WEBVTT - The Verdict Is In 0:00:02.680 --> 0:00:06.200 All the State of Ohio has to show is that 0:00:06.360 --> 0:00:09.959 George was involved in the case at the beginning, and 0:00:10.039 --> 0:00:12.799 I think the evidence, in my opinion, showed that he was. 0:00:13.760 --> 0:00:17.159 You know, one thing that Kinnepa did strongly was to 0:00:17.200 --> 0:00:20.480 show a slideshow of each of the victims in the 0:00:20.560 --> 0:00:22.959 prime of their life and then show him dead in bed. 0:00:24.480 --> 0:00:26.360 But made no mistake about it. 0:00:27.000 --> 0:00:30.800 Those two children in that picture were never going to 0:00:30.840 --> 0:00:33.560 be raised anything other than Blacker. 0:00:34.840 --> 0:00:37.200 That moment, you know, when you walk for the jury 0:00:37.240 --> 0:00:40.000 and you talk to them and you try to remind 0:00:40.040 --> 0:00:43.760 them what is at stake that these people have died. 0:00:44.600 --> 0:00:48.199 We're talking about eight people that were slaughtered. 0:00:53.960 --> 0:00:58.960 This is the Pithon massacre. Returned to Pike County season four, 0:00:59.280 --> 0:01:05.959 episode The Verdict is in. I'm Courtney Armstrong, a television 0:01:05.959 --> 0:01:09.400 producer at Katie Studios. With Stephanie Leidacer and Jeff Shane, 0:01:10.000 --> 0:01:13.240 we're at the closing arguments of George Wagner, the fourth's trial. 0:01:14.120 --> 0:01:17.200 It's important to note that George Wagner has pleaded not 0:01:17.319 --> 0:01:21.000 guilty and has maintained he did not kill anyone. His father, 0:01:21.080 --> 0:01:24.720 Billy Wagner, whose trial is upcoming, has also pleaded not 0:01:24.800 --> 0:01:28.080 guilty to all charges. We're n piked in for the 0:01:28.080 --> 0:01:31.560 final days of trial. We've heard testimony from Jake, Angela 0:01:31.640 --> 0:01:35.039 and George Wagner. But before we can hear closing arguments, 0:01:35.160 --> 0:01:37.840 Judge Deering has some news for the jury. 0:01:38.080 --> 0:01:40.920 The jury lard the death penalty against George Wagner. The 0:01:40.959 --> 0:01:42.959 fourth has been taken off the table. That is the 0:01:43.000 --> 0:01:46.840 plea deal the prosecution struck with George's brother Jake and 0:01:46.880 --> 0:01:49.720 his mother Angela in exchange for their testimony. 0:01:50.040 --> 0:01:53.520 After the announcement, the judge addresses the court, Good morning 0:01:54.720 --> 0:01:55.200 the jury. 0:01:55.360 --> 0:01:58.280 We have reached the point of which council for each 0:01:58.280 --> 0:02:00.920 side will begining arguments. 0:02:01.200 --> 0:02:04.160 Prosecutor Angiekineppa begins their closing arguments. 0:02:04.440 --> 0:02:06.880 I just want to first of all, start by thinking 0:02:07.000 --> 0:02:10.040 each and every one of you. You guys have probably 0:02:10.080 --> 0:02:11.960 served at least as far as I know, in the 0:02:12.000 --> 0:02:15.120 longest of any criminal jury, and each of you have 0:02:15.240 --> 0:02:19.920 paid strict attention. We are here because eight innocent victims 0:02:19.919 --> 0:02:24.040 were slaughtered, most of them in their sleep, all of 0:02:24.080 --> 0:02:27.520 them unarmed. These murders should never have happened. 0:02:29.280 --> 0:02:33.040 Forensic expert Joseph Scott Morgan speaks to the significance of 0:02:33.080 --> 0:02:34.240 these closing arguments. 0:02:34.720 --> 0:02:36.840 I think they do matter. I think that it's like 0:02:36.919 --> 0:02:39.720 going to a beautiful concert where there's going to be 0:02:39.760 --> 0:02:41.600 this grand crescendo, that thing. 0:02:41.440 --> 0:02:42.359 That moves people. 