Woman convicted of murder seeks new trial

A Boone County woman convicted of first-degree murder appeared before a Boone County judge Thursday in a bid to get a new trial.

Tausha Fields’ attorney, James Schottel Jr., presented a transcript of a deposition of former Boone County public defender Paul Hood, who represented Fields and was the lead trial attorney in the case.

Schottel previously said Hood made mistakes during the trial. Now he hopes Hood’s deposition will convince Judge Brouck Jacobs to grant Fields a new trial.

A jury convicted Fields of first-degree murder in 2010 in the killing of her ex-boyfriend, Mitchell Kemp.

Prosecutors claim Field manipulated her then-boyfriend, Greg Morton, into shooting Kemp in 2004 on property south of Columbia. Fields and Morton were arrested four years later.

Schottel said Hood made mistakes during the trial.

“He made some admissions that his conduct fell below standard of what an attorney should do in similar circumstances,” Schottel said.

He said one major mistake Hood made was in filing a motion in limine — a motion to exclude testimony that is not discussed in front of the jury. Schottel said such motions give juries the impression the defense is hiding something.

Schottel said Hood also failed to present any evidence that Morton was controlling and abusive to Fields. Schottel said he thought abuse could have played a factor in the case from the time he saw the initial TV reports about the case and after looking more closely at the evidence.

“It just didn’t sit right with me that she didn’t get a fair shot,” he said.

Schottel said Fields’ lawyer also failed to present proper defenses, didn’t call some witnesses and didn’t investigate the case thoroughly.

Heidi Derryberry, who worked with Hood and was in charge of investigating Greg Morton, testified as a witness Thursday. Derryberry said she did not feel like she could follow important leads because of time constraints.

She also said during her investigation, she found Greg Morton had “threatened people in the past before he even knew Tausha,” and had threatened to shoot someone and bury them in a hole.

In his testimony, Hood said he and Derryberry had trouble locating the witness who could have testified Morton made that threat, and that Fields had directed the team to the witness.

Several members of Morton’s family attended the post-conviction relief hearing Thursday, including his daughter, Megan Morton.

Megan Morton said Fields would punish her severely when they lived together. Greg Morton’s family said Fields would manipulate the relationships of anyone who could compare stories so they would not discuss the Kemp’s murder.

Greg Morton’s family said, based on what they know about Fields, they believe with full confidence she is guilty.

It could be months before Jacobs decides whether Fields deserves a new trial.