The Out-Lawyer's Blog: Reiser: An Inch Forward...

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Monday at the Reiser Murder Trial
AN INCH FORWARD, A QUARTER INCH BACK
Marnie Hunter, a fellow parent at the Montessori school where Nina also volunteered to help, today told the jury (7 women, 5 men) that Nina had volunteered to help at the school for three years; that she was a devoted parent; that she was loved by her children and that, in this witness’s opinion, Nina never would have abandoned them.
The defense attempted to establish the dubious character of Nina’s putative boyfriend, Sean, but the witness (Ms. Hunter) knew nothing about his supposed “sadomasochism”. If Bill DuBois produces no evidence on the point, he will have lost credibility; therefore I assume that there is some factual basis for the defense question, and that the jury will hear more about Mr. Sturgeon later. If not, the defense will be in trouble.
Ms. Hunter was asked about the issues in the Reiser divorce. Unsurprisingly they centered on child custody and money. Nina complained that Hans permitted the kids to watch violent movies and play violent video games.
I assume that this is a fairly sophisticated jury. Few if any of them will be surprised by the elements of dispute in the divorce, or conclude that Hans is more likely to be guilty because of his taste in movies and games, or that Nina is more likely to be alive, having tried to frame her husband for a murder that never happened, just because she has fooled around with a bad guy boyfriend.
But – and this is the takeaway point from today’s session – almost no one on the jury will believe (from the evidence so far) that Nina was capable of feigning her own murder and abandoning her children for an entire year.
By now, I suspect that most members of the jury are operating on the working assumption that Nina was a victim of violence, and they are actively wondering whether husband Hans was capable of killing her, and whether they will ever hear any evidence tying Hans to the disposal of her body.
That “gaping hole” remains.
JBG

The Out-Lawyer's Blog

Reiser: An Inch Forward...

Monday at the Reiser Murder Trial

AN INCH FORWARD, A QUARTER INCH BACK

Ms. Hunter was asked about the issues in the Reiser divorce. Unsurprisingly they centered on child custody and money. Nina complained that Hans permitted the kids to watch violent movies and play violent video games.

But – and this is the takeaway point from today’s session – almost no one on the jury will believe (from the evidence so far) that Nina was capable of feigning her own murder and abandoning her children for an entire year.

By now, I suspect that most members of the jury are operating on the working assumption that Nina was a victim of violence, and they are actively wondering whether husband Hans was capable of killing her, and whether they will ever hear any evidence tying Hans to the disposal of her body.

That “gaping hole” remains.

JBG

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