SUPREME COURT ORDERS NEW TRIAL FOR RONNIE RUSH - Convicted On Voluntary Manslaughter

(11/30/2006)

The state Supreme Court ordered a new trial today in a Calhoun County murder case where Ronnie Rush was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter. Rush, who was 16-years-old at the time, allegedly murdered 69-year-old Warden Groves and 60-year-old Mary Hicks while they slept in their Sand Ridge community home in May 2003. Rush's public defender Teresa Monk appealed on his behalf to the Supreme Court objecting the ruling to transfer the case to adult status and claiming statements he made to police the day of the murders should have been ruled inadmissible at trial. Rush asked for an attorney during his interrogation, but State Police took a statement from him after his request with no attorney present. A number of problems surfaced during the trail related to the State Police's investigation of the case, including the disruption of a lie detector test by a senior officer who was angry at Rush because he "lawyered up." The state Supreme Court says a number of statements should not have been allowed at Rush's trial. The court upheld the transfer of the case to adult status. Following the order for a new trial, Calhoun Prosecuting Attorney Matt Minney said "The state intends to go forward with a re-trial."

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