According to Susan Wright’s attorney in her Houston murder trial, her husband Jeffrey pulled a knife on her, she wrestled it away from him, and killed him in self-defense. Unfortunately for this theory, the medical examiner testified that the autopsy shows that Mr. Wright was stabbed more than 200 times while his arms and legs were tied down to the bed; melted candle wax was also found on the body. (The defense admits that Ms. Wright tied her husband’s arms to the bed with neckties, but says this happened in the midst of the stabbing.) Ms. Wright’s attorney explains that the former topless dancer’s painting and bleaching the bedroom, dismantling of the bed, and burying the body underneath the backyard patio (before it was unearthed by the family dog), was a reflection of “post-traumatic stress syndrome”; it’s not clear if he also claims this for Ms. Wright’s application for money from the state crime victim’s compensation fund two days after the killing. (Andrew Tilghman, “Doctor: Man tied down in Wright attack”, Houston Chronicle, Feb. 27; KHOU, Feb. 27; Andrew Tilghman, “Wright jury hears 2 sides of `terror'”, Houston Chronicle, Feb. 26; Andrew Tilghman, “Jury selected for woman’s murder trial”, Feb. 25; KHOU, Feb. 24; video of courtroom reenactment) (via Daily Legal Newswire).
March 5 Update: Guilty. (Andrew Tilghman, “Wright gets 25 years in prison for murder,” Houston Chronicle, Mar. 4).
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