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http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2008/06/17/0617curiousgeorge.html
By LARRY KELLER
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
WEST PALM BEACH — Jurors in the first-degree murder trial of Vincent Puglisi heard Tuesday about viscous violence, a transsexual, gay sex and spanking parties.
And that was before a single witness testified.
Puglisi, 56, is also charged with robbery with a deadly weapon in the February 2006 stabbing and slashing of Alan Shalleck, 76, who co-edited books and film shorts about Curious George, the much-loved children's cartoon character, at his Boynton Beach mobile home.
If Puglisi is convicted of the murder, prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty. The Broward County man accepted, then rejected a plea to a reduced charge last week that would have given him a 30-year prison sentence.
Vrod - one of three public defenders representing Puglisi - called him "pathetic" and in "la-la land" during opening statements. But she said he was a passive observer as his lover, Rex Ditto, murdered Shalleck. "He did absolutely nothing," she said.
Ditto pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in October and was sentenced to life in prison.
Shalleck had two sons, but underwent a "late in life change in sexual orientation," said prosecutor Bryan Poulton in his opening statement. And he had a spanking fetish. That's how he came to know Puglisi.
About a year before his murder, Shalleck advertised in a gay publication for spanking partners. Puglisi was his occasional sex partner, but not keen on spanking, Vrod said. But Ditto was, and Puglisi couldn't satisfy him sexually, so they paid a visit to Shalleck on Super Bowl Sunday for what was to be a spanking party, Vrod said.
First the men watched, not football, but a Liza Minnelli special, Poulton said. Ditto and Shalleck then went to a bedroom, where the spanking commenced. Ditto would later tell police that Shalleck wouldn't stop paddling him when he asked him to, so he grabbed the paddle and walloped him in the face with it. He said when Shalleck grabbed his neck, Puglisi joined in and started stabbing the older man.
Ditto admitted to stabbing Shalleck, but said Pugisi was responsible for most of the mayhem.
Shalleck suffered 83 blunt force injuries, including chipped and broken teeth and lacerations and contusions to his head, face, torso, arms and legs, an autopsy found. He had 37 stab wounds and 49 defensive wounds incurred from trying to defend himself.
The latter shows "he was suffering, he was fighting, he knew what was going on," Poulton said. Shalleck died from "unspeakable violence," he added.
Not at the hands of Puglisi, Vrod told jurors. She said her client spent his life going from "companion to companion" and "attaching himself to people." When Puglisi's boyfriend of 28 years dumped him prior to his having met Shalleck or Ditto, Puglisi pierced his nipples, dyed his hair and eyebrows and began "re-entering the dating scene."
"Here we have this lonely guy, can't quite get it together," Vrod said. When he met Ditto, he went along with his desires in order to please him, she added.
Poulton never said in his opening statement that Puglisi stabbed Shaleck. He did say, however, that he threw a glass candlestick holder at him and held a seat cushion over his face while Ditto stabbed him. And Puglisi helped Ditto plan the robbery and murder of Shalleck, he contended.
Puglisi also admitted to a transsexual friend that he killed Shalleck, Poulton said. And a handwriting expert will testify that a $450 check allegedly from Shalleck to Ditto was actually written by Puglisi, he said.
The trial is expected to continue into next week.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2008/06/17/0617curiousgeorge.html
By LARRY KELLER
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
WEST PALM BEACH — Jurors in the first-degree murder trial of Vincent Puglisi heard Tuesday about viscous violence, a transsexual, gay sex and spanking parties.
And that was before a single witness testified.
The case has "every possible bad fact you could get in a homicide trial," Assistant Public Defender Shari Vrod said in her opening statement.
Puglisi, 56, is also charged with robbery with a deadly weapon in the February 2006 stabbing and slashing of Alan Shalleck, 76, who co-edited books and film shorts about Curious George, the much-loved children's cartoon character, at his Boynton Beach mobile home.
If Puglisi is convicted of the murder, prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty. The Broward County man accepted, then rejected a plea to a reduced charge last week that would have given him a 30-year prison sentence.
Vrod - one of three public defenders representing Puglisi - called him "pathetic" and in "la-la land" during opening statements. But she said he was a passive observer as his lover, Rex Ditto, murdered Shalleck. "He did absolutely nothing," she said.
Ditto pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in October and was sentenced to life in prison.
Shalleck had two sons, but underwent a "late in life change in sexual orientation," said prosecutor Bryan Poulton in his opening statement. And he had a spanking fetish. That's how he came to know Puglisi.
About a year before his murder, Shalleck advertised in a gay publication for spanking partners. Puglisi was his occasional sex partner, but not keen on spanking, Vrod said. But Ditto was, and Puglisi couldn't satisfy him sexually, so they paid a visit to Shalleck on Super Bowl Sunday for what was to be a spanking party, Vrod said.
First the men watched, not football, but a Liza Minnelli special, Poulton said. Ditto and Shalleck then went to a bedroom, where the spanking commenced. Ditto would later tell police that Shalleck wouldn't stop paddling him when he asked him to, so he grabbed the paddle and walloped him in the face with it. He said when Shalleck grabbed his neck, Puglisi joined in and started stabbing the older man.
Ditto admitted to stabbing Shalleck, but said Pugisi was responsible for most of the mayhem.
Shalleck suffered 83 blunt force injuries, including chipped and broken teeth and lacerations and contusions to his head, face, torso, arms and legs, an autopsy found. He had 37 stab wounds and 49 defensive wounds incurred from trying to defend himself.
The latter shows "he was suffering, he was fighting, he knew what was going on," Poulton said. Shalleck died from "unspeakable violence," he added.
Not at the hands of Puglisi, Vrod told jurors. She said her client spent his life going from "companion to companion" and "attaching himself to people." When Puglisi's boyfriend of 28 years dumped him prior to his having met Shalleck or Ditto, Puglisi pierced his nipples, dyed his hair and eyebrows and began "re-entering the dating scene."
"Here we have this lonely guy, can't quite get it together," Vrod said. When he met Ditto, he went along with his desires in order to please him, she added.
Poulton never said in his opening statement that Puglisi stabbed Shaleck. He did say, however, that he threw a glass candlestick holder at him and held a seat cushion over his face while Ditto stabbed him. And Puglisi helped Ditto plan the robbery and murder of Shalleck, he contended.
Puglisi also admitted to a transsexual friend that he killed Shalleck, Poulton said. And a handwriting expert will testify that a $450 check allegedly from Shalleck to Ditto was actually written by Puglisi, he said.
The trial is expected to continue into next week.
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