A UConn prof’s spouse allegedly killed him and hid his physique. Her legal professionals need proof suppressed.
A case that surprised Connecticut greater than 5 years in the past returned to a Hartford courtroom this week as protection attorneys argued whether or not investigators had a authorized proper to enter the house of UConn medical professor Pierluigi Bigazzi and his spouse Linda Kosuda-Bigazzi, who is charged with his death.
Kosuda-Bigazzi is charged with killing her aged husband someday in 2017 and allegedly hiding his physique of their Burlington basement for over six months whereas persevering with to gather biweekly funds from UConn Well being, the place Pierluigi Bigazzi was a pathology professor for over 40 years.
Kosuda-Bigazzi was arrested in February 2018 and charged with homicide and tampering with bodily proof. Lawyer Gregory A. Jones, considered one of Kosuda-Bigazzi’s protection attorneys, stated that her protection staff has filed six motions to suppress sure proof within the case that at the moment are being argued in courtroom because the years-long case nonetheless awaits trial.
The protection this week argued a movement that pulls into query whether or not investigators had a legal right to enter the couple’s dwelling at 70 Smith Lane the primary time they made entry.
“It’s our understanding that when police arrived on scene they didn’t have something to allow them to enter the house,” Jones instructed the Courant after the Tuesday listening to.
Jones stated investigators did finally get a search warrant, however didn’t have one after they first went inside.
“At this level this was a welfare examine,” he stated.
Bigazzi was discovered wrapped in plastic trash baggage and duct tape within the basement of the house the couple shared, courtroom information present. However on the time police entered, they didn’t know he was lifeless.
Jones defined that first responders are legally allowed to enter an individual’s dwelling with out permission if they’re moderately below the impression that somebody wants rapid, lifesaving medical consideration — as firefighters are permitted to do on the scene of a hearth.
Investigators on this case, he stated, didn’t have any data indicating that Bigazzi wanted rapid medical assist.
Kevin Mellon, a now-retired police officer from Burlington who was the primary legislation enforcement officer to enter the house, took the stand in Hartford on Tuesday.
Investigators questioned whether or not Kosuda-Bigazzi’s then-attorney instructed him he may go in, and Mellon stated sure. Jones stated the girl’s lawyer solely instructed them they might enter as a result of he was below the impression that they have been going to enter the home both approach.
He argued that Kosuda-Bigazzi’s permission to go in, which might have allowed them to bypass the necessity for a search warrant, was made below vital strain.
“Consent below duress isn’t consent,” Jones instructed the Courant.
Data present that Kosuda-Bigazzi allegedly wrote in a journal that she killed her husband with a hammer in self protection. Within the observe, she describes hanging her husband with a hammer throughout a brawl, after he got here at her with the hammer whereas they have been combating about she wished him to do on their deck. State police discovered blood spatter on the kitchen flooring, ceiling and cupboards, information present.
Kosuda-Bigazzi’s attorneys have additionally questioned whether or not a jury ought to ever get to listen to the main points of that journal entry.
Kosuda-Bigazzi additionally appeared in courtroom on Dec. 11, when different legislation enforcement officers took the stand in a suppression listening to. A sergeant from UConn police testified that he stopped by the professor’s Burlington dwelling on his method to work someday to carry out a pseudo-welfare examine whereas in his personal car and out of uniform. He stated nobody answered the door, in response to Jones.
Earlier suppression hearings have included testimony from considered one of Bigazzi’s supervisors at UConn who reportedly known as in a welfare examine for the professor after she couldn’t pay money for him. A number of emails she despatched to the professor went unacknowledged, Jones stated.
Data present that officers at UConn Well being requested police to examine on Bigazzi’s well-being after they went a number of months with out listening to from him. Bigazzi, Jones stated, was working from dwelling on the time and was not anticipated on campus to show any in-person programs.
Kosuda-Bigazzi can also be dealing with a first-degree larceny cost for allegedly amassing biweekly checks from UConn whereas her husband was lifeless, in response to Connecticut State Police.
UConn Well being wasn’t made conscious of his demise till February 2018, at the very least six months after police imagine Bigazzi was killed. All through that point, the college paid over 11 weeks of pay right into a joint account held by the Bigazzis.
Kosuda-Bigazzi is free on a $1.5 million bond, information present.
One other pre-trial listening to on motions to suppress different proof in her case is scheduled for the brand new yr. Kosuda-Bigazzi is due again in courtroom in Hartford on Jan. 26, information present.
