BY STEPHANIE BEECKEN
6 News Reporter
MADISONVILLE (WATE) - Monroe County Election Commission Chairman Jim Miller had no direct contact gunshot wounds a deputy medical examiner testified Wednesday as accused killer Jessica Kennedy's trial continues.
Dr. Christopher Lochmuller, the deputy medical examiner for Knox and Anderson County, did the autopsy on Miller's body.
Miller's body was found in July 2010 on Sands Road in Monroe County. He had been shot in the head three times and his charred body was found in the trunk of his burning car.
Kennedy, 28, faces several charges, including felony murder, aggravated robbery and abuse of a corpse. The state is seeking a sentence of life without parole.
Dr. Lochmuller told the jury there were two gunshot wounds to the forehead and once in the back of his head.
There was a laceration above Miller's eye that was inflicted while he was still alive, Lochmuller said.
He told the jury Miller's body was so charred that some bone was burned.
Defense attorney John Eldridge asked Lochmuller about the impact of the burn to Miller's body. "The muscle tends to flex because of dehydration and heat injury to the muscle," Lochmuller said, in the arms and legs both.
In video tape evidence, Kennedy said she had Miller's blood on her body and bent his legs to get him into the trunk. This was just one of many different versions she told investigators.
Former Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Agent Barry Breakbill took the stand again. This time he was asked about former Monroe County sheriff's Capt. Kenny Hope who said in the past that he shot Miller execution style and burned him.
Breakbill confirmed Hope's claim. The ex-captain was eventually cleared in the case.
Other TBI agents took the stand, saying the fire was started by gasoline and the bullets were likely from a .38 caliber revolver.
The lead detective on the case testified that Kennedy would tell them information like the type of gun that was used before the evidence analysis was made available to local investigators.
Kennedy didn't show any emotion during the trial Tuesday, but she had tears Wednesday after watching one of her taped interviews.
Jessica Kennedy teared up after watching one of her taped interviews.
The jury was shown Kennedy's interviews with investigators.
