Another Miscarriage of Justice
Pyne found guilty of 2nd-degree murder in mother’s slaying
By Mike Martindale
The Detroit News
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Pontiac — An Oakland County Circuit Court jury on Tuesday found Highland Township resident Jeffrey Pyne guilty of second-degree murder in the May 27, 2011, slaying of his mentally ill mother.
Pyne, 22, a former Christian high school honor student taking biology classes at the University of Michigan, had been charged with first-degree murder in the violent death of Ruth Pyne, 51.
Jurors had the option of considering the lesser second-degree offense, which can carry any prison term up to life and a chance of parole. A first-degree conviction would have carried mandatory life in prison without parole.
The jury ofeight women and four men heard four weeks of testimony and evidence before beginning deliberations last Friday. Judge Leo Bowmansaid shortly before noon Tuesday that he hadreceived a verdict in thecase.
The victim’s bloody and battered body was found by her 10-year-old daughter and husband inside the garage of the home where they all lived. The charge carries mandatory life in prison without parole.
During the month-long trial, assistant prosecuting attorney John Skrzynski laid out what he described as “very good circumstantial evidence” that pointed to Pyne as the killer. Skrzynski said Pyne was angry over his mother’s behavior and felt trapped in the home due to fear of his sister’s safety and his father’s plans for divorce.
Defense attorney James Champion, who did not call any witnesses on Pyne’s behalf, told jurors there was no direct evidence linking his client to the death. Several supporters, including his father, Bernard Pyne, have sat in on the trial. His father told reporters he does not believe his son killed his wife.
Jeffrey Pyne, who sat stoically during the trial, did not testify — which is his right, Champion reminded jurors.
Champion’s suggestions to the jury that the slaying might be the work of an intruder or stranger were rebuffed by Skryzynski, who noted there were no signs of forced entry to the home, no ransacking, nothing of value missing and no signs of struggle.
Additionally, Skrzynski said, it was only about an hour after Pyne left the house that his mother’s body was found. Pyne was uncooperative with investigators and lied about his whereabouts, Skrzynski said.
Ruth Pyne was killed by multiple blows to the head with an object, believed to be a board and then stabbed numerous times in the neck. Oakland County Medical Examiner Ljubisa Dragovic testified the slaying was a “classic case of overkill” likely by someone who had some association with the victim.
Her blood was also found in the sink, an indication her killer took time to try and clean up, Skrzynski told jurors, something not to be expected of an intruder.
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Filed under: miscarriage of justice Tagged: lack of justice, mi, no evidence, oakland county, shameful
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