Blood Town on Trial:
Images & Transcript

SUMMARY KEYWORDS

defendant, marianne, marcus, clark, jurors, hot tub, evidence, shockley, hear, lillard, charged, trial, reckless conduct, felony murder, judge, drug, day, woods, jury, aggravated assault

SPEAKERS

ADA Malcor, Penny, Judge Burleson, Mr. Tucker

 

Penny  00:06

I'm Penny Dearmin. This is season two: Blood Town on Trial. On April 4th, an early morning Google Alert tells me it's really happening. Jurors are supposed to report to the courthouse by 9am. The state of Georgia vs. Marcus Lillard is finally happening nearly three years after the Mother's Day murder. In a panic, I throw my Zoom recorder and microphone and notebook and pens and my computer and power blocks, and revise and print out my rule 22 request, which is what you need to file with the Court in order to be granted permission to record the proceedings. Everything's rushed and a little bit panicked because I live two hours away now.  So I jump in my truck and arrive just in time for the jury selection to begin. I present my rule 22 requests to the clerk who consults with the judge, and she informs him that she will review the request at the end of jury selection. I wait in the lobby outside the courtroom for a little while and I eventually wander in to observe the voir dire process, where the judge and the attorneys from both sides ask the jurors questions to ensure that they're able to objectively utilize and evaluate the evidence and only the evidence presented during the course of the trial to render their verdict. The judge asks questions such as Are you a blood relative of the decedent, the victim or the accused or any of the attorneys in the courtroom? They're asked each jurors asked to state their name, and their address and their occupation and marital status. Then Assistant District Attorney Melcor stands up and asks a few follow up questions. And it's not that long that I'm sitting in the courtroom. When I hear her ask the jurors, have you ever listened to the podcast blood town, my ears get a little red and I get a little bit nervous. And some of the jurors raised their hands that they have. And she asks them, Would it surprise any of you if the media got any of the details wrong that they reported. And the jurors some of them kind of giggle and they all agree with her that they would not be surprised at all if the media got some of the details wrong. So she proceeds with her questions. And the defense attorney Matthew Tucker asked the jurors some questions as well. And then they select a few of the jurors from each group to come up individually one at a time to discuss as a sidebar with the judge. And those who reported that they did listen to the podcast did go up to speak with the judge and the attorneys. The only thing I could really overhear is asking one of those jurors well What do you think they were trying to say? Or so how did it end? Or what did it make you think about the case? Could you still after listening to it be able to objectively render a verdict using just the evidence presented?  The voir dire process continues until all parties can agree upon the jurors. And the entire jury is seated and given instructions to not Google or do any research or talk with anyone about the case. And then judge Burleson says that she understands there's a late rule 22 request and I raise my hand, and there's a motion for me to come forward. And I've always been taught that you don't approach the bench until someone says you may approach but they eventually waved me in and we're given some requirements about reporting. And so there'll be some individuals whose names we won't report and not allowed to share any identifying details from some of those witnesses, as well as we were not allowed to live broadcast from the courtroom as well. As I go up and approach judge Burleson she reads over my rule 22 request and says, Are you the podcast lady? And I said, Yes, Ma'am, your honor. I'm the podcast lady. So for the rest of the trial, I was known in and around the courtroom as the podcast lady. Our rule 22 request was granted. So we were some of the media outlets that were given permission to within the restrictions, record audio and video and take images unobstructively  of the proceedings. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, welcome back.

 

Judge Burleson  05:34

Judge Burleson: You may remember yesterday in jury selection, I think the lawyers asked you about media coverage and things like that. Obviously, you know, from that there's been some media interest in the case and not surprisingly, we do have a couple of media outlets with us today. I just want to reassure you, they are under strict rules of sort of how they are to conduct themselves. Primary of which for your concern is that they are not permitted to photograph video or show your faces on camera. 

 

Penny  06:03

Judge Burleson runs an effective and organized courtroom. She makes sure that the jurors feel comfortable and that the families on both sides feel protected.

