Edward D. Gingerich: The Only Amish Man Convicted of Murder

Final Stages

Katie's mother, Emma Shetler, subpoenaed by the court, was the next to testify on behalf of the prosecution. Ed began to cry as she made her way to the stand.

"How did the defendant and his wife, the victim, get along?" Ferguson asked.

"I don't know how to answer that," Emma replied.

"When was the last time you saw the defendant before Katie's death?"

"He was putting up ice."

"At your house?"

"Yes."

"Did you notice anything unusual about him?"

"No."

Ferguson asked a few more questions and then turned Emma over to Lewis, who declined to cross-examine.

Danny Gingerich was the next witness called by the prosecution. During Danny's testimony, he chronicled the events that took place the day of Katie's death and was asked to read the statement he had given to the state police on the night of Katie's murder. On cross-examination, the defense questioned Dan about his brother's mental problems and their trip to Jacob Troyer's, the healers, home.

Following Danny Gingerich's testimony, the prosecution called an English sawmill customer to testify to Ed's state of mind and two Pennsylvania State Police troopers, to recount the events following Ed's ultimate arrest and confession. With their testimony complete, prosecutor Ferguson announced that the Commonwealth had rested its case. Don Lewis could not believe what he was hearing; the prosecution did not bother to produce one psychiatrist to testify to Ed's sanity, a toxicologist to debunk the Gunk theory, or any of the Mill Village paramedics to describe the horrid crime scene. The jury was left with very little knowledge of who Katie Gingerich was, or how she had suffered.

The basis for Ed's defense relied heavily on proving that he was in a severe mental state while committing his crime. To do this, Don Lewis relied upon testimony from Dr. Bernstein and Dr. John J. Spikes, a toxicologist from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Dr. Spikes's testified that the Gunk fumes had caused "organic brain syndrome," a condition, which existed at the time of Katie's murder. Douglas Ferguson's cross-examination of Dr. Spike was about as comprehensive as the case he had earlier presented.

"Have you ever spoken to the defendant?" Ferguson asked.

"No," Dr. Spikes replied.

"Did you question anybody who saw the defendant on the day of the killing?"

"No."

"Then everything you know about the defendant has come from Attorney Lewis?"

"Yes."

"Do you know if the defendant used other products besides Gunk to clean engines?"

"No."

"Do some furniture-polishing products contain petroleum distillates?"

"Yes. All things are toxic, some more than others."

"Are skin rashes always a symptom?"

"No, but frequently. The organs remain affected after the petroleum distillates have passed through the system."