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Just a trigger warning for you. Some of this reporting is disturbing, so please [music] listen and watch with care.
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Welcome to a special episode of the 48 hours podcast inside the Bfield trial. I'm your host, 48 Hours correspondent
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Ann Marie Green, and we have a verdict in the case of Brendan Banfield. He's a man charged with the aggravated murder
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of his wife Christine and another man, Joseph Ryan, on February 24th, 2023. Banfield was found guilty of two counts
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of aggravated murder. He was also found guilty of child endangerment and the use
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of a firearm. So, this case was dubbed the Opair affair because of Brendan's relationship with the Banfields livein
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nanny from Brazil, Juliana Perez Magalles. Now, Juliana pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter for the
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shooting of Joseph Ryan and cooperated with the government, testifying against Brendan. So, here to discuss this
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verdict along with Brendan's own testimony is 48 hours producer Michelle Sigona. Michelle, you were in the
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courtroom as all the events unfolded and we are so happy to have you here. >> Amory, it's great to see you. Thank you
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so much for having me. >> Um, so there was a lot of evidence in this case. uh you know, a lot of digital
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evidence, a lot of physical evidence, um certainly testimony from law enforcement, testimony from experts, but
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really at the end of the day, it really felt like this was a case of he said, she said. Brendan versus his former
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lover, Juliana. There are only four people who know what really happened, and unfortunately, two have died. This
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is all about Brendan versus Juliana. Here's prosecutor Jenna Sans's final argument about what happened.
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>> Brendan Banfield and Juliana Perez Maggalis colluded to kill Joseph Ryan and Christine Banfield.
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That makes sense. They created accounts. They chatted up potential victims. They got Joe Ryan
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into the house and then they shot him. Brendan stabbed Christine. let her bleed out on the floor and then dripped,
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smeared, and wiped her blood on Joseph Ryan's body to make it look like he had attacked Christine.
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Then they called the police. Brendan let Juliana take the fall and it took a little bit of doing, but here we
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are and it's his turn to be held accountable. >> Whereas Brendan's attorney, John
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Carroll, said this. Juliana made it up. She told the Commonwealth what they wanted to hear
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and without question they just took it as their story. She told this lie to secure secure
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herself a deal that benefited her. >> So we talked the other week about Juliana's testimony. Everyone was really
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surprised that she was amongst the first people first witnesses to testify. Um, can you remind our listeners though of
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this kind of elaborate alleged plot? >> Absolutely. The Bfields hired Juliana to
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care for their daughter Valerie. This was in 2021. Juliana was in her early 20s at the time and is part of the Opair
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arrangement. Juliana lived in their Northern Virginia home. She said she started a relationship with Brendan in
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August 2022 and he was the one who came up with the plan to kill his wife that October. She says they created a fake
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email account for Christine along with a fake account on a fetish app called Fetlife. The idea was to lure someone to
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the house under the pretense of aggressive sex with a knife, but then frame him for the stabbing murder of
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Christine. Joseph Ryan was the man prosecutors say they targeted. Now, prosecutors also said that Brendan
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planned to then enter the bedroom and kill the quote intruder with a gun. And so a big part of proving or disproving
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this whole thing depending on whether you're on defense or prosecution was about this catfishing component of it,
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right? Because part of the argument was well, it was Christine online making all
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this these arrangements or was it? You're right. There were days and days of testimony highlighting just about
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every login to the account and every message that was sent on Fetife. Also um clear it was hard to prove who was using
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those devices. So even if it was Christine's phone or laptop, the prosecution made the point that you
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couldn't prove it was her behind the device. So, to my surprise, Brendan took the stand. Uh, I say to my surprise
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because often uh defendants in murder trials don't, but you you never know. And the prosecutor emphasized that this
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is the first time anyone has heard from Brendan from his story basically from start to finish. He did not give a full
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statement at the scene, at the hospital, in the days and weeks and months after his wife and Joseph Ryan uh died inside
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of his own bedroom. And you hear portions from him in a 911 call or maybe, you know, some clips from a
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police body cam, but that's it. This is the first time from start to finish we're hearing this. And Brendan said he
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wanted to tell his story earlier at Juliana's trial, but then she took a plea and he really didn't have an
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opportunity. So, let's dig into what he said when he was testifying. I want to talk about the relationship he had with
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Juliana. How does he say it began? Who was responsible for starting this affair? According to him, according to
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Brendan, he says Juliana is the one who started making advances towards him. He went into great detail about how they
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started this physical relationship with one another inside the home. He also said Juliana basically um what he told
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her was this is just an affair. and that he had had previous affairs and this would not change his relationship with
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Christine. Uh Christine was a his partner for 19 years. 12 of those years they were actually married and right now
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you can hear from his lawyer John Carol. >> Now was Christine aware of your affair?
