I actually think Cisco paid for most of his trip--since they paid for his MBA, and he stopped along the way to service Cisco things in Ireland. And I don't believe either party was on a budget in Spring 2007, which is when this trip was. Also, no proof of a fling.
Even if Cisco paid for the plane fare and the room, like any other trip, IMO, BC spent a great deal of money on sightseeing, food, wine, gifts. BC said he was concerned about spending for some time. (At least he was concerned about NC's spending.) The fact that he did not stay in touch with NC and the girls by either email or phone was, I'm sure, very hurtful and worrisome.
He did have a double standard about the money issues, IMO, but agree that they were both spending well beyond their means. They weren't a young, newly married couple and should have had better sense. IMO, BC was so uninvolved with his family, the concept of working together or working together with a financial planner would have been too much effort for him.
BC appeared to do what he wanted, when he wanted, and felt "put upon" when pressured to spend a minimal amount of time with his kids or wife. His actions resemble those of us who have sometimes have had to adopt what I call "tag team parenting." Both NC and BC interacted with the kids separately, but I haven't seen much evidence that they shared meals (the most significant factor in high SAT scores, BTW), game time, or just hanging out together. BC was doing his duty for the kids, but he resented the fact that he perceived this as NC not doing her part when he labored so hard to support the family.
Interestingly, I was discussing materialism and classism with a group of 16-17-year-olds this week. One young woman, whose family lost their home in the CA wildfires, shared her belief that the happiest her family had ever been was when they had nothing. THIS closeness and oneness is what children of all ages really crave. BC was incapable of understanding this concept.
I think the values that both the prosecution and defense are revealing are sadly lacking in the stuff that defines character or provides role models for kids. I'm concerned what impact this trial and its content will have on the C's children in the years to come. I'm crushed that the R's will have to wonder who NC had become and why BC killed her. Nothing is worth the public defamation to which NC's memory is being subjected.
I still think that BC will be found guilty. Then, those "babies" will have the horror of living with a father who killed their mother, and the ability some day to read about how "bad" their mother was also. That's the real injustice of this trial, IMHO...