Final day of trooper murder trial

February 25, 2014

Medical examiner Dr. David Start of Kent County describes where the bullet entered Paul Butterfield’s head.

LUDINGTON — Today is expected to be the final day of the 51st Circuit Court trial against Eric John Knysz, the 20-year-old Irons resident who is accused of murdering Michigan State Police Trooper Paul Butterfield on Sept. 9, 2013 in Free Soil Township. Knysz is charged with first degree murder of a peace officer, carrying a concealed weapon, felony firearms and unlawfully driving away a motor vehicle.

Eric Knysz awaits the beginning of testimony while members of his family are in the background.

Currently testifying is Dr. David Start, the medical examiner from Kent County who performed the autopsy on Trooper Butterfield. The family of Trooper Butterfield is currently not present in the courtroom as graphic details of the autopsy are expected to be presented to the jury.

“Cause of death was gunshot wound to the head,” Start said when asked by Prosecutor Paul Spaniola what was the cause of death. Spaniola then asked what was the manner of death: “Manner of death was homicide,” Start said.

Mason County Prosecutor Paul Spaniola is expected to close his case today and defense attorney David Glancy only has one witness on his list, the defendant. It is not clear yet if Knysz will testify.

– Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief.

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