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>> I don't believe she was aware of the affair between me and Juliana. >> Was she aware of your previous affairs?
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>> Uh she was aware of at least two previous affairs. >> Okay. And and likewise, were you aware
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of her affairs? >> Yes, I was also aware that she had that she had affairs. >> So, this is the first time we're hearing
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this. Brendan says that Christine had affairs as well. >> It felt like that part about Christine
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having affairs was just sort of slipped in, mentioned in passing very quickly. >> And that is the real unfortunate part in
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these types of cases. Amory, you know this. The defense can make any kind of claim about a victim. And unfortunately,
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Christine is not here to be a voice and to defend herself. Brendan testified she
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had a previous BDSM affair when they lived in New York, was interested in sexual violence. Again, this his claims
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um and that she was a sexual assault nurse examiner setting her up that if she had some sort of possible history in
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engaging in violent sex relations, but it was something he said he had not had any interest in pursuing. Again, this is
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his version of events. I will tell you that prosecutor Jenna Sans said, and this was during closings when I was in
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the courtroom, that there was no digital history of Christine using dating websites, fetish sites, or talking to
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other men prior to this alleged plot. She said there was zero evidence of Christine engaging in rough sex. And in
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addition, we learned Christine has a blood disorder and her father testified to what she went through as a child all
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the way up to an adult. So the prosecution is like, why would Christine invite someone into her home, her family
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home with a knife, knowing that if she were to be cut, it could be a serious situation. So, the last time we spoke
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about this case for the last episode, you know, we talked about Brendan and Juliana being in love like this, you
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know, like that was part of kind of the motivation for this plot, but then Brendan seemed to be really downplaying
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the relationship. I mean, what what's that about? >> And the prosecutor challenged him. You
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better believe that on that cross-examination. >> Did you love her? >> There was points that I told her that I
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loved her. You told her that you love her, but you didn't actually love her. >> I would say
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I would say that I had feeling that I had feelings for her, but they weren't nearly as strong as feelings for my
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wife. >> The Commonwealth even admitted multiple lengthy love letters for the jury to
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see. This was after Juliana was arrested, professing his love for her. One letter even mentioned he was
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obsessed with her happiness. M. So, in regards to this alleged plot, Brendan's attorney just flat out asked
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him if he created a plan with Juliana to kill his wife, Christine. Here's his response.
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>> No, there was no plan. Um, at this point, our relationship is maybe 6 to 8 weeks old.
