Rejecting arguments that the defendant accused of killing a television anchorwoman might be mentally disabled, an Arkansas judge has turned down a defense motion to delay the trial for further testing. Pulaski County Judge Chris Piazza removed the last potential delay in the trial of Curtis Lavelle Vance.Vance is accused of the brutal beating death of KATV morning anchor Anne Pressly.
Vance faces the death penalty if he is convicted in his capital murder trial scheduled to begin November 2. He has pleaded not guilty.
During the hearing last week, defense attorneys also asked the judge to redact parts of the statements that Vance made to police after his arrest. Judge Piazza did remove some of the statement, but left most of it intact.
On Oct 20, 2008, police said Vance tricked Pressly into letting him into her home by saying his car broke down. He then assaulted her and beat her to death with a wooden-handle garden tool. She died five days later without regaining consciousness.
See Also:
Judge Won't Delay Trial in TV Anchorwoman Killing
Background:
The Murder of Anchorwoman Ann Pressly
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Discuss The Anne Pressly Case
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