Bradley Gardens Accused Killer Can Have Expert Testify, Court Rules

A state appellate court ruled Wednesday in favor of allowing an expert witness to testify in the murder trial of David Granskie Jr., 25, who is accused of the 2009 murder of Carolyn Stone, MyCentralJersey.com reported.

Granskie had been charged along with Rocky DiTaranto and Gary Wilson, all residents of the township's Bradley Garden neighborhood, and had given police a confession, according to his indictment.

But last year, Granskie's lawyers filed a motion seeking to have an expert testify that the confession was not accurate and stemmed from Granskie's withdrawal from a heroin addiction.      

Somerset County Assistant Prosecutor Joseph Rocchietti disputed the claim, which Superior Court Judge John Pursel, sitting in Somerville, later allowed. The prosecutor's office appealed the decision.

The three men were charged with having murdered Stone after a party at Stone's residence. Wilson entered a guilty plea and has been sentenced to 45 years in prison. Granskie and DiTaranto are still waiting for trial dates to be set—DiTaranto recently successfully argues to have a date set.