UPDATE: 8/21/12, 1:30 p.m. The vehicular manslaughter trial of Robert Rice began Tuesday morning in St. Mary’s County Circuit Court. Rice, through his attorney, opted to have the trial heard by the court instead of by a jury. Prince George’s County Circuit Court Judge Maureen Lamasney is hearing the trial. Opening statements and beginning testimony was heard in the morning and then the judge recessed the trial until 9 a.m. Wednesday.
The jury trial of Robert Rice begins today (Tuesday, August 21) in St. Mary’s County Circuit Court. Rice is charged with vehicular manslaughter in connection with the death of two women in a series of accidents on August 4, 2011 in the Callaway. Rice was indicted in March of this year by the St. Mary’s County Grand Jury.
The report of the indictment in the Bay Net relayed the facts of the accident: “The investigation revealed that Mr. Rice was operating a Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck and struck a Toyota Sienna operated by Sophie Newbury, 41, of Leonardtown, Maryland on Point Lookout Road in the area of Piney Point Road. Mr. Rice failed to stop at the collision scene and continued to travel northbound on Point Lookout Road. Mr. Rice then struck the rear of a different Toyota Sienna operated by Dyhalma Trudell, 54, of Leonardtown, Maryland in the area of Camp Casoma. Mr. Rice’s vehicle then crossed the center line and struck a Chevrolet Impala operated by Chernica Boyland, 22, of Lexington Park, Maryland. Ms. Boyland and her front seat passenger Lisa Proctor, 22, of Lexington Park, Maryland both died as a result of injuries sustained in the collision. On March 15, 2012 Mr. Rice was arrested and served with the St. Mary’s County Grand Jury indictment.”
The trial will be heard by Prince George’s County Circuit Court Judge Maureen Lamasney. During a hearing on motions last week Rice’s attorney James Farmer of Waldorf admitted the facts in the case. He will attempt to prove that Rice was suffering from diabetic shock and didn’t know what he was doing. Farmer said Rice had doctor’s permission to drive both before and after the accidents. But Judge Lamasney ruled, in denying a motion to dismiss the charges, that medical conditions can vary from day to day and it was only Rice’s condition at the time of the accidents that was pertinent.
Assistant State’s Attorney Laura Caspar will put on witnesses during the trial that will attempt to disprove Farmer’s theory.
The first order of business when the trial begins Tuesday is the selection of jurors. The trial if scheduled to last four days.
