murder of Luceita Christine Streeter, 1993
Asbury Park Press 21 Apr 1993
A Superior Court jury began deliberations yesterday on whether a Toms River man purposely killed a Lakewood prostitute by hitting her with his car following a dispute about money.
James A. Grove, 67, is charged with murder and aggravated assault in the 1990 death of Luceita Christina Streeter.
The public defender for Grove told the jury during closing remarks in Toms River yesterday that the Union Street resident should be acquitted because the state's witnesses are not credible and there is no physical evidence linking him to the death of Streeter. The witness who testified she observed the murder, Diane Marshall, had changed her account several times, and her stories were inconsistent with the evidence, James Pinchak told the jury.
Marshall testified she called the house Grove shared with a friend, Bruce Veeder, and asked for a ride from Lakewood so she could visit another friend of Veeder's who was in jail. After Grove got her in the early morning hours of Sept. 1, 1990, Marshall testified, he went to the Lakewood bus terminal, where he picked up the 23-year-old Streeter.
After they had driven a few blocks, Grove asked Streeter to perform a sex act for $50, and they argued about whether he would pay her before or afterwards. Marshall said Grove punched Streeter in the mouth, pushed her from the moving car and then sideswiped her.
At Marshall's urging, she testified, Grove returned to where he left Streeter in the road at Lafayette Avenue and Pine Street. Marshall testified Grove drove toward Streeter at a high rate of speed and struck her as she was trying to get to the side.
Ocean County Assistant Prosecutor Lawrence Welle said Marshall's account is consistent with injuries on Streeter's body. He reminded the jury of a pathologist's testimony that Streeter had a "glancing bumper" injury 20 inches from the sole of her foot that broke two leg bones.
The pathologist testified it was the type of injury consistent with being struck by a speeding car while the victim was trying to get out of the way. The primary cause of death was brain injury caused when her head hit a hard surface, Welle said. An abrasion on the back of her head and "road scrapes" on her body indicated she had been in a car accident.
The physician's testimony established that Streeter's mouth injury, including several broken teeth, was independent from the car accident. Welle said it supports Marshall's testimony that Grove punched the young woman in the face.
"This is corroboration - things that help make a witness be credible," Welle said.
The prosecutor said Marshall recanted the statements she made to police prior to the trial, but truthfully testified in court because of Grove's attempts to influence Marshall, who admitted she is an alcoholic.
"This is a poor drunken woman who this man has cultivated and bought with the expectation she wouldn't be able to get up and testify," Welle said.
Marshall testified she did not have a drink for three days before she testified in court.
Grove did not testify in the trial before Superior Court Judge James N. Citta. A taped statement he gave to investigators in which he admitted unintentionally striking Streeter was played for the jury.
Pinchak said Grove only said he accidentally hit the woman after hours of questioning during which that scenario was suggested. On the tape Grove is heard saying that he backed into Streeter after she left his car. He asked her if she were all right, and she said she was. Grove said he then left for home.
"Our position is and always has been that Mr. Grove was not there at Lafayette and Pine and didn't strike Chrissy Streeter," Pinchak said.
The public defender said there is no physical evidence, and testimony other than Marshall's and Grove's statement that puts Grove in Lakewood that morning and either Marshall or Streeter in his car.
The jury of four women and eight men asked to rehear Grove's statement and deliberated for about an hour before being dismissed for the evening.
A Superior Court jury began deliberations yesterday on whether a Toms River man purposely killed a Lakewood prostitute by hitting her with his car following a dispute about money.
James A. Grove, 67, is charged with murder and aggravated assault in the 1990 death of Luceita Christina Streeter.
The public defender for Grove told the jury during closing remarks in Toms River yesterday that the Union Street resident should be acquitted because the state's witnesses are not credible and there is no physical evidence linking him to the death of Streeter. The witness who testified she observed the murder, Diane Marshall, had changed her account several times, and her stories were inconsistent with the evidence, James Pinchak told the jury.
Marshall testified she called the house Grove shared with a friend, Bruce Veeder, and asked for a ride from Lakewood so she could visit another friend of Veeder's who was in jail. After Grove got her in the early morning hours of Sept. 1, 1990, Marshall testified, he went to the Lakewood bus terminal, where he picked up the 23-year-old Streeter.
After they had driven a few blocks, Grove asked Streeter to perform a sex act for $50, and they argued about whether he would pay her before or afterwards. Marshall said Grove punched Streeter in the mouth, pushed her from the moving car and then sideswiped her.
At Marshall's urging, she testified, Grove returned to where he left Streeter in the road at Lafayette Avenue and Pine Street. Marshall testified Grove drove toward Streeter at a high rate of speed and struck her as she was trying to get to the side.
Ocean County Assistant Prosecutor Lawrence Welle said Marshall's account is consistent with injuries on Streeter's body. He reminded the jury of a pathologist's testimony that Streeter had a "glancing bumper" injury 20 inches from the sole of her foot that broke two leg bones.
The pathologist testified it was the type of injury consistent with being struck by a speeding car while the victim was trying to get out of the way. The primary cause of death was brain injury caused when her head hit a hard surface, Welle said. An abrasion on the back of her head and "road scrapes" on her body indicated she had been in a car accident.
The physician's testimony established that Streeter's mouth injury, including several broken teeth, was independent from the car accident. Welle said it supports Marshall's testimony that Grove punched the young woman in the face.
"This is corroboration - things that help make a witness be credible," Welle said.
The prosecutor said Marshall recanted the statements she made to police prior to the trial, but truthfully testified in court because of Grove's attempts to influence Marshall, who admitted she is an alcoholic.
"This is a poor drunken woman who this man has cultivated and bought with the expectation she wouldn't be able to get up and testify," Welle said.
Marshall testified she did not have a drink for three days before she testified in court.
Grove did not testify in the trial before Superior Court Judge James N. Citta. A taped statement he gave to investigators in which he admitted unintentionally striking Streeter was played for the jury.
Pinchak said Grove only said he accidentally hit the woman after hours of questioning during which that scenario was suggested. On the tape Grove is heard saying that he backed into Streeter after she left his car. He asked her if she were all right, and she said she was. Grove said he then left for home.
"Our position is and always has been that Mr. Grove was not there at Lafayette and Pine and didn't strike Chrissy Streeter," Pinchak said.
The public defender said there is no physical evidence, and testimony other than Marshall's and Grove's statement that puts Grove in Lakewood that morning and either Marshall or Streeter in his car.
The jury of four women and eight men asked to rehear Grove's statement and deliberated for about an hour before being dismissed for the evening.
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