1 00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:09,240 Speaker 1: On May twenty seventh, twenty fourteen, Anne Bender was in 2 00:00:09,360 --> 00:00:13,240 Speaker 1: court awaiting a verdict for the second time. She'd been 3 00:00:13,360 --> 00:00:17,079 Speaker 1: re tried for murder, which is allowable under Costa Rican law. 4 00:00:17,760 --> 00:00:23,960 Speaker 1: The trial had lasted seven days. Anne was shaking. The judge, 5 00:00:24,120 --> 00:00:26,400 Speaker 1: Adolpho Calderon began. 6 00:00:26,320 --> 00:00:33,760 Speaker 2: An absol He told the court that John Bender could 7 00:00:33,760 --> 00:00:36,279 Speaker 2: not have shot himself because he had a wound at 8 00:00:36,280 --> 00:00:37,080 Speaker 2: the back of the head. 9 00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:40,839 Speaker 1: The judge said other evidence that the crime scene also 10 00:00:40,960 --> 00:00:45,280 Speaker 1: made suicide impossible. The blood, the bullets, the position of 11 00:00:45,320 --> 00:00:49,800 Speaker 1: the body. It all pointed to only one conclusion. Anne 12 00:00:49,800 --> 00:00:52,839 Speaker 1: had argued during the court case that John suffered from 13 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:56,560 Speaker 1: bipolar disorder and that he'd attempted to take his own 14 00:00:56,600 --> 00:01:02,880 Speaker 1: life before the judges weren't convinced by her defense. Finally, 15 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:08,160 Speaker 1: Judge Calderon announced the verdict without a doubt. He said, 16 00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:12,399 Speaker 1: the court agrees that the death of John Felix Bender 17 00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:21,240 Speaker 1: was homicide. Ann had murdered him. She was guilty. The 18 00:01:21,319 --> 00:01:35,240 Speaker 1: sentence was twenty two years in prison. From Exactly Right 19 00:01:35,319 --> 00:01:40,280 Speaker 1: Media and iHeart podcasts produced by Blanchard House, This is 20 00:01:40,440 --> 00:02:06,360 Speaker 1: Helen Heaven, I'm Becky Milligan. Chapter seven, A second chance 21 00:02:15,639 --> 00:02:20,000 Speaker 1: and was led away by gods. In total shock, she fainted. 22 00:02:20,840 --> 00:02:21,920 Speaker 1: Do you remember her reaction? 23 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:23,840 Speaker 3: Stunned? 24 00:02:24,880 --> 00:02:27,240 Speaker 1: Author Carol Vaughan witnessed the verdict. 25 00:02:27,639 --> 00:02:30,400 Speaker 3: I think she and her legal team neither one thought 26 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:32,560 Speaker 3: that that was going to happen. I think her legal 27 00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:35,639 Speaker 3: team had done a very good job of defending her. 28 00:02:36,360 --> 00:02:38,639 Speaker 1: And do you remember her walking out or what happened. 29 00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:41,680 Speaker 3: I remember they tried to get her out as quickly 30 00:02:41,720 --> 00:02:45,120 Speaker 3: as possible through a side door, which you're not supposed 31 00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:48,280 Speaker 3: to use, things like a fire door, but she could 32 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:52,359 Speaker 3: barely walk. She was overcome. It was awful, and we 33 00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:55,359 Speaker 3: were all looking at each other just in total disbelief. 34 00:02:56,280 --> 00:02:59,520 Speaker 1: She was immediately remanded to a psychiatric hospital, where she 35 00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:03,959 Speaker 1: was held under guard and put on suicide watch. When 36 00:03:03,960 --> 00:03:06,640 Speaker 1: she was over the shop and considered well enough, she 37 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:07,840 Speaker 1: was moved to the prison. 38 00:03:08,520 --> 00:03:11,280 Speaker 3: And I didn't know how awful it was where they 39 00:03:11,280 --> 00:03:13,200 Speaker 3: were sending her and what they were doing to her, 40 00:03:13,440 --> 00:03:18,320 Speaker 3: and how you'll equipped she was for it. Had I known, 41 00:03:18,360 --> 00:03:23,040 Speaker 3: I would have been flopping out also, because it's just 42 00:03:23,320 --> 00:03:27,320 Speaker 3: being in jail as a woman in Central America is 43 00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:29,959 Speaker 3: just no day at the beach. 44 00:03:30,680 --> 00:03:34,640 Speaker 1: The verdict horrified Anne's family and everyone who'd supported and 45 00:03:34,680 --> 00:03:38,280 Speaker 1: believed in her. What worried the most was that Anne 46 00:03:38,360 --> 00:03:41,720 Speaker 1: might not survive being in prison. The stress of the 47 00:03:41,760 --> 00:03:45,760 Speaker 1: trial and the verdict had weakened her. She was frail 48 00:03:45,840 --> 00:03:50,120 Speaker 1: and very thin. Ken Anne's brother, was her spokesman throughout 49 00:03:50,160 --> 00:03:53,640 Speaker 1: the trial and outside the court. Speaking in perfect Spanish, 50 00:03:53,920 --> 00:03:55,520 Speaker 1: he told reporters. 51 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:56,400 Speaker 2: Nois. 52 00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:00,840 Speaker 1: My sister is not a killer. The second trial was 53 00:04:00,880 --> 00:04:06,480 Speaker 1: a fallacy, a dark day for Poisseladon very ugly. Friends 54 00:04:06,480 --> 00:04:09,360 Speaker 1: and family had to move fast and make a lot 55 00:04:09,360 --> 00:04:13,120 Speaker 1: of noise about what they believed was an appalling miscarriage 56 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:17,719 Speaker 1: of justice. They created a gofund me page and started 57 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:21,880 Speaker 1: a petition Free and Bender on the popular change dot 58 00:04:21,960 --> 00:04:26,520 Speaker 1: org platform to mobilize supporters. An actor reads what one 59 00:04:26,520 --> 00:04:28,440 Speaker 1: of her friends wrote on their page. 60 00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:32,040 Speaker 4: We family and close friends are doing everything in our 61 00:04:32,120 --> 00:04:36,080 Speaker 4: power to end this nightmare. An innocent woman is dying, 62 00:04:36,160 --> 00:04:38,400 Speaker 4: and we can make this write we can. 63 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:45,520 Speaker 1: Her lawyers also sprang into action, preparing an appeal. Anne 64 00:04:45,560 --> 00:04:49,360 Speaker 1: had one other person fighting her corner, a man named 65 00:04:49,560 --> 00:04:56,240 Speaker 1: Greg Fischer. Anne met Greg in San Jose, where she'd 66 00:04:56,279 --> 00:04:59,600 Speaker 1: been living around the time of her first trial. Originally 67 00:04:59,600 --> 00:05:03,120 Speaker 1: from New New York. Greg had lived in Florida, Arizona, 68 00:05:03,320 --> 00:05:07,120 Speaker 1: and then Costa Rica. Just like John had been, Greg 69 00:05:07,240 --> 00:05:11,000 Speaker 1: was into bodybuilding and fitness and liked to ride motorbikes. 