Presenting a defence based primarily on the word of an accused killer is certainly no easy feat. In fact, it’s almost impossible. It all boils down to whether the jury believes the accused killer or not. In Carlsbad, California, in 2012, an accused killer would claim that she was the victim of domestic violence and had acted in self-defence, but was she really telling the truth…?
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Audio Sources:
“Julie Harper’s children testify in her trial”
“Julie Harper describes killing her husband”
“The actions behind the answers during Julie Harper’s trial”
“Julie Harper’s dad talks about shocking discovery”
“Jurors have strong words for convicted killer Julie Harper”
“Julie Harper sentenced to 40 to life for killing husband”
“After Killing Her Husband, This Mom Called Ex-Boyfriend The Love of My Life”
“Julie Harper: ‘We had different values'”
“Carlsbad woman convicted of killing husband will not have sentence reduced”
Sources:
North County Times, 8 August, 2012 – “Woman Arrested in Homicide Investigation”
The San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 August, 2012 – “Carlsbad Woman Arrested in Husband’s Slaying”
North County Times, 9 August, 2012 – “Police ID Slain Man”
North County Times, 10 August, 2012 – “Prosecutors Charge Wife with Murder in Husband’s Death”
The San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 August, 2012 – “Call from Wife’s Attorney Led to Body”
The San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 August, 2012 – “Carlsbad Homemaker Pleads Not Guilty to Murder”
North County Times, 21 August, 2012 – “Guns, Passports Found in House of Carlsbad Murder Suspect’s Father”
North County Times, 11 December, 2012 – “Hearing Begins in Case of Slain Carlsbad Teacher”
North County Times, 12 December, 2012 – “Carlsbad Woman to Stand Trial in Husband’s Death”
The San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 September, 2013 – “Wife Accused of Murder Posts $2 Million Bail”
The San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 October, 2013 – “Ex-DA Pfingst Accused of Hiding Evidence”
The San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 January, 2014 – “No Misconduct by Former DA”
The San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 September, 2014 – “Wife on Trial for Husband’s Shooting Death”
The San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 September, 2014 – “Murder Trial Begins for Wife”
The San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 September, 2014 – “Wife Accused of Killing Husband Testifies About Abuse”
The San Diego-Union Tribune, 23 September, 2014 – “Wife on Trial for Murder Says Husband was in a Rage”
The San Diego-Union Tribune, 24 September, 2014 – “Wife Who Killed Husband Cross-Examined”
The San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 September, 2014 – “Murder Trial Drawing to a Close”
The San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 October, 2014 – “Mistrial for Wife Who Shot Husband”
The San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 October, 2014 – “Wife’s Murder Trial Hung on her Testimony”
The San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 October, 2014 – “Woman Who Killed Husband to be Retried”
Associated Press, 16 October, 2014 – “Woman to be Retried in Shooting Death of Husband”
The San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 March, 2015 – “Wife Who Shot Husband Reported pregnant”
The San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 May, 2015 – “Defendant’s Pregnancy Raises Ethical Questions”
The San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 September, 2015 – “Carlsbad Wife Takes Stand”
The San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 October, 2015 – “Jury Will Dry Fire Gun”
The San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 October, 2015 – “Deliberations Begin in Murder Retrial”
Nightline, 8 October, 2015 – “Verdict is in”
The San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 October, 2015 – “Wife Guilty in Husband’s Fatal Shooting”
Associated Press, 9 October, 2015 – “Southern California Woman Guilty of Killing Husband”
Good Morning American, 11 October, 2015 –“Convicted Mother Speaks Out”
The San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 October, 2015 – “Harper Says Murder Verdict was Shock”
The Columbia Chronicle, 15 January, 2015 – “Woman Sentenced 40 Years”
The San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 January, 2015 – “Carlsbad Wife Gets 40 to Life”
NBC, 22 January, 2016 – “Julie Harper to Pay $10k in Restitution”
