Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Ruling on a motion for a speedy trial, Judge Rex Reed Wednesday set a trial date in the murder case against Ralph Freddrick "Fred" Fisher.
Fisher, 47, of Goshen, is accused of the Jan. 15, 2001, shooting death of 48-year-old Kathy Vroman of Milford. Vroman's body was found in a wooded area near Three Rivers, Mich., several days after she was reported missing by her husband. It is believed Vroman was killed inside Country Car Co. of Milford, a business owned by Jason Fisher.
Shortly after the murder, Fisher's son, Jason Fisher, 23, of Millersburg, was charged with causing her death. The younger Fisher was in custody awaiting trial on a murder charge until he was released from the Kosciusko County Jail last week.
The charge remains pending against Jason Fisher, but Reed ruled he should be released from incarceration until his trial because he didn't have his constitutionally guaranteed speedy trial within six months of his arrest.
Ralph Fisher was charged with murder after a statement made by his son implicated Ralph Fisher as the shooter.
Thomas Leatherman, the attorney representing Ralph Fisher, on Feb. 1 made a motion requesting a speedy trial for his client. After a telephone hearing Wednesday, Reed set the trial to begin at 8:30 a.m. March 18. The trial is expected to last five days.
Meanwhile, motions remain pending in the case regarding a request by Leatherman that the matter be dismissed. Leatherman cited a case in his motion based on the "Tharp Rule" and indicates similarities in Fisher's case.
According to court documents, in the state of Indiana v. Tharp, the Court of Appeals ruled "... the State may not subject the defendant to a related charge growing out of the same transaction, incident, events, or set of facts, when those facts had occurred and were known or should have been known to the State and could have been joined with the initial charge. ... Charges based on the same criminal acts or arising out of the same set of facts may not be prosecuted following dismissal of the related offense. ..."
Ralph Fisher was charged on two separate occasions, initially with assisting a criminal and unlawful movement of a body. Those charges were dismissed after a charge of conspiracy to obstruct justice was filed against Ralph Fisher. The latter charge was dismissed after he was charged with murder.
The next hearing in the case is set for 1 p.m. March 11.
