Crime Fix with Angenette Levy - 6 Disturbing Moments in Christopher Gregor's Child Abuse Murder Trial Week 3

Episode Date: May 20, 2024

The third week of Christopher Gregor's murder trial was a short one but it wasn't short on drama. Gregor's father took the stand as prosecutors dropped a bombshell about a jail house phone call between Gregor and his mother. Gregor has pleaded not guilty to the April 2021 murder of his six-year-old son, Corey Micciolo. Prosecutors say Gregor beat Corey to death while Gregor claims sepsis caused his death. Law&Crime's Angenette Levy goes through the week's top moments in this episode of Crime Fix — a daily show covering the biggest stories in crime.PLEASE SUPPORT THE SHOW:If you’ve used Incognito mode in Google’s Chrome browser, find out if you have a claim in a few clicks by visiting https://www.incognitoclaims.com/crimefix/?v=cf3Host:Angenette Levy  https://twitter.com/Angenette5CRIME FIX PRODUCTION:Head of Social Media, YouTube - Bobby SzokeSocial Media Management - Vanessa BeinVideo Editing - Daniel CamachoAudio Editing - Brad MaybeGuest Booking - Alyssa Fisher & Diane KayeSTAY UP-TO-DATE WITH THE LAW&CRIME NETWORK:Watch Law&Crime Network on YouTubeTV: https://bit.ly/3td2e3yWhere To Watch Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3akxLK5Sign Up For Law&Crime's Daily Newsletter: https://bit.ly/LawandCrimeNewsletterRead Fascinating Articles From Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3td2IqoLAW&CRIME NETWORK SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawandcrime/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LawCrimeNetworkFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/lawandcrimeTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/lawandcrimenetworkTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@LawandCrimeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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Christopher Greger's father taking the stand at his murder trial as prosecutors reveal Greger was coaching his mom on how to testify. So here the defendant evidently was still foolish enough to try and engage in that conduct. Plus the body camera footage of Gregor that the jury will not see. I'm freaking out right now. Thanks for joining me for Crime Fix. I'm Anjanette Levy. The third week of Chris Gregor's trial was a short one, but it wasn't short on drama. Gregor is accused of murdering his son, six-year-old Corey Michelo, on April 2nd of 2021

by inflicting serious trauma on his body. Greger also faces a child endangerment charge. Greger maintains he didn't kill Corey and that he actually died of a blood infection called sepsis. The week started with Greger's father, David Greger, a retired New Jersey state trooper, testifying in front of the jury. Between March 20th and April 2nd, did you see Cory? I did. March 22nd. On the 22nd, Chris and Cory, they were looking for a home to purchase. And so being that we were involved with the purchase in terms of helping, we went down, my wife was a real estate agent, and showed them two houses in Bayville. One was one, the other one was near Barnegat. Okay, and how many houses, did you look at two houses?

Two houses. Okay, and did you see Corey that day? We did. Okay, and what was Corey's demeanor on March 22nd? He was happy and energetic. We were, the entire time we looked at both homes, we were talking about where his room would be and where would be his yard to play with the dog.

He was excited. He ran around a lot. I remember that because there was a situation at the one house on a trafficked street where as we were walking in the house, he ran out of the car and was running through the front yard. And my wife got all excited and ran after to get him because she was concerned with the street. But he had a lot of energy. He was very excited. This is a law and crime legal alert. Google Incognito tracked users browsing data without their knowledge. Mass Tort Alliance, one of our legal sponsors, is helping users file for compensation because

of Google users' privacy issues through their Incognito browser. If you've used Google Incognito anytime since 2016, you can start your claim in less than 10 questions at incognitoclaims.com. Remember, March 20th is a really important date in this case. That's the day Corey's mom dropped him off at Chris's apartment complex and the day of that infamous treadmill video where Chris Greger speeded it up, forcing Corey to run on it. Corey eventually fell off of that treadmill. David Greger then testified about talking with his son Chris the day that Cory died at the hospital. That was April 2nd.

On April 2nd, did you hear from Christopher? I did. And about what time did you hear from Christopher? It was sometime after five. Okay. And where were you at the time? In the car. Okay. And where were you going? My wife had called me. I went home to pick her up, and we were heading down to Barnegat.