 

Judge Burleson  06:18

All right, before we start, I do need to give you one last Oh, you do not need to stand but I would ask for you each please raise your right hand you shall well and truly tried to issue formed upon this bill of indictment between the state of Georgia and Marcus Allen Lillard who is charged here with with count one felony murder count to aggravated assault count three involuntary manslaughter and count four reckless conduct and a true verdict bill according to the evidence of help you God and if you do so, swear or affirm, please say I do out loud. [All say: I do.] All right, thank you. You have been selected and sworn to try the criminal case of the state of Georgia versus Marcus Allen Lillard. Baldwin County grand jury has indicted the defendant Marcus Allen Lillard for the following crimes, which I will read to you now, in the name and behalf of the citizens of Georgia charge and accuse Marcus Allen Lillard with having committed the offense of felony murder. For the said Marcus Allen Lillard on or about the 12th day of May 2019. in Baldwin County, Georgia, did them in their unlawfully, while in the commission of a felony to wit, aggravated assault cause the death of Marianne Shockley, a human being by choking her said act resulting in strangulation. contrary to the laws of the state of Georgia, the good order, peace and dignity thereof, count two reads and the Grand Jurors aforesaid, on their oath aforesaid in the name and behalf of the citizens of Georgia for their charge and accused Marcus Allen Lillard with having committed the offense of aggravated assault. Or that the said Marcus Allen Lillard on our about the 12th day of May 2019. in Baldwin County, Georgia did then and there unlawfully assault another to wit Marianne Shockley, by choking her with his hands said act being likely to end did result in strangulation contrary to the laws of the state of Georgia, the good order, peace and dignity thereof. count three reads and the Grand Jurors aforesaid on their oath afore said in the name and behalf of the citizens of Georgia, further charge and accuse Marcus Allen Lillard with having committed the offense of involuntary manslaughter, or the said Marcus Allen Lillard on or about the 12th day of May 2019. in Baldwin County, Georgia did then in there unlawfully, while in the commission of reckless conduct an unlawful act caused the death of Marianne Shockley, a human being without any intention to do so. By failing to obtain emergency medical treatment for her said ommission to act constituting a gross deviation from the standard of care. A reasonable person would exercise contrary to the laws of the state of Georgia, the good order, peace and dignity thereof, count four and the Grand Jurors aforesaid, on their oaths aforesaid in the name and behalf of the citizens of Georgia further charged and accused Marcus Allen Lillard with having committed the offense of reckless conduct. For that the said Marcus Allen Lillard on or about the 12th day of May 2019. in Baldwin County, Georgia did then and there unlawfully endanger the bodily safety of Marianne Shockley, another person by consciously disregarding a substantial and unjustifiable risk that his admission to act to wit, failing to obtain emergency medical treatment for her would endanger her bodily safety said disregard constituting a gross deviation from the standard of care which a reasonable person would exercise in the situation. contrary to the laws of the state of Georgia, the good order, peace and dignity thereof.

 

Penny  09:45

 The jury is being asked to consider verdicts in two categories. And the first one being felony murder that Marcus Lillard caused Maryinne Shockley's death by choking her and if they are To return a guilty verdict for felony murder, they would have to first find him guilty of aggravated assault, which is the act of choking her with his hands. So if the jury decides that Marcus Lillard is not guilty of those charges, then they could consider this second category of charges. And that is involuntary manslaughter that he caused her death without intending to do so by failing to obtain medical treatment. In order for them to find him guilty of involuntary manslaughter, they would have to first find him guilty of reckless conduct, which is failing to obtain emergency medical treatment. Of course, they could find him not guilty of all of those charges. 

