Nunn pleads not guilty to wanton endangerment in Hart County

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November 17, 2009

By RONNIE ELLIS The Daily Independent Tue Nov 17, 2009, 11:45 PM EST

MUNFORDVILLE — Steve Nunn, the former legislator and one-time candidate for governor who is charged in Fayette County with the shooting death of his former fiancée, entered a not guilty plea Tuesday in Hart Circuit Court to charges of wanton endangerment there.

Nunn was on hand, wearing a green jail jumpsuit, sandals and wearing a beard. He appeared thinner than he looked before his Sept. 11 arrest in a Hart County rural cemetery where officers apprehended him only hours after Lexington police found 29-year-old Amanda Ross shot outside her Lexington townhouse. When police found Nunn his wrists had been cut and he discharged a handgun — prompting the six wanton endangerment charges in Hart County.

Nunn was later indicted in Fayette County for Ross’ death and is scheduled for arraignment there Thursday at 11:30 a.m.

Nunn did not speak at his Hart County arraignment. His attorney Warren Scoville entered the plea.

“We waive formal arraignment and enter a plea of not guilty,” Scoville told Hart Circuit Judge Charles Simms as Nunn stood silently by his side.

After the brief proceeding which took less than three minutes, Scoville asked to meet privately with Nunn and the two retired to a room off the courtroom. Afterward Scoville declined comment.

“No comment. No comment,” said Scoville to reporters’ questions. “I’ll see you in heaven. No comment.”

Simms set Nunn’s trail on the wanton endangerment charges for June 14 and a pretrial hearing on June 4.

Nunn, the son of former Gov. Louie B. Nunn, served in the General Assembly for 16 years, losing his seat in 2006 to Democrat Johnny Bell. The one-time Republican candidate for governor crossed party lines to endorse Democrat Steve Beshear in the 2007 governor’s race. After his election, Beshear appointed Nunn Deputy Secretary of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services where his duties included oversight of the state’s domestic abuse programs.

But in March, Ross accused Nunn of striking her four times in the face and pushing her against a wall in her home and a Fayette District Judge placed Nunn under a domestic violence order. The next day, Nunn resigned his cabinet position.

Lexington police were called to Ross’ townhouse about 6:30 a.m. Sept. 11, where they found her suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. She died a short time later at the University of Kentucky Hospital. Three hours later, Nunn was found in the Cosby Cemetery in Hart County where his parents are buried. He was later charged and ultimately indicted for Ross’ murder.

Because Nunn was under a domestic violence order he could face the death penalty in the murder case.

RONNIE ELLIS writes for CNHI News Service and is based in Frankfort. at rellis@cnhi.com. Follow CNHI News Service stories on Twitter at www.twitter.com/cnhifrankfort.

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