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[tense music]
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‐ It's incredibly rare
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for a criminal defendant
to take the stand.
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It's a risk very few take.
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At stake? One's freedom
or even their life.
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This is Lindsay Partin,
housewife, mother
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charged with killing
three‐year‐old Hannah Wesche.
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She decided to
take that gamble.
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‐ They just kept telling me
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"Something happened,
something happened."
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‐ Will it help her convince
the jury she's not guilty?
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‐ I just gave them the answers
they wanted to hear.
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I didn't want anybody
to be in trouble.
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‐ Or, will it come back
to haunt her?
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‐ I didn't think
she was gonna pass away.
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‐ Take a courtside seat
with...
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And Lindsay's cousin.
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I'm Dan Abrams,
and this is "Under Oath."
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‐ Raise your right hand.
‐ Do you solemnly swear?
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‐ I'm being honest
with everything I say to you.
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‐ Do you solemnly swear?
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‐ The whole truth
and nothing but the truth?
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‐ I would like to testify.
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‐ The testimony
you are about to give‐‐
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The whole truth
and nothing but the truth‐‐
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So help you God.
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‐ The story that
you've now come up with today
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is that you never hurt Hannah.
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‐ That's not a story,
that's the truth.
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♪ ♪
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♪ ♪
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♪ ♪
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‐ Mother of two,
Lindsay Partin,
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was indicted for the murder
of Hannah Wesche,
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who she'd been babysitting.
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Hannah died of head trauma
after ten days
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in Cincinnati Children's
Hospital in 2018.
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Lindsay and her attorneys
knew her cross‐examination
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in a child abuse case
would be tough.
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But they believed Lindsay
needed to take the stand
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to address her statements
to sheriff's detectives,
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statements
that led to questions
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about her credibility.
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♪ ♪
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♪ ♪
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‐ Jurors want to hear
from those that are accused
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of committing crimes
against children
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and that the person
on the witness stand
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says, "I didn't do that,
I would never do that,
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I couldn't do that."
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‐ When she was arrested,
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she had never been
in any trouble before.
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Never even with, like,
a schoolteacher
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or her parents,
I mean nobody.
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‐ She's a mother of two.
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She was a cheerleader,
she was a Girl Scout.
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You look back, and she had
zero criminal history.
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We couldn't even find
a parking ticket.
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‐ Lindsay started
a home daycare business
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when her girls were just
in their toddler years.
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Lindsay really loved
having the kids around.
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They had this big garage,
so she and her husband
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converted it
into a play place.
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♪ ♪
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Jason Wesche
moved in next door
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to be a mechanic
for Lindsay's
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father‐in‐law's company.
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‐ Lindsay babysat
other children
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and had her children
as well.
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She said she would
watch Hannah,
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so we came up with arrangements
for her to babysit.
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‐ She had said
she was rambunctious.
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Like, the kind
of kid that would
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leap off the back
of the couch into your arms
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whether you were prepared
for it or not.
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‐ We would go to the creek
and get rocks and paint rocks.
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We did lessons,
I taught them their letters,
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their numbers, their shapes,
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how to spell their name.
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‐ It was early
in the morning, March 8th.
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Jason Wesche's
getting ready for work.
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He is a single dad,
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raising his three‐year‐old
daughter Hannah.
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Drove her right next door
to the babysitter,
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Lindsay Partin's house.
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‐ When I took her in,
I'd give her hugs and kisses.
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And that morning
was a little different
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because she kept asking
for a kiss
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over and over and over again.
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‐ About 30 seconds to a minute
after Jason left the house,
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he gets a frantic phone call
from Lindsay Partin
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saying something is wrong
with your daughter.
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♪ ♪
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‐ And then 911 was called,
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and it was
a 90‐second timeline
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that Lindsay had Hannah
in her care that morning.
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‐ I walked in.
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Hannah was on the floor.
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I ended up picking her up
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and taking her
into the garage.
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And laying her
on the couch.
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She was kind of
gasping for air.
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She wasn't really breathing.
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She wouldn't take
another breath
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until I yelled at her
or I...said her name.
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And she'd take
another breath,
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and then
it would come out slow.
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‐ You felt like
there was genuine panic,
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genuine concern
in Lindsay Partin's voice.
