Belton murder trial hears closing arguments today

Closing arguments will be heard today in the trial of Michael J. Griffin for the murder of former IU professor Don Belton.

Griffin, 26, testified in court Wednesday that he did not enter Belton’s home with the intent to kill him.

Griffin said he drove to Belton’s home at 904 S. Madison St. to discuss what happened two days prior on Dec. 25, 2009, when he said Belton sexually assaulted him.

When Griffin stood in Belton’s kitchen on Dec. 27, he said he raised the issue.

“You must’ve enjoyed it because you weren’t resisting,” Belton said to Griffin, according to Griffin’s Wednesday testimony in court.

Then Griffin grabbed Belton and said, “No, you’re wrong.”

Belton, with two hands, pushed Griffin backward. Griffin unsheathed a knife he often carries with him and held it out and sideways.

Belton lunged at Griffin and grabbed the sharp end of the knife and cut his hand.
The two men fought and Griffin stabbed Belton 22 times in the chest and abdomen, according to a forensic report. Four of the stabs were considered to be fatal.

Griffin said after he ran back to his car and changed into clothes that were in his car from hiking earlier that day.

When Griffin arrived home he told his girlfriend, Jessa Greiwe, what he did. The next day Greiwe drove to her parents’ house in Batesville, Ind., and told them what happened. They drove to the Batesville Police Department where she wrote a statement.