PORT TOWNSEND — A Port Townsend man charged with controlled substances homicide in the death of a local musician will now face a separate trial for an alleged drug lab at his house.
Adam Michael Kelly, 38, is scheduled to be on trial in Jefferson County Superior Court beginning Dec. 16. The anticipated two-week trial will focus on charges of controlled substances homicide in the death of Jarrod Bramson, 43.
Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Chris Ashcraft split the charges against Kelly into two trials Friday before Judge Keith Harper.
The first will focus on controlled substances homicide, a Class B felony punishable by a maximum of 10 years in prison and/or a $20,000 fine.
The second trial, scheduled for three weeks beginning Dec. 30, will focus on the alleged drug lab in the basement of Kelly’s house in the 1400 block of 12th Street in Port Townsend.
Possession of a controlled substance and possession of counterfeit substances are both Class C felonies, each punishable by a maximum of five years in prison and/or a $10,000 fine.
Both Ashcraft and defense attorney Richard Davies of Jefferson Associated Counsel said Friday there had been ongoing negotiations between the parties.
Kelly remains at the Jefferson County Jail, where he’s been since March 28, in lieu of $500,000 bail.
Davies asked to have Kelly transported to court for a status conference scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Friday.
Bramson died of a heroin overdose March 27, and prosecutors believe Kelly provided the lethal dose at his home.
That’s the last place Bramson had been seen alive before he was driven to the parking lot at Jefferson Healthcare hospital and found unresponsive, Ashcraft said.
Harper denied a motion to suppress evidence Nov. 1 following a special evidence hearing Oct. 17.
Davies had argued Port Townsend police had unlawfully seized Kelly’s home without enough probable cause on the night Bramson died and said everything police learned after a search warrant was later signed should not be admissible in court.
Harper disagreed with the lack of probable cause but did agree with the defense that the protective sweep police performed that night was invalid.
However, the judge said police had reason to suspect the presence of a drug lab and, therefore, the protective sweep did not taint the search warrant.
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Jefferson County Managing Editor Brian McLean can be reached at 360-385-2335, ext. 6, or at bmclean@peninsuladailynews.com.