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‐ We found Hannah
laying on the couch.
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Her eyes were open.
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They were not moving,
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they were not following us‐‐
tracking us.
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Her breathing
was rather strange.
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Almost like a cry as well,
like a little moan and groan.
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♪ ♪
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We felt it better
to transport down
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to Fort Hamilton Hospital,
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only about
four to five miles away
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from our location.
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We wheel Hannah
into ER room 10.
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We do another pupils check.
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One of her pupils
had blown out.
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When you see
a blown‐out pupil,
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and the other pupil's
still constricted
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or still normal,
that's a good indication
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of a head injury.
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‐ On the same day that Hannah
went to the hospital,
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Lindsay voluntarily went down
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to the Butler County
detectives.
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‐ Lindsay Partin
waived her Miranda Rights
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and that she just
was questioned,
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answering any of the questions
the detectives had.
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They obviously were suspicious
of something.
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‐ Lindsay Partin talked
to Butler County detectives
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on March 8, 2018,
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the day Hannah was first taken
to a local hospital
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and then airlifted
to Cincinnati
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to undergo
emergency brain surgery.
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The next day, March 9th,
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doctors had started
to develop a theory
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about Hannah's injuries
that led detectives
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back to Lindsay Partin
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and a second interview
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that confirmed certain
suspicions.
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‐ Doctors battled ten days
in an ICU
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to try to save
Hannah Wesche's life.
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‐ Did Hannah ever regain
consciousness?
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‐ No, ma'am.
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‐ A forensic pathologist
testified
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that Hannah's death
was a homicide.
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‐ Lindsay's statements
to detectives
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was just so crucial
and damning for her
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that we really had no choice.
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Lindsay had to take the stand.
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‐ Did you lie
to the police?
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‐ I told them what
they wanted to hear.
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‐ We found Hannah
laying on the couch.
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Her eyes were open.
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They were not moving.
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They were not following us,
tracking us.
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‐ As little Hannah Wesche
fought for her life
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in Cincinnati Children's
Hospital,
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Her doctors held on
to a single theory
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about her condition.
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Hannah's head injuries
were caused
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by abusive head trauma,
and the symptoms occurred
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nearly simultaneous
to the abuse.
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That theory pointed detectives
toward Lindsay Partin.
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‐ When the brain is
injured to this degree,
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to cause a death
in this child,
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the brain can't function
properly right away.
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She would be neurologically
abnormal right away,
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probably unresponsive
within moments.
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‐ Butler County detectives
pressed Lindsay,
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looking for any
details that could fit
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the doctor's account of
sudden abusive head trauma.
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Lindsay Partin had become
their chief suspect.
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The second interview
on March the 9th
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showed the sheriff detectives
to be much more aggressive.
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They had zeroed in on Lindsay
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as a prime suspect
and the perpetrator,
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and they acted like that.
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‐ Defense attorneys
definitely thought
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Butler County sheriff's
detectives
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had tunnel vision,
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and at the end of
the tunnel was Lindsay Partin.
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‐ Under questioning
by detectives,
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Lindsay Partin's account
began to change.
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First, from Hannah
walking into the house
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under her own power
then collapsing
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To Lindsay and Hannah taking
a fall on concrete steps.
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‐ Lindsay was now saying
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Hannah's injuries
on the morning of March 8th
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resulted from an accidental
fall they took together.
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But there were more
inconsistencies to come,
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including
a third disturbing account
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of that morning.
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‐ I think it was the
second interrogation‐‐
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what changed
her life forever.
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‐ We had to put Lindsay
on the stand
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so she could explain
her state of mind.
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♪ ♪
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‐ How did you feel
in the first interview?
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‐ Fine,
I was telling them my truth.
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Telling them
what happened.
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‐ And is there any difference
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in how you felt
in the second interview?
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‐ Very much.
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‐ I think jurors
wanted to hear from her
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Why did she say
the things she said
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the second time around
in her interrogation?
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‐ What was that difference?
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‐ I felt pressured.
I felt forced.
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I wanted to protect everybody.
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I felt bullied.
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‐ Did you lie to the police?
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‐ I told them
what they wanted to hear.
