Mott trial goes to the jury

The fate of George Mott III is in the hands of a jury. Mott is on trial for the 1994 killing of Rosemary Crosier. Jurors began deliberating around 3 p.m., stopped for the day at 4:30 p.m. and will resume Monday morning.

During closing arguments Friday, the defense told the jury that Mott lied about killing Crosier to get attention Mott’s mother, aunt, sister, brother, cousin, brother-in-law, mother’s boyfriend and others all said heard Mott say he had a role in Crosier’s death.

Two alternate juror said they believe the trial lacks key evidence.

Staff Writer Bob Gardinier reports:

“He was troubled back then and maybe still troubled now and he was looking for attention,” attorney Brian Donohue told jurors in closing arguments. “He sure got it. But the fact is he was not there. Not one molecule of George Mott was found at that crime scene.”

Special Prosecutor Robert Becher, in his closing statements, said the killer was in the courtroom and urged jurors to convict him.

“That man,” he said, pointing at Mott, “killed Rosie Crosier.”

Donohue has said that so many people around the case at the time were crack addicts that any one of them could have killed Crosier. He suggested her own son, Steven, an early suspect in the case, did it.

“They all lied,” Donohue said. “When somebody remembers something from 18 years ago, are they going to remember all those little details you heard here?”

But Becher challenged jurors to consider what motives witnesses would have to lie.

“They did not get anything for their testimony,” he said. “Sure it was a dysfunctional family but after all those years, the mother came to a point she had to make a decision between right and wrong.”

Alternate juror Ruth Lewis said she had leaned toward acquitting George Mott III.

“There just wasn’t any physical evidence linking him to the scene,” Lewis said. “I also did not believe his mother at all. There just isn’t enough there for me to say guilty.”

None of Mott’s DNA was found at the scene of the March 23, 1994, killing of Rosemary Crosier at a group home in Troy where she was working the overnight shift.

The other alternate juror, Lee Rappold, said Friday she had strong feelings about one of the murder counts. “I don’t think I would find him guilty of the first murder count that he intentionally did it,” she said. “I’m on the fence on the second count that he participated with others. I would like to see more physical evidence.”

“I’m kind of glad I’m not in that room,” Rappold said, “because we get to leave at the end but the defendant and the families, no matter what happens, will have to live with the decision.”

Categories: General
Bryan Fitzgerald

2 Responses

  1. Ann says:

    There is no proof and a ton of doubt.

  2. me says:

    Ann you must not off been at the trial or know what your talking about? there was a ton of PROOF and absolutely zero doubt whats so ever that not only was he there but was the one that bashed Rosemary’s head in. no ifs ands or butts about it at all.

    IF he was so Innocent why did he and his family have to resort to making death threats against others back in June and July after his arrest that were thought to maybe know some thing and the family dint want them to even dare come forward and testify? It was not reported in the news that in July some one that is a family friend of Mott’s placed a incendiary devise hooked up to the front door of a lady in watervliet. thats related to officer Bobby paul. The lead investgator in the crosier case ( and a school teacher no less even) and some sort of flammable liquid poured all over That was meant to go off when some one opened the door. BUT LUCKILY FAILED TO GO OFF. Tho nothing was really done about it and the watervliet police dint even investigate. BUT THATS NOT SOMETHING an Innocent person does or has any one do for them.