Bescher Murder Trial - Opening Statements
The prosecution has only a few witnesses left to present. Chances are good that the prosecution will finish presenting witnesses tomorrow at noon. The video clip posted above is of defense attorney Dale Wiley as he presents opening statements. Dale presented Bescher as a meth addict and dealer as opposed to positioning him as a fine upstanding citizen; specifically, he used the term "Methed Out Punk". The overwhelming evidence, interactions and dealings of Bescher made the "boy scout" approach impossible. In the clip above Wiley is addressing the testimony of Nicole Smith. Today, a day after this video was shot, Nicole Smith testified that her occupation was "hustler" and that Bescher had supplied meth for her to distribute. The basis for the prosecution's case is that the murder of Josh White was premeditated provable through statements made to Nicole Smith. Testimony submitted by Smith contradicted earlier testimony Smith submitted when deposed by the defense. The dispute is over whether Bescher's threats to kill White were legitimate as opposed to figurative or spouted out in a moment of anger months before the slaying of Smith took place. Smith's transient testimony is as transient as her living patterns as Smith explained several moves since the murder of Smith took place. When deposed years ago Smith took Bescher's threats lightly credited to his youth. Other accounts by Smith indicate detailed threats of what would happen to her family should she testify about the Bescher/Smith incident. Smith testified in court today that Bescher threatened to call a woman identified as time-share salesperson Marsha Chambers, who would have Smith and her two children killed if they testified. According to Smith Bescher claimed he could have the threat carried out from prison through Marsha's association with a hit man.