Defense rests in Carpenter murder trial

UPDATE: 5:04 p.m.

In contrast to three days of prosecution testimony, Jack Carpenter’s defense testimony didn’t even last for three hours.

David Meyer, Jr.’s girlfriend, Kristen Leach, said that in more than three years with Meyer, she obtained personal protection orders three times to keep him away.

One of those orders was still in effect when Meyer was shot and killed in June 2012.

Defense attorney Karl Numinen said to Leach, “You told the court under oath, ‘I fear for my safety from him’.” “Yes,” Leach answered. “That he threatened to take your mother’s life,” Numinen said. “Yes,” Leach answered again. ” ‘As well as the life of my children and myself’,” Numinen continued. “Yes,” Leach said. Meyer was the father of Leach’s two children.

She testified that in her written application for the last protective order, she wrote that Meyer didn’t care who he hurt or what happened to him.

“One time, he was holding a buck knife in his hand, he says he’s gonna gut himself and you, right?” Numinen asked. “Yes,” Leach replied.

Marquette County Prosecuting Attorney Matt Wiese had Leach reveal during cross-examination that one of the protective orders did not come about by her own choice.

Wiese asked, “The first time you got a protective order, did you want to get a protective order against him?” “No,” Leach said. “My son and I were in the hospital, and I was being released after 11 days. and they were not going to release my son from the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) unless I got a protective order.”

Her mother, Linda Leach, testified that she also obtained two protection orders against Meyer. One of her orders was also in effect when Meyer was killed.

Numinen then called the mother and sister of prosecution witness Justin Saari to testify. Carpenter did not take the stand in his own defense.

Closing arguments and Judge Thomas Solka’s final instructions to the jury will be given on Tuesday morning. The jury is expected to begin deliberation by approximately lunchtime Tuesday.

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The defense has rested in the Jack Carpenter murder trial.

Carpenter is charged with open murder in the shooting death of David Meyer, Jr. last year in the house in Ishpeming that they shared.

The prosecution rested Friday afternoon after three days of testimony. However, the defense’s testimony did not even require three hours. Carpenter did not testify in his own defense.

Closing arguments and the judge’s final instructions to the jury will be presented Tuesday morning, and the jury will likely begin deliberating at approximately noontime on Tuesday.

Mike Hoey has been following the trial, and he’ll have more information tonight on ABC 10 News Now at 5:30.