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‐ They're telling her
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that she'd better
give them the answers.
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And I think she just did
what they were asking.
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‐ The defense was trying
to save Lindsay Partin
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from a damaging
police interview.
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But would the jury understand
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the pressure
she says she felt?
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Would they believe
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that led her to concoct
stories that weren't true?
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‐ What do you mean you told
them what they wanted to hear?
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‐ All of their questions
like, leading into‐‐
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it's an accident, did she fall,
all of those things‐‐
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I just agreed with them
because the day before‐‐
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for hours I told them
what happened.
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Even an hour into that
second interview,
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I told them what happened.
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They didn't want
to hear it.
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‐ What's the truth
as to what happened to
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Hannah Wesche in the time
frame you had her
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on March 8th?
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‐ What I said
in my first interview.
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We walked in the house,
and she collapsed.
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‐ Lindsay's attorneys
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dispute the prosecution's
medical theory.
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They offered their own expert
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who said the symptoms could
have been immediate‐‐
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but, maybe not,
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allowing for Lindsay's initial
account of what happened,
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that Hannah had walked in
and collapsed.
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‐ Can you offer an opinion
about the amount of time
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that would have occurred
between the injury
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and the onset of
the first symptoms?
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[dramatic musical sting]
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‐ Our medical expert testified
that it was probable
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that the onset of symptoms
was not immediate.
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‐ The possibility
the symptoms were delayed
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had another benefit‐‐pointing
to other possible suspects.
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‐ The injuries could have been
inflicted at a time
257
00:11:33,069 --> 00:11:35,863
before Hannah was ever
delivered to Lindsay.
258
00:11:35,988 --> 00:11:39,450
And that would have put Jason
square in the crosshairs.
259
00:11:40,534 --> 00:11:42,036
‐ Where Hannah was,
who she was with,
260
00:11:42,078 --> 00:11:44,538
in the 24 hours
immediately preceding
261
00:11:44,622 --> 00:11:46,415
the EMT's coming to her‐‐
262
00:11:46,540 --> 00:11:47,708
that's a pretty important time.
263
00:11:47,792 --> 00:11:48,960
‐ Yes, ma'am.
264
00:11:49,085 --> 00:11:50,503
‐ Lindsay's defense was
265
00:11:50,628 --> 00:11:52,797
they've got the wrong person
on trial.
266
00:11:52,880 --> 00:11:54,674
It wasn't Lindsay,
it was Jason.
267
00:11:54,799 --> 00:11:56,050
♪ ♪
268
00:12:00,096 --> 00:12:01,889
‐ What's the truth as to
what happened to Hannah Wesche
269
00:12:02,014 --> 00:12:05,017
in the timeframe you had her
on March 8th?
270
00:12:05,101 --> 00:12:07,311
‐ What I said
in my first interview.
271
00:12:07,395 --> 00:12:09,897
We walked in the house,
and she collapsed.
272
00:12:09,981 --> 00:12:12,191
‐ Hannah Wesche's babysitter
Lindsay Partin
273
00:12:12,275 --> 00:12:15,111
is facing six felony charges
including murder
274
00:12:15,236 --> 00:12:16,737
for the three‐year‐old's
death.
275
00:12:16,862 --> 00:12:18,781
The timing of when Hannah
suffered the brain trauma
276
00:12:18,864 --> 00:12:20,157
was critical.
277
00:12:20,241 --> 00:12:22,201
The prosecution's
medical experts say
278
00:12:22,243 --> 00:12:24,203
Hannah's symptoms
would have been immediate,
279
00:12:24,328 --> 00:12:26,622
placing Hannah
in Lindsay's hands.
280
00:12:26,747 --> 00:12:28,374
The defense raised
the possibility
281
00:12:28,416 --> 00:12:30,835
of the symptoms being delayed,
which helped to create a cloud
282
00:12:30,918 --> 00:12:33,170
over Hannah's father,
Jason Wesche.
283
00:12:33,254 --> 00:12:38,175
‐ Jason Wesche was questioned
briefly by detectives.
284
00:12:38,259 --> 00:12:40,011
He said that he was
with Hannah
285
00:12:40,094 --> 00:12:41,804
the night before she died.