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I think that it's an absurd line of questioning for something that is not serious that we're
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that a plan was made to get rid of my wife. That is absolutely crazy. >> So 6 to 8 weeks. First off, I did not
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know it was just 6 to 8 weeks, but I What is he inferring that that's just too short of a time to plot with your
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lover to kill your wife? that they need, you know, maybe if the relationship had
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been 6 months longer, that would be a reasonable argument. I think that's exactly what he's trying to say is that
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this relationship is too short. They were just scratching the surface and that, you know, it wasn't serious. So
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why would he concoct this plan and move forward with it and get rid of his wife of 19 years for someone he's not serious
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with? That's not the strongest argument. I mean, when is there ever a reason to kill your wife? I mean, if it's a bad
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relationship, get out of it. Divorce. Sort of the normal stuff. >> Yeah, >> that's right. Exactly. And I was also
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struck by Brendan's description of Juliana choosing to be with him whenever she could. This is what he says. And the
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reason why I bring this up is because it comes up when when Brendan is going to the shooting range to practice for his
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job as an IRS agent. He has a gun as part of his job. And prosecutors allege Juliana went to the range to practice
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shooting as part of the murder plot. Brendan says she was just tagging along. >> In in having her come to the range, was
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there any plan that she was going to back you up on some plan? >> I mean, there [clears throat] there was
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no plan at this point when we had gone to the range. There was no there was no of none of the suspect
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email account. There was no Fetlife account. There was no Telegram messages. None of that existed at the point that
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at the point that we went to the range. >> Okay. Now, did Fetife or Gmail or Telegram ever exist for you?
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I did not know about them um until I did not know about them till after Christine died. Um
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I didn't get to really I didn't get to see them until after uh Juliana's arrest.
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>> So there's no plan at this point. It's a weird way to say it. >> It is weird. So, if Brandon is
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suggesting that this thing with Juliana is an affair, it hasn't really been going on that long, just what was kind
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of the status of their relationship at the time of the killings? >> Well, this is very interesting. Brendan
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says Juliana had broken up with him several times and on February 24th, they weren't together. He claims she was
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upset when he would [music] spend time with Christine and she ended their relationship in the days leading up to
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this deadly incident. That is really fascinating. [music] So the last time we spoke, we played
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some sound from the prosecutor and the prosecutor really laid out um kind of the elaborate choreography that unfolded
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on February 24th, the day of the killing. I think it's worth it, Michelle, to kind of like go over how
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all these things unfolded. >> Absolutely. So, the prosecutor said that Brendan and Juliana had arranged this
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fake outing at the zoo for his daughter Valerie. Juliana would be the one supposedly taking her there. And around
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6:00 a.m., Brendan allegedly messaged Joe Ryan posing as Christine to confirm a 7:20 a.m. arrival. They say Christine
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was asleep. Now, Brendan said he woke up early. He got ready. He saw Christine awake with her phone. He said he never
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touched her devices. And as for the zoo outing, he says Christine was the one who had arranged for Juliana and their
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daughter to go and this was not the other way around. He said he had a big day at work meeting about a case and his
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manager would be there. So that brings us to a surprise witness who testified after Brendan. It was his acting
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supervisor at the time of the killings. >> When Mr. Vanfield testified that he had
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a scheduled meeting with his manager, that would have been yourself or Juliet Jones. Is that correct?
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>> Those are the only two people that I can look that have been his manager. Yes.
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>> Okay. And she was out of the country and you were in Baltimore and not planning
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on meeting him. Correct. >> Correct. >> This surprise witness also confirmed on the stand uh he was not interviewed by
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police on the week that the investigators were out at his office interviewing co-workers. I I think he
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may have been away or or out of town. Um so he was not able to interview with police at the time. So he did not give
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them a formal statement. But after hearing Brendan Banfield testify on the stand, that's when this coworker who was
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the supervisor at the time came forward and wanted to let everyone know uh that he did not have a meeting that morning
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and he was in Maryland. >> Mhm. Okay. So, let's talk about the leaving of the house cuz um Juliana
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testified and and she said that she left the house with Valerie and she parked nearby so that she could have a clear
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view of the house. Brendan goes to a nearby McDonald's. Juliana says that when she sees Joe Ryan arrive at the
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house, she calls Brendan at the McDonald's. Um, and all three of them, Brendan, Juliana, and Valerie, return to
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the house and they all enter through the basement. And this is when Juliana testified that Brendan went upstairs to
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the bedroom and she followed. She said that she saw him shoot Joe and then stab Christine.
