By Mark Hansel
NKyTribune managing editor
The first week of testimony in the David Dooley retrial concluded Friday with testimony from several law enforcement officers who participated in the investigation.
David Dooley (center) with defense attorneys Deanna Dennison and Jeff Lawson prior to the beginning of Friday’s testimony (photo by Mark Hansel).
Dooley is charged with murder in the May 29, 2012 killing of Michelle Mockbee at the Thermo Fisher Scientific facility in Boone County where both worked.
Mockbee, a Fort Mitchell mother of two, was an employee of Thermo Fisher Scientific and Dooley was employed by an outside contractor to perform custodial duties at the facility.
Dooley was convicted of murder in 2014 and sentenced to life in prison.
Judge James R. Schrand ruled in May 2017, however, that evidence that may have aided in his defense was withheld from Dooley’s attorneys and he was granted a new trial.
The prosecution team, lead by Assistant Attorney General Jon Heck, has already introduced more than 300 exhibits.
Friday, jurors saw shoes, cell phones, a knife, a pair of earrings, and other evidence that was gathered at the crime scene and in searches to Dooley’s home and some vehicles.
They also saw several pictures of Dooley’s apartment and garage, as well as pictures and diagrams of the Thermo Fisher Scientific facility.
Boone County Sheriff’s Det. Jeremy Rosing Friday opens one of the hundreds of pieces of evidence already introduced at the David Dooley retrial (photo by Mark Hansel).
What they have not seen yet, is any evidence linking Dooley directly to the killing, such as a murder weapon, or DNA.
In his opening statement Wednesday, Heck said the killer had to leave Thermo Fisher Scientific to dispose of evidence. He said Dooley was the only person known to have exited the facility between the time of the murder and when police arrived.
There are still days of testimony ahead, including from some key witnesses that may be able to shed more light on what led to Dooley’s arrest and charges of murder and tampering with physical evidence.
The week began with jury selection. It took two days to find 12 jurors and three alternates from a pool of 200.
Challenges included pretrial publicity in a case that was opened nearly seven years ago and conflicts for potential jurors who may have been associated with the Mockbee or Dooley families.
The length of the trial, which could extend to mid-March, also resulted in the elimination of some potential jurors.
The trial began in earnest with opening statements and the calling of the first witnesses Wednesday.
Heck said circumstantial evidence and the elimination of any suspects other than Dooley would lead jurors to conclude, beyond a reasonable doubt, that he killed Mockbee.
Michelle Mockbee, a Fort Mitchell mother of two, was killed at the Thermo Fisher Scientific plant where she worked in May, 2012 (provided photo).
Defense attorney Deanna Dennison said in her opening that she would demonstrate that there were other suspects, including Dan Mockbee, Michelle’s husband, that could have committed the crime.
Jurors also saw their first photos of the crime scene, which included pictures of Mockbee’s bound and brutally beaten body on a dirty warehouse floor.
The highlight of Thursday’s testimony was the introduction of hundreds of pieces of evidence, which Heck said will ultimately help paint a picture of the circumstances that led investigators to conclude Dooley killed Mockbee.
Friday’s witness reinforced the recollections of the first law enforcement officers on the scene. The witnesses, investigators from the Boone County Sheriff’s office, also described how evidence was collected and they elaborated on how searches of the inside of the Fisher Scientific facility and the exterior perimeter were conducted.
Several exhibits were opened Friday, and showed to the jury, but there has not been any explanation to this point of how that evidence links Dooley to the killing.
Testimony is scheduled to resume Monday morning at 9 a.m. in courtroom 4B of the Boone County Courthouse.
For links to the NKyTribune’s extensive coverage of the Dooley case, go to www.nkytribune.com and, using the search tool, enter the word “Dooley.”
Contact Mark Hansel at mark.hansel@nkytrib.com
From this past week of testimony and opening statements, one thing is clear. Why didn’t McVay look at Dan Mockbee closer ??? This is going to turn out to be an episode of Perry Mason TV. After 4 years he hasn’t got a headstone for his wife ? At the time when the husband got a phone call that something was going on at his wife’s work, he was on his computer bleach bit his deleted files ? Really ?? And the defense also found out the husband has motive to the tune of $1,000,000.00. He also has withdrawn cash of nearly $400,000.00 so far. Where is that money ? Not in an account anywhere. Maybe a payoff for killing his wife ? Looks to me like the defense is doing the work the Sherriffs department should have done years ago. LAZY Investigation !! Looking forward to week 2. Can’t wait for McVay and LTS to testify ! Honey, let’s pop some popcorn and watch it live on wcpo.com