Lusk Takes the Stand Ahead of Her Trial
KENNEWICK -- A surprising afternoon in court for Linda Lusk when she spoke out for the first time since becoming a suspect. We learned what her defense plans to be, and who will be called as a witness. And the Benton County Prosecutor also made Lusk re-live the interview she gave to police, on the witness stand Thursday. In that interview, she admitted to sex acts with a 14-year old boy.
The interview itself is controversial because Lusk says she only agreed to give these details if she would face just one criminal charge. But the prosecution later said she also had to plead guilty.
Her defense attorney argues Lusk never would have incriminated herself, if she knew she could still face more charges.
Lusk told the judge, "I was made a promise, very clearly, that if I went and spoke to the detectives, that only that one charge would be filed.
When the deal fell through, Lusk was charged with two more felonies, and is now facing three in all. The judge will decide later if Lusk knowingly waived her rights when she spoke to police.
Prosecutors say she victimized a 14-year old boy last spring. And today, Prosecutor Andy Miller had her re-live that interview with detectives, detailing exactly what she admitted to.
Miller asked, "Was it truthful when you told Detective Cantu that you sent inappropriate text messages to a 14 year old boy in this case? Were you telling the truth then?
Lusk replied, "Yes."
Miller pressed, "And did you tell Detective Cantu that you touched a 14 year old boy's penis with your hand?"
Lusk answered, "Um, I may have."
Miller responded, "And is that the truth?"
Lusk affirmed, "Yes."
To which Miller asked, "And did you tell Detective Cantu that the 14 year old boy touched your breasts?"
Lusk said, "I told him that I believed that that had happened."
Miller again asked, "And is that the truth?"
Lusk replied, "Yes."
It was also revealed in court that Lusk plans to cite her grief over the death of her teenage son as creating "psychiatric issues" which are to blame for her poor decisions.
Finally Action News also requested the witness list for Lusk's trial, which is scheduled to begin in a couple weeks. And we noticed something that was obviously missing: no expert witnesses for the defense.
If you remember, the tough schedules of those expert witnesses were blamed for why this trial has been pushed back so many times.
That issue came up in court. The prosecution is concerned that two weeks out, the witness list is incomplete and the family doesn't want to see this delayed any more.
The defense told the judge there were plans to hire an expert to talk about Lusk's "psychiatric issues." But that the expert has not yet been retained.
Then, defense attorney Scott Johnson read from the alleged victim's brother's Facebook page, "The 14 year old's brother posted something on Facebook that says, quote, "Just had a 32 year old Beamer-driving, big house, business-woman, give me a double-shot of Patron to take home and her number. Period. The guys in this family just has their way with older women. Ha Ha Ha. It goes directly to the defense in this case, the psychiatric issues, and the interplay between the 14 year old and the psychiatric issues of Miss Lusk."
Once again, this trial is scheduled to begin in about two weeks. Lusk faces three felony sex crime charges, and has pleaded not guilty to all three.
The interview itself is controversial because Lusk says she only agreed to give these details if she would face just one criminal charge. But the prosecution later said she also had to plead guilty.
Her defense attorney argues Lusk never would have incriminated herself, if she knew she could still face more charges.
Lusk told the judge, "I was made a promise, very clearly, that if I went and spoke to the detectives, that only that one charge would be filed.
When the deal fell through, Lusk was charged with two more felonies, and is now facing three in all. The judge will decide later if Lusk knowingly waived her rights when she spoke to police.
Prosecutors say she victimized a 14-year old boy last spring. And today, Prosecutor Andy Miller had her re-live that interview with detectives, detailing exactly what she admitted to.
Miller asked, "Was it truthful when you told Detective Cantu that you sent inappropriate text messages to a 14 year old boy in this case? Were you telling the truth then?
Lusk replied, "Yes."
Miller pressed, "And did you tell Detective Cantu that you touched a 14 year old boy's penis with your hand?"
Lusk answered, "Um, I may have."
Miller responded, "And is that the truth?"
Lusk affirmed, "Yes."
To which Miller asked, "And did you tell Detective Cantu that the 14 year old boy touched your breasts?"
Lusk said, "I told him that I believed that that had happened."
Miller again asked, "And is that the truth?"
Lusk replied, "Yes."
It was also revealed in court that Lusk plans to cite her grief over the death of her teenage son as creating "psychiatric issues" which are to blame for her poor decisions.
Finally Action News also requested the witness list for Lusk's trial, which is scheduled to begin in a couple weeks. And we noticed something that was obviously missing: no expert witnesses for the defense.
If you remember, the tough schedules of those expert witnesses were blamed for why this trial has been pushed back so many times.
That issue came up in court. The prosecution is concerned that two weeks out, the witness list is incomplete and the family doesn't want to see this delayed any more.
The defense told the judge there were plans to hire an expert to talk about Lusk's "psychiatric issues." But that the expert has not yet been retained.
Then, defense attorney Scott Johnson read from the alleged victim's brother's Facebook page, "The 14 year old's brother posted something on Facebook that says, quote, "Just had a 32 year old Beamer-driving, big house, business-woman, give me a double-shot of Patron to take home and her number. Period. The guys in this family just has their way with older women. Ha Ha Ha. It goes directly to the defense in this case, the psychiatric issues, and the interplay between the 14 year old and the psychiatric issues of Miss Lusk."
Once again, this trial is scheduled to begin in about two weeks. Lusk faces three felony sex crime charges, and has pleaded not guilty to all three.
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