0:02:42.680 --> 0:02:44.880 You better bring it, and it needs to be that 0:02:45.000 --> 0:02:47.520 thing that is going to resonate with those people. And 0:02:47.560 --> 0:02:51.160 it's taken all this time, thousands of miles can you 0:02:51.200 --> 0:02:54.000 imagine that have been traveled all over the place, all 0:02:54.040 --> 0:02:57.600 the way up to Alaska and back through Canada. All 0:02:57.639 --> 0:03:02.440 of that culminates in this moment. That moment, you know, 0:03:02.520 --> 0:03:04.800 when you walk forward the jury and you talk to 0:03:04.880 --> 0:03:07.560 them and you try to remind them what is at 0:03:07.639 --> 0:03:12.760 stake that these people have died. We're talking about eight 0:03:13.000 --> 0:03:14.880 people that were slaughtered. 0:03:16.919 --> 0:03:20.040 Prosecutor Kneppa shows photos of the victims on the large 0:03:20.080 --> 0:03:23.160 screen in the courtroom. She starts with Frankie Rodin and 0:03:23.200 --> 0:03:26.680 reminds the jury about who he was. She then speaks 0:03:26.760 --> 0:03:28.040 about Hannah Hazel Gilly. 0:03:29.480 --> 0:03:33.200 Hannah Hazel Gilly very proud of her son, her six 0:03:33.240 --> 0:03:35.960 month old son. She was all of twenty years old 0:03:36.160 --> 0:03:39.520 as well at the very beginning of her life and 0:03:39.680 --> 0:03:43.480 especially her life as a mother. Her crime. You heard 0:03:43.520 --> 0:03:48.960 testimony that her crime was solely being there, nothing else. 0:03:49.560 --> 0:03:51.280 If she had not been there, she would still be 0:03:51.320 --> 0:03:52.040 alive today. 0:03:54.120 --> 0:03:58.560 The defense objects. Prosecutor stopped showing images on the large screen, 0:03:58.640 --> 0:04:00.720 but she continues speaking about the victims. 0:04:01.360 --> 0:04:04.560 Chris, There's a lot to say about him. He was 0:04:04.640 --> 0:04:08.560 obviously a family man, provided for his family. But the 0:04:08.640 --> 0:04:11.160 reason that he was killed is because he was the 0:04:11.200 --> 0:04:15.000 patriarch of this family and they knew that he would 0:04:15.560 --> 0:04:19.599 again figure out who did it and potentially seek vengeance. 0:04:20.200 --> 0:04:24.680 Here's James Pilcher, longtime investigative reporter in Cincinnati, now at 0:04:24.720 --> 0:04:25.560 Local twelves. 0:04:25.800 --> 0:04:29.200 You know one thing that Canepa did strongly. What she 0:04:29.320 --> 0:04:31.440 tried to do at the beginning was to show a 0:04:31.480 --> 0:04:34.640 slide show of each of the victims, you know, in 0:04:34.680 --> 0:04:37.560 the prime of their life, show pictures and then show 0:04:37.600 --> 0:04:41.440 him dead in bed. Well, that led to objections and 0:04:41.480 --> 0:04:45.080 then she basically threw that out the window, so she 0:04:45.160 --> 0:04:47.880 abandoned the slide show, but she still went on to 0:04:47.960 --> 0:04:52.000 go through here's this victim, here's this victim. I'll aid them, 0:04:52.040 --> 0:04:53.920 bringing it back to them and bringing it back to 0:04:53.960 --> 0:04:55.080 the fact that they were asleep. 0:04:56.640 --> 0:04:59.920 Prosecutor Canepa touches on all of the evidence presented in trial, 0:05:00.279 --> 0:05:03.320 laying out the timeline from the beginning and hitting on 0:05:03.400 --> 0:05:07.120 each piece of evidence tying George Wagner and his immediate 0:05:07.120 --> 0:05:10.960 family to the murder of the Rodent, Manly and Gilly families. 0:05:11.960 --> 0:05:14.799 Special Prosecutor Angie Gineppa said there was plenty of direct 0:05:14.880 --> 0:05:18.120 and circumstantial evidence that tied George Wagner the four to 0:05:18.160 --> 0:05:22.080 the homicide. One example the false statements Wagners gave to 0:05:22.160 --> 0:05:25.360 investigators that everything was fine between Jake and Hannah rod 0:05:25.360 --> 0:05:27.960 In when she was killed, but custody over their daughters 0:05:28.320 --> 0:05:29.320 was at a boiling point. 