Okay. And can you please describe the conversation you had with Christopher, that first conversation? The first conversation is when I took the phone from my wife. Christopher was on the phone with her. I could hear it was loud and very excitable. And I asked her to give me the phone, and then I got the phone. Okay.

What was Christopher's demeanor during that conversation? Hysterical. What was Christopher's demeanor during that conversation? Hysterical. When's the next time you heard from Christopher? Few minutes later. Okay. And describe that conversation. It was the same.

It was, he was inconsolable. He just lost his son. Prosecutors implied on cross-examination that David Gregor might have actually tried to cover for his son. Prosecutors implied on cross examination that David Gregor might have actually tried to cover for his son. During the course of this case on April 2nd of 2021, after Corey passed, you spoke to Detective Mitchell with the prosecutor's office, right? I did. And you gave him a pretty long statement, correct? It was. And when you were speaking to the detective,

nowhere did you tell him that Corey had this bruise when you saw him on the 22nd, correct? I don't believe I mentioned it. And with all of your training that you just talked about and being a police officer and in Homeland Security, this wasn't important for you to mention when you were talking to the detective, correct? I didn't think it was any more significant than him telling me he fell in the treadmill. Okay.

So Corey told you that he fell in the treadmill? It was a joint discussion at dinner. Okay. And, again, this wasn't important to you at that time? Well, it was important that he had a scrape on his forehead, but I didn't think to mention it to Detective Mitchell. Okay. So this testimony was in front of the jury, unlike last week's testimony from Chris Greger's parents.

Then after David Greger's testimony, a huge bombshell revelation. Prosecutors revealed that Chris Greger was coaching his mom on how she should testify. And the state came into possession of a recording of a phone call between the defendant and his mother that took place, I believe, last Friday, subsequent to the testimony of Carolyn and David Greger at the 104 hearing in this court. During the phone call, the state asserts that the defendant was coaching his mother with regard to her testimony. I sent it to the court. I sent it to Mr. Gallucci last night and indicated that if Ms. Greger testified or even in the defendant's testimony, basically anybody that makes that relevant before the court, I will subject any rulings from the court, be looking to use that on cross-examination in whatever form I need to at the time. Now, this is a big, big deal. Chris

Greger maintains in court that he's innocent and he didn't kill Corey. Then why would he feel the need to coach his mom? Chris Greger's defense attorney, Mario Gallucci, didn't dispute that this happened. Your Honor, as you know, I'm in charge of making the decisions on who the witnesses are gonna to be that testify in court and what Ms. Schroen just said is very accurate. I received not only the transcript of that recording but also the recording itself. I don't necessarily disagree with Ms. Schroen's interpretation of that conversation but that conversation does make me not want to call Mrs. Gregor as a witness in the trial. I will say that in every single moment she had the opportunity to stop her son from speaking about the case and trial strategy

and whatever else he wanted to discuss. She made every attempt to stop him from talking about it, but he persisted. And at one point actually even hung up on her son because he continued to persist. At one point you actually hear his father in the background say, stop, and basically enough is enough. So as a result of this conversation,

I find it necessary not to call Mrs. Greger as a witness in this case. Mrs. Greger was going to be a fact witness and basically testify, not even as long as Mr. David Greger testified, but she would have testified basically to conversations she had with her son the morning that Corey had come home. So it was going to be a very limited examination anyway. So as a result of this conversation that my client was involved with, I will not be calling Mrs. Greger. So Greger's parents, it sounds like, tried to

save him from himself on that jail call. They knew what was happening was wrong. David Greger is, after all, a retired New Jersey state trooper. Here's what the judge had to say. Any attempts by a defendant to influence change or alter the testimony of a witness, whether that be through threats or promises or entreaties or otherwise, can be admissible. In fact, it can be admissible on the issue of consciousness of guilt. I've already gone through a long analysis on the admissibility of post-defense evidence regarding consciousness of guilt, namely the defendant's alleged flight to Arkansas and Tennessee, his alleged deletion of internet history and text messages. So in that regard, I would have had to make a decision about not only the ability to cross-examine

defense witnesses, such as Ms. Greger, on what influence the defendant's conduct may have had on her, but whether or not that conduct also would be separately admissible by itself. So the judge ruled that the defense acted properly in opting against calling Carolyn Greger to testify. Here, the defendant evidently was still foolish enough to try and engage in that conduct, even while the attorney was obviously meeting and preparing the witnesses. Both sides have correctly summarized the statement. The statement ends, the phone call ends, with Mr. David Greger intervening and saying the conversation's over. In fact, he even says that they've been meeting with Mr.

