Investigation into 1996 homicide scrutinized in retrial

Attorneys scrutinized the details Friday of a 23-year-old investigation into a Knoxville drug dealer’s death and dismemberment as testimony continued in a new trial for one of the men convicted with the crime.

In 1997, Scott Godesky was found guilty of killing Brian Mirenna, 21, of Carrick, dismembering him and helping to bury his body parts in shallow graves.

He and co-conspirator David Lehrman were both sentenced to life in prison. But after Lehrman sent Godesky a letter apologizing for pinning the crime on Godesky and made a sworn statement in federal court claiming he killed Mirenna alone, Godesky was able to appeal his case and earn a new trial.

Jurors spent Friday’s session scrutinizing the details of the original 1996 investigation into Mirenna’s death and 1997 trials of Godesky and Lehrman, watching Assistant District Attorney Jonathan Lusty re-enact the testimony of the late detective Robert McCabe and listening to Godesky’s cassette-recorded confession.

The only witness to take the stand was former Pittsburgh police Detective Jill Smallwood, who interviewed Lehrman with detective Dennis Logan on April 30, 1996 — the day Lehrman and Godesky both gave their confessions.

That day, according to police records and Ms. Smallwood’s testimony, police read Lehrman his rights at 4:37 p.m., Lehrman began giving his statement at 4:41 p.m. and Mr. Logan left mid-interview to pick up Godesky around 4:50 p.m.

But according to a recording made by Mr. Logan and another

detective, at 4:40 p.m. Mr. Logan was in another interrogation room getting a statement from William Kuhn, the man originally charged in Mirenna’s death. (The charges against Mr. Kuhn were dismissed shortly before Lehrman and Godesky were charged.)

Under cross-examination by Godesky’s attorney, Aaron Sontz, Ms. Smallwood testified Friday that she did not know why the recording and the police forms related to Lehrman’s interrogation appear to show Mr. Logan in two places at once.

“It’s my testimony he was with me,” she said. “Perhaps the times were incorrect.”

Ms. Smallwood — who said she did not recall many of the details of the long-past investigation and trials — also testified under cross-examination that Mr. Logan did not have Lehrman sign any documents stating he would receive a less severe sentence in exchange for his statement.

“We don’t make deals, we can’t make deals … it’s not part of our practices,” she said.

Testimony in the trial is scheduled to resume Monday morning.