0:05:30.480 --> 0:05:34.400 Then we see the Facebook message from Hannah May saying 0:05:34.560 --> 0:05:36.560 that she won't sign papers, that they'll have to kill 0:05:36.560 --> 0:05:39.599 her first, and we know that in four short months later, 0:05:39.920 --> 0:05:42.720 she and seven members of her family are dead. We 0:05:42.839 --> 0:05:45.880 know that in January of twenty sixteen, they had made 0:05:45.880 --> 0:05:49.160 the decision that they were going to kill them, and 0:05:49.320 --> 0:05:53.960 you start seeing the purchases corresponding to that timeline. It's 0:05:54.000 --> 0:05:58.239 hard to imagine that eight people would lose their lives 0:05:58.760 --> 0:06:02.880 over such a flimz motive, but it's true. 0:06:03.200 --> 0:06:06.520 Prosecutor Caneppa reminds the jury of the evidence presented throughout 0:06:06.520 --> 0:06:09.440 the case, the shoe prints matching George Wagner's at the 0:06:09.480 --> 0:06:12.680 crime scene, as well as the bullet casings matching the 0:06:12.720 --> 0:06:14.160 weapons used in the murder. 0:06:14.560 --> 0:06:15.880 We know that. 0:06:16.480 --> 0:06:20.560 George went into that room, and we know that he 0:06:20.640 --> 0:06:25.080 stepped into blood, and we see it on our diagrams 0:06:25.640 --> 0:06:26.760 exactly where that was. 0:06:27.040 --> 0:06:30.800 Prosecutor Canneppa reminds the jurors of George Wagner's testimony where 0:06:30.839 --> 0:06:33.400 he claimed he hadn't known that his brother Jake and 0:06:33.480 --> 0:06:37.000 father Billy were going to murder members of the Rodin, 0:06:37.440 --> 0:06:39.040 Manly and Gilly families. 0:06:39.480 --> 0:06:41.800 Did you know your family was going to kill these people? 0:06:42.080 --> 0:06:43.680 No happen. 0:06:47.680 --> 0:06:50.520 The prosecution then ties George to the crimes through Jake 0:06:50.560 --> 0:06:52.800 Wagner and Angela Wagner's testimony. 0:06:53.160 --> 0:06:57.560 George says to Jake, the family has spoken. There is 0:06:57.720 --> 0:07:03.040 nothing that happens in that household that is not a 0:07:03.080 --> 0:07:08.520 group decision. Jake and Angela have told you everything that 0:07:08.600 --> 0:07:11.520 this defendant did that night. I'm not here to say 0:07:11.640 --> 0:07:14.240 that Jake Wagner is a hero by any stretch of 0:07:14.240 --> 0:07:18.560 the imagination. He is a despicable, vile human being. But 0:07:18.640 --> 0:07:24.800 the difference between him and his brother is that he at. 0:07:24.720 --> 0:07:29.160 Least came full Kinnepa acknowledges that when George took the stand, 0:07:29.320 --> 0:07:32.480 he disputed what his brother and mother testified about him. 0:07:33.160 --> 0:07:37.240 You've heard Jake and your mother both say that that 0:07:37.440 --> 0:07:39.040 was the motive, and my. 0:07:39.080 --> 0:07:40.480 Mom and brother are lying to you. 0:07:40.880 --> 0:07:42.400 They have been like everybody else. 0:07:42.480 --> 0:07:49.200 Angela Wagner, this is her son. Ask yourself what motive 0:07:49.720 --> 0:07:57.120 would she have to say that George was involved? If 0:07:57.160 --> 0:08:00.480 George wasn't involved, why would you when we got to 0:08:00.520 --> 0:08:03.040 your son, you would say, Jake, Billy. 0:08:02.760 --> 0:08:03.280 And I did it. 0:08:05.720 --> 0:08:09.240 Despite all the evidence presented by prosecutors, it could come 0:08:09.280 --> 0:08:12.400 down to who the jury believes, Jake and Angela or 0:08:12.440 --> 0:08:13.480 defendant George. 0:08:13.760 --> 0:08:18.040 Prosecutor Kinneppa addresses Jake and Angela Wagner's testimony head on. 0:08:18.520 --> 0:08:23.640 So let's talk about Jake and Angela's testimony. Jake Wagner 0:08:24.560 --> 0:08:28.800 gave us a lot of information. His testimony was corroborated 0:08:28.880 --> 0:08:33.040 by physical evidence. He led us to the murder weapons. 