New trial date set in Carlisle buried baby case

A summer trial date has been set for a Carlisle teen accused of killing her newborn baby and burying it in the backyard in May 2017.

Warren County prosecutors and Brooke Skylar Richardson’s defense team met today with Warren County Common Pleas Judge Donald Oda III where a tentative trial date of Sept. 3 was selected.

If the Ohio Supreme Court decides to take the defense’s appeal, the new trial date likely would be vacated, defense attorney Charles H. Rittgers after the meeting in judge’s chambers.

MORE: Carlisle baby case: Appeals court sides with prosecution

Richardson was in the justice center, but did not go into the courtroom and the case was not called to place any information on the record.

In October, the 12th District Court of Appeals sided with the Warren County Prosecutor’s Office concerning doctor-patient privilege in the case, prompting the defense team to appeal to the state’s highest court.

Richardson, now 19, is charged with aggravated murder, involuntary manslaughter, gross abuse of a corpse, tampering with evidence and child endangering in the death of her daughter.

The appeals court ruled that physician-patient privilege doesn’t apply in the case and the teen’s conversations with two doctors should be admitted as evidence in her upcoming trial.

MORE: Brooke Richardson off house arrest, but judge imposes other restrictions

Earlier this month, the defense team of Charles H. and Charles M. Rittgers filed a notice of appeal to the state’s highest court. It is up to the high court to decide if it has jurisdiction to take the case after the prosecution files a response.

A cluster of groups that are advocates for pregnant women have weighed in on the Ohio Supreme Court’s consideration of an appeal urging the high court to hear the case

The advocates say the appeals court decision may cause women to avoid medical care during pregnancy for fear of criminal prosecution, threatens the constitutional rights of pregnant women in Ohio and threatens the constitutional rights of all low-income and minority pregnant women in the state.

The prosecution has 30 days to file a response to the notice of appeal.

Typically the supreme court takes two to four months to decide whether it will hear the case, according to Anne Yeager, Supreme Court public information manager.

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