REPRODUCED From The Terre Haute Tribune Star article found at:
http://www.tribstar.com/articles/2004/02/22/news/news02.txt
February 20, 2004
[That is some kind of weird TYPO! ... it should read:
May 22, 2002]
Alexis Williams is pronounced dead in Terre Haute Regional Hospital after she is found unresponsive during a nap in Courtenay's Kids Corner, a day care at Walnut and South 18th streets.
May 23, 2002
Dr. Roland Kohr conducts an autopsy, with preliminary results showing no signs of foul play.
June 18, 2002
A death certificate indicates that Williams' cause and manner of death were undetermined. According to the document signed by the Vigo County coroner, Williams was found unresponsive during a nap and did not respond to resuscitation efforts.
July 12, 2002
The state's Bureau of Child Development recommends not to renew Scott's annual day-care license. In a letter from the state agency, the agency suggests inappropriate physical discipline by Scott led to Williams' death.
August 6, 2002
According to a Family and Social Services Administration report, Scott said she had trouble getting Williams to go to sleep and admitted holding her leg over the girl. Scott, who had a cast on her leg at the time, denied physically hurting Williams. The report also notes that a bruise was discovered on Williams' lower back after her death.
August 10, 2002
A Tribune-Star article focuses on previous allegations of abuse against Scott. The Terre Haute woman was fired in 1996 from the former Terre Haute Day Nursery after she was accused of battering two 4-year-old boys. Police investigated but Scott never was arrested or charged in the case.
October 1, 2002
Vigo County Prosecutor Bob Wright says there's insufficient evidence to file charges in Williams' death.
October 13, 2002
Letters to the editor asking for justice in the case begin appearing the Tribune-Star. Over the next four months, letters from 19 people appear in the paper.
November 8, 2002
Williams' parents file a lawsuit against Scott, claiming the former day-care owner was not only careless and negligent, but directly responsible for Williams' death. The civil suit alleges Scott "asphyxiated and/or otherwise" caused Williams' death by holding Alexis down forcibly as a form of discipline or restraint."
January 28, 2003
More than 100 people gather outside the Vigo County Courthouse, protesting the prosecutor's decision not to file charges. Wright said he still considers the case open but indicates the evidence is "not even close" to sufficient to file charges.
January 29, 2003
Dr. John Pless, an Indianapolis forensic pathologist, signs an affidavit indicating Williams died of compressive asphyxia as the result of pressure applied by Scott's foot and leg. The document is part of the civil case against Scott. Pless had earlier told the prosecutor that a mark on Williams' back was made after her death.
February 14, 2003
Vigo County Prosecutor Bob Wright requests a special prosecutor be named to the case; Judge Michael H. Eldred approves the request.
February 25, 2003
Vanderburgh County Prosecutor Stan Levco agrees to be special prosecutor in the case.
February 28, 2003
At a news conference, Wright announces he is turning the case over to Levco.
March 14, 2003
Levco requests a grand jury investigation into Williams' death.
March 20, 2003
Eldred orders that a grand jury be convened in April to investigate Williams' death.
March 26, 2003
Williams' death certificate is re-filed with the cause of death listed as "compression asphyxia" and the manner of death as "homicide."
April 15, 2003
A five-man, one-woman grand jury is seated to determine whether Scott should face a criminal charge in Williams' homicide.
April 17, 2003
The grand jury indicts Scott for reckless homicide in Williams' death. Later in the day, she posts $3,500 bail.
April 24, 2003
Scott appears briefly in Vigo County Superior Court Division 5. The 35-year-old declines comment after the court appearance. Her attorney later says his client is not guilty and that a defense expert will testify that Williams' death was of natural causes.
May 5, 2003
A judge sets a February 21, 2006 trial date for the civil case against Scott.
May 15, 2003
Scott's attorney, Bill Smock, argues that his client's yet-to-be-scheduled criminal trial should be moved out of Vigo County. In asking for a change in venue, Smock says Scott can't get a fair trial here.
May 29, 2003
Judge Barbara Brugnaux orders that Scott's trial be moved to Hamilton County.
June 17, 2003
The trial date for the civil case is moved up to Sept. 7, 2004.
August 8, 2003
Brugnaux sets a January 26 trial date for Scott's reckless homicide trial.
November 13, 2003
During a suppression hearing, a defense attorney asks that any references about prior abuse allegations be excluded from Scott's trial. The prosecution argues that past allegations involving Scott should be allowed as bad character evidence if the defense offers evidence of good character.
December 8, 2003
Brugnaux rules that prior allegations of verbal and physical abuse against Scott are inadmissible at trial.
January 19, 2004
During a hearing, defense attorneys argue that statements Scott made to police should not be allowed in trial because the prosecution failed to prove independently that a crime occurred. The defense also asked that the cast and walking boot Scott was wearing at the time of Williams' death be inadmissible.
Later in the day, an agreement is reached that calls for Scott to plead guilty as charged in exchange for two years probation.
January 22, 2004
Scott pleads guilty to reckless homicide; the judge takes the agreement under advisement.
January 29, 2004
John Williams announces he has launched the Web site www.justiceforalexis.com and says he plans to circulate petitions asking Brugnaux to reject the plea agreement. More than 10,000 people eventually sign the petitions. Another 4,000 respond to the Web site.
February 19, 2004
Despite public outcry against the plea, Brugnaux accepts the terms of the agreement and sentences Scott to two years probation, which includes 180 days on home detention.
Email Charly at: c-d-miller@neb.rr.com