By RONNIE ELLIS
LEXINGTON — Steve Nunn – accused of the shooting death of his former fiancée – will undergo a psychological exam but won’t yet have to submit a DNA sample.
Fayette District Judge Julie Goodman Tuesday approved an agreed order between Nunn’s attorney and the Fayette County attorney, which calls for Nunn to undergo the evaluation at the Lexington jail where he’s housed and withdraws the county attorney’s request for a DNA sample.
“I will allow Mr. Nunn to be evaluated by the commonwealth at the jail,” Goodman said after conferring with Nunn’s attorney Astrida Lemkins and prosecutors at the bench. “The commonwealth has withdrawn its request for a DNA sample – that will be handled at a later date by the commonwealth's attorney.”
Nunn, 56, is accused of the shooting death of Amanda Ross, 29, outside her Lexington home on Sept. 11. Ross previously accused Nunn of punching her in the face and a judge placed Nunn under a domestic violence order. Kentucky law allows for the death penalty when an accused abuser under a DVO is accused of murdering the person who sought the DVO.
Nunn previously entered a not guilty plea and waived his right to a preliminary hearing to determine probable cause, sending the case to the Fayette County grand jury. No indictment had been returned as of Tuesday afternoon.
Fayette Commonwealth Attorney Ray Larson said his office is allowed 60 days to present its case to the grand jury but wouldn’t comment about when he might do so or when the grand jury might act. He has a long-standing policy of not commenting on active cases.
Lemkins declined to comment except to reiterate the terms of the agreement approved by Goodman. She said she didn’t know when the evaluation of Nunn might take place or how long it might take.
She said Nunn is doing “as well as can be expected.” She would not comment on a wrongful death suit filed in Fayette Circuit Court on Monday by Ross’ family.
That suit says “by the intentional use of a deadly weapon, Nunn fired multiple shots at Ross, brutally murdering her.”
It also contends Nunn on multiple occasions violently struck Ross with “Nunn’s fists and other objects” and beginning around February of this year and continuing until Ross’ death, Nunn “engaged in a pattern of harassing and intimidating conduct toward Ross” including “stalking, lewd and offensive communication, threats of physical and emotional abuse, confrontations and repeated unwanted contact.”
The suit requests unspecified damages and trail by jury.
Ross’ mother, Diana Ross, and other family members attended Tuesday’s brief court proceeding but declined comment afterward. Nunn did not appear.
Ronnie Ellis writes for CNHI News Service and is based in Frankfort. Reach him at rellis@cnhi.com. Follow CNHI News Service stories on Twitter at www.twitter.com/cnhifrankfort.
