The Out-Lawyer's Blog

This case is drawing to its denouement.  Ultimately there are two competing narratives.  Let’s look at them in broad outline:

The Prosecution’s Storyline

Hans Reiser is a control freak who – in a moment of explosive hatred – attempted to solve his marital and child custody problems in time honored fashion: While his children were distracted, he quickly overpowered Nina, his diminutive, irritating wife, killed her, then temporarily hid her body, probably in the garage.  There is blood on the entryway post, in a number of telltale other places.  Hans washed away all the evidence he could, but he couldn’t get everything.

This narrative is about a secretive genius, one step ahead of the police, who successfully took a human life and managed to cleverly hide almost all of the evidence.  But blood doesn’t lie….

Was he too clever by half?  Has he left enough clues behind to warrant a conviction?

The Defense Storyline

Hans Reiser is a socially maladroit computer genius who is being falsely blamed for his expat Russian wife’s disappearance.  He’s a little paranoid, but who wouldn’t be?  He was screwed from day one because the husband is always to blame.  Of course he tried to get away, but that doesn’t mean he was guilty.  Don’t forget: Hans’ son said clearly – before the DA tried to talk him out of it – that Mom left the building.  If that’s true – and it is – there’s no way Hans could have done it.  The other so called evidence is ambiguous and easily explained…

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Next week, I’ll outline what I expect to be the best arguments for each side.  Meantime, stay tuned.

Evidence  resumes tomorrow…