Dalton Christopher Brewer told a jury he was a normal 24-year-old who had a girlfriend, two up and coming businesses and was an accomplished stonemason and electrician prior to the assault he suffered at the hands of Tony Ramey on June 13, 2007.
However, as a result of injuries he suffered in the assault, he said he suffers from posttraumatic stress disorder, is in constant pain, has blurred vision and suffers seizures.
"It is just not a good situation," Brewer said, noting that he is unable to drive and suffers from depression.
I’m hard to deal with," he said, adding the depression led to the breakup with his then-girlfriend Rachel Poole.
Brewer, who walks with a cane, said he has run into doors and fallen down.
Since the assault, Brewer said he has amassed more than $103,000 in medical bills and has been to see numerous doctors including in Nashville, Tenn. and the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla.
Despite all the doctors visits and medications, both of which he said are too numerous to remember, Brewer said none have helped.
He told the jury he is still seeing several doctors including a psychiatrist, neurologist and family physician.
"I’m still taking prescriptions on doctors’ orders," Brewer said.
As a result of the outstanding bills, Brewer said he sold his car and then deeded property to his grandmother.
According to the title the property was in exchange for, "partial repayment of loan."
Brewer added that following the assault he believed he could go back to work. However, in June 2008, he began having seizures. He soon realized that was not going to be an option and applied for his Social Security Disability.
Dr. Stan Smith, an economist from the University of Chicago, who was called to testify on behalf of Brewer, said based on his research a stonemason in Southeastern Kentucky makes on average $41,855 per year.
Since June 13, 2007, Smith estimated that Brewer has lost $183,301 in income and will lose about $2.5 million in future wages based on that income with a one percent annual wage increase.
Under cross examination of Brewer defense attorney Jane Winkler Dyche brought up tax records that indicate Brewer’s income for 2006 was $13,966 and that contrary to his claim that he had two businesses, the records indicate there were no wages paid.
In his testimony via video deposition of Brewer’s one-time family physician Dr. John Michael Watts, Watts noted that aside from the gash in his head, Brewer seemed to be recovering from the injuries he sustained in the assault and showed no signs of any of the physical problems he exhibits today
A drug screen performed on Brewer at the hospital did show signs of Oxycodone methadone and opiates. During his testimony, Brewer said he had taken a valium he had left over from a prescription given when he traveled to Rome, Italy and had been at his parents’ home without his pain medication. At that time, he took one of his father’s percocet.
As to the methadone, it was noted Brewer took several more drug tests in July and August, which failed to show the presence of methadone or any other illicit drugs.
Dyche asked Brewer about visits to several different doctors in Corbin and in Tennessee during which he was prescribed a variety of pain medications including lorcet, endocet and percocet.
When asked why the prescriptions were filled at different pharmacies in Corbin and Williamsburg, Brewer said he had them filled depending on which pharmacy was cheaper.
In addition, Dyche asked Brewer about a prescription for Suboxine, used to help people with opoid dependence, which he obtained during his trip to the Mayo Clinic in Aug. 2007.
"I don’t recall a whole lot of the prescriptions that were written to me," Brewer said.
When asked if he knew what Suboxine was prescribed for, Brewer responded that if Dyche thought it was not related to the case, it could be taken off of the medical bills for which was is seeking reimbursement.
Dr. David Schraberg, who specializes in psychiatry and neurology, was called to testify on behalf of the defense. In a video deposition, Schraberg said he had reviewed Brewer’s records and conducted an interview with Brewer lasting about one hour. In that time, he concluded that the hand jerks Brewer experiences are emotional and that his reflexes, strength, muscle mass and muscle tone are normal.
Schraberg added that there was nothing that indicated to him that the seizures Brewer suffers are caused by medical issues, but are what are known as "pseudo-seizures," which are psychological.
Schraberg told the jury that in his opinion, Brewer’s gait, for which he claims to use the cane, is not the result of brain injuries but rather psychological in nature.
He said based on a series of correlation tests he had Brewer perform, his symptoms may be related to anxiety and he may have a drug problem.
When asked about a comment in the record about Brewer having significant potential to return to a productive life Schraberg said that should not be a problem if Brewer breaks the dependency he has on his father and gets off the medications he is taking.
"I have no question that if he is motivated he can be that vibrant person again," Schraberg said.
Prior to Schraberg’s testimony, Connie Cord took the stand. Cord, who is the victim’s advocate for Whitley and McCreary counties, said she had met Brewer during soon after Tony and Perry Ramey were indicted on the criminal charges. She recalled seeing him walk with a cane and later in a wheel chair.
While she had limited contact with Brewer, she said she saw him again at Nibroc in Aug. 2009.
While working a booth at the festival, she said something she saw out of the corner of her eye caught her attention.
She told the jury when she looked up, she saw Brewer walking up the street. However, instead of using his cane to aid him, she said she saw him tossing the cane around similar to actor Charlie Chaplin.
She got out her cell phone and took two quick pictures, yelling "Chris" to get Brewer to turn around to face the camera.
On cross examination, Brewer’s attorney, Mike Cooper, noted that neither picture shows Brewer tossing the cane as Cord testified and the cane could be seen in Brewer’s right hand as it has been when he walked in or out of the courtroom during the trial.
