Baldwin, Russell - killed by Gaddis - trial
Source: Covington Friend Wednesday, Jan. 22, 1975
The murder trial of William Gaddis resumed Wednesday after a one-day recess due to the illness of defense attorney E. Kent Moore. Testimony continued in Fountain Circuit court before a packed house of spectators including two busloads of students from Fountain Central school.
Testimony Wednesday morning consisted mainly of going over the death of Crawfordsville Police Lt. Russell Baldwin, whom Gaddis is accused of murdering the night of Aug. 27, 1974.
Gaddis, 31, Indianapolis is also accused of the armed robbery of the Crawfordsville Grab-It store that same night.
Montgomery County Coroner Russell Power, testified that he was present at Culver Hospital the evening of Aug. 27, when the body of Baldwin was brought in. He had already been pronounced dead, and Powers ordered an autopsy, which was performed the following morning at Indianapolis.
The state offered the death certificate into evidence as exhibit 61.
A Crawfordsville funeral director who was called to the scene of the shooting testified that when he arrived, Baldwin’s body was face down on the ground next to his police car. He said Baldwin did show signs of life; however, he could find no pulse or respiration.
Montgomery County Prosecutor Conrad Harvey indicated Wednesday that he would call at least eight more witnesses to testify for the state.
During testimony Monday, witnesses testified that fingerprints said to be those of the accused, along with a notebook belonging to him, were found in the car used to escape pursuing police last Aug. 27.
The car allegedly used by the suspect crashed at the interchange of Interstate 74 and Indiana 32 while being chased by Deputy Sheriff Dean Decker and Police Chief Jack Clements. The two men, with trooper David Blue, were unable to locate the car’s driver after the accident and a manhunt was set in motion that lasted some 20 hours before Gaddis was apprehended near Lizton.
The day after the shooting state police technicians examined the car for fingerprints. A plastic tray found in the car along with papers from the glove box were taken to state police headquarters for examination.
Lt. Robert Shibley testified Monday a thumbprint made by Gaddis was found on the tray. He also said he was able to determine that Gaddis had handled a piece of paper taken from the car.
Moore objected to evidence being entered into testimony from items found in the car, contending they were recovered as the result of unreasonable search. Moore said the car was not checked until the afternoon of the day after the shooting and robbery and there had been sufficient time to secure a search warrant.
Judge Vincent Grogg overruled the objections.
The notebook had several entries in it that Capt. Douglas Buck of the state police said it was his opinion had been written by Gaddis. Buck is a handwriting expert and said he has testified in 641 felony cases since 1957.
The court broke for lunch earlier than expected Wednesday as several witnesses slated to testify had not arrived.
Gaddis is charged in a three-county indictment with first-degree murder, murder while in the commission of a felony and armed robbery. He was indicted by a Montgomery County grand jury in early September after the Aug. 27 killing of Crawfordsville Police Lt. Russell Baldwin and robbery of the Grab-It store there. The case was venued to Fountain Circuit Court at Covington from Montgomery Court earlier.
Montgomery County Prosecuting Attorney had expected to complete the state’s evidence late Tuesday or Wednesday. At the conclusion of the state’s case, Moore may elect to offer evidence for his client. It is not known whether Gaddis will take the stand.
During the examination of witnesses Moore reminded the jurors that if Gaddis did not testify it was not to be held against him, and emphasized that the burden of proof is set on the state and the evidence of guilt must be beyond a reasonable doubt.
During testimony Monday, Lt. Richard Shelton, manager of the Indiana State Police Post at Lafayette, described the manhunt he coordinated the night Baldwin was killed, describing how 90 to 100 policemen combed the area looking for a man who apparently abandoned a car after an accident at the intersection of state road 32 and I-74. He told of finding a shoe in a drainage ditch, which shoe was entered into evidence.
Other items entered into evidence included clothing, money, a billfold, a coin wrapper, handwriting samples, paper documents taken from the car the accused is believed to have been driving.
Montgomery County Prosecutor Conrad Harvey in his opening remarks said the weapon used the night of Aug. 27 has not been recovered. He said Gaddis was taken into custody 20 hours after Baldwin was slain.
The first five witnesses identified Gaddis as the gunman who robbed the Grab-It store, and a Montgomery County mother and two teenage girls told the jury that Gaddis positively was the man they had seen in the 300 block of Lafayette Avenue toward Lt. Baldwin with his hands behind his back.
Two troopers credited with capturing Gaddis on the day after the shooting and robbery said they took $242 and a billfold from him when he was taken into custody. The supermarket manager said $240 was stolen from the store.
A jury of four women and eight men along with two alternates are hearing the case. – thanks so much Sharon