GUILTY MI - Jane Bashara, 56, dies in contract killing, Grosse Pointe Park, 25 Jan 2012 #5

[WildChild]

COURT TWEETS FROM THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2014

ALL TWEETS FROM FOX2 REPORTER: AMY LANGE

Now they are showing a media clip where Bob tells a reporter he got the news and dropped to his knees and it was the worst news he could have gotten
Olson says he never saw him drop to his knees
About ten minutes after notification he asked what happened to his wife
Bob started telling police his timeline before he even asked what happened. Olson believed it to be a scripted event
Defense objecting to this
Bob told him his timeline for the evening.
Olson had said who he was - making notification and at some point we need to get more info from the family and Bob laid out the entire day.
Jane went to work - he went into his timeline - got back to his house at 8pm or so - he gave exact times when phone calls were made and received etc
Then he finally asked exactly what had happened to his wife
Olson did not give him details. Olson says at that time there were a series of women being murdered and left in trunks in Detroit and found on the east side. Bob said something to Olson about maybe what happened to his wife was similar to what happened to these other women.
Jury seeing a media report where Bob asks for the public's help and mentions the cases of the other women murdered in Detroit in the interview.
But Olson had never told him the cases were connected.
During the notification - Bob said he was supposed to meet his wife of 26 years to do taxes - they had two children, he put 80,000 into refinancing the house. Bob told Olson there was a strain because he had these rentals and they were losing money and it was damaging their credit scores.
Olson was very surprised Bob was telling him all of this stuff during what is normally a very emotional time
Bob did not say anything about Joseph Gentz nothing about his wife doing drugs
A young lady came in the front door in hysterics - that ended the notification - Olson says it was time for him to leave
Olson set up an interview with Bob for the next day

Showing more clips of Bob being interviewed - says he's lost his wife his girlfriend - it's unthinkable - he doesn't know what happened

Police get a search warrant for the Mercedes SUV on the 26th - Bob comes in to the GPP station at around 1pm
Det Olson from DPD and Captain Loch from GPP are there for the interview with Bob - he gives a voluntary statement.
Olson says he tries to come up with a plan to interview someone - we have to be very delicate in interviewing someone - if we come across as too accusatory you might lose the interview.
Olson might make up a fictional story during an interview to try to relate to the person being interviewed - i.e. might say - "Well my wife did such and such" Olson wants to see reaction from the person being interviewed - do they show emotion - anger, tears etc?
He's also looking for body language - everybody can feel emotion in a room. You take that into consideration and put it all together

15 minute recess
Judge says - make it 20....

 

[WildChild]

COURT TWEETS FROM THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2014

ALL TWEETS FROM FOX2 REPORTER: AMY LANGE

Prosector Lisa Lindsey greets Jane's mother during the break - gives her a hug.
This has been a very emotional morning for her - she cried a lot when the photos of Jane's body were shown.
We are going to watch the video of Investigator Olson's interview with Bob Bashara.
There are parts that are going to be redacted because they could be prejudicial
Jury is back - they are not playing the video. This interview was conducted at the GPP Police Department on the 26th of January 2012
Olson tells him this is difficult. Bob says he just wants to help. Olson says we can't eliminate anybody at this point
Olson says we try to come up with a cause or reason. I don't know anything about you or your life. Olson has spoken with her supervisor at work
Olson says we do have her vehicle. We are processing it. Bob says she bought the vehicle. It's in her name. We share everything but I don't think I'm on the title. They are chatting about cars, being a neat freak - just b-s kind of stuff.
Bob is asking if the garage door opener was in the car. Olson doesn't know.
Bob says he will just have the locks changed and will re-program his code on the garage door opener
This is just over 24 hours since Jane's body had been found.
He has not changed the locks or the code to the garage door - he doesn't know who hurt his wife but hasn't bothered to get the locks changed
Now they are talking about the Bashara kids in the interview
Bob is talking all about his son and his job and his daughter is a sophomore at Michigan.
Bob did not bring his phone to the interview
Bob is trying to figure out dates at to when his daughter was last home.
Bob is having trouble remembering dates but figures out he had just taken his daughter back to school on the 23rd after a weekend home
Bob is asked about his rentals, but says he's already getting phone calls from his tenants about investigators being over there. He mentions the Cadieux property that he let go into foreclosure and recommended someone to buy it. Never mentions that someone was Rachel Gillett.
Bashara continues to tell him all about his properties
Bob tells him he's also a Rep for United Laboratories
He's talking about the products he sells
Bob offers to give Olson a sample of a product and if he likes it, "you can buy it from me" - Bob chuckles and says "I'm making a sales call here".

