Dateline: True Crime Weekly
An accused killer's surprise defense. A pharmacist on trial for poisoning. And a medical examiner's strategy for cracking cold cases.
Thu, 16 Jan 2025
In Tennessee, the defense attorney for a man accused of stabbing his girlfriend to death makes an unexpected admission. In West Virginia, a pharmacist already serving time for scamming her family and friends out of millions is back in court. This time she's accused of murdering her husband. And Alec Baldwin sues the prosecutors on the Rust trial. Plus, a medical examiner discusses the art of investigating cold cases. Find out more about the cases covered each week here: www.datelinetruecrimeweekly.com
What surprising admission did the defense attorney make in the Tennessee trial?
You can only wonder what's going through her mind.
You're certainly trying to win over some very important strangers in your life. And there's something really interesting that the prosecutor pointed out that we've heard about before, you know, the CSI effect with jurors, that they need DNA, they need video or witnesses. You know, in this case, the prosecutor warned them that there's almost no direct evidence involved.
Yeah, that's exactly what the prosecution said. And by and large, the prospective jurors said, no, I'm OK. I understand that you have direct evidence and you have circumstantial evidence. And one is not more important than the other. That was the general consensus on the part of the prospective panel.
So opening statements began on Wednesday morning. It may be no surprise the prosecution hit hard on what they say was Natalie's motive.
As many deceptions and lies as were told to her victims of the Ponzi scheme, Michael Cochran was told just as many. He did not know what was going on, but he was determined to find out.
There's no question that the prosecution has to work with a case that does not have direct evidence. But what they do have is a defendant who is a convicted felon serving 11 years. And if she can defraud her family, loved ones, investors, there's no telling what she can do. That's going to be their argument.
This defendant is a pharmacist. She knows about medications and drugs. She knew the impact insulin would make.
The defense told a very different story in their opening statement.
He was involved in the Ponzi scheme. He knew about multimillion-dollar purchases, the toys, the houses, trips to Paris, trips to Hawaii, expensive, lavish lifestyle. And you have to ask yourself at the end of the case, she didn't know about it? Really?
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