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June 20, 2007

Prosecution rests in Richardson murder trial

WARWICK -- The prosecution rested its case in the murder trial of James Richardson, with a medical examiner testifying that Margaret Duffy-Stephenson had 11 stab wounds to her body.

Wounds to Duffy-Stephenson's neck caused her death, according to testimony in Kent County Superior Court by Dorota Latuszynski, a physician in the medical examiner's office. A major vein in Duffy-Stephenson's throat was cut.

Also today, Sharon Mallard, a forensic scientist at the state Department of Health who did DNA work in the case, said that male DNA was found under one of Duffy-Stephenson's fingernails. Richardson could not be excluded as a source of the DNA, while testimony in the case has already said that more than 99 percent of the population could be excluded.

Richardson, of Cranston, according to testimony, was hired in 2000 by Duffy-Stephenson's husband, James O. Stephenson III, through a Cranston-based temporary-employment company, Labor Ready, to work at Stephenson’s company, Picture Perfect Landscaping. Richardson worked for the company, full- or part-time, until 2005, Stephenson said. But beyond his work for the company, Richardson also performed odd jobs for the Stephensons, including tending to their Blackmore Street lawn and painting rooms in the house.

The defense, in its opening statement, has said Richardson had an alibi and family members could account for his presence during the time Duffy-Stephenson died.

The defense can begin calling witnesses tomorrow.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Talia Buford and archival reports

Posted by Mike McKinney  at 6:24 PM | Permalink

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