Gallucci, which was appropriate, and there's no reason to continue the call. And then both parents repeatedly say that this is the end of the call, it's over, stop, stop, stop, stop. So Mr. Glucci's then to put in the situation to have to make a decision how to address that. I'm a firm believer in allowing attorneys on both sides to formulate trial strategy. The attorneys have access to all of the discovery materials unlike the court and attorneys have to make strategic choices, both in advance of trial and during trial. Next came an argument about a clip of body camera footage when Chris Greger was pulled over in Tennessee after Corey died. The defense wanted

to show it because they say it shows Greger wasn't fleeing as the prosecution contends. The time where they're alleging that he is fleeing because he's guilty. And when you look at the video, it doesn't appear that that's what's going on. It's a three minute portion. It's a two hour video and I don't have an objection. But the prosecution argued against the defense

showing a three minute portion of the two hour video. Just two things that counsel said that I wanted to respond to. Without a witness putting those videos in, it sounds like there's a lot of speculation. There's not the things that are not captured on the video that are not going to be coming into court. The observations that the officer is making of the defendant is not going to be coming into court. And as far as the defendant's state of mind, I don't think that we could just rely on three minutes of video as reflection of his state of mind here's just a little bit of that body camera footage

i mean i'm freaking out right now because there's like what's a grad school too i was a math teacher So you know I don't know math. I just teach. Like those that can't do teach. I mean, it's been interesting the past two years to say the least. When you say date, you mean just like, when you're not with me? Not really. She's met my son... You actually do?

She's met my son multiple times. Did you have a little certain list after that last time? I did. I just, like I said, I drove like, it's more of how I... So why ask her why she's here, what she would say? That she wanted to be here with me for the drive home. And she also might or might not say, because one of her main reasons why she didn't feel comfortable driving another 13 hours after I've driven so much already. Because I haven't slept

up, as you can imagine. So it's just, I don't know. I'm like numb at this point with everything going on and this now, I'm like a little freaked out. In the end, the judge determined the jury would not see the video. The defense also called police officers who performed a welfare check visiting Corey Michelo at his dad's house days before he died. And when you met with him, did you make any observations of Corey? Yes. And what observations did you make of Corey?

Saw some bruises to his legs, arms, and hips. I also saw a minor laceration to above one of his eyebrows. I forget what eyebrow exactly. While they were in the stairway leading up to the apartment. Besides, would you want to testify to your observed on Corey? Did you observe anything suspicious? Not between Mr. Greger and Corey. They seem to have a good relationship between each other. And that was that. We spoke with both of them. That was really it. Okay. And then you left? Yeah.

The prosecution questioned the officer about Corey's injuries and what he did after seeing him. And you asked to see Corey? Yes. And you saw Corey and you saw that he had a bruise on his legs, correct? Yes. And you saw that Corey had bruises on his arms? Yes. You saw that Corey had a bruise on his hip? Yes. And you saw that Corey had bruises on his arms. Yes. You saw that Corey had a bruise on his hip.

Yes. You saw that Corey had a bruise on his chest. Yes. You also saw that Corey had a laceration to, I'm sorry, above his eyebrow, right? Yes. The officer said he called New Jersey's Department of Child Protection and Permanency based on the visit to Gregor's home and seeing Corey. And he spoke to Christopher Gregor at the apartment? Yes. And you also spoke to Corey, right? Yes. And when you spoke to Corey, you spoke to him in the presence of his father, correct?

Yes. And you didn't separate Corey from his father when you talked to the defendant, correct? No. And based upon your immediate observations, Corey did not appear to be in distress at that moment except for your observations of the bruises, correct? Correct. And you had no idea when you were at that apartment

that there had been this video with the defendant interacting with his son on a treadmill, correct? Correct. The only witness the defense has left, renowned forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Bodden. He will testify for the defense, and the defense hinted that Christopher Greger might also testify, so stay tuned for that. That's it for this episode of Crime Fix. I'm Annette Levy. Thanks so much for being with me. I'll see you back here next time.