 

Judge Burleson  10:47

The defendant has pled not guilty to this indictment and he denies every charge in it, the defendant is presumed to be innocent until he is proven guilty. The defendant begins the trial with a presumption of innocence in his favor, and this presumption stays with him until it is overcome by the state with evidence that convinces you beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant is guilty of the crimes charged, you may not convict the defendant of any crime unless each element of the crime is proved beyond a reasonable doubt. The burden of proof is on the state to prove every essential element of the crimes charged in the indictment beyond a reasonable doubt. The defendant has no burden of proof at all, and the burden never shifts to the defendant to prove his innocence. However, the state is not required to prove the guilt of the defendant beyond all doubt or to a mathematical certainty. A reasonable doubt means just what it says it is a doubt of a fair minded, impartial juror who is honestly seeking the truth. 

 

Penny  11:47

After finishing instructions to the jury, including what evidence they are allowed to consider to include testimony and exhibits in which should not include the questions that the attorneys asked or statements made by the judge. Then the opening statements are going to be delivered. And first up is Assistant District Attorney Melcor. 

 

ADA Malcor  12:12

Mother's Day 2019 A mother of two. Marianne Shockley was planning to spend the day with her family at her home church in Morgan County. the flowers that would be given out to the mothers and attendants of the church service. Were at her home, waiting to be cut and arranged into bouquets that morning. Her teenage children, Nora, and Paul expected to spend the day with her. They never saw her alive again because on Saturday, May 11 of 2019 Marianne decided to come to Milledgeville to your community and spend the day with her on again off again boyfriend, the defendant, Marcus Lillard. Now Marianne Shockley was a UGA professor. And she was an entomologist, which meant that she studied bugs. And she was very highly respected world-renowned particularly for her work in the field that I'm not even going to try to pronounce. But it's using bugs for human consumption as a protein source, eating bugs. And she studied that she was pretty famous for that in that community. Every summer she did a bugs camp for kids summer camp. And usually every year in May during what UGA calls its Maymester, she would take a group of students abroad to study bugs in different continents. The defendant was a car salesman who worked at different dealerships around the state. The two actually met here in college, Georgia College and State University back in the 90s. And they had kind of reconnected about a year and a half, two years before this incident and started dating. Marianne took the defendant with her on her travels. In fact, the two of them were scheduled to leave the Thursday after Mother's Day to go to Ecuador on one of these Maymester trips with her students. So on that Saturday, the 11th Marianne drove from her home in Morgan County here to Milledgeville to spend the other day with the defendant. And they had a nice day together. They went to some popular restaurants and bars here, including Aubri Lane and you will see video surveillance of them from that day. They're smiling. They're happy.They're drinking, and they are totally, and blissfully unaware of the tragic way it would all end in just a few hours. Now around 7:30 or eight o'clock that night, the two of them decided to go over to the home of Clark Heindel out on Watson Reynolds Road, both Marianne and the defendant knew Clark, were friends with him. And Clark was friends with the defendant's son Carson. And the defendant wanted to drop off some items for Carson there at Clark's house so that Carson could get items from there. So they picked up some food like to go order headed out to Clarks house. Now Clark Heindel was a former family therapist, who had recently opened up a yoga studio downtown called Good Karma. He was a popular figure downtown so a lot of time at metropolis and Bollywood, which are restaurants are owned by his best friend. He was an avid music lover. He's a bit of a hippie, maybe more than a bit, maybe a hippie. And he likes to have friends over to his house kind of play music, sing, swim and there would be drug use there. And so once the