Stan Levco Calls Current Prosecutor Nick Hermann Incompetent
The not guilty verdicts in the Aleah Beckerle trial are a direct result of NickHermann’s incompetence. I don’t make this statement lightly.
I agree with the Evansville Police Department’s assessment that there’s no need for further investigation. The police did their job. The problem was the prosecutor did not do his job.
I’ve listened to the trial. The way Mr. Hermann tried this case and the way he selected-or more accurately-didn’t select the jury, proves he is incompetent.
When I first started examining this case, what immediately struck me was how quickly it was tried. A jury was selected, and opening statements were completed before lunch on the first day. I’ve tried over 30 murder cases and I’ve never had a case where a jury was selected and opening statements were given before noon on the first day.
When you examine the record of this trial, it seems like Mr. Hermann was more interested in getting it done quickly than getting it done right.
The State listed 32 possible witnesses for trial to prove their case. Only 5 were called by Mr. Hermann. I don’t recall ever trying a murder case with as few as 5 witnesses.
The State’s presentation of evidence only lasted about 4 hours. That is an exceptionally brief amount of time to present in such a serious case.
The clearest example of his ineffectiveness was in the second round of jury selection. Mr. Hermann did not ask a single question to any of the 6 jurors on the second round.
Jury selection is not only the first part of the trial, it may be the most important part of the trial. Competent trial attorneys know, “When you are picking a jury, the jury is picking an attorney.â€
I was astounded to discover he did not ask a single question of any of the 6 jurors in the second round and then accepted all of them without question to be on the jury. In my career, I’ve chosen well over 1,000 jurors and I believe I’ve asked all of them at least one question.
I’ve taught jury selection to prosecutors nationally, to Indiana Prosecutors and as a Law Professor to law students in Bloomington. The concept of asking questions during jury selection is so fundamental that no competent attorney would fail to do so.
Before he became a prosecutor, the Indiana Court of Appeals in a written opinion found Nick Hermann to be ineffective. Seven and a half years later nothing had changed. He’s still ineffective.
Vanderburgh County deserves a Prosecutor who knows how to try a case.
FOOTNOTE: This article was posted by the City-County Observer without, opinion, bias or editing. The above remarks were made at a 10:00 Press Conference called today by Mr. Levco.
Looks like Levco needs a job. With his personality I would think he would have a hard time making it in the real world. Maybe you should just go back to Bloomington.
Didn’t then Prosecutor Levco lose the unloseable Ollie Mae Cheaney vote fraud case??
Somebody competent please step forward. These two, no good choice for the citizens of Vanderburgh County.
So you confirm Levco,s determination / with an add on😂
The pot calling the kettle black.
The jury needs to receive a close look. Lawyers and judges tend to give juries a lot of leeway. We all know what happen when bad jurors decided the OJ case. I think the jury simply took pity on a demented young man and no prosecutor could have done better. Democrats are trying to make a comeback. Just remember, open borders and sanctuary cities as the base of the democrat party.
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