CROWN POINT, Ind. (AP) — The murder trial of a Gary man accused of killing his wife and two stepchildren begins Monday following five years of delays.
Kevin Isom, 47, could face the death penalty if he is convicted in the August 2007 slayings of his 40-year-old wife, Cassandra, and her two children — Michael Moore 16, and Ci'Andria Cole, 13 — on Aug. 6, 2007, in the family's Gary apartment. Isom is also charged with the attempted murder of four police officers who took part in a raid that ended a nearly four-hour standoff.
Prosecutors contend Isom killed his family after his wife threatened to leave him when he was unemployed and facing mounting debts. Cassandra Isom was shot in the head and her two children had gunshot wounds to their bodies, police said.
The trial has been delayed several times since Isom's arrest.
Isom's original attorney, Nick Thiros, died two years ago and Lake County's public defender office had to restart Isom's defense.
Lake Criminal Court Judge Thomas Stefaniak declared a mistrial last March when the jury pool was depleted after 15 days. Stefaniak doubled the number of prospective jurors for the second round to 1,150.
The Times reports (http://bit.ly/ZrhoiE ) that jurors will be sequestered during Isom's trial, which is expected to last three to five weeks.
Stefaniak last month issued an order barring anyone connected with the case from making any public statements.
Police said Isom fired at officers at least 10 times. He was arrested when officers stormed the apartment and used a stun gun to subdue him after firing tear gas into the apartment. When officers subdued Isom, he had several weapons near him.
