Syracuse, N.Y. — An Onondaga County jury heard opening statements Wednesday in the trial of a Syracuse man accused of killing a man with a golf club.
Timothy D. Palms, 48, is facing 25 years in prison if convicted of manslaughter and weapon charges in the death of John D. Colucci, 62.
Palms is accused of striking Colucci during an argument on March 1, 2023 at 134 Gertrude St., Syracuse. He died in the hospital more than 100 days after the assault.
In court Wednesday, prosecutor Rob Moran told the jury that witnesses heard a thud when Palms hit Colucci with the golf club.
Moran said Palms “cracked” Colucci over the head, causing a fractured skull and a mass that formed between the skull and brain.
Moran showed the jury a video of Palms being interviewed by investigators on July 6, 2023.
In the video, Palms denied hitting Colucci but admitted they argued in his home.
Palms told investigators Colucci came to his house with another man and the two visitors began to argue. Palms said he told Colucci and the other man that they “can’t do this in his place.”
The argument turned physical and Colucci “mushed” the man in the face, Palms said.
Palms said he asked them to leave. On his way out of the home, Palms said Colucci broke a window, prompting Palms to follow. He told investigators that he “followed behind” Colucci with a board used to lock his front door, but that he did not hit him.
Witnesses outside the home told investigators that Palms hit Colucci, Moran said. Blood was found on the stairs the same day Colucci was reportedly hit, he said.
Moran said one witness will testify that she saw Palms following Colucci with a golf club. He said she’ll also testify that Colucci then was covering his head.
Two other witnesses will testify that they heard Palms and Colucci arguing but didn’t see Palms strike Colucci. They did hear the impact of the blow, and Colucci cussing, Moran said. They also saw Colucci holding his head, he said.
Defense Attorney Patrick Hennessy told the jury to pay attention to how the witnesses stories change while they were speaking with officers.
Hennessy argued the police didn’t do their job. He said they did not recover a key piece of evidence from behind a nearby business, even after it was reported to them that a bloody object was moved behind the building.
He also argued there wasn’t any analysis that proves the blood on Palms’ stairs stemmed from the March 1 fight. He told jurors there’s also a question about whether the incident happened in the house or outside the house.
He told the jury he understands they may be sympathetic to the situation but asked that they focus on the facts.
“It’s human nature to point your finger and say that’s the reason,” Hennessy said. “When something traumatic happens, we want to say, that’s the cause.”
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John D. Colucci’s obituary
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