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Jury Selection Begins in Boat Crash Trial

September 10, 2008 - PORTLAND -- Jury selection will continue this morning in the manslaughter trial of Robert LaPointe, with the possibility remaining that the trial will be moved out of Portland.

LaPointe, 39, of Medway, Mass., faces manslaughter and other charges stemming from a boat crash that killed two people on Long Lake in Harrison on Aug. 11, 2007.

District Attorney Stephanie Anderson said about half of the 100 or so potential jurors were screened on Monday, and many were weeded out.

"People have gone in and said they have an opinion" about LaPointe's innocence or guilt, Anderson said. Such opinions make them ineligible to serve on the jury. But Anderson remained optimistic about the painstaking process.

"We are hopeful that we are going to get the 15 jurors out of this group," Anderson said.

Justice Robert Crowley needs 12 jurors and three alternates to hear the case in Cumberland County Superior Court.

If he finds enough jurors who he believes can be impartial, he'll keep the trial in Portland, with opening statements to be delivered as early as this afternoon.

But if too many people in the jury pool are disqualified, Crowley could approve the motion by LaPointe's lawyers to change venues. Crowley would then have to consult with other court officials to arrange a new trial date in another county.

"Asking individual jurors" about their knowledge and opinions of the case, Crowley said, "will be sufficient protection for the defendant."

Earlier on Monday, LaPointe's lead defense lawyer asked Crowley to move the trial before even attempting to pick a jury. J. Albert Johnson of Boston argued that the press coverage leading up to the trial has been sensational and inflammatory, creating a communitywide bias against LaPointe.

Anderson told Crowley that the pretrial publicity has been factual and impartial.

Crowley sided with Anderson. He said media coverage has been fair and free from the sensational tone that would warrant a change of venue before the screening of jurors.

The trial could last two weeks or longer.

Anderson has said that LaPointe was intoxicated and driving too fast at night when his 32-foot Sunsation Dominator ran over a 14-foot boat on Long Lake. Terry Raye Trott of Naples and Suzanne Groetzinger of Berwick were killed.

LaPointe and his passenger, Nicole Randall of Bridgton, were thrown into the water, and LaPointe's boat continued across the lake, ending up about 150 feet into the woods on the sloped eastern shore.

A state chemist is expected to testify that LaPointe's blood alcohol level was 0.11 percent three hours after the crash and could have been as high as 0.15 percent at the time of impact – nearly twice the legal limit to operate a boat or car in Maine.

Experts for the defense are expected to testify that the state's methodology was wrong and that LaPointe's blood alcohol level was not above the legal limit when the crash occurred.

Forensic experts on both sides are expected to present differing accounts of the speed and relative locations of the two boats before they collided.

By TREVOR MAXWELL, Staff Writer, Portland Press Herald, September 9, 2008


Lakes: Long Lake
Regions: Sebago


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