70 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:16,159 Speaker 1: He was handsome and, according to friends, kind and compassionate. 71 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:20,279 Speaker 1: It was a second chance for Anne. They lived together 72 00:05:20,360 --> 00:05:23,440 Speaker 1: in an apartment in a smart suburb of San Jose 73 00:05:24,160 --> 00:05:29,039 Speaker 1: and even got a puppy. But then came the second trial, 74 00:05:29,760 --> 00:05:32,920 Speaker 1: and just over a year after they'd started their relationship, 75 00:05:33,360 --> 00:05:37,400 Speaker 1: Anne was found guilty and started her twenty two year 76 00:05:37,480 --> 00:05:41,960 Speaker 1: prison sentence. All hopes of that new life were taken away. 77 00:05:43,120 --> 00:05:46,800 Speaker 1: Greg now dedicated all his time to fight for her 78 00:05:46,839 --> 00:05:50,719 Speaker 1: release and visit her in prison. An actor reads his 79 00:05:50,800 --> 00:05:52,320 Speaker 1: Twitter bio at the time. 80 00:05:53,120 --> 00:05:55,600 Speaker 4: Working every day to help save Ann Bender from the 81 00:05:55,720 --> 00:05:58,760 Speaker 4: terrible injustice doneder her by the people she trusted the most. 82 00:05:59,480 --> 00:06:02,800 Speaker 1: He and s Amavan's friends and family contributed as much 83 00:06:02,839 --> 00:06:06,560 Speaker 1: as they could to her campaign. Greg was always thinking 84 00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:09,320 Speaker 1: of new ways to raise money to help Han's calls. 85 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:13,400 Speaker 1: They also took to social media and tweeted everyone from 86 00:06:13,440 --> 00:06:16,960 Speaker 1: The New York Times to Fox News, hoping a journalist 87 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:21,440 Speaker 1: or campaigners or politicians would pick up her story, and 88 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:25,160 Speaker 1: someone did pick up the story. But closer to home. 89 00:06:32,760 --> 00:06:35,400 Speaker 1: I'm at a cabin on the outskirts of pere Zeladon, 90 00:06:35,880 --> 00:06:39,120 Speaker 1: in the shadow of those beautiful mountains. It's owned by 91 00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:42,600 Speaker 1: Carol Vaughan. She lives here with her dog, Garbo. You'll 92 00:06:42,640 --> 00:06:46,160 Speaker 1: have heard from Carol throughout the series. She's dressed in 93 00:06:46,200 --> 00:06:51,040 Speaker 1: her Hallmark Loud Hawaiian shirt and red lipstick. In her 94 00:06:51,080 --> 00:06:54,160 Speaker 1: younger days, back in America, she was a tap dancer. 95 00:06:54,880 --> 00:07:00,000 Speaker 3: I was an avid tap dancer. I don't tap any 96 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:04,080 Speaker 3: anymore because of my age, but had a tap dance studio, 97 00:07:04,440 --> 00:07:08,400 Speaker 3: taught it, continued to perform it in nightclubs both in 98 00:07:08,440 --> 00:07:11,800 Speaker 3: New York and in Washington, DC. And I feel like 99 00:07:11,880 --> 00:07:14,040 Speaker 3: in my heart I'll always be a tap dancer. 100 00:07:14,760 --> 00:07:18,800 Speaker 1: Carol even danced with Mickey Rooney, a Hollywood star in 101 00:07:18,840 --> 00:07:23,120 Speaker 1: the forties and fifties. She gave up the love of 102 00:07:23,160 --> 00:07:26,480 Speaker 1: her life, I e tap and moved to Costa Rica 103 00:07:26,520 --> 00:07:30,280 Speaker 1: in twenty twelve, where she could have retired relaxing on 104 00:07:30,360 --> 00:07:33,840 Speaker 1: her rocking chair on the verandah, taking it nice and easy, 105 00:07:34,560 --> 00:07:37,400 Speaker 1: but she isn't a type to do that. Instead, she 106 00:07:37,560 --> 00:07:41,320 Speaker 1: dived right into a new career as an investigative reporter 107 00:07:41,480 --> 00:07:45,560 Speaker 1: for a local newspaper, The Tico Times. Before we can 108 00:07:45,600 --> 00:07:47,680 Speaker 1: sit down to chat, we're off for a walk with 109 00:07:47,760 --> 00:07:51,320 Speaker 1: her dog, Garbo, and she starts to tell me how 110 00:07:51,360 --> 00:07:58,040 Speaker 1: one story took over her entire life and still dominates it. 111 00:07:58,040 --> 00:08:03,160 Speaker 3: It's so embarrassing. I became possessed and obsessed with the 112 00:08:03,200 --> 00:08:07,200 Speaker 3: story of the Benders. It's raining you, guys. We're going 113 00:08:07,280 --> 00:08:09,600 Speaker 3: to cross and go down just a bit, and he 114 00:08:09,640 --> 00:08:10,960 Speaker 3: should poop. 115 00:08:10,720 --> 00:08:16,400 Speaker 1: Okay, and shallah, we'll wait for the poop. Back in 116 00:08:16,440 --> 00:08:19,800 Speaker 1: the cabin, we start from the beginning how she became 117 00:08:19,920 --> 00:08:24,040 Speaker 1: possessed and obsessed with the Benders. One day, her editor 118 00:08:24,120 --> 00:08:28,120 Speaker 1: gave her a new assignment covering an Bender's murder trials, 119 00:08:28,400 --> 00:08:31,440 Speaker 1: starting with the second, the one in which she was convicted. 