RUSH APPEALING MANSLAUGHTER CONVICTION IN DOUBLE MURDER

(09/22/2006)

An appeal regarding the Ronnie Rush murder case will be heard by the WV Supreme Court of Appeals on October 3rd.

Rush was found guilty of charges related to the shooting deaths of Ward Groves and Mary Hicks of Sand Ridge.

The appeal is based on instances where the WV State Police violated Rush's constitutional rights, alleging unprofessional behavior by officers.

Rush is appealing the transfer of his case to adult status and his ensuing convictions on two counts of manslaughter and one count each of first degree robbery, burglary, and conspiracy to commit burglary.

He seeks a reversal and a remand for a new trial.

The appeal was filed by public defender Teresa Monk.

The appeal is based on problems that started during Rush's extended detainment as a juvenile at the Grantsville State Police barracks without proper notification of his parents for a period between 12-18 hours, during which time his request for an attorney was allegedly ignored.

An issue is the unprofessional behavior by a State Police officer who disrupted Rush's lie detector test after Rush requested an attorney.

The state also failed to present physical evidence linking Rush to the killings.