwing Samantha into a bathroom wall. Clark claimed the drywall of his home on Ridinger Lake was worn down and that an ex-roommate, who Clark was later charged with battery on, put a hole in the wall by simply tapping his foot into it.
During direct examination, Clark told Berry he suffered several blackouts while drunk.
"I used to do things when I was drunk. Stupid stuff," said Clark. "I guess I was so drunk one night I looked at (Samantha's mother) and threw a punch at her."
Clark stated he didn't remember the incident and that it had to be brought up to him the next day. Samantha's mother, Matara Teel Muchowicz, claimed that on May 25, Clark was awake at 7 a.m. and didn't appear to be drunk. According to Clark, he had been up all night drinking beer and Schnapps when Matara left for work.
Clark stated he remembers very little from May 25.
He told Berry he remembered going to his car to find a lighter and dropping Samantha several times after they both fell outside. Clark also stated that he fell asleep on the couch and woke up at one point to find Samantha on the floor. He told the jury he picked her up, she exhaled and he put her on his chest and fell back asleep.
As for a bloody diaper brought into evidence earlier in the work, Clark said the diaper was used to clean blood from Samantha's lip.
"She was bleeding a lot," said Clark. "I took her diaper off to put on her bleeding lip."
Clark claims he would have plead guilty to reckless homicide but claimed an agenda by Hearn and the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department caused the murder trial.
"I'm not saying I'm innocent. I'm reckless," said Clark. "You take alcohol out of the equation, and this would never happen."
During his defense, Clark stated, "There's a lot better way to kill somebody".
Things became combative when Clark was cross-examined by Hearn.
"I have heard literally hundreds of stories from the Sheriff's Department put out," said Clark, claiming police lied and mishandled the investigation.
Clark also claimed the prosecutor's officer floated information to newspapers about Clark's possible sexual assault of Samantha. An autopsy concluded the 2-year-old wasn't sexually molested.
During a string of questions by Hearn, Clark became defiant and simply responded to each question by saying, "I don't have an answer for that, Mr. Hearns (sic)."
Toward the end of his questioning of Clark, Hearn showed him a picture of a lifeless Samantha.
"You're a low life," said Clark to the prosecutor.
After that, Clark refused to answer Hearn's questions.
"I'm not going to answer his questions anymore," said Clark to Judge Rex Reed. "You can hold me in contempt or do what you gotta do."
Toward the end of Clark's testimony, Berry, who is an epileptic, suffered an attack and the court was forced to take an extended lunch break. Berry explained his condition to the jury following lunch and apologized for causing any concern.
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The verdict came at 11:30 a.m. today.
Clark was on trial in Kosciusko County Circuit Court for the May 25, 2007, murder and beating death of his ex-fiance's daughter, Samantha Muchowicz, 2. Muchowicz died from severe blunt force trauma and suffered many injuries over her slight 2 foot, 11 inches, 27-pound body.[[In-content Ad]]In today's closing arguments, prosecuting attorney R. Steven Hearn displayed a picture of Samantha during his time with the jury and reasserted that Clark was well aware of the acts he committed upon Samantha.
"What happened to Samantha was savage and barbaric," said Hearn. "How could there be enough justice for the ruthless brutalization of a little girl?"
While speaking of Clark, Hearn stated, "His face is nothing more than a mask for a monster."
During defense attorney Bryon J. Berry's closing arguments, Berry launched an extensive oratory extolling the virtues, of among other things, the state of Indiana and the U.S. Constitution. He reiterated that Samantha's death was caused by a serious of falls by a negligent Clark.
Berry asked the jury to find his client guilty of reckless homicide, a class C felony, but that Clark was not a murderer. Berry pointed out that Clark was intoxicated and made no attempt to leave the scene of Samantha's death.
The jury received the case shortly after 10 a.m. today.
In front of a near-capacity courtroom, a confident and often defiant Clark testified in his own defense Thursday.
On Thursday, Berry called just five defense witnesses - including Clark. Clark's testimony was combative both with prosecuting attorney R. Steven Hearn and Berry.
On Thursday, Clark claimed he was drunk at the time of Muchowicz's death, and while on the stand described the week of May 25.
"Monday through Friday was pretty much a blur," said Clark.
Clark described his relationship with Muchowicz as a father-daughter relationship and stated he didn't believe in spanking a child.
Clark is accused, among other things, of throwing Samantha into a bathroom wall. Clark claimed the drywall of his home on Ridinger Lake was worn down and that an ex-roommate, who Clark was later charged with battery on, put a hole in the wall by simply tapping his foot into it.
During direct examination, Clark told Berry he suffered several blackouts while drunk.
"I used to do things when I was drunk. Stupid stuff," said Clark. "I guess I was so drunk one night I looked at (Samantha's mother) and threw a punch at her."
Clark stated he didn't remember the incident and that it had to be brought up to him the next day. Samantha's mother, Matara Teel Muchowicz, claimed that on May 25, Clark was awake at 7 a.m. and didn't appear to be drunk. According to Clark, he had been up all night drinking beer and Schnapps when Matara left for work.
Clark stated he remembers very little from May 25.
He told Berry he remembered going to his car to find a lighter and dropping Samantha several times after they both fell outside. Clark also stated that he fell asleep on the couch and woke up at one point to find Samantha on the floor. He told the jury he picked her up, she exhaled and he put her on his chest and fell back asleep.
As for a bloody diaper brought into evidence earlier in the work, Clark said the diaper was used to clean blood from Samantha's lip.
"She was bleeding a lot," said Clark. "I took her diaper off to put on her bleeding lip."
Clark claims he would have plead guilty to reckless homicide but claimed an agenda by Hearn and the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department caused the murder trial.
"I'm not saying I'm innocent. I'm reckless," said Clark. "You take alcohol out of the equation, and this would never happen."
During his defense, Clark stated, "There's a lot better way to kill somebody".
Things became combative when Clark was cross-examined by Hearn.
"I have heard literally hundreds of stories from the Sheriff's Department put out," said Clark, claiming police lied and mishandled the investigation.
Clark also claimed the prosecutor's officer floated information to newspapers about Clark's possible sexual assault of Samantha. An autopsy concluded the 2-year-old wasn't sexually molested.
During a string of questions by Hearn, Clark became defiant and simply responded to each question by saying, "I don't have an answer for that, Mr. Hearns (sic)."
Toward the end of his questioning of Clark, Hearn showed him a picture of a lifeless Samantha.
"You're a low life," said Clark to the prosecutor.
After that, Clark refused to answer Hearn's questions.
"I'm not going to answer his questions anymore," said Clark to Judge Rex Reed. "You can hold me in contempt or do what you gotta do."
Toward the end of Clark's testimony, Berry, who is an epileptic, suffered an attack and the court was forced to take an extended lunch break. Berry explained his condition to the jury following lunch and apologized for causing any concern.
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