Community Corner

Judge Gives Lawyers Nutter's Therapist's Records

Attorneys will decide if they want to ask the judge to let them use evidence of what murder victim told his therapist the day he was shot.

Murder victim Colin Nutter's therapist's records will be read by attorneys involved in the case to determine if the lawyers want to seek permission to introduce them in court, according to a judge's ruling today by a Lake County Criminal Court judge.

Nutter had an appointment with his therapist June 3, the day he was shot.

This action comes after Assistant Lake County State’s Attorney Reggie Mathews asked Judge Victoria Rossetti Friday to take a look at the therapist’s records and let him and defense lawyer, Robert Ritacca, who represents defendant Philip Vatamoniuc, determine if they contained potential evidence.

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“These do appear to be medical records,” Judge Joseph Salvi, who was sitting in for Rossetti today, said to Mathews and Ritacca. “I got a note from Judge Rossetti telling me she had read them and I am tendering them to the attorneys.

At the same time, Salvi communicated Rossetti’s decision to allow Ritacca’s request for Vatamoniuc’s records from Highland Park High School to be placed in the hands of the lawyers so they can decide if potential evidence exists there. Vatamoniuc finished his junior year at the school in June.

Should any of the lawyers want to introduce all or part of the records they will still need the approval of the judge, according to Ritacca and Mathews. Rossetti still has to read Vatamoniuc’s records from the Lake County Juvenile Justice Center to determine if they might contain evidence for the lawyers.

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Vatamoniuc returns to court August 13 when Rossetti is expected to rule on other procedural request Ritacca has made. A trial for Vatamoniuc and defendant Michael Coffee is scheduled August 26. Defendant Benjamin Schenk is set to be tried Oct. 7

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