120 00:08:32,200 --> 00:08:35,240 Speaker 1: Carol had no idea what she was about to get into. 121 00:08:36,200 --> 00:08:39,760 Speaker 3: My Spanish was pretty good, but I wasn't great. And 122 00:08:39,800 --> 00:08:41,760 Speaker 3: in court you have to be quick, and you have 123 00:08:41,880 --> 00:08:46,199 Speaker 3: to pay attention, and you have to understand legal things 124 00:08:46,200 --> 00:08:48,240 Speaker 3: that I didn't understand. So when he first said this 125 00:08:48,280 --> 00:08:50,840 Speaker 3: is your assignment, that I want you to go do this, 126 00:08:50,880 --> 00:08:53,360 Speaker 3: it's like, well, you know, I'll try it. But I 127 00:08:53,400 --> 00:08:56,680 Speaker 3: can't promise that it's going to be great. First day trial, 128 00:08:56,720 --> 00:09:00,200 Speaker 3: I thought, oh, I'm going to do this because this 129 00:09:00,280 --> 00:09:03,080 Speaker 3: is to the reaction of the people in the courtroom 130 00:09:03,200 --> 00:09:07,280 Speaker 3: and the looks on people's faces. And there are three 131 00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:11,040 Speaker 3: judges in all court cases here, criminal court cases, and 132 00:09:11,280 --> 00:09:14,480 Speaker 3: they would fight with each other and say nasty things 133 00:09:14,480 --> 00:09:16,640 Speaker 3: to each other and things that would never happen in 134 00:09:16,720 --> 00:09:21,199 Speaker 3: American court. So the drama was so intense. I realized 135 00:09:21,200 --> 00:09:24,000 Speaker 3: that it wasn't just a writing assignment. It was also 136 00:09:24,400 --> 00:09:28,520 Speaker 3: my telenovela, my soap opera of the day. 137 00:09:28,559 --> 00:09:31,000 Speaker 1: Did you know about the case already? I mean, did 138 00:09:31,040 --> 00:09:33,920 Speaker 1: people talk about it? Was it just a big thing here? 139 00:09:34,080 --> 00:09:37,199 Speaker 3: Everyone talked about it. It was in all the local papers, 140 00:09:37,240 --> 00:09:39,239 Speaker 3: on all the local radio and TV. 141 00:09:40,520 --> 00:09:43,600 Speaker 1: And was now in the only all women's gennel in 142 00:09:43,600 --> 00:09:47,880 Speaker 1: Costa Rica. Originally a convent, it was now a fortress with. 143 00:09:48,360 --> 00:09:52,560 Speaker 3: Gun turrets, guys walking around with guns. She was in 144 00:09:52,640 --> 00:09:55,160 Speaker 3: an ambito with twenty women. 145 00:09:55,679 --> 00:09:56,880 Speaker 1: That's a prison dorrmitory. 146 00:09:57,480 --> 00:10:00,280 Speaker 3: There weren't enough mattresses for everyone, so they would share 147 00:10:00,360 --> 00:10:03,920 Speaker 3: mattresses or some people would just have to sleep directly 148 00:10:04,040 --> 00:10:07,040 Speaker 3: on the floor. You have to wear your own clothes, 149 00:10:07,080 --> 00:10:09,360 Speaker 3: but you're not allowed to replace your clothes. So people 150 00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:16,839 Speaker 3: are in like Robinson Crusoe, torn outfits. Their women there 151 00:10:17,120 --> 00:10:19,880 Speaker 3: who are pregnant. They're women there who have their own 152 00:10:19,960 --> 00:10:21,319 Speaker 3: children with them. 153 00:10:21,840 --> 00:10:25,160 Speaker 1: Let's just stop here for a moment. Imagine what it 154 00:10:25,240 --> 00:10:28,240 Speaker 1: must have been like for this privileged woman, an American 155 00:10:28,880 --> 00:10:31,480 Speaker 1: used to the comfort of Buracaeyanne in the middle of 156 00:10:31,520 --> 00:10:36,680 Speaker 1: the jungle, protected by armed guards, surrounded by staff, beautiful jewels, 157 00:10:36,720 --> 00:10:40,600 Speaker 1: tiffany lamps, watching the sunset every evening over their own 158 00:10:40,720 --> 00:10:45,559 Speaker 1: private jungle. Now she was in jail, convicted of murder. 159 00:10:46,120 --> 00:10:48,240 Speaker 1: The contrast couldn't have been more extreme. 160 00:10:49,040 --> 00:10:52,880 Speaker 3: The food is inedible. I mean, they'd be maggots crawling 161 00:10:52,880 --> 00:10:55,920 Speaker 3: out of the of the rice. I don't know how 162 00:10:55,920 --> 00:10:57,200 Speaker 3: she survived. I really don't. 163 00:10:57,400 --> 00:11:00,600 Speaker 1: And you went to visit her in prison. Can you 164 00:11:01,559 --> 00:11:03,959 Speaker 1: recall the conversation you had. 165 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:06,760 Speaker 3: While she was in this dormitory with twenty people. I 166 00:11:06,760 --> 00:11:10,720 Speaker 3: think they let me go with her outside. I was 167 00:11:10,760 --> 00:11:13,200 Speaker 3: not allowed to tape, but I was allowed to take notes. 168 00:11:14,200 --> 00:11:18,079 Speaker 3: She in general always wore black, and she wore skirts 169 00:11:18,080 --> 00:11:20,079 Speaker 3: all the way down to the floor usually, and then 170 00:11:20,160 --> 00:11:23,800 Speaker 3: long sleeves because there's no climate control. 171 00:11:23,440 --> 00:11:26,160 Speaker 1: In jail, right, Well did she tell you? 172 00:11:26,520 --> 00:11:26,679 Speaker 4: Well? 173 00:11:26,720 --> 00:11:29,560 Speaker 3: I was very concerned with how she was if she 174 00:11:29,640 --> 00:11:31,920 Speaker 3: was being treated well as well. 175 00:11:31,960 --> 00:11:35,040 Speaker 1: As a journalist, Carol was working as a volunteer for 176 00:11:35,120 --> 00:11:38,080 Speaker 1: the American embassy. In fact, her father had been a 177 00:11:38,120 --> 00:11:39,720 Speaker 1: diplomat in Latin America. 178 00:11:40,240 --> 00:11:42,640 Speaker 3: I said, you know, we'll get your soap, We'll get 179 00:11:42,679 --> 00:11:45,200 Speaker 3: you toilet paper, because there's no toilet paper in jail. 180 00:11:45,920 --> 00:11:48,079 Speaker 3: Let us know what you want, we will get it 181 00:11:48,120 --> 00:11:50,840 Speaker 3: to you. So that was the most of the conversation 182 00:11:51,160 --> 00:11:53,520 Speaker 3: was are you taking care of your health? She had 183 00:11:53,520 --> 00:11:56,320 Speaker 3: a heartport and she couldn't keep it clean because she 184 00:11:56,400 --> 00:11:58,120 Speaker 3: was only allowed to bathe once a week. 185 00:11:58,280 --> 00:11:59,440 Speaker 1: What is a hart court. 186 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:03,520 Speaker 3: It was something that would allow them to inject medicine 187 00:12:03,600 --> 00:12:06,320 Speaker 3: right into her heart because her heart was not strong. 188 00:12:06,880 --> 00:12:07,640 Speaker 2: Gosh. 189 00:12:07,679 --> 00:12:12,320 Speaker 1: So she was really seriously, oh yeah, off, that sounds 190 00:12:13,720 --> 00:12:16,000 Speaker 1: quite frightening for her if she can't actually, you know, 191 00:12:16,080 --> 00:12:16,760 Speaker 1: keep it clean. 192 00:12:17,040 --> 00:12:21,120 Speaker 3: So all of that stuff about just human human How 193 00:12:21,160 --> 00:12:22,080 Speaker 3: are you holding up? 194 00:12:22,760 --> 00:12:25,760 Speaker 1: It's a question lots of people were asking how was 195 00:12:25,800 --> 00:12:29,760 Speaker 1: she surviving day in day out, especially as she was 196 00:12:29,800 --> 00:12:34,560 Speaker 1: so frail. The answer Carol got to her question surprised her. 197 00:12:35,160 --> 00:12:39,199 Speaker 3: She confessed to me that she was actually well accompanied, 198 00:12:39,880 --> 00:12:42,920 Speaker 3: that she felt very comfortable with the women that she 199 00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:45,800 Speaker 3: was living with, and that they were taking very good 200 00:12:45,800 --> 00:12:48,560 Speaker 3: care of her, and she felt kind of good about that. 201 00:12:49,320 --> 00:12:51,720 Speaker 1: It's amazing, isn't it? To go from a sort of 202 00:12:51,920 --> 00:12:53,920 Speaker 1: house she was living in on top of a hill, 203 00:12:54,720 --> 00:12:56,720 Speaker 1: a mansion, yes. 204 00:12:57,040 --> 00:12:59,960 Speaker 3: With just one other person, and now she's thrown into 205 00:13:00,160 --> 00:13:04,520 Speaker 3: a dirt bin with twenty and she's okay, how does 206 00:13:04,559 --> 00:13:05,160 Speaker 3: that happen? 