Olson directs him to the 24th
Bob says he will recount the whole day for him. Jane gets up at 6:20, 6:15 and leaves for work around 7:15.
Bob says they had talked the night before about doing taxes Tuesday night.
Bob does not remember what she was wearing. Usually she wears business clothes. She dresses the part, Bob says
Bob says he has to check his phone but he thought either she called him or he called her around 1pm.
"I do recall specifically at 4:40 she called me - I arrived at my Mack Building at 4:30"

Bob describes the property - a bar a photography studio - apartments up above.
Bob says he was out there sweeping out back. Says he has a storage unit that he's going through and processing.
(he never mentions the dungeon)

Bob says Jane calls him at 4:40 and he ignored the ring because he had something in his hands and called her back at 4:46.
She said she was on her way home and would be home at 5:15, 5:30

Back to interview - Bob tells Olson he was working on a project and would be home 7:30, 8 o'clock
Bob says it was cold he was working outside - went inside the Hard Luck Lounge at 5:15 for a captain morgan and coke
He was in and out of the bar - talked to his friend Mike Carmody.
Bob says I've had people tell me 70% of the time it's someone close to the victim who commits the crime.
So Bob knows he's front and center
He gives Olson Mike's phone number.
Then he talks about how great he bowled on Monday - his scores: 111, 160, 109
Bob says I know you need to verify where I was - I want to cooperate fully
(phone records reveal that at 4:40 Bob was actually on the phone with Rachel)
He says he called MIke and said come up to Hard Luck for a drink
Bob says that was 7pm, 7:10
He never mentions he ran home and grabbed keys
Bob says he stayed until 8pm parted company and came home

 

[WildChild]

COURT TWEETS FROM THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2014

ALL TWEETS FROM FOX2 REPORTER: AMY LANGE

Prosector Lisa Lindsey greets Jane's mother during the break - gives her a hug.
This has been a very emotional morning for her - she cried a lot when the photos of Jane's body were shown.
We are going to watch the video of Investigator Olson's interview with Bob Bashara.
There are parts that are going to be redacted because they could be prejudicial
Jury is back - they are not playing the video. This interview was conducted at the GPP Police Department on the 26th of January 2012
Olson tells him this is difficult. Bob says he just wants to help. Olson says we can't eliminate anybody at this point
Olson says we try to come up with a cause or reason. I don't know anything about you or your life. Olson has spoken with her supervisor at work
Olson says we do have her vehicle. We are processing it. Bob says she bought the vehicle. It's in her name. We share everything but I don't think I'm on the title. They are chatting about cars, being a neat freak - just b-s kind of stuff.
Bob is asking if the garage door opener was in the car. Olson doesn't know.
Bob says he will just have the locks changed and will re-program his code on the garage door opener
This is just over 24 hours since Jane's body had been found.
He has not changed the locks or the code to the garage door - he doesn't know who hurt his wife but hasn't bothered to get the locks changed
Now they are talking about the Bashara kids in the interview
Bob is talking all about his son and his job and his daughter is a sophomore at Michigan.
Bob did not bring his phone to the interview
Bob is trying to figure out dates at to when his daughter was last home.
Bob is having trouble remembering dates but figures out he had just taken his daughter back to school on the 23rd after a weekend home
Bob is asked about his rentals, but says he's already getting phone calls from his tenants about investigators being over there. He mentions the Cadieux property that he let go into foreclosure and recommended someone to buy it. Never mentions that someone was Rachel Gillett.
Bashara continues to tell him all about his properties
Bob tells him he's also a Rep for United Laboratories
He's talking about the products he sells
Bob offers to give Olson a sample of a product and if he likes it, "you can buy it from me" - Bob chuckles and says "I'm making a sales call here".

Olson directs him to the 24th
Bob says he will recount the whole day for him. Jane gets up at 6:20, 6:15 and leaves for work around 7:15.
Bob says they had talked the night before about doing taxes Tuesday night.
Bob does not remember what she was wearing. Usually she wears business clothes. She dresses the part, Bob says
Bob says he has to check his phone but he thought either she called him or he called her around 1pm.
"I do recall specifically at 4:40 she called me - I arrived at my Mack Building at 4:30"

Bob describes the property - a bar a photography studio - apartments up above.
Bob says he was out there sweeping out back. Says he has a storage unit that he's going through and processing.
(he never mentions the dungeon)

Bob says Jane calls him at 4:40 and he ignored the ring because he had something in his hands and called her back at 4:46.
She said she was on her way home and would be home at 5:15, 5:30

Back to interview - Bob tells Olson he was working on a project and would be home 7:30, 8 o'clock
Bob says it was cold he was working outside - went inside the Hard Luck Lounge at 5:15 for a captain morgan and coke
He was in and out of the bar - talked to his friend Mike Carmody.
Bob says I've had people tell me 70% of the time it's someone close to the victim who commits the crime.
So Bob knows he's front and center
He gives Olson Mike's phone number.
Then he talks about how great he bowled on Monday - his scores: 111, 160, 109
Bob says I know you need to verify where I was - I want to cooperate fully
(phone records reveal that at 4:40 Bob was actually on the phone with Rachel)
He says he called MIke and said come up to Hard Luck for a drink
Bob says that was 7pm, 7:10
He never mentions he ran home and grabbed keys
Bob says he stayed until 8pm parted company and came home

