Page 4 - Pool Cue News Today

Informed, yes. >> reporter: the defense even questioned the detectives account of checking out adkins car door. >> is there anywhere in that report where you state, "i went out to the car, i inspected the car, i sat in the car, i opened door?" is that anywhere in report? >> no, its not. >> reporter: just as questionable, said the defense, was the prosecutions possible murder weapon, that now long lost pool cue. they argued there was nothing linking it to any crime. >> you sent them off to have t...

>> reporter: adkins defense attorney neil mcelroy couldnt agree more. >> my first instinct when i got the case was, "its a 1982 case, there mustve been a dna hit. something has been discovered, some dna match." and of course, there was nothing. >> reporter: a point he emphasized in his opening argument at russell adkins trial. >> law enforcement lost or destroyed several pieces of evidence. >> reporter: neil mcelroy and his partner, ronnie wingate, drilled into the prosecution witnesses, challen...

Them test the material that was found on the stick, and you became aware it was not blood, negative for blood? >> negative for blood. >> negative for hair. >> yes. >> reporter: and there was nothing linking the pool cue to russell adkins either. zip. >> you cant tell this jury that that pool cue came from russ adkins vehicle on september 5th of 1982, can you? >> no sir, i can not. >> reporter: whats more, it wasnt just that there was no evidence linking russell adkins to the murder. the defense ...

Is gone, is that correct? >> thats what ive been informed, yes. >> reporter: the defense even questioned the detectives account of checking out adkins car door. >> is there anywhere in that report where you state, "i went out to the car, i inspected the car, i sat in the car, i opened door?" is that anywhere in report? >> no, its not. >> reporter: just as questionable, said the defense, was the prosecutions possible murder weapon, that now long lost pool cue. they argued there was nothing linkin...

And the funny thing about that is that a end of a pool cue was found where you said you kind of went to look for a phone. >> for you to say that there was a pool cue down there that -- no, i aint going for that. no, i didnt do that. she fell out of my car. >> do you know that, in fact, was the pool cue that he carried >> we cant say 100%, but circumstantial evidence and coincidence is he goes down to that location, turns around, and, in a field, nearby, a pool cue just happens to show up. >> rep...

With everything the coroner had to say. >> dr. barnetts opinion was that these fractures that you see in this photo were caused by three different impacts. do you agree with that opinion? >> no. >> what conclusion can you draw about how these fractures and these injuries were used >> one impact on a very hard, flat surface. thats my opinion. >> reporter: dr. spitz said the science showed russell adkins had been telling the truth. dana had hit her head on the road after falling out of a car. and ...

And immediately dropped her to the ground and as shes laying on the ground, struck her at least two more times. and fractured her skull. >> reporter: and the prosecution had a possible murder weapon they wanted the jury to hear about. they called a former patrol officer to the stand. two days after danas body was found, hed stumbled on something a few feet from the place where adkins said hed turned his car around. >> i found the back side, the back end, whatever, of a pool cue and it appeared t...

>> what conclusion can you draw about how these fractures and these injuries were caused? >> one impact on a very hard, flat surface. thats my opinion. >> reporter: dr. spitz said the science showed russell adkins had been telling the truth. dana had hit her head on the road after falling out of a car. and the original autopsy, which identified three small abrasions on her elbows and shoulder, proved that. >> the abrasions were significant to him, that abrasions to the elbows and the shoulder ar...

Questioned the detectives account of checking out adkins car door. >> is there anywhere in that report where you state, "i went out to the car, i inspected the car, i sat in the car, i opened door?" is that anywhere in report? >> no, its not. >> reporter: just as questionable, said the defense, was the prosecutions possible murder weapon, that now long lost pool cue. they argued there was nothing linking it to any crime. >> you sent them off to have them test the material that was found on the s...

>> reporter: a point he emphasized in his opening argument at russell adkins trial. >> law enforcement lost or destroyed several pieces of evidence. >> reporter: neil mcelroy and his partner, ronnie wingate, drilled into the prosecution witnesses, challenging their 30-year-old memories. >> but you didnt remember where it was found? >> no, i couldnt tell you the exact spot. >> i dont remember. i mean it was 30-some years ago. >> reporter: as for the original detective, bob bratton? the defense go...