207 00:13:06,040 --> 00:13:09,040 Speaker 1: Luckily, Anne had won the sympathy of the other inmates. 208 00:13:09,600 --> 00:13:10,760 Speaker 1: They seemed to pity her. 209 00:13:11,360 --> 00:13:17,520 Speaker 3: The women rallied around her, recognizing she was a wounded birdie. 210 00:13:18,160 --> 00:13:19,880 Speaker 1: They saw her as a wounded bird. 211 00:13:20,679 --> 00:13:25,160 Speaker 3: They brought her clothing to wear, Their families brought her 212 00:13:25,559 --> 00:13:29,319 Speaker 3: food from home. And Anne suffered a lot from the cold, 213 00:13:30,160 --> 00:13:34,000 Speaker 3: so they would heat water forward to pour in her 214 00:13:34,080 --> 00:13:36,720 Speaker 3: pail so that she could get a little comfort there, 215 00:13:36,840 --> 00:13:39,040 Speaker 3: and then they would take her out to the back 216 00:13:39,200 --> 00:13:41,959 Speaker 3: so she could sit in the sun and try to regroup. 217 00:13:43,320 --> 00:13:44,719 Speaker 3: They were very sweet to her. 218 00:13:45,360 --> 00:13:47,559 Speaker 1: What was it about her do you think that made 219 00:13:47,720 --> 00:13:49,000 Speaker 1: people sympathize? 220 00:13:49,440 --> 00:13:56,199 Speaker 3: I think she reads as a wounded, wounded person. She 221 00:13:56,320 --> 00:13:59,800 Speaker 3: was very sympathetic always to wounded animals where they lived, 222 00:14:00,400 --> 00:14:03,400 Speaker 3: and I think it was because she was one. She 223 00:14:03,520 --> 00:14:05,240 Speaker 3: just got bury with the broken wing. 224 00:14:07,080 --> 00:14:10,680 Speaker 1: It was hard for anyone to survive in there, let 225 00:14:10,720 --> 00:14:13,719 Speaker 1: alone an American who was used to a certain lifestyle. 226 00:14:14,320 --> 00:14:18,080 Speaker 1: But those women rallied around her, cared for her, helped 227 00:14:18,080 --> 00:14:20,680 Speaker 1: her survive, and there was. 228 00:14:20,680 --> 00:14:24,920 Speaker 3: Greg Ann's boyfriend would bring her food and then enough 229 00:14:24,920 --> 00:14:26,840 Speaker 3: food to share among the other prisoners so that they 230 00:14:26,880 --> 00:14:28,240 Speaker 3: would take better care of her. 231 00:14:28,640 --> 00:14:30,360 Speaker 1: Carol also helped her. 232 00:14:30,640 --> 00:14:33,080 Speaker 3: After the health issues of how are you, what can 233 00:14:33,120 --> 00:14:35,800 Speaker 3: we do for you? The embassies looking after you. We 234 00:14:35,840 --> 00:14:38,320 Speaker 3: will visit you. Here's a number to call if you 235 00:14:38,320 --> 00:14:42,040 Speaker 3: get in trouble. Telephoning in jail as a huge problem 236 00:14:42,360 --> 00:14:45,000 Speaker 3: because there's only one phone and you're allowed two minutes 237 00:14:45,040 --> 00:14:46,280 Speaker 3: on one kind of thing. 238 00:14:47,320 --> 00:14:51,120 Speaker 1: Carol felt like she and Anne were connected. Their fate 239 00:14:51,200 --> 00:14:52,880 Speaker 1: had brought them together. 240 00:14:53,120 --> 00:14:56,840 Speaker 3: Because here I am. I'm a single American woman here 241 00:14:56,840 --> 00:14:59,720 Speaker 3: in Costrica with not very much knowledge to the country 242 00:14:59,760 --> 00:15:02,560 Speaker 3: or the language or anything. And I felt that a 243 00:15:02,680 --> 00:15:06,040 Speaker 3: kindred spirit. She was a female. She was wrongly accused, 244 00:15:06,080 --> 00:15:10,880 Speaker 3: I thought, and it wasn't one hundred percent sure she 245 00:15:10,960 --> 00:15:12,160 Speaker 3: was getting good legal help. 246 00:15:13,440 --> 00:15:17,080 Speaker 1: Carol was also fascinated by Anne's story, and she had 247 00:15:17,080 --> 00:15:20,200 Speaker 1: an article to write, one which would eventually become a 248 00:15:20,200 --> 00:15:24,760 Speaker 1: book titled Crazy Jungle Love. So she had to ask 249 00:15:24,920 --> 00:15:27,880 Speaker 1: the harder, more probing questions. 250 00:15:28,000 --> 00:15:32,240 Speaker 3: I said, well, Anne, you you know what happened. I 251 00:15:32,240 --> 00:15:35,440 Speaker 3: didn't want to say did you kill him? Just you 252 00:15:35,480 --> 00:15:39,560 Speaker 3: know what happened? And she told me what she's told everyone, 253 00:15:39,600 --> 00:15:43,720 Speaker 3: that she was awakened by his voice, and that John 254 00:15:43,760 --> 00:15:46,880 Speaker 3: always came to bed with a gun. And she roused 255 00:15:46,880 --> 00:15:49,760 Speaker 3: herself after she heard him say something she thinks it was, 256 00:15:50,520 --> 00:15:53,360 Speaker 3: You'll now know what it's like to wake up next 257 00:15:53,400 --> 00:15:57,120 Speaker 3: to your dead husband. And she saw that he had 258 00:15:57,320 --> 00:15:59,800 Speaker 3: a gun pointed at his head, and she tried to 259 00:15:59,800 --> 00:16:03,000 Speaker 3: grow and the gun went off and he died instantly. 260 00:16:04,040 --> 00:16:06,359 Speaker 3: He was shot in the back of the right occipital 261 00:16:06,440 --> 00:16:07,880 Speaker 3: and it never came out. 262 00:16:08,480 --> 00:16:11,560 Speaker 1: The occipital is a particular part at the back of 263 00:16:11,600 --> 00:16:15,720 Speaker 1: the head. What do you do make of that explanation? 264 00:16:18,080 --> 00:16:19,520 Speaker 3: I think that's what she thinks happened. 265 00:16:34,920 --> 00:16:38,000 Speaker 1: Though it was twenty fourteen, four years after John's death 266 00:16:38,400 --> 00:16:42,720 Speaker 1: and with prison time ahead, AND's story didn't change, but 267 00:16:42,840 --> 00:16:47,040 Speaker 1: what had changed was public opinion. During the first trial, 268 00:16:47,320 --> 00:16:51,800 Speaker 1: she'd won over many Costa Ricans. They were sympathetic. After 269 00:16:51,840 --> 00:16:55,680 Speaker 1: she was convicted, that changed. What did people think about 270 00:16:55,680 --> 00:16:56,640 Speaker 1: her in Costa Rica? 271 00:16:58,520 --> 00:17:01,880 Speaker 3: I think I've never asked someone that. Who has told me, 272 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:05,760 Speaker 3: especially a man who has told me Anne's innocent. I've 273 00:17:05,880 --> 00:17:10,920 Speaker 3: never ever heard anyone say Anne was innocent. They say 274 00:17:11,119 --> 00:17:14,840 Speaker 3: she was a black widow. She was just gunning for 275 00:17:14,920 --> 00:17:17,040 Speaker 3: him until he dies so she could have all those 276 00:17:17,160 --> 00:17:21,919 Speaker 3: jewels and property to herself. They were both crooked, but 277 00:17:22,040 --> 00:17:25,119 Speaker 3: she took him out. She wasn't a well liked person. 