Testimony begins in homicide trial
Herbert Carl Herrington’s criminal homicide trial began Monday in Fayette County Court. Herrington, 25, is charged with fatally stabbing Charles Edward Cramer during a fight at in Point Marion on Nov. 16, 2001.
Several prosecution witnesses took the stand and testified that Cramer and Herrington were fighting throughout the party, possibly over Herrington’s girlfriend, Melissa Masi.
None of the witnesses, however, were able to say that they saw Herrington stab Cramer.
Raymond Cordwell, who was near the fight where Cramer was fatally wounded, testified that he looked at Cramer and saw the knife sticking out of him.
“He said, ‘They stabbed me,'” testified Cordwell, who also noted that he did not see Masi in the area when Cramer made that statement.
Herrington’s defense attorney Mark F. Morrison said in his opening statement that there is nothing to prove that Herrington stabbed Cramer. He noted that prosecutors said that the knife “was introduced” into the fight.
“It’s semantics,” said Morrison, who told jurors that prosecutors were saying that Herrington did not get the knife himself.
First Administrative Assistant District Attorney John A. Kopas III, meanwhile, asked for a verdict of first- or third-degree murder because the knife was used on a vital part of the body.
“Just because they talked about murder in their opening doesn’t mean there was a murder at all,” said Morrison. “It’s not as simple as the commonwealth has made out.”
He told jurors that he intended to ask for an acquittal at the close of the trial, but noted that homicide also encompasses manslaughter, a lesser charge than murder.
According to court records, Herrington admitted to stabbing Cramer while in police custody. He terminated his interview with police, however, when asked about Masi’s involvement.
Records indicate that Masi told police she brought Herrington the weapon.
Testimony before Judge Steve P. Leskinen is expected to pick up this morning, when Masi takes the stand.