Insurance records released in Scott case
By Staff
Jonathan Willis
Officials representing two insurance companies testified this week that a Russellville mother accused of killing her son in a house fire had collected money on a previous fire and that she took out an additional life insurance policy on her son one day before he died.
Christie Michelle Scott, 30, of Russellville, is charged with capital murder in the death of her six year-old son, Mason Scott, who died in a fire at the family's home at 180 Signore Drive in August.
A Cotton States Insurance company official testified Thursday that Scott and her husband, Jeremy, collected $185,194 when their home on Steel Frame Road in Russellville burned in January 2006.
A claims adjuster for the company said the payments were made during a six-month period after the fire.
Capt. Steve Thornton, an assistant fire marshal for the Russellville Fire Department, testified earlier that the Jan. 14, 2006, fire was the second within two days at the Scott's home on Steel Frame Road.
No charges were filed in either case.
Also Thursday, a company official with Woodmen of the World testified that Scott took out a $100,000 life insurance policy on both of her sons the day before the fire. That claim has never been filed so no money has been distributed.
Last week during opening statements, District Attorney Joey Rushing said that Scott already had a $75,000 policy in place for Mason.
Fire investigators believe the fire began on a bed in Mason Scott's room where his younger brother, Noah, usually slept. Christie Scott told investigators that Noah was sleeping with her when the fire started.
The two of them escaped the house through a window in her bedroom.
Friday afternoon, an investigator testified that a smoke detector in the hallway outside Mason's room had been removed before the fire began. He said the damage done to wires behind the detector could not have occurred if the smoke detector was in place.
Defense attorney Robert Tuten, of Huntsville, told jurors earlier that the smoke detector was knocked off the wall by fire hoses used when firefighters were trying to extinguish the fire.
Testimony Friday revealed that the wires were broken lose, not melted or cut apart.
Tuten contends an electrical problem started the fire and has argued that two outlets that were lost before his investigators had an opportunity to inspect them hamper his ability to defend Scott.
Testimony will resume Monday morning.