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Then she shot Joe a second time. This is all according to her testimony. What did Brendan say? How did he
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describe this? He said he went to the McDonald's. He picked up breakfast on the way to work.
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He was in the restroom for seven minutes and also he sat in the parking lot and and apparently ate his food then went
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inside when he got a panicked call from Juliana. He tried calling Christine, but
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it went straight to voicemail. Brendan said when he came home, he went he took a direct route home. When he got there,
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um he went inside. He heard what he believed to be sexual noises and assumed Christine was having another affair.
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This is again according to Brendan. But then sounds from Christine sounded painful and that's when he decided to go
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upstairs. He had his gun from work as well as his handcuffs. This is when he said he encountered Joseph Ryan with his
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wife. >> You saw a knife there. What were you thinking in terms of Joe Ryan with a knife to Christine's
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neck? I was extremely terrified. Um, I don't know that I've ever been more panicked in my life.
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At the same time, he admitted he really couldn't see Christine's neck due to her
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hair being thick and curly, but he said he believed she had blood in her hair. He also said he tried to deescalate the
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situation, telling Joe to drop the knife. He says then he saw Joe forcefully stab Christine, causing
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Christine to fall to the ground, and that's when Brendan said he shot the gun at Joe. Brendan says he saw a bloody
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wound on Christine's neck and started applying pressure at this point. But [snorts] by this time, uh Brendan says
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he noticed Juliana in the room. He claims he asked her to call 911 and to watch Joe as he tended to Christine. He
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said Juliana stepped away to the master bathroom. Christine told me that she was bleeding
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out and that um that she was sorry and that she loved me. Um >> and what did you tell her?
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Uh it was at this point that uh there was another shot. Um and and I looked up and I saw that
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Juliana had my other firearm and I was stunned that Juliana had shot. And Brendan said he was initially unaware
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that Juliana got the gun from the safe in the bedroom closet. Now, this is different than what we heard from
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Juliana who said he gave her the gun before leaving the McDonald's that morning and she kept it in her pocket.
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>> Okay. So then, how does the prosecution handle cross-examination with Brendan?
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>> Prosecutor Jenna Sans did not hold back Emory. She challenged him on his version
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of the stabbing and of the shooting. >> So, how long do you think passed between
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your instructions to Joe Ryan to put down the knife? Let her go. Let her go. Let her go. And your wife is bleeding
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before you shot him. >> Not that long. Under a minute. >> Under a minute. Okay. So if we were to
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count out 60 seconds, 1 2 3 so on and so forth, that would be a minute. And in that time, you did not shoot him.
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>> I did not shoot him. And I did not shoot him prior to Christine going to the floor.
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>> Okay. And at that point in time that she's going to the floor, we're at least
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six stab wounds in, right? To the best of my knowledge, it's hard to it's hard to see. Also, I'm aiming
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down my sight at Joe and so I'm not focused exactly on Christine. You You have a narrowed view when you're aiming
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down when you're aiming down a firearm. >> And you just couldn't pull the trigger,
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could you? >> I was afraid. >> Okay. And you are a trained law enforcement officer, correct?
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I am, but I have my shooting record is um on the lower end for the qualifications.
