Grafton Superior Court Judge Peter Smith has denied two pretrial motions by lawyers for Robert Tulloch, accused of murdering Dartmouth professors Half and Susanne Zantop last January.
In a written order released earlier this week, Smith ruled that the defense will not be allowed to hear recordings of prosecution interviews with Tulloch's alleged accomplice, James Parker. He wrote that the defense did not give sufficient reason to intrude "so substantially in the state's pretrial preparation of its case."
He added that to make such a requirement would necessitate that the defense allege the withholding of evidence. He further pointed out that the defense also has the opportunity to question Parker.
Smith also denied the defense's request for a pretrial hearing on the admissibility of potentially important forensic evidence and expert testimony.
The hearing was denied because the defense requests were too broad, and failed to address specific problems with either the investigative methods or the credibility of the experts, Smith wrote.
Defense lawyers previously requested that all evidence relating to potential unreliability in laboratory testing be released, a request that Smith also denied.
Smith granted the defense motion that the state supply all evidence that might prove Tulloch's innocence.
Tulloch and Parker, friends from Chelsea, Vermont, are accused in the Jan. 27, 2001 murder of Dartmouth professors Susanne and Half Zantop.
Parker pleaded guilty to lesser charges last month and promised to testify against Tulloch when the trial begins on Apr. 22. In exchange for his cooperation, Parker will serve 25 years to life in prison, while Tulloch faces life imprisonment without parole if convicted.
Shortly before the Parker plea deal was announced, Tulloch's lawyers said they planned to use an insanity defense.