0:08:33.160 --> 0:08:37.439 So again, what Jake had to tell us was corroborated 0:08:37.559 --> 0:08:42.080 with physical evidence that we didn't know about. It was 0:08:42.120 --> 0:08:46.200 also corroborating with physical evidence we did know about. Then 0:08:47.280 --> 0:08:52.520 we talked to Angela Wagner, and she corroborates what Jake 0:08:52.559 --> 0:08:56.880 Wagner told us. They basically corroborate each other. And the 0:08:56.960 --> 0:09:00.520 magical and mystical thing about that is, as you heard, 0:09:00.760 --> 0:09:04.720 she was not provided with her son's statement. She had 0:09:04.800 --> 0:09:07.880 no idea what he said to us when he sat down. 0:09:07.720 --> 0:09:12.040 With us again, James Pilcher. 0:09:12.559 --> 0:09:14.800 One of the points she made very clearly was Jake 0:09:14.840 --> 0:09:18.200 and Angela had no chance to corroborate none. They couldn't 0:09:18.200 --> 0:09:21.240 see each other's statements. They're in separate jails. They couldn't talk, 0:09:21.559 --> 0:09:24.920 they couldn't watch each other's testimony. Nothing. How come their 0:09:24.960 --> 0:09:27.720 stories line up so well versus what George had to say, 0:09:27.960 --> 0:09:31.000 and they're both saying the same thing or close enough 0:09:31.040 --> 0:09:33.880 to the same thing, whereas George is saying something completely different. 0:09:34.000 --> 0:09:35.600 Who are you going to believe? And then on top 0:09:35.640 --> 0:09:38.120 of that, she makes a point it's one thing for 0:09:38.160 --> 0:09:40.560 a brother to testify against a brother, but it's another 0:09:40.600 --> 0:09:42.960 thing for a mother to testify against her funt, even 0:09:42.960 --> 0:09:45.440 as she says she loves it. That came across as 0:09:45.520 --> 0:09:46.120 very compelling. 0:09:47.600 --> 0:09:51.600 Prosecutor Karnepa argues that Jake and Angela Wagner's testimony matches, 0:09:52.080 --> 0:09:53.920 especially on one key point. 0:09:55.120 --> 0:10:00.880 Both Jake and Angela tell you they are guilty. Jake 0:10:01.000 --> 0:10:06.000 is guilty, Angela is guilty. They don't deny that, they 0:10:06.040 --> 0:10:09.080 don't lie about that. The reason their stories match is 0:10:09.120 --> 0:10:12.400 because they both finally decided to tell the truth. 0:10:13.120 --> 0:10:15.480 Here's attorney and legal analyst Mike Allen. 0:10:15.880 --> 0:10:20.360 I think the credibility goes with Angela because George any 0:10:20.480 --> 0:10:24.160 number of times just said I don't recall, I don't remember. 0:10:24.559 --> 0:10:26.320 I didn't count him up, but there are a lot 0:10:26.360 --> 0:10:30.000 of times that he said that, and I don't recall 0:10:30.040 --> 0:10:33.840 hearing that in Angela or Jake's testimony for that matter. 0:10:34.280 --> 0:10:37.920 It was just pretty straightforward. So I think if you 0:10:38.000 --> 0:10:41.480 didn't have the physical evidence and it's George against those two, 0:10:41.679 --> 0:10:44.920 I think they win and George doesn't because a lot 0:10:44.920 --> 0:10:48.320 of things he didn't remember, and he contradicted himself on 0:10:48.360 --> 0:10:49.440 a number of occasions. 0:10:49.800 --> 0:10:53.000 Well, George Wagner appeared calm during his testimony on the stand. 0:10:53.320 --> 0:10:56.480 Prosecutor Kanepa reminds the jury of the wires app recording 0:10:56.600 --> 0:11:00.160 of George. 0:11:01.120 --> 0:11:04.440 Yeah, I would strongly invite you to listen to that 0:11:04.520 --> 0:11:08.640 recording again and ask yourselves if that is the voice, 0:11:09.280 --> 0:11:12.400 or the demeanor, or the attitude or the approach of 0:11:12.480 --> 0:11:15.480 somebody who would ever sit one out again. 