LOUISVILLE, KY – The murder trial of Karson Reitz took an unexpected turn this week when a mistrial was declared after the opening statements by defense attorney Steve Romines. Reitz is accused of fatally shooting Michael Miller and Bradley Cross at a Roosters restaurant in Louisville in December 2021.
The decision for a mistrial came swiftly, reportedly just one minute into Steve Romines’ opening statement. Prosecutors had previously requested the judge to limit the introduction of Michael Miller’s past actions into evidence. However, according to court recordings, Romines directly addressed these very points, leading to immediate objections and the subsequent mistrial declaration by Judge Annie O’Connell.
Steve Romines, representing Karson Reitz, had argued strongly that the evidence he intended to present was crucial to his client’s defense. However, his approach in court on Tuesday has now placed him under scrutiny and potentially at risk of sanctions.
During his opening statement, Steve Romines described Miller using highly charged and potentially inadmissible terms, stating, “He’s a lot more than a womanizer, let’s be clear, he’s a woman beater, he’s a pedophile, he’s a stalker, he’s a fired cop, he’s a thief.” These remarks immediately prompted the prosecution to request a mistrial.
Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Milja Zgonjanin objected, pointing out that Romines was bringing up matters “that have absolutely nothing to do with this case.” Judge O’Connell, visibly displeased, questioned Romines about his strategy after these statements. Despite Romines suggesting an “admonition” would suffice, the prosecution firmly requested a mistrial, a request Judge O’Connell ultimately granted after repeated objections over the following two hours.
Alt text: Steve Romines, a lawyer, passionately addresses the court during the Karson Reitz mistrial hearing.
The core of Steve Romines’ defense strategy appeared to be to inform the jury about Reitz’s alleged knowledge of Miller’s background, presumably to support a self-defense claim. Attorney Brian Butler commented on this tactic, explaining, “If there’s evidence in the record that I knew these things, and it impacted my decision then a judge may very well let it in, but if it’s just ‘hey I’m going to say bad things about the victim so the jury doesn’t want to convict me because I’ve painted the victim in a bad light’ that’s not appropriate.” This highlights the delicate balance attorneys must strike when introducing potentially prejudicial information.
Legal expert and U of L Law Professor Sam Marcosson weighed in on the situation, emphasizing the importance of adhering to judicial rulings. “The defense attorney and the prosecutor for that matter have to respect those lines and if they don’t, especially if they don’t repeatedly, and they’re told they’re close to causing a mistrial, you see the result,” Marcosson stated. He further explained that Judge O’Connell’s ruling allows prosecutors to retry the case and that Steve Romines could face sanctions, including contempt of court, for his actions. Marcosson speculated on whether Steve Romines intentionally sought a mistrial, noting that such intent could lead to “further consequences down the road.”
Alt text: Judge Annie O’Connell oversees the proceedings in the Karson Reitz case, following the mistrial declaration triggered by defense lawyer Steve Romines.
A further hearing is scheduled for next Wednesday before Judge O’Connell to determine the next steps in the case. Steve Romines did not respond to requests for comment at the time of reporting. The legal community and public are now watching closely to see how this case, and the actions of attorney Steve Romines, will proceed.
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