Oxley Prosecutors Near Rest Oxley Case Next Week

CANTON — After a week of testimony in the murder trial of Wayne T. Oxley Jr. in St. Lawrence County Court, prosecutors say they plan to rest their case next week.

Since opening statements Jan. 19, jurors have heard testimony from Ogdensburg police officers, state police investigators and a slew of people who have known Oxley.

Jamin Haggart testified that while he and Oxley were incarcerated, Oxley admitted to killing Bernard A. Trickey Jr.

Bobbi Jo Gagnon, who was Oxley's friend in 2005, told the jury that two weeks before the murder, Oxley said he was going to go on a shooting rampage because he was angry that his ex-wife took his sons to Massena.

Others testified they saw Oxley walking around New York Avenue the night of the murder.

When questioned by Chief Assistant District Attorney Amanda N. Nissen, Mr. Haggart told the jury that he had many run-ins with the law. He also said he wasn't given anything in exchange for his testimony.

Oxley says this is not true.

"There is no reason why he would testify and expect nothing in return," Oxley said.

Mr. Haggart has pending criminal charges in Ogdensburg City Court.

Jurors also were presented with the alleged murder weapon, a wooden baseball bat. Other evidence presented included photographs of Mr. Trickey's house and Oxley's basement, where the bat was found.

Oxley, Ogdensburg, is accused of beating his neighbor Mr. Trickey to death with a wooden baseball bat in August 2005.

He was convicted of second-degree murder, but an appellate court sent the case back for a retrial. A second trial ended with a hung jury.

Since the most recent trial started, there have been a couple of hiccups.

One juror told the judge she had a dream that Oxley was chasing her with a baseball bat around her family's barn. Despite requests from Oxley's attorney, Peter A. Dumas, Malone, Judge Jerome J. Richards allowed her to stay on the jury.

After Oxley posted the criminal history of his neighbor John D. Shannon on a social networking website, Topix, Judge Richards warned jurors to keep away from the website. Oxley also was cautioned by the judge to stop posting.

Mr. Shannon died in a fire two weeks after Mr. Trickey was murdered. The fire was ruled as arson, but no arrests were made.

Oxley's contention from the beginning of the trial is that an investigation into Mr. Shannon's death would lead them to who killed Mr. Trickey.

"John Shannon is dead because he knows who killed Bernie Trickey," Oxley said.