0:11:15.800 --> 0:11:19.840 James Pilcher, I will say Kneppa did kind of bring 0:11:19.840 --> 0:11:23.480 it home early on when she said you saw George 0:11:23.559 --> 0:11:26.440 up on the stand, but then you also heard George 0:11:26.880 --> 0:11:30.679 on these recordings. Well, the real George Wagner, please stand up. 0:11:30.920 --> 0:11:33.559 Those are my words, not hers. But basically she's saying, 0:11:33.760 --> 0:11:35.559 the real George Wagner is not the one that was 0:11:35.559 --> 0:11:37.319 all to help on the stand. He was coached, he 0:11:37.480 --> 0:11:39.720 was whatever he was. The real George Wagner is the 0:11:39.720 --> 0:11:41.880 one you hear in those recordings who's a for all 0:11:41.920 --> 0:11:43.360 intents and purposes as a madman. 0:11:43.679 --> 0:11:46.560 He indicated to you that a few days before the 0:11:46.600 --> 0:11:52.240 homicides that Billy told George that he wanted George to 0:11:52.320 --> 0:11:55.880 shoot Chris in the head. He went up there to 0:11:56.040 --> 0:12:00.320 Union Hill Road on April twenty first, twenty sixteen, knowing 0:12:00.320 --> 0:12:01.560 for well what was going to happen. 0:12:02.800 --> 0:12:05.400 Well, George may not have pulled the trigger during the murders. 0:12:05.760 --> 0:12:09.800 The prosecution contends that doesn't matter to prove conspiracy to murder. 0:12:10.679 --> 0:12:12.720 He doesn't have to be the person that actually pulled 0:12:12.760 --> 0:12:16.360 the trigger. Right. You heard that Jake Wagner pled to 0:12:16.440 --> 0:12:20.720 eight counts of aggravated murder because he pulled the trigger 0:12:20.760 --> 0:12:24.240 as to five according to him, but he was complicit 0:12:24.440 --> 0:12:28.760 in remaining three. You heard Angela Wagner say that she 0:12:29.160 --> 0:12:32.800 also was guilty of eight counts of aggravated murder because 0:12:32.840 --> 0:12:35.280 she was complicit in it because she knew what they 0:12:35.280 --> 0:12:37.280 were going to do. She ate it and embedded them. 0:12:37.679 --> 0:12:40.920 You were complicit because you knew what was going to happen. 0:12:41.240 --> 0:12:43.880 You knew what they were going to go do, and 0:12:44.160 --> 0:12:47.520 you aided and abedded them. 0:12:47.600 --> 0:12:48.880 Here's Jeff speaking with. 0:12:48.880 --> 0:12:51.520 Mike gallon something she really hammered home. 0:12:51.559 --> 0:12:54.360 Which I think is important to remind the listeners is 0:12:54.400 --> 0:12:57.560 that George could still be found guilty of murder even 0:12:57.559 --> 0:13:00.240 if he didn't pull the trigger under Ohio law, like, 0:13:00.240 --> 0:13:02.040 as long as he's involved in the planning and the 0:13:02.120 --> 0:13:05.000 cover up, that's enough to find him guilty. 0:13:06.040 --> 0:13:09.520 All the State of Ohio has to show is that 0:13:09.720 --> 0:13:13.320 George was involved in the case at the beginning, and 0:13:13.440 --> 0:13:16.000 I think the evidence, in my opinion, showed that he 0:13:16.080 --> 0:13:19.920 was in the beginning and then he was part of 0:13:19.960 --> 0:13:23.720 the execution of the crime. And I think that's clear 0:13:23.920 --> 0:13:26.680 that he was a part of it and a part 0:13:26.679 --> 0:13:29.120 of the cover up, and that gets you into the 0:13:29.160 --> 0:13:30.559 complicity part of it. 0:13:30.600 --> 0:13:33.520 And that's all you need for a murder conviction. I mean, 0:13:33.559 --> 0:13:34.319 you don't have to. 0:13:34.240 --> 0:13:37.120 Show and they couldn't show, and they didn't show that 0:13:37.160 --> 0:13:39.800 George pulled the trigger because he didn't, but he was 0:13:39.840 --> 0:13:42.240 in it up to his neck, and I think that 0:13:42.440 --> 0:13:45.720 was clear at the end of all the testimony and evidence, 0:13:45.760 --> 0:13:49.080 and Miss Kinneppitt really kind of just hit on all 0:13:49.120 --> 0:13:51.120 of those points in her closing. 0:13:53.440 --> 0:13:56.280 The prosecution also spoke to the plea deal given to 0:13:56.360 --> 0:13:58.199 Jake in exchange for his testimony. 