State-Journal.com - Nunn eligible for death penalty

Steve Nunn

Until accused murderer Steve Nunn is moved to Fayette County from the Hart County jail, Commonwealth’s Attorney Ray Larson says he can’t touch the case.

“He hasn’t been transported to Lexington for an arraignment to my knowledge,” Larson said. “Until that happens, the case will not be in our office.”

Hart County Jailer Keith Riordan does not know when Nunn will be transported to Fayette County.

“But even if I did, I couldn’t release that information,” he said. “It’s been the policy since before I was a jailer here.”

Riordan said that even if Nunn posts bond, which was set at $57,000 by District Judge Derek C. Reed, Fayette County has a hold on him.

“He can’t be released here until he pays his bond,” Riordan said. “Even when that happens, we’re going to hold him for Fayette County because of the charges against him there.”

Lexington police charged the former Kentucky lawmaker and son of the late Gov. Louie Nunn with murder Monday in the death of his ex-fiancée, 29-year-old Amanda Ross of Lexington. He was also charged with violation of a protective order.

According to Commonwealth’s Attorney Larry Cleveland, the charges against Nunn, 56, make him eligible for the death penalty.

Under Kentucky law, an accused murderer is eligible for the death penalty if aggravated circumstances include that “the offender murdered the victim when an emergency protective order or domestic order was in effect.”

Police said warrants were served on Nunn after he was taken Monday to the Hart County jail.

Nunn is in Hart County jail and is also charged with six counts of wanton endangerment after brandishing a .38-caliber handgun at police at his parents’ graves in Hart County, according to KSP.

Nunn is scheduled for arraignment in Hart County on Sept. 21 at 11 a.m.

According to Riordan, police brought Nunn to the jail around 10:30 CDT Monday. He had been released from The Medical Center at Bowling Green earlier.

“He’s in good shape,” Riordan said Monday. “He was talking and acting normal.”

KSP interviewed Nunn at The Medical Center before bringing him to jail, Riordan said.

“Nobody has interviewed him here.”

Nunn was being held alone in an 8-by-12-foot cell, according to Riordan. He is being checked every 10 minutes “like it’s a suicide deal.”

“He’s not suicidal right now,” Riordan said. “We’re waiting on [life services] to get here and check him out.”

Riordan says he must hold Nunn in the single cell at least two days because of Nunn’s health evaluation. The results of the evaluation could not be released because of HIPAA regulations on privacy.

“We’re going to observe him as long as we can,” Riordan said.

Nunn said he wanted to watch “Monday Night Football” on ESPN, but he could not be released to the general population, Riordan said.

“He knows he’ll have to be in there at least two more days,” Riordan said.

Riordan said a lot of media have requested interviews.

“There’s been so much media today,” he said. “I asked him if he wanted to talk to any of ‘em. He said, ‘No.’”

Riordan originally thought Nunn would be detained on a federal hold on account of the gun charges, but officials called him to cancel it, he said.

Jennie Nunn Penn, Steve Nunn’s sister, had no comment.

Ross was found Friday morning in the parking lot of Opera House Square Town Homes at 541 W. Short St. in Lexington. Ross was director of financial standards in the Department of Insurance in Frankfort.

She was pronounced dead at 7:09 a.m. Friday at University of Kentucky Hospital from a single gunshot wound.

Nunn was found hours later at his parents’ graves in Cosby cemetery in Hart County. He suffered from self-inflicted wrist wounds and was transported to the hospital.

A March court order prohibited Nunn from owning a gun following a domestic incident with Ross earlier this year.

Former journalist and friend of Nunn, Al Smith, said Nunn was also ordered to seek alcohol assessment and treatment Aug. 3.

“More than a few of us knew Steve was troubled,” Smith said. “But neither we, nor he, apparently, did enough to address it.”

Nunn ran unsuccessfully for the Republican gubernatorial nomination in 2003. He lost a bid for re-election to the state House in 2006 after 15 years as a state representative.

He returned to state government in 2007 as deputy secretary of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, but was put on administrative leave in February after being charged with domestic violence for allegedly striking Ross. He resigned in March.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.