With a trial scheduled to begin September 15, much remains to be sorted in the case of Bobby Spikes vs. The Commonwealth.
Charged, among many things, with the December 2021 double murder of Stanley Bussell and Candice Marcel, all interested parties convened Wednesday afternoon in Christian County Circuit Court…where Judge John Atkins heard motions in limine about possible exclusion of toxicology evidence from autopsies.
Special Prosecutor Blake Chambers said reports show Bussell had a small amount of alcohol in his system at the time of his death, and with Marcel a small amount of THC — neither notation of any relevance.
Chambers further argued that any THC in Marcel’s system would not go toward her “state of mind” at the time of her death.
Spikes’ public defender Jason McGee of Henderson, however, disagreed — noting that alcohol and marijuana usage could have been the beginnings of a social occasion and get together, where all parties were on good terms.
Chambers did want to put one fact on the record, regardless of Atkins’ thoughts on exclusion.
Chambers also told the court that Bussell’s mother would likely be willing to testify in court, about how her son got off work that day and wasn’t feeling well — stopping by her house for a “hot toddy” before receiving a phone call from Marcel, who needed work finished on her car.
Atkins opted to defer on the motion, in order to see how proof develops through the trial in real time.
Meanwhile, Chambers also recently filed a motion to allow introduction of self-authenticating AT&T phone records, in which the Commonwealth has listed phone logs of Bussell, Marcel, Spikes and Spikes’ son, Kendall, all available for detailed analysis and cross examination.
Bringing in someone from the main AT&T office to verify them, Chambers added, feels extraneous.
Under these circumstances, Atkins ruled the records admissible as is.
McGee also renewed his request to receive all camera footage that is in custody through the Hopkinsville Police Department, because he believes there are likely more videos — or missing ones — not listed in the discovery.
Atkins ruled for another motion hearing to be held on this matter at 10:30 AM Monday, September 8.
Marcel was located in a car in Trigg County, and Bussell was found at her Hopkinsville home, both dead from gunshot wounds.