 

[WildChild]

COURT TWEETS FROM THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2014

ALL TWEETS FROM FOX2 REPORTER: AMY LANGE

The prosecutor noted that Bob claimed not to know Mike Carmody's address but was buying a house next door to him on Kensington
Now Bob is talking about going into his house.
He mentions he "had **** everywhere" and Jane wanted to be able to park in the garage.
In the fall he moved stuff so she could park in the garage

Lindsey: "when he talked about finally getting his wife into the garage in the fall did that cause you to want to do something?"
Olson says he wanted to search the garage. It struck him as odd that the availability of Jane to park in the garage was a recent event so he wanted to search it
Olson says he does not have pre-scripted notes when he does an interview.
Olson says he asks open-ended questions to see where they lead -he's not asking questions with yes or no answers.
Bob says Jane had a laptop and didn't want it outside in the wintertime.
Bob continues to explain seeing Jane's backpack and keycard.
He thinks Jane is home - goes all over the house - tv is on in the basement - checks the garage - the car not there - he calls her.
Tells Olson a couple times that he came home and got cleaned up from raking leaves and thought Jane was home.

"I'm sorry I didn't bring my phone but in my phone are all my records - I like to be as precise as possible" says Bob
Bob says he then called him Mom and asked her to come over
Then he started calling hospitals - if something happened on the East side she would go to St. John or Beaumont.
St John had a Jane Doe and he asked him mom to stop by there and see if it was his Jane - but it wasn't
He called Receiving hospital as well.
He says he called the kids to see if they had talked to their mom but they hadn't.

Olson says at some point they might want to get into her bank records and see if there were any withdrawals.
Olson says in his experience credit cards are taken and used at gas stations.
Bob says something about finding a $1500 payment she was getting ready to mail.
He says she didn't use her card and neither did anybody else- he checked with the bank on Tuesday.
Bob says Jane's checkbook was in her purse so he doesn't have access to that.
Never explains how he knew the checkbook was there
Bob says she also has a savings account that he can access also and there were not any withdrawals.
Bob says she has income from KEMA and retired from Detroit Edison - and has a good size 401k.
He says she had a great job - getting 80 or 90,000 with KEMA and was making 110 when she retired from Edison.
Olson says something about a good salary - Bob says ya.
Bob says he maybe made 32 last year from his job with United but he has the rental properties.

Now showing wages
Bob's income 28,534
Jane's income - 77,356

Wages in 2011 -
Bob made - $18,000
Jane made - $92,000

Bob was making less money as Jane was making more.
Bob says he upped the price of laundry at his rentals and people had a fit "you would have thought I whipped them" he says
They are talking about the house. Bob says they are going to put on the market in the Spring and downsize.
He says they've been looking at houses. (Never mentions he was looking at houses with Rachel)
Bob says I have 4500 square feet there - I don't need that.
Bob jokes that as empty nesters they would be able to walk around the house naked.

Olson wants to know - as far as friends - who he should talk to?
Bob names off a few of Jane's closest friends
Bob is blabbing away about the friends - their divorces and relationships etc
Olson says a lot of times people have good friends they divulge stuff to
Bob asks for ice water
Olson says we have to make sure Jane wasn't doing anything she shouldn't have been doing.
Bob says I can't imagine she was - she was such a straight shooter.
Olson says he was trying to see if Bob would reveal anything about Jane or himself that might help him out

 

[WildChild]

COURT TWEETS FROM THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2014

ALL TWEETS FROM FOX2 REPORTER: AMY LANGE

Was it a financial thing, relationship thing. What if they were having affairs?
Olson says they would be interested in looking at that - any disgruntled boyfriends or girlfriends etc?
But Bob doesn't indicate anything.
Olson was trying to signal that Bob should be forthcoming - asking about affairs etc.
Bob says something about daytime shows - like Maury - 'oh my God' says Bob - 'I just can't believe there are people like that out there - they're pathetic'
He did not volunteer that he was out there doing that kind of stuff
Olson says - she came home and she left - did she meet somebody? Or just stop at the gas station?
Olson says there are different avenues that we have to clarify.
Bob says 'well I'll tell you that one of her issues, someone asked did she take medications? She took a hormone pill - sleeping was a big challenge. I'm not going to narc on my wife but she did smoke marijuana. She took a couple puffs before she went to bed - it helped her sleep, I didn't question it'
Bob claims he hasn't smoked in a while - in years - and says he doesn't know where she got it but he didn't question it.
Bob never volunteers that he used pot and cocaine. Olson says maybe they need to look at dope houses
Bob says 'well I think she got it from a friend. I have racked my brain. I have tried to come up with as much speculation and thought about what happened to her - I just don't know'.
Never mentions Joe Gentz or that Joe was threatening him or anything. Bob says she would have left a note if she was going to be gone long.
Bob says Jane gases up at the gas station at Jefferson and Alter - Mo owns it.

