'Piledriver' wrestling move blamed in boy's death in trial

WARREN — Judith Owens, mother of Russell Cottrill, testified today that she knew that her common-law husband, Arthur Harper, and her son pretend wrestled quite often but she would never have allowed Arthur to use a move called a "piledriver" on Russell, 3.

"It's dangerous," Owens said of a professional-wrestling move that involves Harper holding Russell upside down with Russell's head between Harper's legs and Harper falling back, slamming onto the floor.

Harper didn't tell authorities right away that he had performed a piledriver on Russell after Russell became unresponsive at their home on High Street Northeast Nov. 30, 2015, but he did several days later.

John Juhasz, attorney for Harper, told jurors this morning in opening statements, that Harper had used the piledriver on Russell thousands of times during the several months that Arthur had babysat for Russell while Owens worked.

Harper is on trial for murder, and other charges in Russell's death.

Harper, 45, could get a life prison sentence if convicted of murder.