Amber Willard
PASADENA -- A bloodhound's identification of the boy suspected in a La
Crescenta schoolyard double slaying will be allowed in the teen's trial,
a Pasadena judge ruled Tuesday.
Jurors also will see photos of the beaten bodies of the two boys and
files from the computer of the La Crescenta teen accused of the deaths.
Michael Demirdjian, 15, is accused of the beating deaths of Blaine
Talmo Jr., 14, and Christopher McCulloch, 13, on the playground at Valley
View Elementary School in July. Demirdjian's attorney had argued against
allowing jurors to see the computer data and slaying photos, and
questioned the reliability of suspect identifications by dogs.
A bloodhound called to the scene the night the boys' bodies were found
followed a scent path past Demirdjian's home -- one block from the school
-- to a cul-de-sac, but later tracked a scent to the boy's front door,
police have said.
The same dog later followed that scent from outside Glendale Police
Department headquarters to an interview room inside, where Demirdjian
sat, police have said.
Demirdjian's attorney, Charles T. Mathews, has said his client
witnessed the boys' beating deaths but did not participate in them.
Prosecutors have charged Demirdjian with two counts of murder and two
counts of robbery, as well as the special circumstances of committing the
crime in order to rob the boys and torturing them.
Prosecutors and police have also said they believe more than one
person committed the crime, but Demirdjian is the only person to be
charged in the case.
The bodies of Talmo, who lived in Glendale, and McCulloch, of La
Canada Flintridge, were found laying with their heads near each other on
the rubber mat near playground slides and equipment, police have said.
Jurors will see at least 12 photos of the crime scene, including those
of the boys with their pants pockets pulled out, indicating someone
searched them for money, Deputy Dist. Atty. Steven Barshop said Monday.
Talmo's shoe also had been pulled off and money inside was missing,
officials said.
Mathews lost his bid Monday afternoon to keep jurors from seeing files
taken from a computer in Demirdjian's bedroom that contain pictures of a
man choking a boy and poems about stalking and beating people with a
rock. Talmo and McCulloch were beaten with a rock and McCulloch was
choked with a bench across his neck, officials have said.
McCulloch received at least 10 blows to his head, causing skull
fractures and brain bruising.
McCulloch also had bleeding in his trachea and in his middle neck
muscles, which limited the amount of oxygen his brain received.
Talmo suffered at least four blows to his head, including some to the
front part of his head and mouth, officials have said.
Jury selection is scheduled to start today in the case and continue
through Friday. Opening arguments are expected to start Monday.
