Investigators, paramedics recount teen beating crime scene

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Eye witnesses, investigators, and doctors are taking the witness stand in an attempted murder trial for a man accused of beating his former girlfriend.

Michael Hutton, 20, is charged with attempted murder, assault, assault by strangulation, kidnapping, and assault on a female, and assault inflicting serious bodily injury after he allegedly sent his girlfriend Hannah Connaway to the hospital.

Prosecutors had a friend of the couple, Claudene Williams, that says she saw it all happen testify first.

Thursday, Connaway’s eye doctor Tracy Glendenning took the witness stand. She said Connaway was unable to focus after undergoing brain surgery from the head trauma. Glendenning said Connaway’s eyes were going different directions and she was seeing double. She said this could have been caused by severe blood loss in the brain.

Next, officers from the crime scene took the stand. Wilmington Police officer Gordon said he was the first to arrive to the scene that night. He said Hutton was shirtless and had blood all over his hands. He said Hutton questioned why the officer was there. Then Gordon said he detained Hutton.

The jury watched video and audio of this encounter through audio recordings on the officer’s uniform and video on his car. In the audio you can hear Hutton say,”She hit me first, so I had to put her down.” Hutton also said, “Girls overreact.”  Previous testimony from Claudene Williams said Hutton hit himself first before he started hitting Connaway.

Crime Scene Investigator Max Cowart also took the stand. He showed the jury pictures of inside and outside Hutton’s house. They saw blood on door handles, door frames, and on the floor. They also saw bloody hand prints and smears throughout parts of the house.

Medical examiners told the jury that Connaway was unresponsive and she only responded once in the ambulance to painful stimulation. Paramedics also said Connaway had blood in her nostrils when they first assessed her. Once they got her in the ambulance, the paramedics said they noticed bruising and scratches all over Connaway from her head to her neck to her toes.

EMS personnel are expected to take the stand this afternoon. Prosecutors also said Connaway will take the stand in this trial. Defense attorneys say Hutton is expected to take the stand too.

Follow WWAY for the latest updates on the trial. For live tweets, follow reporter @Hannahpatric in the courtroom.