CULLMAN – On Monday, Officials at the Cullman County Courthouse seated a jury which heard opening statements in the trial of Cullman resident Crystal Lynn Bulliner for the death of Vincent McGough due to fentanyl overdose. Remaining jurors in the pool are expected to participate in jury selection today for the trial of former Cullman County Commission Chairman James Graves on the charge of sex abuse of a minor.
Crystal Bulliner charged with murder and manslaughter in opioid overdose death
Crystal Lynn Bulliner was indicted in 2015 for the 2014 death of Vincent Mitchell McGough after she allegedly gave him fentanyl patches for which she had no prescription. An initial charge of manslaughter received two additional charges of murder when the case went before a grand jury.
According to the manslaughter charge, Bulliner “did recklessly cause the death of” McGough by “illegally providing fentanyl patches to him.” A toxicity report allegedly found other drugs in the victim’s system as well, but those were found to be at very low levels. On the other hand, the amount of fentanyl in McGough’s system was said to be four times the maximum safe dosage.
The two murder charges claimed that Bulliner caused McGough’s death while engaged in the “unlawful distribution of a controlled substance” (often referred to as felony murder) and that she, “under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to human life,” engaged in a reckless act by giving McGough the patches, resulting in his death (often referred to as reckless murder).
According to court records, the State and Bulliner’s attorney reached a plea agreement in Oct. 2017, but the Circuit Court rejected the deal and sent the case to trial.
Deputy District Attorney John Bryant read the indictment statement aloud, explained briefly the definitions of manslaughter, felony murder, and reckless murder; and gave a short summary of what authorities claim happened in the hours leading up to McGough’s death.
Defense attorney Melvin Hasting warned the jury that the next day or two will be full of technical testimony from people who are called experts. He also set forth the claim that McGough died of “multi-drug toxicity”– the presence of multiple drugs in his system, and not just the fentanyl he allegedly acquired from Bulliner. He also noted two other men who were allegedly with McGough in the hours before his death and dropped him off at the emergency room.
Testimony continues today.
Graves charged with sex abuse of a minor
Graves was arrested on May 10, 2017, for the sexual abuse of a minor. A statement issued by the Cullman County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) at that time said the victim came forward after the last incident took place, in which the suspect forced the victim to perform a sexual act.
When Graves was interviewed by investigators, he allegedly confirmed the allegations were true. The CCSO said that following that interview, “there was no doubt a sexual crime had been committed by the suspect.” Despite that, Graves initially entered a plea of Not Guilty.
He later changed his plea to Not Guilty by Reason of Mental Disease or Defect.
Because of his long-term contact with Cullman judges through his position on the County Commission, all local judges recused themselves from the case. The judges noted in their recusal orders that Graves is well known to the court, as a former county official, and that they wished “to avoid even the appearance of impropriety.” The Cullman judges requested Acting Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Lyn Stuart to assign the case to another judge. On Aug. 11, 2017, retired Madison County Circuit Court Judge Sterling A. Watson, Jr. was assigned to take charge of the case.
On Aug. 17, 2017, Graves was re-arrested on a separate charge of Witness Tampering, a misdemeanor charge. According to the CCSO, an investigation led to the discovery that Graves made contact with someone related to the sex abuse case. At that point, a statement from the CCSO said that investigators contacted the Cullman County District Attorney’s Office and obtained a warrant of arrest for tampering with a witness.
Graves’s trial will begin once jury selection is complete.