defendant and Marianne got there and that's pretty much what they did. They hung out, they talked, spent some time together. They played some music. Clark Heindel played the accordion. The defendant banged on some Bongo drum, there on the front porch. And they use some Drugs, marijuana and ecstasy and they hung out there on the porch which at this house overlooks the front porch overlooks the pool and hot tub area. Around 1am, Sunday morning, Clark Heindel called 911 to report that Marianne had been found unresponsive in the hot tub, and that she wasn't breathing. When law enforcement and EMTs arrived on scene, they found not only that Marianne had already died, but that she had been dead, it appeared, for some time and that the account they were getting from the defendant and from Clark about finding, her starting CPR, calling on 911 wasn't really adding up, seemed off, and they spoke to the defendant and the defendant said that he and Marianne his girlfriend both got into the hot tub. Both were nude, and that Clark the homeowner was in the pool at the opposite end. So the hot tub is kind of on the deep end of the pool. And Clark was on the opposite end from the hot tub in the shallow end. And then defendant said that he decided in the rain in the nude to get out of the hot tub and go into the woods to collect some firewood. He said he was gonw about 15 minutes and when he returned, Marianne was non responsive in the hot tub. So he tried to get her to respond. He Pulled her out of the hot tub you dropped her which caused a gash on her forehead and it was bleeding. And the EMTs had noticed that when they got there, she's nude, there's a pool of blood. And both Clark and the defendant were attempting CPR. Clark said that he was in the pool, while the defendant and Marianne were in the hot side that the defendant left and when the defendant came back, he said that Marianne was non responsive, and then he went over there and they helped to get her out and started performing CPR. Now while law enforcement is on the scene, the defendant changed the story a little bit he changed his story about what exactly he did with Marianne when he first got her out of the hot tub. Did he carry her around the pool did he swim across the pool with her and he changed the length of time that he was in the woods, how long he was gone. Maybe 15 minutes, maybe 20 minutes, maybe 45 minutes, maybe an hour. You will see the body cam footage that was recorded by one of the deputies there, Deputy Brantley. And you will see the defendant as he talks to law enforcement with a towel wrapped around him, describing for them what happened and what went on, and how he initially thought Marianne was faking it, maybe for a little extra love, and attention. Now, while law enforcement was at the scene, waiting for investigators to arrive, Clark heindel went back inside his house, and committed suicide by shooting himself in the head with a shotgun. He left a note that says essential, essentially, I don't know what happened to Marianne. But it happened on my watch. I'm very sorry for her family and friends. I considered myself or I counted myself as one. I was looking forward to riding horses with her. I've had a most blessed life, but it's time for me to go. Anything else he could have told us about that night, died with him. An autopsy was performed on Marianne Shockley. And it was determined that her cause of death was strangulation. And although her autopsy also revealed that she had an enlarged heart, and that she had marijuana and ecstasy in her system, those do not cause her death. The cause of death was strangulation she was choked to death. Now, during the course of this trial, you're going to hear evidence from women who know the defendant, who like the defendant, who are still friends with the defendant, who dated the defendant, or who met the defendant, maybe downtown at a bar and had a sexual encounter with him and they are going to tell you that the defendant, in this case, likes choking women during sex. Now most of them will tell you, they were okay with it, they consented it to most of them will say that when they told the defendant, they didn't like it or didn't want him to do it, he would stop. Most of them. Not all of them. Most of them will say he never choked them to the point where they lost consciousness. Most of them. Not all of them. They will tell you that the defendant was particularly aggressive when he was using drugs, like cocaine.

