DAYTONA BEACH -- A grandmotherly girl sitting in court docket on Tuesday is both a stone chilly killer who a prosecutor mentioned beat a disabled man to dying to money in on an insurance coverage coverage she had taken out on him; or she is the "default" defendant who was arrested as a result of investigators couldn't discover the true killer, a protection lawyer mentioned.
Diane Reid, 57, of Daytona Seaside, is charged with second-degree homicide and aggravated neglect of an aged disabled grownup. Reid is accused of killing 49-year-old Pernell Robinson, who a prosecutor described as having the understanding of a kid regardless of his almost five-decades of life.
When not in court docket, Reid is being held on the Volusia County Department Jail on $250,000 bail. Circuit Choose Raul Zambrano is presiding over the trial in entrance of a jury of six males and two girls, together with two alternates, on the S. James Foxman Justice Heart.
When Robinson's brother went to jail and couldn't take care of him, Robinson went to stick with Reid on 224 Taylor Street in Daytona Seaside. Robinson had solely been with Reid for about six weeks earlier than he died.
Reid took out the Metlife life insurance coverage coverage on Robinson solely days earlier than she referred to as 9-1-1 on July 15, 2017 to report that he was not respiration, Assistant State Legal professional Tammy Jaques informed jurors.
Paramedics discovered Robinson sprawled on the lavatory ground, his head propped up in opposition to a wall subsequent to the door. His physique had quite a few bruises and he had suffered a fractured rib and a fractured forearm and inner bleeding, Jaques mentioned. Robinson additionally had marks on his wrists and ankles that have been in step with ligatures getting used to tie him, she mentioned.
Whereas Reid mentioned Robinson had been lacking for 3 days she didn't name police, Jaques mentioned. Investigators discovered a notice with details about the Metlife insurance coverage coverage for Robinson with Reid because the beneficiary, Jaques mentioned.
It was not the primary time that Robinson had been badly crushed whereas staying with Reid. Robinson was residing with Reid in December 2014 when he suffered a beating that despatched him to a hospital for 3 months, Jaques mentioned.
Reid sat between her two attorneys, Assistant Public Defenders John Selden and Danielle Rufai. Reid dabbed at her eyes with a tissue because the prosecutor performed a recording of her 9-1-1 name wherein she seemed like she is crying at occasions.
"I feel he is useless, he is laying on the ground. ... Any individual did one thing to him!" Reid mentioned within the 9-1-1 recording.
Selden informed jurors that there was nothing sinister about Reid taking out a life insurance coverage coverage on Robinson. Reid had additionally taken out a life insurance coverage coverage on herself, Selden mentioned.
And the primary time Robinson was crushed whereas staying with Reid he didn't inform police she had completed something to him. The Division of Youngsters and Households investigated that incident in 2014, and Reid was not charged with something, Selden mentioned.
When Robinson vanished for 3 days in July 2017, Reid didn't name police as a result of Robinson had wandered away earlier than and had returned and not using a drawback. And when he returned injured, Reid initially tried to take care of him, however she did not understand the seriousness of the accidents, Selden mentioned.
Reid was not arrested till 5 months later in December 2017, mentioned Selden, saying she was the "default," since police had not discovered anybody else.
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