Olson asks him about credit scores he mentioned. Bob says that bothered her - he had all these rentals - it bothered her because she didn't see the return on them. But they got tax deductions. Bob says he's not really losing money because he puts it back into the rentals.
'Last few years it's been brutal' he says - 'values are down. She never liked the rentals because they took my time. I'd have to run out at 9:30 at night and unlock a door, a water heater would go out etc.' Bob says he's hands-on.

Olson asks about social media - Bob says she had a fb account but didn't use it.
She and her daughter would text on their blackberrys.
Bob says he doesn't do twitter skype all that stuff - doesn't even have a fb or anything.
Bob doesn't mention he's on several BDSM site.

Judge is taking a break for lunch - Lisa Lindsey says this tape has another 20 minutes and then she has questions - we are due back at 2:15

 

[WildChild]

COURT TWEETS FROM THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2014

ALL TWEETS FROM FOX2 REPORTER: AMY LANGE

When we left off there was testimony that Bob said he didn't have twitter or fb or anything.
Pros reading into evidence bob's alt.com stuff: "Dear MB - we are sorry to see you leave"
1/27/2012 it appears he deleted his alt.com profile

Now they are back to the taped interview
Olson asks if he and Jane have separate computers - he says they share a computer - she has a laptop that she uses.
Olson says he may have to look at that to see if she was corresponding with anyone.
Bob does not volunteer that he was corresponding with people.
Olson says I'm sure there's a lot of things out there she's done that you might not know about and vice versa.
Bob says there's not a lot of things we hide - the only reason we have separate accounts is because she makes more money than I do.

Olson says - is there anybody else you think I should look at? Anybody who recently came back into her life?
No - Bob goes over her different sets of friends - from work, school etc.
She has so many friends - a church group - she's on the vestry
Bob goes over the viewing and funeral arrangement details

Bob says he has news crews parked in front of the house - gave a quick interview - I said - we are just stunned by this I want to thank all of our family and friends and ask anyone who has seen anything or heard anything to come forward so we can catch who did this to my Jane.
Olson says he thinks he will start with interviewing Jane's friends
Olson says we're working from the house all the way down and going from store to store and the canvas is starting to grow - it's very tedious thing.

Bob asks if there are cameras along Jefferson. Olson says a lot of times they don't record - (they're traffic cams that police don't control)
Olson talks about needing to talk to the kids - says it's all very time-consuming
Bob says I can't believe this has happened.
Olson says we don't get a lot of things where we have established professionals (as victims of crimes like this)
Bob says he heard about the crimes of the girls stuffed in trunks.
Olson says they have other things similar to this.

Do you think this influx of money and new officers will help (with crime in Detroit)?
Olson says that's not going to help with something like this - it's more for neighborhood safety and for a uniformed presence to be out there.
Olson says it's not like when he started and there were 15 cars in a district - now you're lucky if there's 15 cars citywide.

Bob wants to ask questions. One of the reporters who interviewed him told him Jane was strangled to death.
Bob asks if that's true? He says people are asking me - the kids want to know how did Mom die? I don' t know what to tell them.
Olson says media is insensitive and he wouldn't even talk to them.
Bob says he's trying to turn this into a positive thanking the public and asking for their help - but then the reporter asked that and he said he hadn't heard that and just walked away.

Bob says not that it matters either way because she's gone but it wasn't sexual - she wasn't raped?
Olson: No indication of that.
Bob: You lay awake at night and you think - what she must have gone through...
Olson tells Bob this isn't easy to interview the spouse but this is something we have to do to be able to move on
Bob says call me - I'm happy to cooperate.

Olson says one is a housekeeping thing - they are going to send the car to the lab. Obviously your DNA may come back because you use the car too, but in order to exclude that we need a sample.
Bob says - oh you need my DNA?
Yes - they can get a swab from his mouth.
Bob says - sure as soon as we can because I have people at the house
They get his signature - permission to get his DNA
Bob says he doesn't have any diseases so they don't need that (assuming he's talking about gloves)
Captain Loch says really this is so that I don't contaminate it. Bob understands.
They tell him they will be talking to him tomorrow about coming back

Olson now being asked questions - says Bob was not cooperative - did not give information to aid in the investigation
That same day tips started coming in - tips with regard to Rachel Gillett.
So Olson started investigating Rachel Gillett.
Start looking into Rachel and see that address on Cadieux - Olson is seeing right away that Bob didn't tell him everything

 

[WildChild]

COURT TWEETS FROM THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2014

ALL TWEETS FROM FOX2 REPORTER: AMY LANGE

On January 27th Jane's body was identified at the morgue.
Jurors are seeing a photo of Jane at the morgue - this is not being shown to the whole court - just to the jurors.

On the 27th - Olson sees Bob again - he's being questioned during a forensic interview.
Olson was getting search warrant together for the Middlesex home - anything financial, computers, blood, weapons, body fluid etc.
Olson says they wanted to search the garage but incorporated the entire house. He says they were just searching the garage in general.
Olson typed the search warrant and it was reviewed by the pros office and taken to a judge.
They did not want information getting out so search warrant was not a matter of public record - it was suppressed.