 

Penny  22:43

ADA Malcor tells the jury that Marcus did test positive for cocaine from that night. She also informs the jury that they will hear from friends and women who knew and dated Clark Heindel. And he was never interested in choking during sex and that he was not aggressive and in fact, was kind and respectful

 

ADA Malcor  23:07

that he was a sad number having fully recovered from the death of his young son Jake, who died at age 7 over 20 years ago. You're also going to hear from some witnesses whom the defendant called that night, from Clark's phone, about an hour and a half before the 911 call around 1130. The defendant called is ex-wife Her name is Adrianne Leonard. And at the time she was a respiratory therapist who lived not far from Clark Heindel. But during the evening of Saturday, May 11 2019. She was at work at a hospital in another town. But the defendant called her and said, found Marianne unconscious, hot tub. She's not breathing, what do I need to do to get her breathing again? And she said, call 911. And the defendant said she's fine. She's just like, the defendant made a number of calls like that and sent texts from Clark's phone saying It's Marcus, Marianne not fully conscious come to Clark's, come help, but he never called 911. The 911 call which wasn't placed til one o'clock in the morning was placed by tomorrow. Later in a recorded statement to law enforcement, the defendant said well, calling 911 is not something that would occur to him. 

 

Penny  24:49

Ada Malcor tells the jury that they're going to hear evidence that Marcus did call 911 Earlier that day to report a reckless driver In downtown Milledgeville, but that he did not call 911 When Marianne was found unresponsive. And this is important to remember, because finding a fact is necessary that it was reckless behavior for Marcus not to call 911 Immediately upon discovering Marianne in order to find him guilty of that charge, I think you'll notice that the opening statement has been going on for some time, very little has been cut out unless it was repetitive. And so you have to consider the attention span of the jurors and whether they're able to pick up on the fact that they need to pay closer attention to this matter,

 

ADA Malcor  25:50

Now during the course of this trial you're going to meet the law enforcement officers and the first responders who have responded to that eerie scene Out on Watson Reynolds road. They investigated the case, collected the evidence, you'll hear from the medical examiner who performed the autopsy on Marianne and you will see some pretty graphic photos of the injuries, the fatal injuries to her neck and throat. You will meet Marianne's sister. You will not hear at any point that the defendant Marcus Lillard intended to kill Marianne Shockley. He did not. He did not mean to kill her, and he is not charged with meaning to kil her, but for killing her nonetheless. He's charged with felony murder, for killing her during the commission of the felony, aggravated assault for choking her too hard for too long. And he's charged with involuntary manslaughter for killing her during the crime of reckless conduct for ignoring a substantial and unjustifiable risk, not calling 911 not seeking emergency medical care, a risk that no reasonable person would have ignored. He is not charged with meaning to kill her. He did not mean to kill her. He killed her nonetheless. And at the end of this trial, you will know that the truth is that the defendant is guilty.

 

Penny  27:43

Now Mr. Tucker, defense counsel will give his opening statement

 

Mr. Tucker  27:48

At the beginning of the trial, we get opening statements that will try to get a preview of the case, what to expect to kind of put a twist on it to make it lean one side or the other. I generally like to come up and give a story of something to keep you understanding, motivated to see where we're going with this. And hearing this reminds me of a young boy who's trying to learn how to shoot arrows. He wanted to be the best in his field of archery. And he get out in the woods, he keeps shooting that arrow at trees, shooting that bullseyes, and he wasn't that good. And he asked his trainers, how can I be better? How can he be better? The guy over here's hitting bull's eyes left and right how can I be better? He goes, Be patient, take all into account. Use your skills and knowledge and just watch and listen. And it will come to you. So he continues shooting  this arrow, Kept shooting and missing and finally he ran next door and said how, how do you always hit the bullseyes? How is this arrow always in the middle of the bullseyes. I never see you on the training. I'm told to use my experience my knowledge, what I can do my ears open, my eyes open to see how to be better. And you hit bullseyes all the time. And he turned to that young boy. He didn't have time he had a job to do he had a job to run off to, and he said, I don't have time to show you, boy. But what I can tell you is this. I don't practice like you I don't pay attention to the rules. I don't do what's necessary to make sure that that is a shot that hits the bullseye every time. What I do is stand back. I shoot that arrow into a tree. You got to run to work. I will paint the bullseye around where that arrow lives. That's what's happened today. State has a job to do and they've taken a theory. They've gone on with this theory, there's evidence out there, I put it to you to listen to all the evidence because the evidence is there. But when you take that theory, only put into that certain theory that evidence is used because as they said, we anticipate you hearing on the Saturday that Marcus here and his girlfriend Marianne, are out, they're getting ready to go to Ecuador. They're out having a good time, having a few drinks, laughing, doing what boyfriend girlfriend do, getting ready talking about the trip coming up, as you will hear there's going to be different sides, there will be different twists, it will be different angles. And listen to what is said listen to the testimony, listen to the evidence. He wasn't going over to Clark's to pick up something, he was driving around Clark was was his son's, Marcus' son's therapist. He was going over there to pick up a pair of [mural] that he had drawn for his son.