286
00:12:41,887 --> 00:12:44,181
That he actually
went to Wal‐Mart
287
00:12:44,265 --> 00:12:45,933
because he needed
milk for her.
288
00:12:46,058 --> 00:12:47,727
And that's where
there's some inconsistencies
289
00:12:47,852 --> 00:12:49,729
with Jason's story,
290
00:12:49,854 --> 00:12:54,025
because the photographs they
took of his refrigerator
291
00:12:54,108 --> 00:12:55,776
didn't show any milk.
292
00:12:58,070 --> 00:12:59,613
♪ ♪
293
00:12:59,739 --> 00:13:02,700
‐ Mr. Wesche,
you would agree with me
294
00:13:02,783 --> 00:13:03,784
that you lied to the police
295
00:13:03,909 --> 00:13:06,078
about milk and Wal‐Mart,
correct?
296
00:13:06,203 --> 00:13:08,205
‐ I was confused,
yes, ma'am.
297
00:13:08,247 --> 00:13:09,832
‐ For a whole year and a month,
you were confused?
298
00:13:09,915 --> 00:13:11,208
‐ Yes ma'am.
299
00:13:11,334 --> 00:13:12,877
It is detrimental to go through
what I went through,
300
00:13:12,918 --> 00:13:14,462
and yes, ma'am,
I can't sit here and say
301
00:13:14,545 --> 00:13:15,671
why I didn't remember
something.
302
00:13:15,755 --> 00:13:17,340
I wish I could,
I just can't.
303
00:13:17,423 --> 00:13:19,175
At that time, I'm worried about
telling my children‐‐
304
00:13:19,300 --> 00:13:20,968
how I'm gonna tell them their
sister's not gonna wake up
305
00:13:21,052 --> 00:13:22,386
and she's gonna die.
306
00:13:22,511 --> 00:13:23,929
I wasn't really worried about‐‐
307
00:13:24,055 --> 00:13:25,639
I'm sorry, I was confused.
308
00:13:25,723 --> 00:13:27,350
‐ There was another
inconsistency
309
00:13:27,433 --> 00:13:28,642
with Jason's story.
310
00:13:28,726 --> 00:13:31,562
His friend Chris
was at his house that night,
311
00:13:31,645 --> 00:13:33,814
and that detail was left out.
312
00:13:33,898 --> 00:13:36,233
‐ Mr. Wesche, you don't
think that the detectives
313
00:13:36,359 --> 00:13:38,527
would have wanted to know that
you had an overnight guest
314
00:13:38,611 --> 00:13:41,530
at your home and that he had
contact with your child
315
00:13:41,655 --> 00:13:44,033
within the 24 hours
of her injury?
316
00:13:44,116 --> 00:13:45,743
‐ I'm sure they would have,
yes.
317
00:13:45,826 --> 00:13:47,912
‐ You were worried,
actually,
318
00:13:48,037 --> 00:13:49,705
because you know
that the detectives
319
00:13:49,830 --> 00:13:51,207
are looking at you
or Lindsay Partin.
320
00:13:51,332 --> 00:13:53,584
It's one of you, correct?
‐ Correct.
321
00:13:53,709 --> 00:13:55,252
‐ And so,
you lied to the police
322
00:13:55,378 --> 00:13:56,670
about your whereabouts
323
00:13:56,796 --> 00:13:59,590
on the last night of
Hannah's life, correct?
324
00:13:59,673 --> 00:14:00,800
‐ Correct.
325
00:14:00,883 --> 00:14:04,512
‐ You lied about who was
present with Hannah.
326
00:14:04,595 --> 00:14:05,971
‐ Correct.
327
00:14:06,055 --> 00:14:07,807
‐ The defense had pointed hard
at Hannah's father
328
00:14:07,890 --> 00:14:10,184
and in doing that,
tried to push the timeframe
329
00:14:10,226 --> 00:14:11,560
of Hannah's injuries
earlier.
330
00:14:11,685 --> 00:14:14,271
Jason was a single father
with two older daughters,
331
00:14:14,397 --> 00:14:17,483
but he was three‐year‐old
Hannah's primary caretaker.
332
00:14:17,566 --> 00:14:19,110
‐ Did you ever believe
333
00:14:19,235 --> 00:14:20,694
that Lindsay
would have hurt Hannah?