278 00:17:25,200 --> 00:17:27,320 Speaker 3: I mean, neither of them were well liked, frankly, but 279 00:17:29,040 --> 00:17:31,720 Speaker 3: here the blame went to her. There people convinced she 280 00:17:31,920 --> 00:17:34,719 Speaker 3: kills them. I mean, that's not even a question. 281 00:17:35,640 --> 00:17:38,479 Speaker 1: The story became bigger than Anna and Joan. It had 282 00:17:38,480 --> 00:17:41,000 Speaker 1: a knock on effect on all Americans who had come 283 00:17:41,040 --> 00:17:45,000 Speaker 1: to Costa Rica to settle. All expats were now on trial. 284 00:17:45,560 --> 00:17:49,119 Speaker 3: Americans are so self entitled. They think they own the world. 285 00:17:49,359 --> 00:17:52,320 Speaker 3: They think everything revolves around them. They think they can 286 00:17:52,359 --> 00:17:55,360 Speaker 3: come into this developing country and just do whatever they 287 00:17:55,440 --> 00:17:58,320 Speaker 3: want and no one's gonna put a stop to them. 288 00:17:58,359 --> 00:18:01,760 Speaker 3: And you watch, We're going to put a stop to them. 289 00:18:02,320 --> 00:18:04,720 Speaker 1: Someone else who was on the trial each day was 290 00:18:04,840 --> 00:18:09,520 Speaker 1: Kevin Serrano, a cameraman for a Costa Rican TV news station. 291 00:18:10,240 --> 00:18:13,760 Speaker 1: He was more used to recording sports events, but now 292 00:18:13,840 --> 00:18:16,320 Speaker 1: he'd been put on the trial of the century. 293 00:18:16,720 --> 00:18:21,800 Speaker 5: It's the la mauria bonando being only externo. 294 00:18:21,960 --> 00:18:24,000 Speaker 6: When a foreigner from any country comes to live in 295 00:18:24,040 --> 00:18:28,000 Speaker 6: Pusto Rica, people would normally think this is good because 296 00:18:28,000 --> 00:18:30,560 Speaker 6: they might bring investment or aid and development to the 297 00:18:30,600 --> 00:18:34,760 Speaker 6: communities or whatever. So at first the opinion was these 298 00:18:34,760 --> 00:18:37,200 Speaker 6: are good and nice people who came to support the community. 299 00:18:37,520 --> 00:18:40,240 Speaker 6: But when all this starts to come out, people thought, hmm, 300 00:18:40,800 --> 00:18:42,800 Speaker 6: maybe none of this was what they made it out 301 00:18:42,840 --> 00:18:43,000 Speaker 6: to be. 302 00:18:44,240 --> 00:18:47,760 Speaker 1: And unlike any other trial in Costa Rican history, the 303 00:18:47,800 --> 00:18:50,560 Speaker 1: public could read and watch every twist and turn of 304 00:18:50,640 --> 00:18:54,399 Speaker 1: the story. It became a soap opera and everyone was 305 00:18:54,400 --> 00:18:55,320 Speaker 1: talking about it. 306 00:18:56,040 --> 00:18:58,600 Speaker 6: In most trials, it's requested not to be pressed or 307 00:18:58,640 --> 00:19:02,280 Speaker 6: media present. Understand, Anne's defense did not want the media 308 00:19:02,280 --> 00:19:04,320 Speaker 6: in the courtroom, but since this was a case of 309 00:19:04,359 --> 00:19:07,000 Speaker 6: public interest, all media could be at the trial. 310 00:19:07,320 --> 00:19:10,919 Speaker 1: The speculation could be as fantastic as it was cruel. 311 00:19:11,600 --> 00:19:15,359 Speaker 1: There was miles and miles of newsprint discussing every theory 312 00:19:15,440 --> 00:19:19,560 Speaker 1: under the sun, including one which suggested Anne may not 313 00:19:19,640 --> 00:19:23,119 Speaker 1: have pulled the trigger but paid for the hit on John. 314 00:19:24,160 --> 00:19:27,720 Speaker 1: So this was all swirling around while Anne's lawyers fought 315 00:19:27,720 --> 00:19:33,800 Speaker 1: her conviction. Then, unbelievably, another tragedy was to strike Anne. 316 00:19:34,280 --> 00:19:38,560 Speaker 1: Six months into her sentence, she got some news. Greg, 317 00:19:38,640 --> 00:19:43,320 Speaker 1: her partner who'd been dedicated to the campaign for her release, died. 318 00:19:44,440 --> 00:19:49,000 Speaker 1: It was November sixteenth, twenty fourteen. It's easy and tempting 319 00:19:49,080 --> 00:19:52,560 Speaker 1: to assume Greg's death must be connected to everything else, 320 00:19:53,320 --> 00:19:57,000 Speaker 1: but Greg died from an asthma attack. It was totally 321 00:19:57,119 --> 00:20:03,919 Speaker 1: random and awful. Nevertheless, speculation and conspiracy theories once again flourished. 322 00:20:04,760 --> 00:20:09,320 Speaker 1: Anne was devastated, grieving again, this time for her boyfriend Greg, 323 00:20:09,880 --> 00:20:14,760 Speaker 1: wondering if she would ever get out of prison. But 324 00:20:14,960 --> 00:20:18,639 Speaker 1: then there was a major development. It was nine months 325 00:20:18,680 --> 00:20:21,840 Speaker 1: into her sentence. Anne was in her cell. It was 326 00:20:21,880 --> 00:20:24,720 Speaker 1: a regular day inside as far as she was concerned, 327 00:20:25,440 --> 00:20:29,960 Speaker 1: until a guard appeared out of the blue. He told 328 00:20:29,960 --> 00:20:32,960 Speaker 1: her that her case had been thrown out, there was 329 00:20:33,000 --> 00:20:35,919 Speaker 1: going to be a third trial, and she was to 330 00:20:35,960 --> 00:20:40,440 Speaker 1: be released immediately. She was free to go. Her lawyers 331 00:20:40,440 --> 00:20:43,440 Speaker 1: had been working round the clock to secure a retrial, 332 00:20:43,520 --> 00:20:46,919 Speaker 1: and they had succeeded. A judge had reviewed the case 333 00:20:47,000 --> 00:20:50,600 Speaker 1: and made the decision. She said this to reporters. An 334 00:20:50,640 --> 00:20:52,440 Speaker 1: actor is speaking Anne's words. 