 

Penny  31:03

I'm going to interject here to clarify that the mural is one that Marcus had painted for his son Carson, I'm not trying to give Mr. Tucker a hard time. I think it's very challenging when there's a complex case to get all of the facts correct. And I just want to remind everyone that this has been going on for nearly three years at the time of the trial, but that Matthew Tucker had only entered his entry of appearance in January of 2022. So he has not had the case this long. The case is on its third judge, its second DA and this is Marcus, he had 1, 2, 3, This is his fourth attorney. So there's definitely going to be the opportunity for mistakes and misstatements to be made. I just want to make sure that you guys keep the facts straight.

 

Mr. Tucker  31:58

And that's just out of coincidence out of chance accidentally ended up over there, it was not planned. It was not something they said hey, we're gonna go out here here. Let's do it. But he was stopping there to get that painting, for his son and when they got there, they sat down and Mr. Heindel came out said hey, y'all want to have some fun? I've got some ecstasy. And he gives it to them. We don't know what kind of doses it was given to 'em. Obviously it was a high dose. Obviously it was a dose more than usual. Obviously it was a dose to cause Marcus here to be drugged, not fully understand what's going on. Because then they take it and the effects of the drugs of coming in. And him and his girlfriend get in the hot tub. It's hot. It's in there. I think it's 107 degrees. I don't know how somebody could sit it something that hot. I think hot tub's usually a lot less temperature than that. That'd be uncomfortable. But as they're in there, Clark mentions, Marcus, hey, let's get some firewood, let's get this firewood.It is true. Clark Heindel goes into the pool, those two were in the hot tub about. You can see where the clothes were left, they were left there right by the pool. And as he gets up on a suggestion,by Clark Heindel, to go and get firewood, he goes into the woods. He doesn't know how long he was in there. He slowly is getting his memory back, this drug is coming out of his system that the police are questioning him. Hours and hours of questioning, he slowly remembers a little bit more each time. He takes the opportunity to tell law enforcement, I just remembered this. But he comes out of the woods. He's got welts, insect bites ant bites all over his legs, that No normal person could have sat in the woods or lay the woods and endured that kind of punishment pain. We all know what an ant bite feels like. We talked about it to a point that they're all up and down his legs They were welled up. He remembers hearing Clark Heindel saying, hey Marcus something's up with Marianne. Go see her. He runs to that hot tub. There she is. Still under the effects of this drug this high potent drug that he didn't expect. He tries to help her the best he can. He picks her up. If the drugs that he can't fully remember but he knows he stumbles and he fals with her. And he hears noises and he starts carrying her closer to the light. While Clark is over there going Hey, What should we do? He takes her closer to the light starts trying to do CPR. and then he makes phone calls. Once again, remember, this drug has got him but he's starting to sober up a little bit because wow, this has an impact. And this is his girlfriend, she's not breathing. He doesn't know what to do. And he calls his ex. He's not high up on her list. He doesn't care. Because his ex because she's a respiratory therapy, respiratory therpist, And he's asking, please tell me what to do tell me. I think she breathing. I think she's alive. I can help her. Please tell me. And she tries to. She argues with him But she does tell him the basics. And he's trying. Then he calls another individual. And he's trying his best to help him because he tripped there's blood coming from her. And it's tragic. It's a, he's just trying to, begging, please help me. I need help, I can do this. He's trying and finally he turns to Clark. Oh my god, what can we do? Call 911. And Clark does, but why didn't he call when he first saw her? Why didn't you jump on and when Marcus is trying to revive her, why didn't he call? These are the questions I don't think you're gonna have answered. These are the questions you're going to have in your mind. Then you're going to hear that the police are called. It's round one, and they show up real quick. They're there very quick. They've got their body cams and you're going to see what all's going on. But as they show up, the rain begins. And as it'sgoing harder, They've got Marcus to the side and trying to figure out what's going on. Still, under the influence of this drug. He's trying to collect his thoughts and talk. But he's trying to answer their questions. Meanwhile, the police, are letting