Expert: Sgt. Gary Smith, Suspect in Ranger death was near gun

Expert: Suspect in Ranger death was near gun

By Ben Nuckols - The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Mar 20, 2008 18:16:48 EDT

ROCKVILLE, Md. — A forensic scientist testified Thursday that an analysis of blood spatter patterns indicates an Army Ranger charged with killing a fellow soldier was next to the man when he was fatally shot.

Sgt. Gary Smith, 25, is accused of killing Spc. Michael A. McQueen II, 22, in September 2006 in the suburban Washington apartment they had shared for about three weeks. Smith’s attorneys argue that McQueen shot himself and that Smith threw the gun in a nearby lake in a misguided attempt to cover for his buddy.

William T. Vosburgh, forensic lab director for District of Columbia police, said he identified the outline of a shoe and a handprint in the blood on the carpet.

Vosburgh’s testimony is crucial to the prosecution’s case because the state must prove that Smith was close enough to McQueen to have pressed the gun against McQueen’s temple before firing.

Vosburgh also noted that Smith had large amounts of blood on his left hand and on his right pants leg and shoe when he was questioned by police, according to photographs presented in court.

“At some point, the shoe and the pant leg had to be under that bleeding source,” he said.

Under cross-examination, Vosburgh acknowledged that McQueen’s arm could have been raised when he was shot.

Andrew Jezic, Smith’s attorney, said in his opening statement that Smith had no reason to kill his friend, and prosecutors have not offered a motive. Both sides concede there is no direct evidence McQueen was suicidal.

McQueen’s father, Mike, is the New Orleans bureau chief for the Associated Press.
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/03/ap_rangertrial_032008/