DAY TWO: Des Moines Murder Trial Continues
Technology came into play in the second day of a Des Moines murder trial. Richard Polak is accused of opening fire on a Des Moines home, killing Charles Freeborn.
The day started off very technical in the courtroom. Witnesses included an identification technician, an evidence analyst with the DCI crime lab, and an official with the GPS Company Garmin.
The Garmin official, Jon Price, testified about the GPS unit that police say was found in the defendant’s possession. Prosecutors focused on three times the unit was used. The first two include the unit directly passing the home where the shooting occurred, each time under 15 miles per hour. The third time showed the unit close to that address on 62nd Street the night of the murder of Charles Freeborn.
Details of where the unit traveled over a period of 5 months took nearly all afternoon. But then in the last ten minutes of the day, the state called homeowner Jessica McKellip to the stand.
Prosecutors believe she was the intended victim. They say the shooting was Polak’s revenge for an incident in February of 2011. McKellip told the court that on that day she had planned to buy drugs from Polak at her house. She said it ended with Polak being assaulted, robed and injured.
The defense did not have a chance to cross examine McKellip on Wednesday. She is expected to testify further Thursday.
