News

Murder defendant declines to put up a defense

By Bill Moss, Published: September 23, 2014

A 43-year-old Hendersonville man defending himself on a first-degree murder charge declined to call defense witnesses or testify on his own behalf on Tuesday as his trial neared an end after just two days.

Eric C. Wilson, charged with first-degree murder and kidnapping in the phone cord death of Victoria Jon-Baptiste in January 2011, told the judge that he did not want to call witnesses or testify in his own defense.
Wilson also declined to cross-examine a Hendersonville police detective who testified Wilson admitted to being dishonest in an earlier interview and then acknowledged being at the woman's home the night of her death.
Detective Rich Olsen testified under questioning from Assistant District Attorney Doug Mundy that on a second interview Wilson admitted that he had lied when detectives first questioned him. He quoted Wilson as saying, "It wasn't supposed to happen." Previously, Wilson had in interviews with detectives denied "probably more than a half dozen times, possibly more than 10" being at the home, Olsen said.
"He did tell us he had been over at the house," the detective said. Jon-Baptiste "had wrapped the cord around his neck and he said he didn't like it, at which time he put the cord around her neck. They were back to back and he was putting more pressure" on the cord.
The judge questioned Wilson closely on whether he knew he could call witnesses or testify on his own behalf. Wilson said he understood. Wilson moved to dismiss the charges when the defense finished its case. The motion was denied.
Wilson fired four court-appointed attorney before a Superior Court judge granted his request to represent himself. The court appointed attorney Douglas L. Hall of Morganton as his standby counsel.