334
00:14:20,820 --> 00:14:21,946
‐ No.
335
00:14:22,071 --> 00:14:23,823
‐ And while there
was no evidence of
336
00:14:23,906 --> 00:14:25,449
Jason injuring
his daughter,
337
00:14:25,533 --> 00:14:28,035
all the defense needed
was reasonable doubt.
338
00:14:28,160 --> 00:14:30,204
Prosecution countered
by focusing
339
00:14:30,246 --> 00:14:31,747
on Lindsay's credibility.
340
00:14:31,872 --> 00:14:35,042
♪ ♪
341
00:14:35,126 --> 00:14:38,212
‐ After listening to
testimony of witnesses,
342
00:14:38,337 --> 00:14:40,714
watching your interview
multiple times,
343
00:14:40,840 --> 00:14:42,883
reading the transcript
multiple times,
344
00:14:42,967 --> 00:14:44,927
the story that you've
now come up with today
345
00:14:45,052 --> 00:14:46,303
is that you never hurt
Hannah.
346
00:14:46,387 --> 00:14:48,139
‐ That's not a story,
that's the truth.
347
00:14:48,222 --> 00:14:51,016
‐ Any deceptive act
makes a person look guilty.
348
00:14:51,142 --> 00:14:53,978
‐ You gave a description of
exactly what you did, right?
349
00:14:54,061 --> 00:14:56,063
You went into detail,
didn't you Ms. Partin?
350
00:14:56,188 --> 00:14:57,731
‐ They went into detail.
351
00:14:57,857 --> 00:15:01,026
‐ Did they suggest the ketchup,
or did you suggest the ketchup?
352
00:15:01,110 --> 00:15:02,528
‐ The second interview,
353
00:15:02,611 --> 00:15:05,322
Lindsay says that she used
corporal punishment
354
00:15:05,406 --> 00:15:07,450
on Hannah when she had
misbehaved
355
00:15:07,575 --> 00:15:10,035
by squirting ketchup
around the house‐‐
356
00:15:10,161 --> 00:15:12,496
days before March the 8th.
357
00:15:21,005 --> 00:15:22,339
‐ It's Lindsay herself
358
00:15:22,423 --> 00:15:26,302
that said some things that got
her into this situation.
359
00:15:34,768 --> 00:15:37,354
‐ They asked if there was
something else‐‐
360
00:15:37,438 --> 00:15:40,399
or that she got in trouble for
that I remember.
361
00:15:40,483 --> 00:15:41,901
‐ So you just‐‐
you just made that up?
362
00:15:42,026 --> 00:15:43,360
This whole ketchup thing‐‐
you just made up
363
00:15:43,486 --> 00:15:44,653
off the top of your head?
‐ Yes, ma'am.
364
00:15:44,737 --> 00:15:46,071
‐ So your testimony today
365
00:15:46,197 --> 00:15:48,157
is that you just agreed with
whatever they said.
366
00:15:48,240 --> 00:15:50,117
Is that right?
‐ That's what they wanted.
367
00:15:50,201 --> 00:15:51,494
They kept telling me
368
00:15:51,577 --> 00:15:53,537
"Something else happened,
something else happened."
369
00:15:53,621 --> 00:15:55,873
‐ When jurors looked at
Lindsay on the witness stand,
370
00:15:55,998 --> 00:15:58,042
they were seeing somebody
who was capable of
371
00:15:58,167 --> 00:16:00,503
being deceptive
in a courtroom.
372
00:16:00,586 --> 00:16:03,130
‐ Did they specifically
give you those details
373
00:16:03,214 --> 00:16:04,757
about the ketchup?
‐ Well, no.
374
00:16:04,840 --> 00:16:07,676
‐ So it was your
thought process
375
00:16:07,760 --> 00:16:10,095
on 3/9 of 2018
376
00:16:10,221 --> 00:16:12,515
that you could admit to
hitting her with
377
00:16:12,598 --> 00:16:15,100
a closed fist multiple times
under the chin,
378
00:16:15,226 --> 00:16:16,810
and you wouldn't
be in trouble?
379
00:16:16,894 --> 00:16:18,354
‐ Yes.
