By Paula Reed Ward, 912.652.0360, paulaw@savannahnow.com
February 2, 2003
Publication: Savannah Morning News (GA)
Page: 3B
Word Count: 565
It's been more than three years since a shotgun blast in the back killed
a New York tourist in Savannah's historic district.
And more than three years since Savannah police arrested Bernard Jerome Green and charged him with murder in the case.
On
Monday, potential jurors will report to the Chatham County Courthouse
to begin the days-long process of seating 12 people and four alternates
to hear the case.
If convicted, the jurors
must decide whether Green should spend the rest of his life in prison or
be executed by lethal injection.
Once the
jury is chosen, the case before Judge Michael L. Karpf is expected to
last about a week. Opening arguments may begin in the case Friday
morning.
Green is charged with killing Gail Vasilkioti, a former English teacher and stewardess from Larchmont, N.Y.
Vasilkioti,
56, was in Savannah on vacation, returning to her hotel from dinner at
the Pink House with her companion, when they were approached by a young
man holding a shotgun.
He demanded their wallets, and as Russell Hergesheimer reached into his pocket, he tripped backward, and the shotgun went off.
Vasilkioti
was hit in the back, sustaining extensive injuries to her right hip and
internal organs. She spent six weeks and one day in the hospital before
she died.
The case received a lot of
publicity locally because of the cloud city crime cast on tourism.
Because of that, a change of venue motion is still pending.
In
September, the state Supreme Court threw out about 90 minutes of
Green's videotaped interview with police, agreeing with the defense that
Green had asserted his right to end the interrogation.
Green
said to a detective interviewing him: "I don't want to talk." At that
point, the court ruled, he invoked his right to remain silent.
At
a hearing Thursday morning, the court viewed the remaining portion of
the videotape. After the session was concluded, Karpf called everyone
back into court, and he warned Green against witness tampering.
Karpf
told both attorneys Green was spotted by a courtroom deputy writing the
names of witnesses and their phone numbers on a small slip of paper.
Questioning Green's need for it, the paper was confiscated by the court.
THE CASE
Gail
Vasilkioti, 56, of Larchmont, N.Y., died Oct. 25, 1999, six weeks and
one day after being shot in an attempted armed robbery. Visiting
Savannah, Vasilkioti was with her companion, Russell Hergesheimer,
walking back to the Presidents' Quarters after dinner about 9 p.m. Sept.
12, 1999, when they were approached by a young man with a shotgun. He
demanded their money, and then fired one blast, hitting Vasilkioti in
the back.
Savannah police arrested Bernard
Jerome Green, 22, of East Anderson Street 12 days after the shooting. He
has remained at the Chatham County jail since then, awaiting trial.
Green
is charged with murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, armed
robbery and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.
If the jury convicts Green, it must then decide if he shouldbe sentenced to life in prison or death.
Savannah Morning News (GA)
Date: February 2, 2003
Page: 3B