2nd Circuit overturns district court decision in ongoing capital murder trial
By: Nancy Cook
Updated: October 30, 2012
Late this afternoon, Louisiana's 2nd Circuit appeals again overturned a ruling by the Caddo District Court judge in the First Degree murder trial of Christopher Cope.
Cope is on trial for the first degree Oct. 24, 2010, homicide of Shreveport Police Sgt. Timothy Prunty. If convicted, Cope could face the death penalty.
The defense wanted to introduce a pathologist to refute the testimony of Caddo Parish Coroner Todd Thoma, who testified the victim's injuries were not survivable. That particular witness was not on the defense's witness list, however, and Caddo District Judge Mike Pitman denied the motion.
The defense team then filed a writ with the 2nd Circuit, which overturned Pitman's decision. The appellate judges on the panel that overturned the lower court's decision were Judges Felicia Toney Williams, John Larry Lolley and Fred Sexton.
