Dec. 01--DANVERS -- The lawyer for the man accused of stabbing a Danvers police officer trying to arrest him in August is asking a judge to approve funds to pay for an expert on bloodstain patterns.
Roy Limbaugh, 58, is charged with attempted murder in the stabbing of Patrolman John Melto, who had been conducting surveillance on the morning of Aug. 19 of the trailer on Pope's Lane where Limbaugh was living.
Limbaugh is also facing a string of other charges, including multiple assault and battery counts, resisting arrest, and failing to register as a sex offender.
Melto, who was in court yesterday in uniform, recently returned to duty after several months recovering from his wounds.
Limbaugh is currently held on $1 million cash bail. He was in Salem Superior Court yesterday for a pretrial hearing in the case, where prosecutor Gerald Shea and defense lawyer Christopher Norris exchanged information about what evidence the state plans to introduce at trial.
Norris filed a motion seeking at least $1,500 to pay for an expert witness that he intends to hire to look at bloodstain patterns, in an effort to reach a different conclusion about how Melto was injured.
Police and prosecutors say Melto was "ambushed" by Limbaugh; Limbaugh claims he was acting in self-defense.
Norris also filed a motion yesterday seeking a waiver of the medical copays that Limbaugh has to pay for each visit to the infirmary at Middleton Jail. Limbaugh, the motion says, suffers from "numerous" physical ailments, including heart disease, arthritis, high blood pressure and acid reflux, but "cannot afford" the copays.
Judge Timothy Feeley did not rule on either motion.
Limbaugh is due back in court on Dec. 28.
Courts reporter Julie Manganis may be reached at 978-338-2521 or [email protected].
Copyright 2011 - The Salem News, Beverly, Mass.
