Woman must testify at son’s murder trial

PORTLAND – The mother of Jeffery “Russ” Gorman will be required to testify at her son’s trial for the murder of Amy St. Laurent, the judge ruled Tuesday.

Superior Court Justice Nancy Mills denied a motion by Tammy Westbrook’s lawyer seeking to quash a prosecution subpoena compelling her to take the stand against her son.

The ruling came after a hearing before the start of testimony on the second day of Gorman’s trial.

Westbrook’s lawyer, Daniel Lilley, told the judge that his client, who had testified before the grand jury, was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and severe depression.

“She has no memory of the terrible events surrounding the death of this young woman, and therefore she has nothing to add,” Lilley said outside the courtroom.

St. Laurent, 25, of South Berwick, last was seen in Portland’s Old Port district on the night of Oct. 20, 2001. Her body was found seven weeks later in a shallow grave within a half-mile of Westbrook’s home in Scarborough. She was shot once in the head, jurors were told.

Gorman, 23, was arrested four days later after a standoff with police in his hometown of Troy, Ala.

In his opening statement, Assistant Attorney General Fern LaRochelle said no physical evidence links Gorman to the murder and that the case against him will be circumstantial.

Defense counsel Clifford Strike said witnesses have changed their stories over time to fit the state’s theory of the case.