335 00:20:53,600 --> 00:20:55,359 Speaker 4: They just told me to get my stuff together and 336 00:20:55,400 --> 00:20:59,200 Speaker 4: I left the prison. I'm really grateful that the appellate 337 00:20:59,240 --> 00:21:00,000 Speaker 4: court made the right to time. 338 00:21:00,920 --> 00:21:03,600 Speaker 1: Even though the prospect of a further trial must have 339 00:21:03,680 --> 00:21:07,679 Speaker 1: been terrible. It was another chance to prove her innocence 340 00:21:07,720 --> 00:21:11,439 Speaker 1: and get out of the country. Carol again had a 341 00:21:11,520 --> 00:21:12,600 Speaker 1: ringside seat. 342 00:21:13,160 --> 00:21:16,679 Speaker 3: Then there was a third trial, which was longer than 343 00:21:16,720 --> 00:21:21,360 Speaker 3: the first two and better attended than the first two. 344 00:21:22,480 --> 00:21:24,840 Speaker 3: It was war to war people, I mean, you couldn't 345 00:21:24,880 --> 00:21:25,879 Speaker 3: get into the courtroom. 346 00:21:26,160 --> 00:21:28,959 Speaker 1: Anne was now not only fighting for her freedom, but 347 00:21:29,119 --> 00:21:33,040 Speaker 1: her life. She knew what prison was like and probably 348 00:21:33,080 --> 00:21:35,880 Speaker 1: knew that if she went back she might not survive 349 00:21:36,000 --> 00:21:47,520 Speaker 1: the terrible conditions. Shortly before the trial, the defense team, 350 00:21:47,560 --> 00:21:52,160 Speaker 1: including Anne's family, moved to a local hotel in Perizelodon 351 00:21:53,080 --> 00:21:55,160 Speaker 1: Hotel zimmer. 352 00:21:57,880 --> 00:22:02,440 Speaker 5: My name is Santiago. I'm from Costa Rica. We live 353 00:22:02,440 --> 00:22:03,320 Speaker 5: in Sanny Sidro. 354 00:22:04,160 --> 00:22:07,800 Speaker 1: That's Santiago, the laid back manager of Hotel Zimma. And 355 00:22:07,880 --> 00:22:11,400 Speaker 1: next to him is his wife Anna. We're sitting outside 356 00:22:11,480 --> 00:22:14,080 Speaker 1: in the shade of a large tree. We have to 357 00:22:14,080 --> 00:22:17,199 Speaker 1: stop our interview at times because the parrots are so loud. 358 00:22:17,920 --> 00:22:21,480 Speaker 1: This is where Anne and her entourage stayed. It's tucked 359 00:22:21,520 --> 00:22:24,040 Speaker 1: away in the back streets of the town, but also 360 00:22:24,160 --> 00:22:27,679 Speaker 1: within walking distance of the court. I asked them to 361 00:22:27,760 --> 00:22:31,440 Speaker 1: describe the moment that Anne Bender arrived at their hotel. 362 00:22:32,000 --> 00:22:35,520 Speaker 5: Everybody wants to meet her or see her, you know, 363 00:22:35,600 --> 00:22:38,920 Speaker 5: the first time, and we were waiting for her, that 364 00:22:38,960 --> 00:22:42,520 Speaker 5: she was coming and she was dying. She said, hello, 365 00:22:42,600 --> 00:22:45,159 Speaker 5: how are you? She says the whole thing, but she 366 00:22:45,280 --> 00:22:46,080 Speaker 5: was kind of tired. 367 00:22:46,640 --> 00:22:49,520 Speaker 1: Along with Anne came her own personal protection. 368 00:22:50,480 --> 00:22:57,120 Speaker 5: She got two guys, armed guys in the main entrance. Yeah, 369 00:22:57,240 --> 00:23:00,880 Speaker 5: well you don't see their arms like undercover, but they 370 00:23:00,920 --> 00:23:02,280 Speaker 5: have big guns. 371 00:23:03,400 --> 00:23:05,760 Speaker 1: And was supported by her family. 372 00:23:06,280 --> 00:23:07,720 Speaker 5: Her father, mother. 373 00:23:08,160 --> 00:23:12,680 Speaker 1: And her brother Kevin. Even doctor Lozano, her psychiatrist, who 374 00:23:12,680 --> 00:23:15,840 Speaker 1: we heard in an earlier chapter, stayed at the hotel 375 00:23:16,280 --> 00:23:20,399 Speaker 1: preparing to give evidence. It was quite a spectacle for 376 00:23:20,440 --> 00:23:25,960 Speaker 1: this quiet town taken over by the international media. Santiago 377 00:23:26,040 --> 00:23:28,040 Speaker 1: took me to the streets to show me where it 378 00:23:28,080 --> 00:23:31,520 Speaker 1: all happened. At the time. Roads were closed in order 379 00:23:31,560 --> 00:23:34,439 Speaker 1: to cope with the huge level of interest in the trial. 380 00:23:35,600 --> 00:23:41,399 Speaker 5: This is the courthouse. Reporters were from that corner to here. 381 00:23:41,720 --> 00:23:44,480 Speaker 1: Reporters all the way along and in. 382 00:23:44,480 --> 00:23:49,160 Speaker 5: That in that I walked too, from there to there 383 00:23:49,760 --> 00:23:54,800 Speaker 5: all the still like yes, just sitting there wait waiting 384 00:23:54,840 --> 00:23:58,399 Speaker 5: for and there were cameras. That one over there was 385 00:23:58,440 --> 00:24:00,680 Speaker 5: closed because it was a lot of people, so it. 386 00:24:00,600 --> 00:24:03,040 Speaker 1: Was it was like a really big moment for the 387 00:24:03,080 --> 00:24:03,760 Speaker 1: whole town. 388 00:24:04,040 --> 00:24:09,360 Speaker 5: And there were guards all over the court over there. Yeah, 389 00:24:09,400 --> 00:24:12,679 Speaker 5: the Howard patrol were there stopping the cars to go 390 00:24:12,800 --> 00:24:14,640 Speaker 5: this way and the other way too. 391 00:24:15,240 --> 00:24:17,960 Speaker 1: That must have been. That's quite a spectacle, isn't it. 392 00:24:18,400 --> 00:24:19,879 Speaker 1: And how long did that go on for? 393 00:24:22,000 --> 00:24:25,880 Speaker 5: That was maybe maybe one week. Every day were they 394 00:24:25,880 --> 00:24:29,560 Speaker 5: were waiting and waiting waiting for results from from the tork. 395 00:24:29,720 --> 00:24:33,960 Speaker 1: It's crazy, isn't it. The couple really felt for their guest. 396 00:24:34,680 --> 00:24:40,639 Speaker 5: She looks devastated every day, you know, she was so sad. 397 00:24:41,320 --> 00:24:45,200 Speaker 5: She was every day dressed in black. She was using the. 398 00:24:45,160 --> 00:24:49,680 Speaker 1: Crashes, using crutches to walk because she was physically weak. 399 00:24:51,080 --> 00:24:54,480 Speaker 1: Santiago and Anna told us that Anne would come back 400 00:24:54,480 --> 00:24:57,720 Speaker 1: from the trial to the hotel and cry. There was 401 00:24:57,760 --> 00:25:02,120 Speaker 1: a bubble of sadness around her, but they felt helpless. 402 00:25:02,480 --> 00:25:06,400 Speaker 1: How could they make her feel better? They couldn't. The 403 00:25:06,400 --> 00:25:09,560 Speaker 1: only relief for Anne would be her freedom. 404 00:25:11,640 --> 00:25:13,560 Speaker 4: We were looking to set up the shelter to live 405 00:25:13,760 --> 00:25:15,680 Speaker 4: a calm and peaceful life here. 406 00:25:16,640 --> 00:25:21,200 Speaker 1: It's May twenty fourteen inside the court and testified again, 407 00:25:21,960 --> 00:25:26,480 Speaker 1: this time in painstaking detail, explaining how John was suicidal. 408 00:25:27,480 --> 00:25:31,320 Speaker 1: She started with his physical health problems, the stroke that 409 00:25:31,520 --> 00:25:34,240 Speaker 1: encouraged them to change their pace of life in two 410 00:25:34,280 --> 00:25:39,480 Speaker 1: thousand and told her story in her own words. An 411 00:25:39,520 --> 00:25:41,040 Speaker 1: actor reads her testimony. 