Yes, I just heard from Greer about this. This is truly HUGE. They cannot put their own M.E. on the stand. Mary and Keith must feel robbed! Instead they had Dr. Davis up there to say Dr. Lucas' report was the finest he'd ever seen. Really? But, Dr. Lucas himself will not get on the stand? I said the same thing -- WOW. Interesting to hear that they are also scaling back some of the additional SDSO witnesses. Instead of a barrage of authority, they must realize it is coming across as a barrage of incompetence. Also, their rope expert testified today that tight ropes (like what Adam describes encountering at the scene) mean homicide. Perhaps they didn't realize Adam had to loosen the ropes, per his testimony in polygraph, in deposition, and even in court (where he avoids the word loosen, but demonstrates with his hand having to wedge his fingers under something very tight). Opinions are MOO, the facts are out there.
Sorry, we must have been posting that at the same time! Im your echo!
Re The ME not testifying....Oh my gosh. Good grief, this must give a HUGE message to the jury...of an admission of incompetence IMO!
I can completely understand Mary and the family being SO upset, I really feel for them. They must be devastated....
...but the jury are not stupid. They will have been awaiting the answers to the same questions as we are, and they wont have them answered, and they will be asking themselves...why isnt he here to explain....
I saw a noticeable shift in the defense stategy soon after Cyril Wecht testified. You can say what you will about Dr Phil and payments and what page of his report he didnt send or whatever...but he was a very POWERFUL witness. He had gravitas, he had credibility, he had such confidence, and most impactful of all, he told the jury in no uncertain terms RZ was murdered.
I believe this is the primary reason the defense moved from an obvious suicide and our client has nothing to answer to position ...to an even if it was murder our client is not the perpetrator position.
...but our clients DNA wasnt found at the scene, was it?
This was the mantra to every witness by the defence after Cyril Wecht testified....because they want the jury to focus as much as possible on lack of DNA and direct evidence of AS at the scene, rather than trying to prove the suicide theory....
I would put my money on this being the tactic in the defense closing argument, and why they didnt want the focus of attention back on the ME - and the powerful medical evidence contradicting suicide.
( All comments are my opinion
)