In Delaware, the court is reviewing request to retain a private investigator to research background information in support of an alleged cop killer. It’s unclear, however, who initiated the request.
The letter, sent to Delaware Superior Court judge, is handwritten; it asks that a private investigator perform a background investigation into accused murderer, Derrick Powell.
Powell is serving time waiting for trial in the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center; he’s accused with first degree murder in the shooting death of Georgetown police officer, Chad Spicer, in September, 2009.
The letter reads, “In order to ensure that the client is appropriately represented, counsel must undertake a detailed investigation of the client’s background, including an analysis of his personal, familial, medical, educational, neurological and psychological histories,” the letter states. “The information gleaned from this investigation must then be incorporated in the overall case strategy.”
The postmark shows the letter was sent July 12 from the Vaughn Correctional Center, and Powell’s name is the return address; one of his lawyers, public defender Stephanie Tsantes, is mentioned in the letter, but it does not carry her signature and she refused to comment on the matter.
The letter requests a specific investigator, Gary Marshall, Jr., of Shore Investigative Services, for no more than $2,500, but asks the court to cover the cost of the investigation to “effectively prepare for trial.”
Mr. Marshall, the investigator, claims he’s never spoken with Powell–or his attorneys–and did not know of the matter until the media asked for comments on the matter. Marshall’s detective service includes criminal investigation work, and his theory is that someone in the prison provided his name to Powell. Marshall does not, however, wish to be involved with the case.
Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden is seeking the death penalty for the accused, and trial is set to begin in October.