412 00:25:41,440 --> 00:25:44,040 Speaker 4: It just highlighted b us that moving here to stop 413 00:25:44,119 --> 00:25:46,960 Speaker 4: hustling too hard was the best thing to do. John 414 00:25:46,960 --> 00:25:49,800 Speaker 4: had never had a physical problem before. He could work 415 00:25:49,880 --> 00:25:53,080 Speaker 4: twenty two hours a day, but that summer he was 416 00:25:53,119 --> 00:25:55,840 Speaker 4: at a breaking point, and then he really learned that 417 00:25:56,040 --> 00:25:59,000 Speaker 4: it was best to continue with the plan we'd decided. 418 00:25:59,359 --> 00:26:01,560 Speaker 4: So we were looking to set up the shelter to 419 00:26:01,760 --> 00:26:04,399 Speaker 4: live a calm and peaceful life in San Jose. 420 00:26:05,200 --> 00:26:09,720 Speaker 1: She continued to detail their ever worsening health problems, including 421 00:26:09,720 --> 00:26:10,760 Speaker 1: her limes disease. 422 00:26:11,880 --> 00:26:14,520 Speaker 4: So they were about five or six years when we 423 00:26:14,520 --> 00:26:17,800 Speaker 4: were trying to understand what was happening to me physically, 424 00:26:17,960 --> 00:26:21,640 Speaker 4: and in early two thousand and nine. 425 00:26:20,880 --> 00:26:23,000 Speaker 1: My disease was quite advanced. 426 00:26:23,640 --> 00:26:27,080 Speaker 4: John got some type of chicken pox and he was 427 00:26:27,119 --> 00:26:32,120 Speaker 4: having trouble with terrible sores. We lost some animals from 428 00:26:32,119 --> 00:26:35,160 Speaker 4: the shelter and it really affected my husband. 429 00:26:35,720 --> 00:26:39,320 Speaker 1: Then there were those gemstones, which many suggested were a 430 00:26:39,440 --> 00:26:44,639 Speaker 1: tax dodge. She explained them away as secure investments during 431 00:26:44,680 --> 00:26:46,800 Speaker 1: a period of financial uncertainty. 432 00:26:47,359 --> 00:26:50,119 Speaker 4: So John decided, with the advice of this man, to 433 00:26:50,240 --> 00:26:53,480 Speaker 4: invest in gyms, and this was something a lot of 434 00:26:53,520 --> 00:26:57,440 Speaker 4: people were doing then, so there was an economic recession 435 00:26:57,520 --> 00:26:58,000 Speaker 4: at the time. 436 00:26:58,600 --> 00:27:02,639 Speaker 1: And she told the court about John's previous suicide attempts. 437 00:27:03,160 --> 00:27:05,720 Speaker 4: I saw him when he tried to commit suicide twice, 438 00:27:06,400 --> 00:27:09,679 Speaker 4: you know, I'm aware of two times. I saw that 439 00:27:09,760 --> 00:27:13,040 Speaker 4: he tried to electrocute himself. That was at the end 440 00:27:13,040 --> 00:27:15,639 Speaker 4: of two thousand and eight, and then in two thousand 441 00:27:15,680 --> 00:27:19,680 Speaker 4: and nine, at the end of November, he tried to 442 00:27:19,760 --> 00:27:20,840 Speaker 4: jump down the elevator. 443 00:27:21,560 --> 00:27:25,239 Speaker 1: That's the elevator at the house, which wasn't enclosed, just 444 00:27:25,280 --> 00:27:27,280 Speaker 1: a platform that went up and down. 445 00:27:28,080 --> 00:27:30,359 Speaker 4: We were dealing with so many things at the same time. 446 00:27:31,240 --> 00:27:33,920 Speaker 4: My symptoms were getting worse, and we're getting information from 447 00:27:33,920 --> 00:27:38,240 Speaker 4: the trustee that there were problems with the money. John 448 00:27:38,400 --> 00:27:41,480 Speaker 4: decided on the advice of the trustee to invest in 449 00:27:41,520 --> 00:27:45,600 Speaker 4: gems and jewels, and so he thought that because the 450 00:27:45,600 --> 00:27:48,520 Speaker 4: trustee said that that we were having cash flow problems, 451 00:27:49,000 --> 00:27:51,119 Speaker 4: and John was really blaming himself for all of it. 452 00:27:51,960 --> 00:27:55,360 Speaker 4: He felt that, and we talked about this every single day. 453 00:27:56,560 --> 00:27:57,800 Speaker 1: He felt that it was his fault. 454 00:27:58,400 --> 00:28:01,119 Speaker 4: John felt like a complete failure, not only when it 455 00:28:01,160 --> 00:28:04,680 Speaker 4: came to investments, but also he was trying to look 456 00:28:04,680 --> 00:28:06,720 Speaker 4: for a way to help me with my illness. 457 00:28:07,400 --> 00:28:10,160 Speaker 1: She explained, how have mental health declined to. 458 00:28:10,640 --> 00:28:15,200 Speaker 4: You know, my type of bipolarity manifests in a more 459 00:28:15,640 --> 00:28:20,320 Speaker 4: typical way, So there are times sometimes years where I 460 00:28:20,359 --> 00:28:23,040 Speaker 4: might not have a single episode at all. And John 461 00:28:23,040 --> 00:28:26,440 Speaker 4: and I were able to find that over the years, 462 00:28:27,200 --> 00:28:29,720 Speaker 4: I could do certain things to stay in a good 463 00:28:29,720 --> 00:28:32,560 Speaker 4: state of mind, like if I slept well and ate well. 464 00:28:34,400 --> 00:28:39,800 Speaker 4: But John is manifested in what's called rapid cycling. He 465 00:28:40,200 --> 00:28:42,680 Speaker 4: was talking about suicide every single day. 466 00:28:46,080 --> 00:28:49,240 Speaker 1: Carol Voo listened to all this with great sadness. 467 00:28:50,040 --> 00:28:53,000 Speaker 3: Well, I feel he died way too young, and he 468 00:28:53,040 --> 00:28:55,040 Speaker 3: had so much more to live for and he was 469 00:28:55,080 --> 00:28:59,480 Speaker 3: doing such great work on the reserve. He felt he 470 00:28:59,560 --> 00:29:04,000 Speaker 3: was gonna find a cure for a len disease from 471 00:29:04,040 --> 00:29:09,640 Speaker 3: which she suffered. He was very much into natural medicine 472 00:29:10,240 --> 00:29:13,760 Speaker 3: and thought the cure for Anne, both her mental problems 473 00:29:14,400 --> 00:29:17,880 Speaker 3: and her physical problems, was right there on the nature reserve. 474 00:29:17,920 --> 00:29:20,480 Speaker 3: It was just a matter of time until he found it. 475 00:29:21,480 --> 00:29:25,000 Speaker 1: And what do you think in the end affected him 476 00:29:25,040 --> 00:29:27,480 Speaker 1: so deep? People, what happened to him. 477 00:29:28,880 --> 00:29:31,600 Speaker 3: I'm only guessing. I'm never I never met him. 478 00:29:32,920 --> 00:29:35,640 Speaker 1: Carol has her own view on what happened, as we 479 00:29:35,680 --> 00:29:38,760 Speaker 1: heard in the last episode, but she doesn't deny that 480 00:29:38,920 --> 00:29:41,040 Speaker 1: John was in a very dark place. 