Alibis raised in double murder

Kim Smith and Greg Tuttle

Monday, Dec. 18, 2000 | 11:08 a.m.

Defense attorneys for a Nazi skinhead accused of killing two anti-racist skinhead activists tried to strengthen his alibi Friday and gave jurors an alternate suspect.

John Edward Butler, 28, is standing trial in the July 4, 1998, shooting deaths of Daniel Shersty, 20, and Lin Newborn, 25. Prosecutors believe Butler shot the two after his girlfriend, Melissa Hack, lured them out to the desert.

Deputy District Attorneys Robert Daskas and Bill Kephart maintain that Butler, a high-ranking member of the Independent Nazi Skinheads group, hated Shersty and Newborn because of their biracial friendship and anti-racist views.

Shersty was white and Newborn was black.

Deputy Special Public Defenders Joseph Sciscento and Bret Whipple argued that Butler was at his brother's house at the time of the slayings and others had motive to kill Newborn.

While police said Butler was seen at the murder scene and was later found with the murder weapon, the defense attorneys told jurors he was there to pick up evidence in a misguided attempt to help friends.

On Friday, Malayna Thompson, 21, testified she twice met with Newborn in July 1998 because she knew it would anger her boyfriend, Daniel Hartung, a member of another racist skinhead group who had a "beef" with Newborn.

Also testifying for the defense Friday was Kristen Coffin, who testified she met Hartung and several other racist skinheads in 1996. Coffin told jurors about two incidents that took place in February 1996.

Coffin testified about going out to the desert where the bodies would be found two years later and watching Hartung and his friends fire a shotgun. Later that month she was at a party with Hartung and other skinheads when Newborn's name was mentioned.

"They became angry," Coffin said. "There was a lot of hostility in the air. You could cut it with a knife."

Coffin said the group was angry that Newborn had dared to flirt with a white girl they knew.

Also testifying Friday was James Brett, a former Nazi skinhead and friend of Butler who said he saw Butler at Butler's brother's house at the time of the slaying.

Neither Melissa Hack nor Daniel Hartung has ever been charged in connection with the case.

Butler's mother, Cynthia Glosson, also testified Friday she knew her son had an alibi for the morning of the slaying.