Bloomington, IN— A crammed courtroom heard the closing statements this morning in the barrel murder trial. Emotions were not in absence as the victims’ family members filled half the room, and as the prosecutor and defense attorney delivered their passionate statements.
Jerry E. Pelfree, 52 is being tried for the murder of both Doug Brown and Everett Shaw. Both men were shot to death and their remains dumped into 55-gallon and 35-gallon drums, respectively.
“I kill people,” were the first words of prosecutor, Jeff Kehr’s statement. That statement was uttered by Pelfree to his cellmate when asked what he does when he gets angry.
Kehr also explained that Pelfree had three rules; don’t lie, don’t steal and don’t mess with his family. According to Kehr both victims, Brown and Shaw, violated every one of these rules.
The anger of Pelfree was exemplified by the prosecutor by playing the phone call Pelfree exchanged with his daughter from jail in which he yelled, “If it wasn’t for you I wouldn’t be in this god**** place to start with, b****.”
Evidence possibly pointing to Pelfree’s guilt was then briefly highlighted such as the couch that would have possibly contained the bullets, yet Pelfree burnt it. The testimony’s of the two witnesses that reported helping Pelfree put the victims bodies in barrels.
Kehr stated however, that “the bottom line is you don’t cross Jerry Pelfree. . . If you cross Jerry Pelfree, he kills you and puts you in barrels to rot.”
Defense attorney, Ron Chapman began by explaining this is a “big CSI case” due to the amount of money and expertise spent on the DNA testing and other evidentiary causes. However, the money spent still could not supply sufficient evidence to indict Pelfree, according to Chapman.
Chapman highlighted the lack of DNA found on Pelfree’s carpet in which witnesses explained there was a pool of blood spilled yet only drops could be detected from the testing. And the absence of blood found on the saws that Pelfree apparently used to fit the victims in the barrels.
The lack of thoroughness by the detectives was also highlighted by the defense. The police failed to search the two witnesses property for any evidence, which, Chapman argued, meant the police must have figured Pelfree was the guilty part since the only searched his residence.
Chapman concluded that he knows Jerry Pelfree “looks gruff and sounds gruff” but that is not “a reason to find a man guilty.” He concluded with reminding the jurors that, “This is a decision you’re going to have to live with forever.”
The jurors then dismissed, and currently no verdict has been reached.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Bloomington Man Arrested for Strangulation
Bloomington, IN- Police arrested a Bloomington man February 17 after receiving a domestic disturbance call. Burchill L. Perry, 40 of the 700 block of South Park Road, is being charged with battery, strangulation, confinement, resisting arrest and interference with reporting a crime.
Perry’s son reportedly called the police after Perry and his live-in girlfriend got into a heated argument that turned physical. According to Perry’s girlfriend, the two were discussing discipline tactics of Perry’s son when the discussion became physical.
Perry allegedly pushed his girlfriend onto a bed, straddled her and covered her nose and mouth with his hands. The girlfriend tried to force him off while yelling for Perry’s son to call the police. Perry yelled at his son not to do so and then yelled at him to disconnect the phone.
According to his girlfriend, Perry then put a blanket over her head and wrapped a lamp cord around her neck. The girlfriend reported that she was not able to breathe and began to lose consciousness just as the police arrived.
As the arresting officers approached the residence, they could hear screaming and someone yelling, “Help me.” The officers knocked on the door, and when no one answered they began to force the door open. A young man, Perry’s son, then opened the door for the officers.
The girlfriend reportedly ran out of the residence towards the officers. The officers noted that she was crying, red in the face, had a bloody lip, hoarse voice and redness around the neck. The female then began to hyperventilate and an ambulance was requested.
The officers approached Perry, who kept his hands in his pockets when ordered not to. Perry was eventually taken into custody and booked at the Monroe County jail. He faces felony charges of strangulation, domestic battery, confinement, resisting arrest and interference with reporting a crime.
The case has also been forwarded to Child Protective Services in regards to Perry’s juvenile son that witnessed the alleged crime.
Perry’s son reportedly called the police after Perry and his live-in girlfriend got into a heated argument that turned physical. According to Perry’s girlfriend, the two were discussing discipline tactics of Perry’s son when the discussion became physical.
Perry allegedly pushed his girlfriend onto a bed, straddled her and covered her nose and mouth with his hands. The girlfriend tried to force him off while yelling for Perry’s son to call the police. Perry yelled at his son not to do so and then yelled at him to disconnect the phone.
According to his girlfriend, Perry then put a blanket over her head and wrapped a lamp cord around her neck. The girlfriend reported that she was not able to breathe and began to lose consciousness just as the police arrived.
As the arresting officers approached the residence, they could hear screaming and someone yelling, “Help me.” The officers knocked on the door, and when no one answered they began to force the door open. A young man, Perry’s son, then opened the door for the officers.
The girlfriend reportedly ran out of the residence towards the officers. The officers noted that she was crying, red in the face, had a bloody lip, hoarse voice and redness around the neck. The female then began to hyperventilate and an ambulance was requested.
The officers approached Perry, who kept his hands in his pockets when ordered not to. Perry was eventually taken into custody and booked at the Monroe County jail. He faces felony charges of strangulation, domestic battery, confinement, resisting arrest and interference with reporting a crime.
The case has also been forwarded to Child Protective Services in regards to Perry’s juvenile son that witnessed the alleged crime.
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