Friday, October 23, 2009

Manslaughter trial delayed

Additional blood testing under way in Stevens’ case

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By TERRY SMITH
Express Staff Writer

Cody William Stevens

A jury trial for a 28-year-old Twin Falls man charged with vehicular manslaughter in the death in March of a Hailey woman has been postponed to Feb. 3.

The trial for Cody William Stevens, earlier scheduled to start next week, was rescheduled Tuesday during a hearing before 5th District Court Judge John Butler.

Blaine County Prosecuting Attorney Jim Thomas explained Thursday that the delay was necessitated by the need for additional blood testing. Stevens is accused in a felony criminal complaint of being under the influence of alcohol, drugs or any other intoxicating substances at the time of the March 10 accident that caused the death of Bertilia Lyn Redfern, a 53-year-old legal secretary for the Roark Law Firm.

Stevens, who wasn't directly involved in the accident on state Highway 75 north of Countryside Boulevard in Hailey, is accused of swerving his pickup into the path of Redfern, causing her to lose control of her car and leading to a collision with another vehicle.

"We have sent Stevens' blood samples to a private laboratory for additional testing with the agreement that the defense may have its own toxicology expert present during testing," Thomas wrote in an e-mail to the Idaho Mountain Express. "The private lab has more sensitive equipment and is able to test for a broader range of substances in the blood than the Idaho state lab."

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Stevens' trial is expected to last eight days.

Terry Smith: tsmith@mtexpress.com