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Thursday, March 28
The Indiana Daily Student

Messel granted $2,500 for expert witnesses

Mugshot of Daniel E. Messell, 49, of Bloomington, charged with the murder of 22-year-old Hannah Wilson.

Brown County Circuit Court granted Daniel Messel and his attorney Dorie Maryan $2,500 of public funds to pay for expert witnesses in his trial set for February.

The funds were authorized in an ex parte hearing Thursday morning, which means only the defense counsel was present. Messel is on trial for charges of murder in the case of dead IU student Hannah Wilson.

The request by Maryan for an ex parte hearing for expert funds was filed Sept. 11. Maryan argued in her request that Messel deserved public funds for expert witnesses because he is “indigent and unable to retain the experts necessary to assure him a fair trial.”

Maryan requested the hearing be closed to the prosecutor because, in order to establish a need for expert witnesses, the defense may have to reveal theories of defense, attorney-client confidences and other material that could 
jeopardize Messel’s fair trial.

Prosecutor Ted Adams filed a memorandum of opposition to this motion Sept. 30. In this document, Adams argued Maryan’s defense would not be at risk any more than in usual court proceedings.

Adams argued alibis, self-defense notions and entrapment accusations are often disclosed during the
preparation for trial.

Adams also stated in the memorandum that the ex parte request could cause more unnecessary expense and the state has a strong interest in protecting the public from unneeded expenditures. However, Maryan argued it is the “best way to protect against unnecessary expenditures for investigative and expert expense,” according ot court documents.

Judge Stewart granted the ex parte trial, but by the Indiana Rules of Trial Procedure the identity of expert witnesses as well as their opinions will be subject to discovery.

Though Adams’ memorandum didn’t succeed he wasn’t shocked.

“It’s just pieces moving around the chess board,” he said. “It doesn’t surprise me.”

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