0:13:58.679 --> 0:14:00.959 Mister Parker has called this the deal of the century 0:14:00.960 --> 0:14:05.360 for Jake Wagner, the deal of the century. But let's 0:14:05.520 --> 0:14:08.400 just talk a little bit about that. First of all, 0:14:08.880 --> 0:14:11.320 he played guilty to every count of the indictment except 0:14:11.360 --> 0:14:15.079 for the death telling specifications, which we dismissed in exchange 0:14:15.080 --> 0:14:18.920 for him telling us what happened. Not just telling us 0:14:19.000 --> 0:14:23.000 what happened. But you heard from Special Agent Shier that 0:14:23.880 --> 0:14:28.680 the victim's family was consulted in this and as you 0:14:28.760 --> 0:14:32.560 might imagine if this was somebody that you loved, you 0:14:32.600 --> 0:14:38.280 would want to know what happened more than any think 0:14:39.040 --> 0:14:40.760 some of them got the peace of mind they were 0:14:40.800 --> 0:14:44.520 looking for because their loved one was sleeping. Some of 0:14:44.560 --> 0:14:49.120 them did not, but they wanted to know, and they 0:14:49.160 --> 0:14:51.160 wanted us to do the deal. 0:14:53.440 --> 0:14:57.720 Again, Mike Allan, Obviously from their conduct in the court room, 0:14:57.880 --> 0:15:03.360 there's close relationships between the prosecutor and the Rodent family. 0:15:04.120 --> 0:15:06.840 I don't think they have any problem at all with 0:15:07.000 --> 0:15:09.920 the deals that were made in this case. But in 0:15:10.000 --> 0:15:14.040 any homicide case, you have to get buy in from 0:15:14.440 --> 0:15:17.680 the victim's family, and I think that's what. 0:15:17.560 --> 0:15:18.160 She did here. 0:15:18.840 --> 0:15:22.920 I see a lot of cooperation and a lot of 0:15:22.960 --> 0:15:27.960 admiration too, So I don't have any doubt that Angie 0:15:28.000 --> 0:15:33.120 Kneppa consulted, probably at length with the Rodent family before 0:15:33.160 --> 0:15:35.640 they cut the deal with Jake and Angela. 0:15:38.080 --> 0:15:42.480 After nearly five hours, Prosecutor Kanepa finishes her closing argument. 0:15:43.520 --> 0:15:45.880 I know this was very, very long. I just wanted 0:15:45.880 --> 0:15:48.920 to kind of try my best to kind of lay 0:15:48.920 --> 0:15:52.600 a foundation of the evidence that we believe supports a 0:15:52.640 --> 0:15:56.600 conviction of George Wagner. The fourth of each and every 0:15:56.640 --> 0:16:00.000 count in this indictment, whether he is a principal offender 0:16:00.160 --> 0:16:02.680 or whether he is exquisite in it. He knew what 0:16:02.760 --> 0:16:07.960 was going to happen. He participated in what happened. Jake 0:16:08.480 --> 0:16:13.000 and Angela have told you everything that this defendant did 0:16:13.200 --> 0:16:18.720 that night and his participation in the aggravator murders and 0:16:18.840 --> 0:16:23.160 all the other crimes listed in the indictment. Respectfully, class 0:16:23.160 --> 0:16:26.000 that weturn verdicts of guilty as to each count into 0:16:26.000 --> 0:16:27.720 each specification. Thank you. 0:16:29.040 --> 0:16:32.400 The day of the trial ends with prosecutor Canepa's closing argument. 0:16:32.880 --> 0:16:36.320 Here's Mike Allen, followed by investigative reporter an Jeannette Levy 0:16:36.680 --> 0:16:38.040 of the Law and Crime Network. 0:16:39.080 --> 0:16:41.280 The defense has to make the points that they want 0:16:41.280 --> 0:16:44.240 to make, and they also have to counter what the 0:16:44.280 --> 0:16:46.880 prosecutor says in closing argument. 0:16:47.280 --> 0:16:51.840 I think that Jake and Angela's testimony, coupled with the 0:16:51.880 --> 0:16:56.160 wiretops that do not bode well for George. He still 0:16:56.280 --> 0:16:58.320 sounds like he's in the thick of this and he 0:16:58.360 --> 0:17:01.760 knows exactly what's going on. You would think. 