Day 4: Jurors expect long, thorough witness testimonies on Thursday
Mason Sisk is on trial for killing his five family members
LIMESTONE Co., Ala. (WAFF) - Jurors are expecting a long day of hearing witness testimony and examining the evidence on the fourth day of Mason Sisk’s capital murder trial.
Sisk is facing four capital murder charges for the deaths of his father, stepmother and three siblings.
The day started at 8:15 a.m. This is 45 minutes earlier than usual. The early start will allow the courtroom to hear today’s long testimonies. One witness expected to come to the stand is former Limestone County Sheriff Mike Blakely who’s awaiting a response to an appeal of his own conviction.
Shortly after court started on Thursday, the defense entered a motion for a mistrial due to a chain of custody issue.
Lawyers for the defense and prosecution met with the judge away from the jury, according to our reporters in the courtroom. The state said they are waiting on the FBI to access Mary and John Sisk’s phones. The defense argued this is too late in the trial to introduce new evidence to look over. The judge ruled if exculpatory evidence is found on the phones, a mistrial will be called.
A Limestone County investigator was the first to take the stand on Thursday.
Investigator Caleb Durden testified on Thursday about the crime scene photos he took. One photo showed small plastic bags and a digital scale in the basement of the home. Earlier this week, Matt and Angie Patti testified that John Sisk had been hiding drugs in the home.
Entering Thursday, the jury has already endured two days of listening to witness testimony, looking at graphic videos and viewing photos related to the murders.
Investigators believe they were sleeping when Mason Sisk shot them which raised some questions from Sisk’s defense attorneys.
They say Mason was 14 years old at the time and didn’t know how to use a gun. They want to know how he could use one to kill five people. Meanwhile, the prosecution argues it doesn’t matter who is using it if the gun can is in close range to a sleeping victim.
They were brought forward by the state because they reported their gun stolen the weekend the Sisk family visited them. That gun was tied to the murder of the five Sisk family members.
The couple and other witnesses spoke to John Sisk’s character. They said he treated Mary poorly and had drugs in the house.
Eleven hours into the day Sisk’s former girlfriend and another friend of his were brought to the stand.
The people in the courtroom have faced a grueling couple of days and so far Thursday was the longest.
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