481 00:29:41,880 --> 00:29:48,680 Speaker 3: From what I read about his problems, he just couldn't. 482 00:29:48,720 --> 00:29:51,800 Speaker 3: He couldn't hack it. He couldn't. It's so hard living 483 00:29:51,840 --> 00:29:57,720 Speaker 3: in a foreign country, really, and he just couldn't, couldn't 484 00:29:57,800 --> 00:30:01,200 Speaker 3: keep it up. He was I was going into our 485 00:30:01,240 --> 00:30:06,000 Speaker 3: financial tailspin. Apparently he was losing money. His investments weren't 486 00:30:06,000 --> 00:30:10,800 Speaker 3: working out, and he just couldn't cop And I feel 487 00:30:10,880 --> 00:30:13,240 Speaker 3: very bad for him because it could be any of us. 488 00:30:13,960 --> 00:30:16,440 Speaker 3: I mean, I don't have huge investments, but the little 489 00:30:16,480 --> 00:30:20,760 Speaker 3: ones I've have, if I had problems that'd be be curtains. 490 00:30:21,560 --> 00:30:24,800 Speaker 1: But the trial wasn't just about whether John had been depressed. 491 00:30:25,320 --> 00:30:29,320 Speaker 1: That was never disputed. It was about that crime scene. 492 00:30:29,960 --> 00:30:32,240 Speaker 1: Remember we told you about those who believe Anne is 493 00:30:32,240 --> 00:30:36,160 Speaker 1: guilty always look at two pieces of evidence, the ear 494 00:30:36,240 --> 00:30:40,000 Speaker 1: plugs and the wound will This trial was the first 495 00:30:40,040 --> 00:30:44,640 Speaker 1: time the weaknesses in that evidence were properly scrutinized. After 496 00:30:44,680 --> 00:30:48,560 Speaker 1: getting out of prison, facing money problems and connected with 497 00:30:48,640 --> 00:30:52,200 Speaker 1: a team from CBS, A news crew who had hired 498 00:30:52,240 --> 00:30:57,320 Speaker 1: a married forensic duo, Selma and Richard eicklem Boom. In 499 00:30:57,360 --> 00:31:00,320 Speaker 1: a glitzy broadcast, the forensic pair looked at the I'm 500 00:31:00,320 --> 00:31:04,680 Speaker 1: seen and then demonstrated that there could be another explanation 501 00:31:04,800 --> 00:31:08,560 Speaker 1: to how John had died based on the forensics. They 502 00:31:08,720 --> 00:31:12,320 Speaker 1: argued that if Anne had pulled John's arm back, almost 503 00:31:12,400 --> 00:31:14,920 Speaker 1: like a bow and arrow, the gun could have gone 504 00:31:14,920 --> 00:31:18,040 Speaker 1: off at the back of his head and crucially on 505 00:31:18,080 --> 00:31:22,160 Speaker 1: the right hand side. It's all very US television crime show, 506 00:31:22,640 --> 00:31:26,160 Speaker 1: but actually it gave Anne access to experts who ended 507 00:31:26,240 --> 00:31:29,840 Speaker 1: up testifying at her third trial. They said the police 508 00:31:29,920 --> 00:31:34,560 Speaker 1: messed up, that their investigation was sloppy, and the ear 509 00:31:34,600 --> 00:31:38,480 Speaker 1: plugs they could be explained a million ways he could 510 00:31:38,480 --> 00:31:40,840 Speaker 1: have put them in to soften the noise of the jungle, 511 00:31:41,680 --> 00:31:45,400 Speaker 1: or never intended to actually go through with pulling the trigger. 512 00:31:46,560 --> 00:31:51,320 Speaker 1: Doctor Lozano, the psychiatrist, testified this time too, arguing Anne 513 00:31:51,360 --> 00:31:59,280 Speaker 1: wouldn't have been able to carry out a murder. Anne's 514 00:31:59,320 --> 00:32:02,440 Speaker 1: third trial would last for a week. Would all these 515 00:32:02,520 --> 00:32:06,320 Speaker 1: testimonies be enough? Would Anne get the verdict she longed for. 516 00:32:07,000 --> 00:32:10,000 Speaker 1: Her ninety seven year old grandmother was among the family 517 00:32:10,120 --> 00:32:14,000 Speaker 1: praying that she would be freed. As the judges retired 518 00:32:14,040 --> 00:32:19,360 Speaker 1: for the third time, she waited. One problem facing Anne 519 00:32:19,400 --> 00:32:22,560 Speaker 1: was that her passport had been seized. If she was freed, 520 00:32:22,880 --> 00:32:25,560 Speaker 1: she wouldn't be able to leave. This is where Carol 521 00:32:25,600 --> 00:32:26,600 Speaker 1: stepped into help. 522 00:32:26,880 --> 00:32:29,520 Speaker 3: But I knew that she didn't have a passport, and 523 00:32:29,560 --> 00:32:31,840 Speaker 3: you know, get out of ghostreat go without a passport. 524 00:32:32,680 --> 00:32:36,600 Speaker 3: So talk to the embassy, and the embassy said, relax, 525 00:32:37,000 --> 00:32:39,360 Speaker 3: We're going to get her a replacement passport. 526 00:32:39,640 --> 00:32:42,160 Speaker 1: On the last hour of the last day of the trial, 527 00:32:42,640 --> 00:32:46,120 Speaker 1: someone was deployed to ensure that Anne received her passport 528 00:32:46,640 --> 00:32:51,000 Speaker 1: and secretly gave it to her. Anne kept touching her 529 00:32:51,040 --> 00:32:54,440 Speaker 1: pocket to check it was there. It was her ticket 530 00:32:54,480 --> 00:33:01,240 Speaker 1: to freedom. Then the judges walked in Dan walk free 531 00:33:02,000 --> 00:33:04,440 Speaker 1: or return to prison for twenty two years. 532 00:33:06,360 --> 00:33:08,320 Speaker 3: We recognize we were getting to the end of the 533 00:33:08,360 --> 00:33:10,720 Speaker 3: third trial and no one had any idea whether she 534 00:33:10,800 --> 00:33:16,320 Speaker 3: was going to be found guilty or innocent, no idea whatsoever. 535 00:33:25,960 --> 00:33:29,560 Speaker 1: You've been listening to Helen Heaven from Exactly Right Media 536 00:33:29,640 --> 00:33:34,960 Speaker 1: and iHeart podcasts produced by Blanchard House, hosted, written and 537 00:33:35,040 --> 00:33:38,760 Speaker 1: produced by me Becky Milligan. The producer and co writer 538 00:33:39,080 --> 00:33:44,000 Speaker 1: is Poppy Damon. Music is by Daniel Lloyd Evans, Louis Nankmanell, 539 00:33:44,360 --> 00:33:48,040 Speaker 1: and Toby Mattamol. The sound recordistant head of Sound and 540 00:33:48,160 --> 00:33:52,080 Speaker 1: Music is Daniel Lloyd Evans. The lead sound designer is 541 00:33:52,160 --> 00:33:57,760 Speaker 1: Vulcan Kiseltook. The artwork is by Vanessa Lilac for Exactly 542 00:33:57,840 --> 00:34:02,440 Speaker 1: Right Media. The executive producers are Karen Kilgareth Georgia Hardstark 543 00:34:02,760 --> 00:34:07,959 Speaker 1: and Danielle Kramer, with consulting producer Lillie Ladderwig and associate 544 00:34:08,000 --> 00:34:13,480 Speaker 1: producer Jay Elias. The creative director of Blanchard House is 545 00:34:13,640 --> 00:34:17,640 Speaker 1: Rosie Pye. The executive producer and Head of Content at 546 00:34:17,680 --> 00:34:22,360 Speaker 1: Blanchard House is Lawrence Griselle. Listen to Helen Heaven on 547 00:34:22,440 --> 00:34:27,280 Speaker 1: the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.