Even though the Charles Cook homicide case is still officially listed as “closed” pending a State Superior Court ruling, there is still some Indiana County Court action scheduled on a newly-revised motion to dismiss by the defendant.
President Judge William Martin will hold a hearing on July 30th to consider attorney Aaron Ludwig’s amended motion, which was filed on June 26th. The motion is based on Pennsylvania’s law directing that a defendant be granted a speedy trial, which requires the court to dismiss if it finds the prosecution has not exercised due diligence, and whether the circumstances causing a trial delay are beyond the prosecution’s control.
Cook is accused of murdering 76-year-old Myrtle McGill at her Indiana home in December 1991. In March, Judge Martin denied some of the prosecution’s evidence while accepting other evidence with limitations. The D.A.’s office is asking the appellate court to rule as admissible Cook’s statements upon his arrest in Billings, Montana on December 10th of 1991, three days after McGill was killed. The court is also being asked to allow the reconsideration of some of Cook’s mental health records.
Cook is charged with criminal homicide and robbery. He was identified as a suspect in 2007 and finally located and arrested in Minnesota in 2016.
