WMOK – Metropolis, IL – Legal proceedings advanced Tuesday morning in Massac County Circuit Court in the prosecution of 76-year-old George E. Bradfield, who faces five counts of first-degree murder in the 1984 death of Lisa Ann Carnes.
Special Prosecutors Josh Stratemeyer and Robinson represented the State as arguments centered on Rule 404(b) motions.
Illinois Rule 404(b) governs the potential admissibility of evidence regarding other crimes, wrongs, or acts to demonstrate intent, motive, or identity.
The State presented several specific items they seek to enter into the evidentiary record for the upcoming trial.
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404(b) Evidence Motion: Prosecutors detailed specific contents of a bag recovered from Bradfield’s Kentucky home following his arrest, including five specific thumb drives sampled from hundreds of thousands of digital items seized.
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Jailhouse Phone Call: The State submitted a recorded phone conversation between Bradfield and his son following his arrest, where Bradfield stated, “I have to know that bag is out of there,” to which his son replied, “I can’t. I can’t.”
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Defense Motions: Defense Attorney Cervantez requested the removal of Bradfield’s hand shackles for the proceeding and filed a motion to inspect specific physical evidence; the State offered no objection, and the court granted access.
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Ruling Reserved: The judge heard arguments from both sides before reserving a formal ruling on the admissibility of the State’s 404(b) evidence.
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Next Steps: A Zoom case management conference is set for September 1 at 9:00 AM, followed by a pre-trial conference in Courtroom 1 on October 27 at 9:00 AM.
Discussing IL 404B Rule - Bradfield Trial with Sheriff Kaylor - air date May 2026
