Police and Courts: Trial set for mother accused of negligence in son's death

A jury trial is set Sept. 15 for a woman accused of failing to obtain immediate medical attention for her adopted 5-year-old son after he drank a glass of toxic detergent solution.

State Supreme Court Justice Joseph S. Forma on Thursday also scheduled a hearing for next week to allow attorneys in the case the chance to enter evidence for the trial of Jessica Vitale-Elgie on charges of criminally negligent homicide.

Deputy District Attorney Joseph Marusak is expected to testify at the hearing about a conversation he had with a pathologist regarding the doctor's findings on blood and tissue samples taken from the deceased, Casey "C.J." Elgie.

"We've never seen the results of that review. What were those results? Were they favorable to Jessica Vitale-Elgie?" asked attorney Michael S. Taheri, who is representing Vitale-Elgie along with attorney Peter J. Todoro Jr.

Assistant District Attorney Kenneth F. Case said he plans to present evidence showing that Vitale-Elgie mistreated her son in the two years leading up to the fatal incident on Aug. 31, 2000.