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Sergio Correa’s alleged sexual torture testimony on homicide victim Janet Lindquist on the night of her murder will not be allowed at his trial.
Judge Hunchu Kwak ruled on Monday on two motions made last week in the Correa case, including an objection to any mention of the testimony of her sister, Ruth Correa, about things her brother allegedly did and said to Janet Lindquist before. his death that were sexual in nature. In testimony, Ruth Correa said she recalled finding her brother in Janet Lindquist’s bedroom the night of her murder, making him remove his underwear and make “derogatory” comments of a sexual nature.
Lawyers for both sides called Correa’s actions “torture” of Janet Lindquist, but Correa’s defense lawyers argued that since Correa does not face any charges directly related to these actions, the testimony should not. be cleared during the trial.
Correa’s attorneys, public defenders Joseph Lopez and Corrie-Ann Mainville, called the testimony “very inflammatory and very moving,” while deputy state watchdog lawyer Stephen M. Carney, who is suing the case, said he helped tell the full story of what happened on December 20, 2017.
Correa, of Hartford, is charged with murder under special circumstances, home invasion, arson and other charges in connection with the deaths of Janet Lindquist, 61, Kenneth Lindquist, 56, and their son Matthew, 21, on that date.
Kwak also ruled that the court would allow evidence to be introduced during the trial regarding a can of gasoline and knives found in a car Correa used 10 days after the murders.
Lawyers said last week the objects had no DNA evidence linking them to the crimes, but Carney argued there was evidence and testimony that a gas can and knives were used to commit murders and arson. Mainville had questioned the relevance of the fact that these objects had been found in his client’s car and had qualified the evidence as “highly prejudicial”.
For several hours on Monday, the court heard testimony from two FBI experts, one from New Haven and the other from Quantico, Virginia, about Correa’s iPhone. Lawyers questioned experts about the phone’s chain of custody, how it was unlocked, and a reported white screen that appeared during the process of unlocking the phone and recovering data.
Correa’s lawyers claim her phone was illegally seized and are asking for more information on where the phone went, who handled it and what was done to it.
FBI Special Agent Brian Cooney, an expert in mining data from cell phones, explained the process of using software called GrayKey Forensic Software to unlock Correa’s phone and download data such as text messages. He explained that the first step in the process was to “cut the lock” on the phone and likened it to accessing a locked storage unit by trying each key or opening it.
Emanuel Hatzikostas, a digital forensic examiner, was also asked about his attempts to unlock the phone and recover data using software called Cellebrite.
The court will continue to hear motions in the Correa case on Tuesday morning, when police and probation officers are expected to testify, Lopez said.
Ruth Correa is expected to speak on Wednesday, according to Lopez. In May, she pleaded guilty to three counts of murder as part of a plea deal that requires her to testify against her brother in exchange for a suggested 40-year prison sentence.
Correa appeared in court wearing a navy blue suit and remained silent for four proceedings. Members of the Lindquist family were also present in court on Monday.
Correa’s long-awaited trial, which was delayed during the COVID-19 pandemic, is expected to begin next month.
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