– By Sally Joughin, People Against Injustice
George Gould’s second Habeas trial began March 19. During the first week, nine members of People Against Injustice joined PAI member Martha Gould (George’s mother) and 3 of George’s siblings at the courthouse in Rockville, CT. Readers probably remember that George and co-defendant Ron Taylor were acquitted in 2010 of a murder for which they had served 16 years of their 80-year sentences. But prosecutors successfully appealed. George was sent back to prison to await Habeas #2. Ron Taylor died of cancer in October 2011.
On Aug. 8, 2011, Superior Court Judge Elliot Solomon had suggested a settlement that would have let Gould and Taylor enter a plea under the Alford doctrine (no admission of guilt) and be sentenced to the 16 years already served. But the state’s attorney’s office wouldn’t consider it; they claim to still believe Gould and Taylor guilty, even though there is no longer any evidence linking them to the murder.
Habeas trial #2 spread out over 4 weeks, during which the two lawyers, Joseph Visone and Peter Tsimbidaros, questioned a parade of witnesses – police officers, gun experts, the banker and paint store owners who knew about the victim’s son embezzling his money, the woman raped by the victim’s son when she was a girl, and the woman who was with the victim when he was murdered. They showed the videotaped testimony of the star witness at the original trial, and heard the audiotape of the woman present during the murder. It was expected that during the 5th and final week the star witness would present to the new judge her recantation and tale of police coercion.
But on the first day of week 5, a big surprise: Attorney Visone, asked to resign from the case! Apparently, anger at his co-counsel and investigator O’Donnell are more important than George’s fate. By the time PAR readers receive this issue, the trial will have resumed and probably finished. The judge will need several months before making his ruling.
People Against Injustice know that George’s legal team have again proved his innocence. But will this judge do the right thing?
