Gypsy's attorneys get medical records from Louisiana, but not Springfield hospitals

A trial date has been set for the couple accused of killing a woman in a home just north of Springfield this past summer, but an ongoing struggle over medical records has still not been settled.

A judge ruled Monday that the case against Gypsy Blanchard, 24, and Nicholas Godejohn, 26, will go to trial Nov. 28.

That date could be subject to change, however, since Blanchard's attorney has said he intends to ask for the cases to be tried separately.

Blanchard and Godejohn are accused of killing Blanchard's mother Clauddinnea "Dee Dee" Blanchard in mid-June in a home on Volunteer Way just north of the Springfield city limits.

Gypsy Blanchard and Godejohn have each been charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action.

Gypsy Blanchard’s attorneys have said multiple times in court that it has been difficult obtaining their client’s medical records because Dee Dee Blanchard had set up some blocks that prevented her daughter from viewing her own medical records.

Mike Stanfield, Gypsy Blanchard’s attorney, said he was able to get around those blocks, but he still doesn’t have all of his client’s medical records.

Stanfield said in court Monday he has received medical records, or at least been told he will get them soon, from all of the hospitals where Gypsy Blanchard was treated except for two — Cox and Mercy, both in Springfield.

Stanfield said he planned on filing a subpoena Monday to try to get his client’s records from the Springfield hospitals.

In an interview after the court appearance, Gypsy Blanchard’s other attorney Clate Baker said he does not know what is causing the delay.

“I would think it’s abnormal,” Baker said. “But I don’t know why it’s abnormal. You wouldn’t think it would take two months to get your medical records if you were seeking treatment, it seems routine. But we need them, it’s holding us up.”

Baker declined to comment on the content of the medical records he has been able to obtain.

Mercy spokeswoman Sonya Kullmann said Monday evening the hospital had not received a request for Gypsy Blanchard's medical records from her or her attorney but the hospital is prepared to release those records as soon as it receives a properly documented request.

Baker said the request was hand-delivered to Mercy in November.

Cox Hospital declined to comment for this report.

Greene County Sheriff Jim Arnott has said it appears the Blanchards were running a fraud scheme for years prior to the killing. The family lived in a home provided by Habitat for Humanity.

In interviews before her death, Dee Dee Blanchard said her daughter’s medical records from Louisiana were destroyed in Hurricane Katrina. Baker said Monday, however, that does not appear to be true.

Baker said he has been able to obtain 1,200 pages of Gypsy Blanchard’s medical records from Louisiana, in addition to records from Kansas City.

Friends and neighbors believed Gypsy Blanchard was disabled and initially feared she was in danger when Dee Dee Blanchard's body was discovered this summer in the family's home.

Investigators quickly discovered, however, that Gypsy Blanchard can walk and might have had something to do with her mother's death.

By June 16, Gypsy Blanchard and Godejohn, had been arrested in Big Bend, Wisconsin and charged with murder.

Court documents say Gypsy Blanchard handed Godejohn gloves and a knife and told him to kill her mother.

A probable cause statement says the couple then stole several thousand dollars from Dee Dee Blanchard's safe, mailed the murder weapon to Wisconsin and took a Greyhound bus to Godejohn's residence two states away.

Relatives have said Dee Dee Blanchard imprisoned Gypsy Blanchard and forced her to pretend that she was disabled.

Authorities believe Gypsy Blanchard took credit for her mother's death with a vulgar Facebook post, and that is what led to the discovery of the body.

The case has been set for another court appearances on April 12, at which point the attorneys for Godejohn and Gypsy Blanchard are expected to announce whether they plan to change to a plea of not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect.

Godejohn’s attorney Dewayne Perry declined to comment for this report.

Judge Calvin Holden expressed some concern Monday about whether the court will have much of a jury pool in Greene County because of the attention the case has received.

Greene County Prosecutor Dan Patterson said he thinks the court will be able to find a local jury to hear the case.

Holden initially suggested the trial be held in August, but Perry said he needs more time to sort through the 75 discs of evidence provided by prosecutors.

Prosecutors said in November they will not seek the death penalty in this case.