FAIRMONT — The husband and wife charged with the first-degree shooting death of her father may be tried jointly.
Michael Ian and Kristyn Lorraine Palmer, both of Baxter, were indicted in June by a Marion County grand jury in the fatal shooting of her father, Everett Earl “Eddie” Wilson, on Dec. 11, 2011.
They were set to be tried separately, but in a pretrial motion Friday morning before Marion Circtuit Judge Mihcael Aloi, Kristyn Palmer's defense counsel asked for a joint trial.
Fran Whiteman and Christina Mulligan made the request "in the spirit of judicial economy." Palmer's trial as of now is set to begin Sept. 24 at the Marion County Courthouse.
She also faces 20 counts of forging and uttering 10 checks on Wilson's bank account for more than a month after his death.
Michael Palmer's trial is set to begin at a later date.
Marion County Prosecuting Attorney Patrick Wilson agreed to the request, as long as defense wasn't intending to file "a flurry of motions," he said.
Aloi said if both Palmers sign written consents, they will be tried together. His attorney, S. Sean Murphy of Morgantown, will be contacted to discuss the matter with his client.
The shooting had been described earlier as a domestic incident in which Wilson attempted to enter the Palmers’ residence, damaging the front door, with Michael Palmer shooting him once in the torso. Wilson was pronounced dead on the scene by the state medical examiner.
Find the full story in tomorrow’s Times West Virginian, available at newsstands or through home delivery by calling 304-367-2525 or 304-367-2527.
