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Trial of BTK Suspect Dennis Rader to Begin

Full BTK news coverage

By Roxana Hegeman

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A trial is scheduled to begin Monday for the man accused of being the notorious BTK serial killer, blamed for the killings of 10 people, but no one outside the defense has any idea what's going to happen.

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Aside from an early routine defense motion for discovery of evidence, the court record on the case against BTK suspect Dennis Rader has been unusually silent.

None of the typical defense strategies have been filed, said Jim Pratt, a Wichita criminal defense attorney who has watched the case.

No motion for a change of venue is on record in the highly publicized case. There are no motions to suppress evidence or even for a detailed juror questionnaire.

It was only last month that Rader was arraigned, standing mute as District Judge Gregory Waller entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.

The judge set trial to begin Monday, but nearly everyone expected that to be postponed given the complexity of the 10-count, first-degree murder case. Getting a continuance would have been easy; all it usually takes in Sedgwick County is a call to the prosecutors and scheduling clerk rather than a formal motion, Pratt said.

But Rader's court-appointed attorneys have not been talking. Their spokesman, Mark Orr, would say only that whatever happens in the case will happen in court. Orr said the defense attorneys had not divulged to him what they planned to do and were not taking calls from reporters.

"It would be very unusual for a jury trial to begin at first setting, but so far everything about this case has been unusual," said Georgia Cole, spokeswoman for the Sedgwick County District Attorney's Office.

All prosecutors know, Cole said, is that some type of court proceeding will be held on Monday.

"Beyond that, I cannot guess," she said.

Prosecutors insisted there had been no plea deal.

Rader, 60, of Park City, is accused of killing 10 people in the Wichita area between 1974 and 1991. The BTK killer _ BTK stands for "Bind, Torture, Kill" _ taunted media and police with cryptic messages that became increasingly frequent in the months before Rader's arrest.

Despite the notoriety of the case, the court called no additional prospective jurors. Jury clerk Linda Marvin said the usual pool of 120 prospective jurors would be on hand Monday, with the usual 200 extra people on call.

The most Rader could face is a life sentence because Kansas had no death penalty statute on the books when the crimes with which he is charged were committed.

Wichita attorney Robert Beattie, who has written a book on the BTK killings, said he has suspected all along that Rader and his attorneys have not agreed or communicated well on what to do. Rader called a television station last week complaining that, among other things, his attorneys were not showing him all court paperwork.

"It still would not surprise me if he wants to control his own case that he would discharge his attorneys," Beattie said.

That wouldn't be unique. Serial killer Ted Bundy discharged his attorneys and represented himself. Mass murderer Charles Manson also wanted to discharge his attorneys but the court wouldn't allow it.

The Kansas Supreme Court ruled in the 1990s that a defendant has an absolute right to defend himself if he so wants.

"He is so arrogant and a control freak that it shouldn't surprise anybody," Beattie said.


See our full list of information on BTK - Dennis Rader

See Crime Library's background information on the BTK killer









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