Olson watches interview with Bob conducted by O'Riordan and sees this - "Have you had any extra marital affairs?"
Bob: 'about 8 years ago and we went to counseling.'
Bob had not told Olsen that.
He pointed to his rotary pin - how could I have done this - I'm rotary president.
Did he say anything about purchasing a house to Agent O'Riordan?
He said he was getting $250,000 from his mother to downsize - he never mentioned this money in his interview with Olson.

On the 27th - GPP Police declare Bob Bashara a person of interest

On the 29th - Olson becomes aware of a letter sent to GPP police by Bob's lawyer (remember we heard from this lawyer before attorney Bruestarr tells GPP that they should look at Joseph Gentz) Gentz turns himself in - statements are made - he's released after that.
Police are now looking for a Cadillac - that was found. The Cadillac is found at one of Bashara's properties.
Police are awaiting lab reports - DNA - they get them back and then arrest Joseph Gentz - March 2, 2012 - he was arrested at the Macomb County
courthouse (he had been there for a hearing involving his daughter)
Gentz was charged with murder and conspiracy
Lisa Lindsey is done with this witness.

Judge now says we're going to have court tomorrow
Michael McCarthy says may we approach?
Judge at sidebar - you can hear her apologizing and now getting snappy - "I said this is it. If you're not here tomorrow..."
McCarthy is upset.
Judge says we are stopping now and going to have court tomorrow.
Lillian Diallo says they have court issues they need to take care of - 'can we start at 10 - we have other stuff to do'
Judge says we will start at 10 and go until we finish this witness

The Judge says she had a flat tire that she had to get fixed.
The Judge says she'd like to be done with this by Thanksgiving.

((Total aside - I don't think there is a soul in here who thinks that's actually going to happen.
See you live on Fox 2 News at 5 and 6 and back here in the morning - start time is supposed to be 10am))

 

[Grammy717]

Wild Child - you did an amazing job posting everything! Disturbing testimony, to say the least. I just sit here and shake my head in disbelief...cannot believe Bashara let this go to trial and cause such heartache for Jane's family and friends. At the rate this trial is going, I doubt it'll be over this year. Unbelievable!

 

[WildChild]

COURT TWEETS -FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2014

George Hunter ‏@GeorgeHunter_DN · Detroit, MI
In court for #bobbashara trial. Prosecutors are here; awaiting jurors, defense, judge and Bob.

by Gina Damron FREEP REPORTER
Good morning, everyone. Judge Vonda Evans took the bench. (10:18am)
Defense attorney Michael McCarthy is not here yet.

George Hunter ‏@GeorgeHunter_DN · Detroit, MI
Judge is here...she said we might get started in about 15 minutes (10:30am)
In addition to DPD homicide cop Donald Olsen continuing his testimony, I'm hearing they might also squeeze in Frances Natale, Gentz's friend
Natale has been in jail since Oct. 20, after she was subpoenaed and didn't show up. She said she was homeless and had been living in a van
Judge is asking if Natale can be retrieved from the Wayne County Jail so she can testify today.

 

[WildChild]

COURT TWEETS -FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2014

by Gina Damron FREEP REPORTER
Bashara in the courtroom.
McCarthy is in the courtroom. (10:30am)

George Hunter ‏@GeorgeHunter_DN · Detroit, MI
#bobbashara is here, and the proceeding is set to start.

 

[WildChild]

COURT TWEETS -FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2014

George Hunter ‏@GeorgeHunter_DN · Detroit, MI
Bob's attorney Mike McCarthy has started his cross-examination of homicide cop Donald Olsen.

 

[WildChild]

FOX2 REPORTER AMY LANGE - COURT TWEETS, FRIDAY NOVEMBER 7, 2014

Our start time today was supposed to be 10am however, Michael McCarthy is delayed because he
had another case scheduled (since we are not supposed to have court on Friday...)
Okay - jury is seated - Bob is in court - ready to roll
DPD Homicide Investigator Don Olson is on the stand. Michael McCarthy is starting cross examination with him.
McCarthy asking him about the photo of the front passenger floorboard of Jane's car - where her purse was found with all of the contents - checkbook, cellphone etc..
Olson had said the scene appeared to be staged
Now talking about Olson going to notify Bashara
McCarthy wants to know - 'doesn't the range of emotion vary when you notify someone of something like this?'
Olson says actually pretty much everybody reacts the same - breaks down in tears, get angry, voices raised etc.
McCarthy - but you know that Mr. Bashara had reported his wife missing.
Yes.
(Olson says it shouldn't matter, the reaction is usually the same. Remember he testified yesterday that there was not much of a reaction or emotion at all from Bob and that he had started giving Olson his own timeline before he asked what had happened to his wife.)
Talking more about the notification - Olson had said about ten minutes passed before he asked what happened to his wife
Olson says he - as the investigator - was talking during those ten minutes
During the ten minutes Olson said he told Bashara they were there to make the notification of the death of his wife
We found your wife - we found her vehicle - nothing specific
McCarthy says it doesn't take ten minutes to make the notification