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>> He repeated that he was worried about hitting Christine by mistake. Uh the prosecutor then asked, "Well, why didn't
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he use his handcuffs on Joe after he did shoot him?" And Brendan said he probably
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should have done that. That's what he admits to. M and the prosecutor really also went after him about how he tended
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to Christine's wounds. >> Um, you did not at that point in time use the towel, the blanket, the sheet,
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or the other blanket to staunch the flow of blood from her neck. >> It wasn't until I was instructed to by
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911 to to do that. Um, pressure is a different form of of treatment that we were taught and uh
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that is also what Christine was doing. Um, I believe that that was the best course of action at the time
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>> to put pressure on the wound that was so large that your finger went inside of
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it. Is that correct? >> Yes. >> Okay. And when first responders arrived, you agree you're on video holding her
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neck with your bare hand, correct? >> I think so. >> So, speaking of first responders, uh I I
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know that the timing of the 911 calls was really sort of crucial to the prosecution's case. Juliana testified
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that after Brendan shot Joe, Christine said Juliana called 911. At that point, Juliana says that she called 911 for the
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first time, but then Brendan gestured to her to hang up. So, she hangs up really
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quickly. This is kind of crucial. Um, but 911 had already made contact at that point. Um, she calls back several
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minutes later after Brendan gave her the go-ahad to call 911. This is probably where the plot kind of falls apart. She
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called 911 too early. Uh, this is important testimony because it directly contradicts what Brendan said at trial.
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Brendan said he brought Juliana and Valerie and their dog to the basement while he moved upstairs to the master
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bedroom to investigate. He believes Juliana made that first quick 911 call while she was downstairs in the basement
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and he was upstairs. And the defense introduced an expert who testified. They identified the dogs whining in a portion
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of that call. But he said he did tell Juliana to call 911 later after she came up to the bedroom. And this was after he
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had shot Joe Ryan. >> And then we should remind everyone that Valerie, their young daughter, is in the
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basement this entire time. >> It's It's really hard to think about. And the prosecutor asked if Brendan was
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thinking of his daughter. Why didn't he tell Juliana to leave the house with Valerie or use the lock on the outside
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of the basement door to make sure that they wouldn't be able to go upstairs? He claimed that at the moment he was just
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focused on Christine and that Valerie from what he thought was safe in the basement.
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>> Yeah. Why would you want your daughter to to hear any of this to possibly see
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any of this? >> And the prosecutor did say this. You have a gun. you're going up. Obviously,
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you're afraid for your safety in some sort of sense or or regard to all of this. And why would you not get your
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child out of that situation? Why would you? And four-year-olds are curious. Look, I have a 2-year-old, a
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six-year-old, and a 10-year-old. And let me tell you, kids are curious. They want
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to know what's happening. If they hear something, they are going to the noises. They're going to figure out whatever is
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happening. And I mean, at any point, she could have walked up those stairs. at any point.
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>> It's absolutely it's absolutely terrifying. Um I mean, you've you've sat through you've sat through a number of
00:25:09
very interesting trials. We talked about what Brendan testified to, but how was he on the stand? I will tell you that it
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was a little distracting because he would answer the defense, his defense attorney, and glance at him and then
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kind of glance over to the right at the jury and then kind of look back. His, you know, his eyes were shifting all
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over the place. Um, and it seemed like he was trying to keep, you know, his sense of thoughts going, but um, you
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know, it was hard for him, I think, at times to be quite honest. And um and again, this is the first time we're
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hearing of anything in full totality, so there's nothing to compare it to. And then my other question was about
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Christine. Could you get a sense of who Christine was? I mean, she has a courtroom filled
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with her supporters as well. Who was Christine? >> Christine, from everything I've been
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able to learn, was a nurse. She was a mom, you know, a a dedicated mother. She was a friend. She was a daughter. She
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was someone who seemed to enjoy life. And this is such a tragedy. And I think about Valerie. I think about this little
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girl growing up without her mom. >> And it is, I mean, it is heartbreaking. And it's hard to think about what her
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parents and all of her loved ones are going through. And now reliving this again really 3 years later.
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>> Absolutely. They must they must be thinking how can this be our lives? How can this this be the story that our
00:26:47
family, you know, has to tell. >> Sad story. Really sad. Um Michelle, it's always great to have someone who's
00:26:54
following the the case, you know, from beginning to end, who's been in the courtroom. Um so yeah, I really
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appreciate your time. >> Thank you so much.