Updated April 3 at 3:02 p.m.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Defendant Brennan Trass, who is representing himself in his murder trial, continued to call witnesses Wednesday.
Trass is accused of shooting and killing 24-year-old Jose Morales in August of 2015.
Officers make up a majority of his witness list. Trass asked the officers about events that happened around the time of the shooting. Many of his questions covered the same information already heard by the jury.
At one point, Trass asked to show some video while Hutchinson police detective Jessica Kelly was on the stand. The state objected and said the officers should be allowed to watch the video before testifying. Reno County District Judge Trish Rose agreed and denied his request. Trass then told the judge he didn’t know that. “I didn’t choose to be my own attorney, the court decided that,” Trass said. Deputy District Attorney Tom Stanton objected over that being discussed in front of the jury. Judge Rose again agreed with the state and sustained the objection.
Trass is calling police officers to answer additional questions about the collection of evidence.
Wednesday was day eight of the trial.
Updated April 2 at 3:44 p.m.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The state has rested its case in the murder trial for Brennan Trass.
Trass is accused of shooting and killing 24-year-old Jose Morales in August of 2015.
The last witness was KBI Special Agent Corey Latham. He testified about his examination of the home. A reconstruction of the shooting showed where bullets were found in walls and the floor.
Trass, who is representing himself, then gave his opening statement. Trass says he was in fear of his life. He felt threatened by other people in the house. Trass is also questioning the chain of custody for the evidence collected.
He is now recalling certain police officers to answer additional questions about the collection of evidence.
His part of the trial did not start until after 2 p.m. Tuesday. Therefore, the trial will continue into Wednesday.
Updated April 1 at 2:32 p.m.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Testimony continued today in the murder trial for Brennan Trass. He is accused in the shooting death of 24-year-old Jose Morales in August of 2015.
This is day six of the trial. The state is still presenting its case. The state has a collection of evidence from two locations. The state gathered evidence from the home where the murder occurred and the home where Trass lived.
A witness who was also a victim the day of the shooting took the stand Monday afternoon. The female victim — who is going by the initials W.C. — says she was at the Morales home and fell asleep on the couch. She was awakened, heard gunshots and immediately ran from the home. As she left out the front door, she felt a sting on her arm. W.C. looked back and saw Trass in a hallway of the home firing a handgun.
She did admit to using methamphetamine the day before the shooting, but has been clean for two years. She told the court that, because of her addiction, she was convicted of felony theft.
The trial is expected to last through Tuesday.
Updated March 29 at 8:24 p.m.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Testimony continued Friday afternoon in the murder trial for Brennan Trass, who is accused in the shooting death of 24-year-old Jose Morales in August of 2017.
That included testimony from Hutchinson police detective Micheal Collins, who helped collect evidence at the crime scene.
Collins said he found a little bag with a white substance in the victim’s sock at Hutchinson Regional Medical Center. He also found a dozen shell casings at the home where the victim was shot. Collins said he found drugs, drug paraphernalia, and a number of weapons and ammunition.
Later, a former KBI firearms examinations expert Amanda Gibson testified. She tested the bullets that struck the victim and a handgun found in the home where Trass was located after the shooting — they matched.
Friday morning, before jurors came back, the two sides argued the defendant’s motion for a mistrial.
Trass claims he was prejudiced when the state gave the jury a transcript which revealed prior crimes Trass committed. Trass accused Deputy District Attorney Tom Stanton of deliberately leaving those crimes in the transcript. Stanton denied that accusation. Reno County District Judge Trish Rose acknowledged that the state violated her order, but denied the motion for a mistrial. Rose said she didn’t believe the mistake prejudiced Trass.
The case will continue into next week. The state is currently running behind in its case presentation.
Updated March 28 at 2:58 p.m.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — It’s day four in the trial of a man accused of murder in a 2015 shooting.
Brennan Trass is accused of shooting and killing 24-year-old Jose Morales on Aug. 17, 2015.
The state showed two lengthy videos, one with a witness — Bobby Raigoza — who was at the home at the time Morales was shot. The other video was the interrogation of Trass by former Hutchinson police detective Jamie Schoenhoff. During the interrogation, Trass incriminated himself as being the shooter.
The audio from both videos was very poor. The jury was provided transcripts for both.
Friday testimony is expected to include the forensic pathologist who performed the victim’s autopsy.
The state’s side of the case is expected to go into next week. The state is expected to have a full day of witnesses on Monday.
Updated March 27 at 3:02 p.m.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The trial for a man accused of murder in a 2015 shooting incident continued today with the state still focused on what happened the day of the shooting.
Brennan Trass is accused of shooting and killing 24-year-old Jose Morales on Aug. 17, 2015.
Testimony Tuesday morning included Monica Heller, one of the EMTs who first arrived on the scene. She noted that the victim’s breathing was weak as they arrived. Shortly after, there was no pulse. Medical responders began CPR and were on scene for about 21 minutes before they loaded the victim into an ambulance. The victim was transported to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center. Heller told the jury they continued CPR during that entire time, but were never able to get a pulse. Morales was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Death Scene Investigator John Tracy took the stand Tuesday afternoon. He saw the victim’s body at Hutchinson Regional Medical Center and prepared the body for transportation to the Sedgwick County Forensic Science Center for an autopsy.
Former police detective Bryan Rodriguez also testified. Rodriguez was at the autopsy the day after the shooting. The autopsy revealed the bullet hole in the victim’s back was not an exit wound — as was first thought. Both bullets were found inside the victim.
The jury also got to see some of the pictures from the autopsy, including photos of the bullets being found on the victim’s body.
Testimony is expected to continue through the rest of the week.
Updated March 26 at 11:41 a.m.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The trial for a man accused of murder in a 2015 shooting incident is underway in front of Reno County District Judge Trish Rose.
Brennan Trass is accused of shooting 24-year-old Jose Morales to death. Morales’ body was found on the floor in a bedroom of his residence on Aug. 17, 2015.
Hutchinson police Sgt. Eric Buller testified to finding Morales on the floor. Buller said Morales was unresponsive to officers, however, he was alive at that point and making noises with his mouth. Buller said he saw a hole in Morales’ shirt and his chest. The holes appeared to be the result of a gunshot wound. Buller also noted Morales’ left hand appeared to be mangled.
Buller did not have the right medical kit, so he picked the victim up and carried him to the street curb. Officers were having trouble clearing the house and knew EMTs would not enter the building if there was a chance the shooter was still inside.
Trass is representing himself in the case and testimony is expected to continue most, if not all, of the week.
Original story
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Jury selection is underway for a man accused of murder in a 2015 shooting incident.
Brennan Trass is accused of shooting 24-year-old Jose Morales to death. Morales’ body was found on the floor of his residence back on Aug. 17, 2015.
This will be an unusual trial because Trass will represent himself. Reno County District Judge Trish Rose refused to assign a new attorney after Trass went through several and couldn’t get along with any of them.
Over 100 jurors will be considered in the selection process.