Now moving on to the interview with Bashara on the 25th.
Bob had not brought his phone to the interview. This was something that the prosecution brought up a couple of times yesterday.
McCarthy says - Did you tell him to bring his phone?
Olson says No

Back to the 25th - the house on Middlesex - Olson was at the house for about 25 minutes.
Prosecutors played a clip from an interview yesterday where Bob said he fell to his knees when he got the news.
Olson said he never say that but acknowledges under cross that he does not know what happened after he left the home.
Judge Vonda has a question:
Judge - did you see him cry at all during that 25 minutes you were there?
No
No emotional unraveling by him?
No

Now back to the interview at GPP PD on the 25th - Olson asked Bob if Jane was involved in anything.
The only thing Bob came up with was that she smoked pot.
Bob had also told Olson about Jane making more money than him and that Jane didn't like the rentals but there were benefits to them.

 

[WildChild]

FREEP REPORTER GINA DAMRON - COURT TWEETS, FRIDAY NOVEMBER 7, 2014

McCarthy and Bashara in the courtroom.
Detroit homicide investigator Donald Olsen is set to testify again today.
Sounds like they might bring in Frances Natale, the witness who was jailed, today, as well.
Jury is in the courtroom. McCarthy cross examining Olsen.
Olsen had testified that the scene where Jane Bashara's body was found appeared to be staged.
Under cross examination, Olsen said he doesn't know how the jacket, found on Jane's body, and a hood got separated.
Olsen testified on Thursday that it appeared the coat had been haphazardly put on Jane Bashara
Under cross examination, Olsen testified he can't say when the coat was put on her body.
McCarthy is asking about when Olsen delivered the news to Bob Bashara about his wife.
Olsen said most people react the same way, with people breaking down in tears and getting emotional.
Olsen testified that he told Bashara when he and other officers showed up at the Middlesex home that they were there to make
notification about the death of Bashara's wife.
Olsen testified yesterday that it took 10 minutes before Bashara asked what happened to his wife.
McCarthy said he wants to know what they were talking about for 10 minutes.
McCarthy asked Olsen if he told Bashara it would be a good idea to bring his phone with him to the interview. Olsen said he didn't.
Olsen previously testified that Bashara didn't bring his phone to the interview

(Judge Evans stood up and said she's taking a 5-minute recess)

Olsen said he was at the house no more than 25 minutes during the notification.
Evans asked Olsen if she saw Bashara cry at all. He said no.
Evans asked Olsen how long Bashara talked about finances.
Olsen it wasn't a long period of time. He said it was just tidbits of information.

 

[WildChild]

George Hunter ‏@GeorgeHunter_DN · Detroit, MI
McCarthy asked Olsen if most people cry when told of a wife's death. Olsen said that they, "Break down in tears; they get hysterical."
McCarthy's line of questioning is suggesting that Bob's lack of emotion when informed of Jane's death isn't necessarily unusual.
McCarthy, on Bob claiming the media that he fell to his knees: "When you left that house, you don't know what happened?"
Judge asked Olsen how long he was in Bob's house, and whether he saw him cry at all. Answers: 25 minutes, and no tears from Bob

 

[WildChild]

FOX2 REPORTER AMY LANGE - COURT TWEETS, FRIDAY NOVEMBER 7, 2014

Judge wants to know how long he talked about the finances?
Olson says it wasn't a long period of time - it was just generic tidbits of different information.
Judge - but you never talked about potential enemies?
Correct
Did you find that unusual?
I did
McCarthy - do families of murder victims usually have a suspect in mind?
Olson says 'sometimes but usually people are a little more forthcoming'
McCarthy - a lot of times people don't give you good information and it ends up being a dead end.
Olson says that's true.
McCarthy says The info Bob offered up about their finances was truthful? yes.

Judge: How is that relevant to the murder? Who made what?
Did you find that relevant? Olson says it can be.
He didn't like to you about everything did he? No.

Well let's talk about Rachel Gillett - the information you got about her came from tips? Yes
Is this the first time someone hasn't told you they're having an affair? Not the first time.
So the idea that he's having an affair doesn't automatically connect some dots that he had something to do with his wife's death? Olson says - I disagree with you.
Judge points out that Bob - during his interview with police told them that his attorney friends had told him that in most cases like this 70% of the time it's a close family member that's involved and he wanted to be cooperative
During this interview Bob does not know that other investigators are watching from another room.
Did you ask Mr. Bashara if he had another woman in his life? No
Judge - Well why didn't you? I wanted to get generic information and then follow up on it in another interview
But that didn't happen says Olson
McCarthy challenging him - why didn't he ask Bob more questions if 70% of the time these crimes involve the spouse?
Judge - why didn't you ask him - do you smoke weed? Do you have a woman?
Olson at that time I didn't want to press him - I felt like the interview would stop if I did that. I wanted to let him talk and do a follow up interview and press him harder
Another interview was set up for Friday January 27th over at GPP Public Safety Special Agent O'Riordan conducts the interview.
Olson is watching through the glass
Back to Olson's interview on the 26th - Bob asked if his wife had been strangled after hearing that from a reporter.
McCarthy wants to know how a reporter would know - did you have absolute control over the investigation?
No
Other people had information. But Olson didn't tell the press.
There had been a lot of officers from DPD and GPP on the scene that morning Jane's body was found.