0:17:01.680 --> 0:17:04.560 That that would just be very difficult for the defense 0:17:04.600 --> 0:17:08.680 to overcome, for them to come into court and feel 0:17:08.760 --> 0:17:11.960 confident that they were going to somehow poken up holes 0:17:12.040 --> 0:17:16.360 in Jake and Angela's testimony to make George not guilty 0:17:16.400 --> 0:17:17.480 beyond a reasonable doubt. 0:17:20.119 --> 0:17:22.200 We're going to take a break. We'll be back in 0:17:22.240 --> 0:17:33.359 a moment. The next day, the defense delivers their closing remarks. 0:17:34.040 --> 0:17:36.480 John Parker opens with a joke about how he's not 0:17:36.560 --> 0:17:38.440 going to go as long as the state did. In 0:17:38.480 --> 0:17:42.480 his closing remarks, Parker then goes after the state's key witnesses, 0:17:43.080 --> 0:17:44.520 Jake and Angela Wagner. 0:17:44.920 --> 0:17:48.320 Angela and Jake, he's a mama's boy. 0:17:48.359 --> 0:17:49.720 You heard testimony about that. 0:17:50.720 --> 0:17:55.679 They're liars, they're connors, they're thieves. 0:17:56.000 --> 0:18:01.639 Defense attorney Parker brings up Jake's character there laughing. 0:18:01.520 --> 0:18:05.280 And smiling and smirking as he's talking about these murders. 0:18:05.520 --> 0:18:06.280 He's cold bloater. 0:18:07.520 --> 0:18:08.440 I think he's psychotic. 0:18:09.880 --> 0:18:11.240 He didn't see that care in the world. 0:18:11.280 --> 0:18:13.639 It's like sitting around talking about a football game on 0:18:13.720 --> 0:18:14.359 Monday morning. 0:18:14.600 --> 0:18:15.240 Is the way he's. 0:18:15.119 --> 0:18:17.800 Talking about killing these people. It's disgusting. 0:18:19.280 --> 0:18:20.120 He's a sick man. 0:18:20.880 --> 0:18:22.359 You can't believe what that guy says. 0:18:23.080 --> 0:18:25.560 The defense hits again on an argument that they've used 0:18:25.600 --> 0:18:29.240 repeatedly throughout the trial that the evidence tying George Wagner 0:18:29.320 --> 0:18:31.840 to the murderers is at best circumstantial. 0:18:32.200 --> 0:18:34.359 There's no proof here beyond your reasonable doubt, that George 0:18:34.400 --> 0:18:38.040 was even up there, and we could offer him nothing 0:18:38.040 --> 0:18:41.320 for his testimony. He was vigorously cross examined. You saw 0:18:41.359 --> 0:18:45.560 his demeanor. Compare that to Jinks and his mother. He's 0:18:45.560 --> 0:18:51.160 no testimony. George is the shooter. There's no reliable testimony that. 0:18:51.160 --> 0:18:51.920 He was even there. 0:18:52.280 --> 0:18:56.120 This has to be proven beyond the reasonable that there's 0:18:56.160 --> 0:18:57.919 all kinds of reasons to doubt. 0:18:59.240 --> 0:19:02.600 Parker then to dismantle the state's argument that the Wagoners 0:19:02.640 --> 0:19:04.480 are a walking criminal conspiracy. 0:19:05.680 --> 0:19:09.240 The state in this case that you have seen with 0:19:09.320 --> 0:19:11.720 respect to George, paints with. 0:19:11.720 --> 0:19:16.320 A very very broadbrush. All right, how many times have. 0:19:16.320 --> 0:19:18.600 We heard they them? 0:19:19.359 --> 0:19:21.360 You guys, the Wagners? 0:19:21.640 --> 0:19:22.120 All right? 0:19:22.960 --> 0:19:25.600 George is one's about trial here, all right. 0:19:26.080 --> 0:19:29.320 We are not here to defend Billy, we are not 0:19:29.400 --> 0:19:30.600 here to defend Angela. 0:19:30.760 --> 0:19:33.400 We're certainly not here to defend James, all right. 0:19:33.800 --> 0:19:35.000 And basically, I. 0:19:34.920 --> 0:19:37.280 Mean there were days and days that went by when 0:19:37.320 --> 0:19:40.400 you didn't hear Georgie's name, and that's significant. 0:19:43.280 --> 0:19:45.600 Parker has the jury to return a verdict of not 0:19:45.680 --> 0:19:47.200 guilty on all charges. 