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Published: April 07, 2008 08:08 pm
COUNTY COURT: Letter linked to Matt
Correspondence was sent to family of co-defendant from a Mexican jail
By Rick Pfeiffer/pfeifferr@gnnewspaper.com
Niagara Gazette
A handwriting expert told jurors in the Richard Matt murder trial Monday that a letter sent to the parents of his co-defendant, Lee Bates, from a Mexican jail was written by Matt.
Dennis Ryan, a Rockville Centre forensic documents examiner, told the jury he was scientifically certain that Matt was the author of the letter after comparing that document to known samples of the accused killer’s handwriting.
Ryan said such things as the spacing between letters in words, letter heights and other characteristics tied Matt to the missive.
“All these individual characteristics form the basis for my conclusion,” Ryan said. “The questioned letter was written by Richard Matt.”
Jurors in the case have not yet seen or been told the contents of the letter.
Bates pleaded guilty to second-degree murder as an accomplice in the case in June 1997 and is currently serving a 15 years-to-life sentence in state prison. He has already testified against Matt.
Testimony in the case resumed on Monday, after a one week break. Matt, 41, faces four counts of second-degree murder, two counts of first-degree robbery and three counts of first-degree kidnapping in connection with the attempted robbery, kidnapping and dismemberment murder of North Tonawanda businessman William Rickerson in December 1997
The jury, which once consisted of 12 members and four alternatives was thinned again on Thursday. An alternate juror had a death in his family and was excused.
A selected juror was previously excused because of a death in his family.
The trial was delayed for most of the morning Monday, while Niagara County Court Judge Sara Sheldon Sperrazza, the special prosecutors in the case and Matt’s defense team questioned individual jurors about the contents of front page story in the Niagara Gazette. The story focused on the extraordinary security precautions being used to transport Matt to the Niagara County courthouse every day and guard him while he’s there.
All of the jurors told the judge that they either were not subscribing to the paper for the duration of the trial or had not read it. Jurors are instructed on a daily basis not to read, listen or watch news media coverage of the case.
The trial will continue later today with testimony from Matt’s ex-fiancee.
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