Battle Over Montco Prisoner's Prior Prison Record in His Attempted-Murder Trial
By Jim Melwert
NORRISTOWN, Pa. (CBS) -- Is a prison inmate in Montgomery County targeting child molesters? That's the argument being made by county prosecutors, although the man's attorneys say the two alleged assaults are not connected.
Motgomery County Correctional Facility inmate Michael Call is awaiting trial on charges of attempted murder and aggravated assault. Police say he attacked Gary Romano inside Romano's prison cell last December, slashing his face and neck to the point that Romano nearly died and needed 47 stitches.
Prosecutors allege that Call targeted Romano because he was accused of sexual assault involving a two-year-old. They hope to introduce another prison assault five months earlier, also on an alleged child molester.
According to prosecutors, Call admitted in the earlier case to punching another inmate repeatedly in the face after he learned that inmate was charged with repeated sexual encounters with a 16-year-old girl.
But the defense argues the two incidents are not connected, and testimony about the previous one should not be allowed in Call's attempted murder trial. They say it was only a prison fistfight, there aren't enough similarities in the two assaults, and it would only turn a jury against their client.
A judge is reviewing the arguments.