Mendenhall Lawyers: Throw Out Truck Driver's Statements

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By Mark Bellinger

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Accused serial killer Bruce Mendenhall's first trial is less than a week away. His lawyers want a judge to throw out statements the truck driver made to police the day he was arrested.

Mendenhall is accused of killing seven prostitutes across the U.S.

His first trial is for trying to hire a hit man to kill Metro detectives Pat Postiglione, Lee Freeman and three witnesses.

Police said when they arrested Mendenhall on July 12, 2007; he blamed those witnesses for the murders.

"He claimed they some how knew what truck stop he would be at. They would show up at the same truck stop. They would some how find his weapon. They would kill the victim. In some cases leave the victims in his truck,” said Postiglione.

Mendenhall was arrested at the Travel America truck stop in downtown Nashville on July 12, 2007.

Postiglione said he saw Mendenhall's 18-wheeler enter the truck stop. He said the truck looked like an 18-wheeler captured on surveillance video three weeks earlier when Sara Hulbert was murdered in the parking lot.

Hulbert was a Nashville prostitute.

Mendenhall's attorneys are also asking the judge to throw out other evidence in the case including letters and phone calls written and made by the truck driver.

The judge is expected to rule on the motions to suppress evidence before the end of the week. He denied a motion to sequester the jury.

The trial is Monday.

Email: mbellinger@newschannel5.com