The defense began presenting its case Tuesday morning in the reckless homicide and wanton endangerment trial of former Pleasure Ridge Park High School football coach Jason Stinson.The morning witnesses included four teammates and a classmate of 15 year old Max Gilpin. They testified that Max complained of not feeling well the day he collapsed from heat stroke at a PRP practice last year.Proscutors say Stinson ran his players too hard in the August heat, but the defense contends the teen's heat stroke could have been caused by illness or a prescription medication.One of Max's teammates, Logan Vardeman, spoke to the jury in Stinson's defense."If I believed that that man right there did anything to intentionally hurt somebody, I would be the first person to tell anybody, but he didn't," Vardeman said.The jury could begin deliberations on Friday.
Rick Howlett was midday host and the host of LPM's weekly talk show, "In Conversation." He was with LPM from 2001-2023 and held many different titles, including Morning Edition host, Assignment Editor and Interim News Director. He died in August 2023. Read a remembrance of Rick here.