Mr. Heindel run around, looking for his phone, trying to grab clothes, trying to figure out what's going on. They're concentrating on Marcus And letting Mr. Heindel run around. They do get a brief moment to talk to him and they talk to them. It's on camera. It's on camera. And he says Marcus was in the woods. He was in the woods trying to get firewood, he was in the woods. He was not here. Then when he came back, we found Marianne looking like that. And he jumped in there to help. Now if someone would have, if Marcus would have done something to cause the death of Marianne, his girlfriend, don't you think right out the gate. He'd say, hey officer, come here. Let me tell you what happened. Remember Clark Heindel was there the whole time he was in the pool when Marcus was in the woods, That's the last time he remembered, but when he came back. He was on the porch. All of this comes to be a tragedy and a nightmare. Marcus Lillard has been living since and he's been trying to go through his mind, figure out what happens. So he contacts the police. By that time, there's charges out on him. By that time, there's a theory. The theory is that he's strangling, he must've strangled her while having sex in the hot tub with Clark Heindel right there. That's his girlfriend, he has enough respect for her. And the evidence will show that there was no sex that occurred that night, there's none there's a sex kit that' done. There's there's no chance. There's no DNA and there's no signs of any kind of sex. But once again, that arrow had been drawn, put in a tree. So they've got to make sure that there's a bull's eye around it. They don't get close. They don't even get close. They get that one ring around so that as they continue, you'll hear many times, Marcus talking, trying to figure out what's going on. Say, I remember this part. I remember this part here. Yeah, The stories are inconsistent, he was drugged, the levels that were in Marianne, the levels that were in Clark Heindel. They are so much different. Marianne's is way up here. And Clark's right there. Guess who's level, they didn't test? Marcus. We know he didn't take it. We know he had it in his system. We don't need that, that doesn't help us. So we anticipate them to bring in women. like they said, some are gonna say no, it doesn't happen. Some are gonna say yes, it does. The majority will say no, it doesn't happen. And why why is it necessary? Why Why? Why do we need to go down that route? If it happened, You have to prove it. The evidence is going to show that what happens behind closed doors will be brought out here your information for you to take into account. Then they're going to move on. There's going to be evidence that shows clearly what happened and there's going to be evidence that has alternative. We put it to you to keep your eyes and ears open so you can hear that. So when I do come back, and I do get to talk about the evidence And I didn't get to put my opinion into it, I can clearly show you that when somebody's charged with felony murder. And let's just keep going down. Felony, felony murder, aggravated assault, involuntary manslaughter, reckless conduct. That's everything in the kitchen sink, you have a chance to figure out which charge to actually apply. And you'll know after all the evidence has been presented, none of those apply, so please keep your eyes and ears open. Listen to the evidence. And remember that story I told you. let's not take the easy way out. Let's let that arrow hit it and paint around it. Let's use the God given skills we have, the knowledge, the ears, the opportunity, to hear everything that occurred, put it in the appropriate place. So that you can find, what we all know, that Marcus Lillard is not the killer. Thank you.

 

Penny  41:02

Don't worry, I'm not going to play every single minute of the trial. But I very much so wanted to paint the picture of the pace and the differences between the prosecution and the defense and allow them to introduce their arguments just as they did to the jury, as many questions have been posed to me such as how exactly did this happen? So I want to make sure I include as much as possible so that you can get the perspective that the jurors had to see how they arrived at their decision. And at no point am I trying to make a judgment about their decision. They rendered the verdict. They saw the evidence; it was their decision. I'm just going to share the information that they had so that people can have a better understanding of what took place at the trial. In the next episode, the prosecution will be calling their first witness. Join Patreon at patreon.com/blood town for early access and bonus content, or leave a rating or review on Apple podcasts, good pods or Spotify. You can visit our website bloodtownpodcast.com or follow us on Facebook or Instagram @bloodtownpodcast and on Twitter @blood town pod