Posts Tagged ‘deseret news’

Judge declines to dismiss Martin MacNeill murder case, but will consider disqualifying prosecutors

Posted in The MacNeill Story on March 7th, 2013 by admin – Be the first to comment

By , Deseret News
Published: Tuesday, March 5 2013 5:28 p.m. MST

PROVO — A judge on Tuesday threw out a motion to dismiss the murder case against a Pleasant Grove doctor accused of killing his wife.

But 4th District Judge Samuel McVey will let attorneys for Martin MacNeill, 57, pursue an alternative course in seeking to have the Utah County Attorney’s Office disqualified from prosecuting him.

“I believe the defense should be able to present their case,” the judge said Tuesday, noting that he will ask defense attorneys to give a specific list of issues they want to explore. “I want to make sure this doesn’t turn into a fishing expedition.” read more »

Attorneys for Martin MacNeill want his murder charge thrown out

Posted in The MacNeill Story on January 7th, 2013 by admin – Be the first to comment

By , Deseret News
Published: Monday, Dec. 17 2012 1:20 p.m. MST

ROVO — Attorneys for a Pleasant Grove doctor charged with murdering his wife filed a motion Monday to dismiss the case.

In the motion, attorneys for Martin MacNeill ask for either a dismissal of the charges against their client or the disqualification of the Utah County Attorney’s Office from prosecuting the case. They allege that prosecutors and investigators with the Utah County Attorney’s Office kept them from more than 1,000 pages of information — some of it “explosive” — that they believe points to their client’s innocence.

MacNeill, 56, has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, a first-degree felony, and obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony, in the April 11, 2007, death of his wife, Michele MacNeill, 50. He was ordered to stand trial following a preliminary hearing in October. A five-week trial is scheduled to begin March 5, 2013.

MacNeill’s attorneys argue that the case has been “irreparably compromised” because of evidence they say they asked for and never received, including information about the MacNeills’ son, Damian. read more »

Martin MacNeill’s actions showed ‘evidence of a guilty mind,’ judge says

Posted in The MacNeill Story on October 12th, 2012 by admin – Be the first to comment

Pleasant Grove doctor ordered to stand trial for murder in wife’s 2007 death

By , Deseret News – Published: Thursday, Oct. 11 2012

PROVO — After five full days of testimony and a morning of arguments, a judge declared that much of what Martin MacNeill did surrounding his wife’s death showed “evidence of a guilty mind.”

Although the case is largely circumstantial, the judge said a variety of MacNeill’s unusual actions created valid suspicion, such as the way MacNeill offered an emergency room doctor $10,000 to keep working on his clearly dead wife, and how the description of his wife’s body in the bathtub contradicted nearly everyone else who saw her. read more »

Witnesses describe Martin MacNeill’s ‘odd’ behavior at wife’s death, pillow talk about killing

Posted in The MacNeill Story on October 6th, 2012 by admin – Be the first to comment

By , Deseret News

Published: Thursday, Oct. 4 2012 7:29 p.m. MDT

PROVO — The day his wife died, Martin MacNeill was “different,” “odd” and, according to at least three witnesses, “angry.”

Scott Van Wagoner, who said he knew MacNeill on a professional basis, said MacNeill seemed to be directing his anger at his wife, Michele. But that wasn’t the part of Martin MacNeill’s behavior that day that really struck him.

“The oddest statement, to the point of being bizarre, was he offered me $10,000 to not stop my resuscitation efforts,” Van Wagoner testified in 4th District Court Thursday. “Clearly, this patient came in dead. … It was a pretty odd request.”

Anna Osborne Walthall, a woman who said she had an affair with MacNeill in 2005, testified that they often talked about killing — specifically MacNeill’s history of killing that included his brother and his ability to kill without detection. She described these conversations as “pillow talk.”

Their testimonies were two of seven offered Thursday during the second day of a five-day hearing to decide whether the Pleasant Grove doctor should stand trial for murder in his wife’s 2007 death. Prosecutors believe MacNeill killed his wife by giving her a “dangerous combination” of drugs and drowning her. read more »

Murder hearing: Doctor gave extra meds to Martin MacNeill’s wife at MacNeill’s request

Posted in The MacNeill Story on October 4th, 2012 by admin – Be the first to comment

Witnesses testify of day Michele MacNeill died in her Pleasant Grove home
By , Deseret News
Published: Wednesday, Oct. 3 2012 6:46 p.m. MDT

PROVO — Martin MacNeill was the “stronger” personality, the “dominant” personality, the one who neighbors talked to and the one who commanded conversations with the doctors who worked with his wife, Michele, witnesses testified Wednesday.

He taught Sunday School classes. She wrote on the board for him in her beautiful calligraphy. He answered questions about her medical history for her as she deferred to him. Neighbors who often talked to Martin MacNeill, 56, said they don’t remember doing much more than exchanging casual pleasantries with his wife. read more »

Family members stare down Pleasant Grove doctor charged with murdering wife

Posted in The MacNeill Story on August 28th, 2012 by admin – Be the first to comment

PROVO — What promises to be a prolonged courtroom drama about whether a Pleasant Grove doctor gave his wife a lethal combination of drugs more than five years ago started Monday with an attempt to stare him down.

Martin Joseph MacNeill’s two daughters, sister-in-law and two nieces kept their eyes trained on him and held up pictures of Michele MacNeill from their seats on the second row.

“We’re on your side, but let’s not let it get out of hand, OK?” a 4th District Court bailiff admonished the women before the hearing.

MacNeill, 56, didn’t appear to acknowledge them.

“He saw us. He did,” MacNeill’s daughter Alexis Somers said afterward.

“We want people to remember our mother,” she said. “And we want people to know that she lived and that she deserves justice.”

MacNeill, 56, waived a reading of the murder and obstruction of justice charges against him. Other than quietly conferring with his attorney, MacNeill said nothing in court. Judge Samuel D. McVey scheduled the next hearing for Sept. 4.

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