 

[WildChild]

George Hunter ‏@GeorgeHunter_DN · Detroit, MI
Olsen said it was unusual that Bob didn't suggest who may have killed Jane.
McCarthy asking if loved ones always ask that.
McCarthy said if all victims' families gave them info about suspects, they'd clear a lot more murder cases....the judge chimed in...
Judge offered a scenario where a relative might give cops irrelevant info: If a spouse had an affair 3-4 years ago, but that person moved on
McCarthy: "You've interviewed a lot of people; is this the first time someone has failed to disclose they're having an affair?"
"No."
McCarthy: “Did you ask Mr. Bashara ‘is there another woman in your life?’”
Olsen: “No.”
Judge: “Why didn’t you ask him that?”
Olsen: “I wanted to just have generic questions.”
Judge: "If you thought the body was staged, why didn't you ask him (questions)."
Olsen: "I thought the interview was going to stop if I did.
Olsen said he wanted to ask generic questions first "and press him harder later."
McCarthy asking if Olsen had phone records showing Bob hadn't talked to Jane like he claimed at 4:40 pm, but was talking w Rachel...
Olsen said he didn't have those records when he first interviewed Bob - but added he wouldn't have asked about it anyway
Judge asked if it's uncommon for cops to talk to the media before info about crimes get out. Olsen said in Homicide they don't talk.
Sometimes, homicide cops do talk to the media - if they trust the reporter to hold off on revealing sensitive info.
McCarthy pointed out that cops began investigating Gentz because Bob told them about him.

 

[WildChild]

FREEP REPORTER GINA DAMRON - COURT TWEETS, FRIDAY NOVEMBER 7, 2014

McCarthy was asking Olsen about the finances, pointing out that Bashara told the truth about the financial situation.
That Jane Bashara made more money than him.
Evans asked Olsen if that is relevant to the investigation.
"It can be," Olsen testified. "That's a very big issue that you want to discuss."
Olsen said he didn't ask Bashara if there was another woman involved in his life
Evans asked why. Olsen said he wanted to ask generic questions and then do a follow up interview in the next day or two.
Olsen testified he didn't want to press Bashara too hard during the interview. "I felt that the interview was going to stop if I did that," he said, adding he thought he would do a follow up interview.

On Jan. 26, 2012 when Bashara was being interviewed, he asked Olsen about information he received from a reporter that Jane Bashara had been strangled, McCarthy said. He asked Olsen how a reporter would know.
McCarthy asked Olsen if he had absolute control over the information. Olsen said no.
Olsen said it's uncommon for homicide investigators in Detroit to talk to the media.
Under questioning, Olsen said there was a lot of media attention on the case
Olsen testified he became aware of a letter sent to the Grosse Pointe Park Department of Public Safety by an attorney on Bashara's behalf the day it was sent.
Olsen said he found out there had been phone traffic between Gentz and Bashara.
He said a call on Jan. 28, 2012 is the one identified in the letter that was sent.
Olsen testified that before Jan. 29, 2012, he never heard the name Joseph Gentz.
Under questioning, Olsen said the person who provided that information about Gentz came from Bashara.
"You took actions to being a criminal investigation against Joseph Gentz based on first hearing his name from Robert Bashara," McCarthy said.
Olsen said that's right.

 

[WildChild]