0:19:48.240 --> 0:19:52.600 You folks stand between the power of the government and 0:19:52.680 --> 0:19:55.720 the man with George Waite, so you've seen the power 0:19:55.760 --> 0:19:59.840 of the government, and in this particular case, they've over 0:20:00.560 --> 0:20:02.919 when it comes to Georgia. 0:20:04.520 --> 0:20:07.360 Mike Allen offers his thoughts to how the defense did 0:20:07.359 --> 0:20:08.440 on closing arguments. 0:20:08.920 --> 0:20:11.080 Well, I think he did as well as he could. 0:20:11.240 --> 0:20:14.600 And his closing argument did not take five hours, But 0:20:15.040 --> 0:20:17.879 he did as well as he could with what he had, 0:20:18.440 --> 0:20:20.280 which wasn't a heck of a lot. 0:20:20.640 --> 0:20:21.959 He just didn't, you know. 0:20:22.280 --> 0:20:26.240 He called the state's witnesses liars, con artist mainly Jake 0:20:26.280 --> 0:20:30.520 and Angela really hit Jake card and really, I mean, 0:20:30.520 --> 0:20:34.440 that's pretty much all he had. When you're a defense counsel, 0:20:34.840 --> 0:20:37.399 you get the case that you get and you're not 0:20:37.440 --> 0:20:41.000 going to be able to change things factually. So the 0:20:41.040 --> 0:20:44.120 short answer is, I think they did as well as 0:20:44.160 --> 0:20:44.639 they could. 0:20:46.920 --> 0:20:51.040 After the defense rests, Andrew Wilson delivers the prosecution's rebuttal. 0:20:51.560 --> 0:20:56.560 The concept of complicity works in Ohio is that two or. 0:20:56.480 --> 0:21:01.240 More people set out to achieve a criminal. 0:21:00.840 --> 0:21:05.040 Purpose a criminal goal, when one doing one part and 0:21:05.160 --> 0:21:06.400 others doing the other part. 0:21:06.720 --> 0:21:11.440 Then each one of them is individually guilty as if 0:21:11.480 --> 0:21:14.320 they were the principal offender Festimal. 0:21:15.840 --> 0:21:16.800 That's how it works. 0:21:17.440 --> 0:21:21.679 There's been no direct testimony that he actually pulled the 0:21:21.680 --> 0:21:23.280 trigger and any. 0:21:23.040 --> 0:21:28.159 One of those murders. But you better believe he's up 0:21:28.160 --> 0:21:32.760 to his eyeballs as they plot, as they prepare, as 0:21:32.800 --> 0:21:34.800 they execute, and as they cover up those murders. 0:21:35.000 --> 0:21:37.400 He's in it up to his islands. 0:21:39.000 --> 0:21:43.399 The prosecution has a huge advantage, and boy, I tell you, 0:21:43.480 --> 0:21:45.919 I think they utilized it in this case. 0:21:46.040 --> 0:21:47.760 To where they get the final word. 0:21:48.080 --> 0:21:51.560 They get to address the jury after the defense does 0:21:51.640 --> 0:21:55.840 their closing argument. It's done because the state has the 0:21:55.880 --> 0:21:56.680 burden of proof. 0:21:57.240 --> 0:21:59.439 That's why they get the last fight at the apple. 0:22:00.320 --> 0:22:04.000 Having been a defense counsel and having been. 0:22:03.880 --> 0:22:07.640 A prosecutor, that I can tell you that's a huge 0:22:07.840 --> 0:22:10.679 advantage for the state prosecutor. 0:22:10.720 --> 0:22:15.280 Wilson addresses Shake and Angela Wagner's testimony they matched. 0:22:16.320 --> 0:22:22.040 The only way that happens without her knowing what he 0:22:22.200 --> 0:22:26.800 said is if they're telling the truth about. 0:22:26.200 --> 0:22:28.200 What they observed, what they knew. 0:22:28.760 --> 0:22:31.680 Wilson goes on to address Jake and his testimony. 0:22:31.920 --> 0:22:33.159 He's not our star witness. 0:22:33.359 --> 0:22:38.960 He's a terrible, terrible human being. He's equal, and he's 0:22:39.000 --> 0:22:43.080 going to spend the rest of his miserable existence locked 0:22:43.080 --> 0:22:46.000 in a cage. He's going to spend the rest of 0:22:46.040 --> 0:22:47.920 his life separated from what. 0:22:47.960 --> 0:22:50.240 Means most of him, his family. 0:22:51.760 --> 0:22:58.200 He will never be free again. And as incredibly distasteful 0:22:58.280 --> 0:23:02.199