Vincent Golosow (left) listens to testimony on the opening day of his trial on a charge of first degree murder. Seated next
to him are defense attorneys Drew Patton and Leah Boggs
Photo by Sidney Boggs
Story By David Hedges Publisher Times Record/Roane County
Reporter available at newsstands
Defense attorneys in a murder trial that began this week in Roane Circuit Court say there may not have been a murder at all.
Vincent Golosow, 47, of Tariff is charged in the death of his friend, Judson Reid, last October.
Prosecutors say the slaying came after Reid paid Golosow $1,600 for marijuana that Golosow failed to deliver. Instead,
prosecutors say Golosow used most of the money to buy a gun and ammunition.
The next day, Reid's body was found at Golosow's house. He had been shot in the head.
In opening statements Wednesday morning, Scott Reynolds of the W.Va. Prosecuting Attorneys Institute outlined the state's
case to a four-man, eight-woman jury selected the day before. Roane Prosecuting Attorney Mark Sergent is also working on
the case.
Golosow is represented by two court-appointed attorneys, Leah Boggs of Ripley and Drew Patton of Spencer.
In his opening statement, Patton said Reid, a 52-year-old Looneyville resident, was a Vietnam veteran with serious mental
health problems including blackouts and flashbacks.
After Reid's wife threatened to leave him last year, Patton said Reid moved into Golosow's home.
Patton said Reid had been unable to hold a job and had tried about 20 different medications to treat his depression.
"There's no doubt Judson was suicidal," Patton said.
A month before his death, Patton said Reid signed a safety plan at a local mental health clinic agreeing that he would not
commit suicide.
Because of their lifestyle, Patton said when Reid did kill himself at Golosow's home, Golosow could not call the police.
Instead, he asked friends to help him clean up the bathroom where Reid's body was found, and bury the body along a rural
road in Clay County.
"They all carry guns and there are drugs all over the place," said Patton. "These are not people who go to the police."
Reynolds said evidence would show that Reid's wounds were not self-inflicted.
He also said Golosow admitted to several people that he had killed Reid, and he also tried to bribe police officers with over
$300,000 in cash he claimed to have had hidden away.
After the evidence is presented, Reynolds said he would speak to the jury again. "I am going to ask you for a verdict of guilty
of first degree murder," he said.
The prosecution has identified 23 potential witnesses, while the defense has subpoenaed three.
Circuit Judge Tom Evans, who is presiding over the trial, has indicated the trial should wrap up this week, even if it has to run
through Saturday.
FURTHER DETAILS:
As soon as the trial is complete, the outcome will be posted at Times
Record/Roane County Reporter
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