A Baltimore County man went on trial yesterday on charges of killing his ex-lover's boyfriend the day before the boyfriend was to testify against him on charges of attempted murder.
Edward E. McCorkle, 33, is accused of killing Kevin R. Reynolds, 38, who died "execution style" with three gunshots to the head, Assistant State's Attorney Samuel Draddy told a Baltimore County jury.
The killing occurred Dec. 1, 1997, in a Reisterstown apartment complex where Reynolds was employed as a maintenance worker. Draddy told the jury that Reynolds had been scheduled to testify the next day against McCorkle on charges of stabbing Reynolds the previous May.
"Kevin Reynolds was the only witness to identify Mr. McCorkle. Without Kevin Reynolds there really was no case," said Draddy, addressing jurors in the courtroom of Circuit Judge John F. Fader II.
The prosecutor described McCorkle as a jealous man who stalked and threatened Cynthia McKenney, his ex-girlfriend. McCorkle is the father of her four children.
On the opening day of a week-long trial, Draddy said he would bring witnesses who saw McCorkle riding away from the crime scene on a bicycle and a former prisoner who claims McCorkle confessed to him.
But defense attorney Ronald Kurland told the jury that the prosecutors' case is based on circumstantial evidence that they should disregard.
Although McCorkle is "a jealous, possessive, selfish and controlling man," Kurland said, "he is not a killer."
Kurland told the jury that the eyewitness who says he saw McCorkle leaving the crime scene described him as being in his late teens or early 20s. McCorkle is 33, he noted.
He also said that police found no gunpowder residue on McCorkle's clothing after the killing and that matter taken from his boots did not match matter found near the homicide scene.
Kurland warned the jury not to believe the testimony of the former inmate who heard McCorkle's alleged confession. The defense attorney suggested that the confession was concocted by the inmate from notes stolen from McCorkle's cell in the county detention center.
"I'm amazed we're even here," said Kurland.
Pub Date: 12/10/98