Slain Del. medic ruled 'firefighter' under state law

By Sean O'Sullivan
The News Journal 

WILMINGTON, Del. — A Superior Court judge ruled Wednesday that ambulance driver Michelle Smith was a "firefighter" under state law when she was killed in the line of duty Dec. 20, 2008, while tending to an injured man on the median of U.S. 13.

The ruling by Judge Jerome O. Herlihy seems to clear the way for a possible conviction of 29-year-old Joseph Taye, a paraplegic, on first-degree murder charges that would send him to prison for life for running into Smith with his car.

Taye this month opted for a bench trial instead of a jury trial, so Herlihy also will be deciding Taye's guilt.

Full story: Deputy Attorney General argued Smith was in team of firefighters responding to call