FOX2 REPORTER AMY LANGE - COURT TWEETS, FRIDAY NOVEMBER 7, 2014

Judge - is it uncommon for that police to talk to the media?
Olson says at DPD homicide they don't talk to the press
Judge says there were a lot of other people out there though - right?
Evidence techs, tow truck drivers, people from the morgue?
Olson was not oblivious to the fact that the media was interested in this case
It was high profile
There's also a tip line - within a day they have info on Rachel Gillett.
Other people have information and are giving information to the media
McCarthy - it may not be getting leaked from you, but it's getting out there
Olson says yes
Olson says there were a lot of things reported
McCarthy - on the 29th of January GPP receives this letter from Bob's attorney
Olson says he probably became aware of the letter the same day.
McCarthy - In the letter it says on the 28th Bashara got a phone call from Joe Gentz...
McCarthy - what is in the phone records corroborates what was in the letter.
True
McCarthy says - the fact is the call made on the 28th is the one identified in the letter.
Yes
So in your discussions on the 26th - Bob said he had no clue what happened to his wife.
true
When he left the police station on the 27th he was a person of interest - so in your mind he's been declared a suspect?
Correct
So now it's the following day - on the 28th that he receives this call from Joe Gentz and the next day on the 29th the letter comes identifying this phone call on the 28th.
Yes
Within a few days - 30th or 31st of January Joe Gentz shows up at GPP Public Safety and is interviewed
yes
It takes another month - the 2nd of March Joe Gentz is arrested and then charged with First degree premeditated murder and conspiracy to commit murder
Then the case with Gentz is resolved - he enters a plea of guilty and you knew there was a plea bargain and sentence in this case.
Yes.
He didn't plead guilty to 1st degree - he pleaded to 2nd degree with lesser sentence.
yes
So Mr. Bashara identifies Joe Gentz on the 29th and he ends of pleading guilty to 2nd degree murder
right
Before the 29th of January you never heard of Joe Gentz?
Right
So the person who provided the information about Joe Gentz was Bob Bashara?
Yes
You pursued an investigation into Joe Gentz because you were notified about him by Bob Bashara
Yes
The whole thing that started the criminal prosecution against Joe Gentz was that letter from Bob Bashara?
That's part of it - but that wasn't the whole conclusion of the investigation

 

[WildChild]

FOX2 REPORTER AMY LANGE - COURT TWEETS, FRIDAY NOVEMBER 7, 2014

Now talking about the property on Cadieux that Bob had said he got rid of in a short sale. He just left out that it was to Rachel?
Yes
While Bob was being interviewed on the 27th police were conducting a search warrant on the Bashara home
McCarthy - Bob didn't tell you anything about his alternative lifestyle.
Correct
You found that out through information about Rachel Gillett and what was on his computer?
Yes
You found other information too
Yes
(let's see where McCarthy is going with this)
You found out about him being a businessman
yes
You found out about the sex dungeon
Yes
How long after you started the investigation did you find out about it?
I don't know
But you investigated it?
Someone investigated it (says he and GPP were both working the case)
You're working as a team?
Yes
You investigated a house on Kensington and the purchase of that house?
Yes
There was a One thousand dollar down payment on the house and you found out no mortgage had ever been applied for.
Correct
As of the 24th nothing in place to pay for the house.
That's correct
In the interview on the 26th Bob asked about what he should tell his children about how their mother died and he asked about sexual assault.
McCarthy wants to know why he gave him answer about the sexual assault (there was none) but not about the manner of death.
Olson says the question about sexual assault was not relevant to the killing
Lisa Lindsey on redirect
Let me get this straight - before he was named a person of interest he says nothing about Joe but after he's named a suspect he throws Joe under the bus?
Yes
Does he says I took Joe a check?
No
Now talking about the letter delivered to GPP - Lisa Lindsey - that letter does not indicate Bob paid Joe with a check the day after his wife's body is found or that Bob had delivered that to Joe's work?
The letter does not say anything about that
Jurors laughing when Lisa Lindsey says have you heard the expression - A part truth is a whole lie?
Defense objects to this
Lindsey - how does a part truth lead you to the real killer?
Olson - you take it in its totality and see where it leads you
Lindsey - when someone gives you false information - how does that ad in the investigation?
It doesn't
Would you expect if someone had been receiving threats from someone would you expect them to notify you even if you didn't ask?
Yes
Pointing out- again - that Bob never mentions Joe
Would knowing he had a mistress be relevant to you
yes
He did not provide that even though he said he wanted to help you
no
A little joke about how everything you head in the media isn't true
Lindsey saying - not in these exact words - that Bob may not have heard about the strangulation from the media - he may have already known about it

 

[WildChild]

George Hunter ‏@GeorgeHunter_DN · Detroit, MI
McCarthy pointing out that Bob didn't lie when he told cop he didn't have a facebook/twitter account.
McCarthy said Bob had been into BDSM since 2006-07. "It was not a new thing."
McCarthy asking whether Olsen or other cops investigated Bob's sex dungeon after finding out about it.
McCarthy's cross-exam over; Lisa Lindsey doing redirect.
Lindsey: "After (Bob) was named a suspect, then he throws Joe (Gentz) under the bus?"
Olsen: "Yes."
Judge interrupted Lindsey's questioning to ask Olsen if Brusstar's letter about "Goetz" was unusual. Olsen said he's never seen it.
Defense is objecting a lot during Lindsey's redirect as she asks questions about suspects giving half-truths and false statements
Lindsey pointing out that Bob never mentioned in the initial interview that Gentz had been harassing him, which he claimed in the letter

marie osborne ‏@marieosbornewwj ·
Olsen says he investigated the Kensington home purchase. 1 thousand down but no financing in place@WWJ950
#bobbashara did ask police if his wife was sexually assaulted. Olsen said he told him no.
Lisa Lindsey redirect asks Olsen did defendant offer the name Joe Gentz? No says Olsen #bobbashara