Police Testify At Hearing In Maddox Murder Case
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Shawn Hogendorf-
Ruth Anne, who was 45 when she died, worked for the Times-Union from April 1, 1987, to July 8, 2003. During her tenure at the Times-Union, she covered lifestyles and general assignments, as well as police and courts under the bylines of Ruth Anne Lipka and Ruth Anne Long.
During a contested omnibus hearing for Charles Anthony "Tony" Maddox Jr. Thursday - who is charged with second-degree murder - Scott County Judge Jerome Abrams set a timeline for prosecuting and defense attorneys to argue in writing whether the initial search warrant in the case was valid.
Defense attorney Fred Bruno argued that there was no probable cause for the initial warrant, which led to the discovery of Ruth Anne's body and the arrest of Tony Maddox. Prosecutors and police contended that evidence collected in the hours preceding her body being found substantiated was cause for the warrant to be issued.
The judge requested that transcripts of Thursday's hearing be given to attorneys, who will write briefs and submit them to the court before any ruling on the defense's request for suppression of evidence and questioning probable cause for the initial search warrant.
Attorneys for Tony Maddox will have two weeks after the transcripts are received to write a brief restating the issues in litigation, and then the prosecution will have two weeks after that to reply before the judge takes the testimony under advisement.
During the contested omnibus hearing:
n Abrams ordered Tony Maddox to relinquish his passport due to new information from a jailhouse witness and the fact that he posted a $1 million bail bond and was released from jail May 8. As a condition of his release, he is forbidden to leave Minnesota.
n When Prior Lake Police Detective Chris Olson took the stand Thursday morning, Bruno questioned Olson about the order of how things were handled with regard to the initial search warrant, at which time police found Ruth Anne's body and arrested Tony Maddox, and the Miranda rights were read to Tony Maddox.
Olson testified that he applied for the initial search warrant at about 2 a.m. Nov. 12 and returned to the Prior Lake Police Department at about 2:30 a.m. with a signed search warrant from Scott County Judge Diane Hanson. Olson testified that Sgt. Greg Zollner handed a copy of the warrant to Tony Maddox and police were allowed to enter the home, where Tony Maddox gave an admission statement that was played in court Thursday.
n Abrams said statutes allow the defense access to the financial records of Ruth Anne, limited to six months prior to her death and 30 days after her death. The defense indicated that the estranged couple was going through a divorce and all of Tony Maddox's funds were deposited in his wife's financial accounts. Abrams also stated the defense has the right to any evidence collected by police during the investigation.
n Abrams also stated that the defense must provide a specific reason as to how the body of Ruth Anne would have helped the defense's arguments if the defense had access prior to cremation. The defense had suggested that their independent forensics experts should have had an opportunity to examine the body before its release for cremation.
n Abrams also granted the defense the opportunity to access the Scott County Jail to speak with a jailhouse witness who provided a transcript with information to the Scott County Attorney's Office. Bruno asked for permission to speak with and interview the witness. Abrams stated he would allow the defense the opportunity to access the jail, but could not court order the witness to speak with the defense counsel.
n Prior Lake Police Officer Darcy White testified about the order of events leading up to the discovery of Ruth Anne's body in the garage and Tony Maddox's subsequent arrest.[[In-content Ad]]
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Ruth Anne, who was 45 when she died, worked for the Times-Union from April 1, 1987, to July 8, 2003. During her tenure at the Times-Union, she covered lifestyles and general assignments, as well as police and courts under the bylines of Ruth Anne Lipka and Ruth Anne Long.
During a contested omnibus hearing for Charles Anthony "Tony" Maddox Jr. Thursday - who is charged with second-degree murder - Scott County Judge Jerome Abrams set a timeline for prosecuting and defense attorneys to argue in writing whether the initial search warrant in the case was valid.
Defense attorney Fred Bruno argued that there was no probable cause for the initial warrant, which led to the discovery of Ruth Anne's body and the arrest of Tony Maddox. Prosecutors and police contended that evidence collected in the hours preceding her body being found substantiated was cause for the warrant to be issued.
The judge requested that transcripts of Thursday's hearing be given to attorneys, who will write briefs and submit them to the court before any ruling on the defense's request for suppression of evidence and questioning probable cause for the initial search warrant.
Attorneys for Tony Maddox will have two weeks after the transcripts are received to write a brief restating the issues in litigation, and then the prosecution will have two weeks after that to reply before the judge takes the testimony under advisement.
During the contested omnibus hearing:
n Abrams ordered Tony Maddox to relinquish his passport due to new information from a jailhouse witness and the fact that he posted a $1 million bail bond and was released from jail May 8. As a condition of his release, he is forbidden to leave Minnesota.
n When Prior Lake Police Detective Chris Olson took the stand Thursday morning, Bruno questioned Olson about the order of how things were handled with regard to the initial search warrant, at which time police found Ruth Anne's body and arrested Tony Maddox, and the Miranda rights were read to Tony Maddox.
Olson testified that he applied for the initial search warrant at about 2 a.m. Nov. 12 and returned to the Prior Lake Police Department at about 2:30 a.m. with a signed search warrant from Scott County Judge Diane Hanson. Olson testified that Sgt. Greg Zollner handed a copy of the warrant to Tony Maddox and police were allowed to enter the home, where Tony Maddox gave an admission statement that was played in court Thursday.
n Abrams said statutes allow the defense access to the financial records of Ruth Anne, limited to six months prior to her death and 30 days after her death. The defense indicated that the estranged couple was going through a divorce and all of Tony Maddox's funds were deposited in his wife's financial accounts. Abrams also stated the defense has the right to any evidence collected by police during the investigation.
n Abrams also stated that the defense must provide a specific reason as to how the body of Ruth Anne would have helped the defense's arguments if the defense had access prior to cremation. The defense had suggested that their independent forensics experts should have had an opportunity to examine the body before its release for cremation.
n Abrams also granted the defense the opportunity to access the Scott County Jail to speak with a jailhouse witness who provided a transcript with information to the Scott County Attorney's Office. Bruno asked for permission to speak with and interview the witness. Abrams stated he would allow the defense the opportunity to access the jail, but could not court order the witness to speak with the defense counsel.
n Prior Lake Police Officer Darcy White testified about the order of events leading up to the discovery of Ruth Anne's body in the garage and Tony Maddox's subsequent arrest.[[In-content Ad]]
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