Judge gives Cape Girardeau murder suspect's attorney more time to review materials

A second motion hearing Wednesday before Circuit Judge William L. Syler in the case of Ryan Patterson was continued to May 18 so the defense attorney in the case can review new materials presented to him by the prosecution.

Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle said he was given a one-and-a-half-page police report Wednesday not already included in the 1,500-page report on file and a four-minute DVD of Patterson's ride in a police car from his home to the station.

Patterson is charged with three counts of first-degree murder, three counts of armed criminal action and one count of burglary in the Oct. 27 murder of Jamie Lynn Orman, her unborn child and her teenage son, Derrick.

Patterson's attorney, David Kenyon, after reviewing the materials in a short recess, said the report and the DVD were "extremely relevant" to the motions he planned to file and needed time to review them.

"We don't need much time, but doing it this morning is unrealistic," Kenyon said.

Wednesday's hearing was set to be the second motion hearing in the case. The first was held March 31, where Syler reviewed 12 motions submitted by the defense.

A motion delayed last week, in which the defense requested to receive the medical and psychiatric records of Michelle Lawrence, charged with conspiracy to commit murder, was granted Wednesday. Syler told Ken­yon that Lawrence's counsel agreed to provide the court with her psychiatric records and that he would pass them on to the defense.

Before the recess, Syler addressed the family and friends of Orman and Patterson who were seated in the gallery.

"I understand what a difficult time this is for everyone involved, but you need to be patient," Syler said. "We're not unmindful to all of your needs, but things might take more time now then they have in the past."

ehevern@semissourian.com

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