Defense Motions in Vehic. Homicide Case

Frederick D. Russell, accused of vehicular homicide in a 2001 crash, is scheduled to be tried in Whitman County (the county that includes Pullman) in October. In pretrial motions, his attorney, Franciso Duarte argues that the state violated his rights in destroying blood samples (his blood alcohol tested at .12 percent after the accident) and obtaining his medical records. He also argues for a change of venue because there has been so much publicity about the case in Eastern Washington. Russell alleges state evidence was destroyed, Spokesman Review, June 26, 2007. The trial is so long after the incident because the defendant left the country before his first scheduled trial. He was extradited from Ireland in November (see earlier post).

Duarte, who practices in Bellevue, is a Trial Ad instructor.