Bobby Cutts Trial: If I Were a Juror

Bobby Cutts, former Canton Police Officer took the stand in his own defense yesterday [February 11, 2008]. He is accused of murdering his pregnant girlfriend, Jessie Davis. He stated from the witness stand that when Davis didn't move fast enough to get their son, who he came to pick up, an altercation began. "I didn't mean to hurt her" Cutts stated to the jury. During this altercation, Cutts stated that Davis grabbed his arm and told him he couldn't leave. Cutts then told jurors he swung his arm back and his elbow then struck Davis in the throat, killing her.

What would you, as a juror, think? A police officer. One of the good guys. Sworn to serve and protect us. Especially someone like Jessie Davis. 9 Months pregnant. Murdered in front of her own young son. Being the son of a Cleveland Police Officer, I would have a hard time setting aside my feelings in a case such as this.

I grew up surrounded by police officers. My father and uncle were both officers. They were partners who both married sisters. The whole neighborhood was full of police. On our short street of 18 houses, there were 7 police families. They were the good guys. There was a lot of pride in being an officer. A lot of pride in being a policeman's son.

Cutts then testified to the jury that he then tried to revive Jessie Davis CPR on Davis and when she didn't respond, he then tried to revive her using bleach.

He would have lost me there. Didn't the officers I knew growing up do the right thing? What happened to the 911 call? That would have been the way to go. Courage and the ability to make correct decisions in the face of tough situations. As a juror, I would have to think what a coward. Bleach to help revive her? Never heard of that one. Couldn't put aside my training as a firefighter for that one.

Cutts the told jurors that he put Davis's body into the bed of his truck and drove around. "I can't keep driving around with her body in the back of this truck" he told jurors.