A Kanab man who housed Justin Morris and Matthew Callahan after they were removed from the Challenger wilderness therapy program testified Thursday the boys told him they bruised and scratched themselves and intended to accuse Challenger workers of inflicting the wounds.
"Justin showed me bruises on his arms and body and some scratches," said Brandt Child. "He said they'd done it to get the Cartisano program along with (Kane County Attorney Jim) Scarth and the sheriff."But during cross examination, Scarth implied that Child may bear a grudge against him.
"We know each other, don't we?" Scarth asked.
Child said yes, but when Scarth attempted to pursue questions about a felony case he had prosecuted earlier against Child, the defense objected on the grounds that the charge had been dismissed. Third Circuit Judge Paul Grant agreed with the defense and asked the jury to disregard the question.
The defense asked Grant to dismiss the case on the grounds of prosecutorial misconduct. The judge refused.
Morris, from Citrus Heights, Calif., is one of three former Challenger students named as victims in seven misdemeanor child-abuse charges against Cartisano.
He and Callahan, Newark, Dela., stayed overnight at the Childs' home after state officials removed them from the Challenger program because of child-abuse allegations.
Venice Child testified the two youths told them they were doing all they could to disobey rules.
"Justin had an attitude of I'm going to get them," she said. "Matthew didn't say very much. He was out of it, like his brain was burned out."
Venice Child said both boys had seemed happy and active the next morning, even though they had repeatedly gotten up to eat during the night, but when the social workers came, Morris laid down and complained of feeling sick.
"They said, `Oh, we're going to get back to bed and act like we're sick,' " Brandt Child testified.
Cartisano, 36, is also charged with negligent homicide, a class A misdemeanor, in the June 27, 1990, death of Kristen Chase, another former student. Chase, of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., collapsed and died during a hike in 90-degree temperatures on 6,000 foot Kaiparowits Plateau in southern Utah.
Another defense witness, psychologist Dean Pearson, testified Morris and Callahan benefitted from the Challenger program, but their abrupt removal from the program and subsequent notoriety concerned him.
Pearson, Cedar City, examined the youths at the state's request after they had been removed from the program. He said neither boy displayed abnormal anxiety or depression because of their experiences while on the wilderness program, but they did complain of being tied up and Callahan said he has been beaten.
"I didn't hear him say that he was beaten up by Steve Cartisano," Pearson said. "He said he got beat up, but he didn't tell me who beat him up. I didn't get into specifics with names."
Pearson also said he noticed Callahan had scratches and scars on his body.