380
00:16:18,479 --> 00:16:20,314
‐ As Lindsay Partin's trial
headed toward a close,
381
00:16:20,397 --> 00:16:22,650
no definitive picture
of what happened
382
00:16:22,733 --> 00:16:26,278
to Hannah Wesche
on March 8, 2018, had emerged.
383
00:16:26,403 --> 00:16:28,239
If it was intentional
child abuse,
384
00:16:28,364 --> 00:16:29,698
what exactly occurred?
385
00:16:29,782 --> 00:16:31,158
The defense's
medical expert
386
00:16:31,242 --> 00:16:33,536
had shifted the possible
timeframe earlier,
387
00:16:33,661 --> 00:16:36,038
before Hannah arrived
at Partin's house.
388
00:16:36,121 --> 00:16:37,998
That raised questions
about Hannah's father,
389
00:16:38,082 --> 00:16:39,250
Jason Wesche.
390
00:16:39,375 --> 00:16:40,834
Prosecution,
on the other hand,
391
00:16:40,918 --> 00:16:42,503
attacked Partin's
changing stories.
392
00:16:42,628 --> 00:16:44,964
If she had nothing to hide,
why lie to detectives
393
00:16:45,047 --> 00:16:46,340
again and again?
394
00:16:46,465 --> 00:16:48,342
‐ The worst‐case scenario
that I thought would happen
395
00:16:48,467 --> 00:16:50,970
to Lindsay would be
the child abuse charges,
396
00:16:51,053 --> 00:16:52,346
or child endangerment.
397
00:16:52,429 --> 00:16:54,265
There was so much
reasonable doubt.
398
00:16:54,390 --> 00:16:57,768
‐ All the defense had to do was
create a little bit of doubt
399
00:16:57,893 --> 00:16:59,311
in at least one juror's mind.
400
00:16:59,395 --> 00:17:02,106
Then maybe they could get
a not guilty verdict.
401
00:17:07,069 --> 00:17:08,487
‐ They didn't care
what I had to say.
402
00:17:08,571 --> 00:17:10,698
I felt pressured.
I felt forced.
403
00:17:10,781 --> 00:17:12,533
I wanted to
protect everybody.
404
00:17:12,616 --> 00:17:13,909
I felt bullied.
405
00:17:14,034 --> 00:17:15,452
‐ Lindsay Partin's
on trial for the death
406
00:17:15,578 --> 00:17:17,371
of three‐year‐old
Hannah Wesche
407
00:17:17,454 --> 00:17:19,957
who died of injuries that
doctors say were caused by
408
00:17:20,040 --> 00:17:21,500
abusive head trauma.
409
00:17:21,584 --> 00:17:23,419
As the prosecution
and defense prepared
410
00:17:23,544 --> 00:17:25,296
final arguments
before the jury,
411
00:17:25,379 --> 00:17:28,007
both sides had their
challenges to overcome
412
00:17:28,090 --> 00:17:30,384
With no definitive picture
emerging of
413
00:17:30,509 --> 00:17:32,428
exactly what happened
to Hannah Wesche
414
00:17:32,553 --> 00:17:35,472
on the morning of
March 8, 2018.
415
00:17:35,556 --> 00:17:37,975
‐ Circumstantial evidence
cases are always tough
416
00:17:38,058 --> 00:17:39,560
for the prosecutors
to prove,
417
00:17:39,643 --> 00:17:41,979
because they are trying
to convince jurors
418
00:17:42,062 --> 00:17:43,689
about something
that nobody saw.
419
00:17:43,814 --> 00:17:46,191
‐ We don't know exactly
what happened here.
420
00:17:46,317 --> 00:17:49,111
‐ Prosecutors focused on
Lindsay's changing stories
421
00:17:49,236 --> 00:17:51,322
and what they believed
was an overwhelming
422
00:17:51,405 --> 00:17:53,115
consensus of
medical evidence
423
00:17:53,240 --> 00:17:56,118
pointing toward intentional
and immediate harm.
424
00:17:56,243 --> 00:17:58,704
‐ Experts seem to reach
the same conclusion‐‐
425
00:17:58,787 --> 00:18:02,541
that this child suffered
abusive head trauma.
426
00:18:02,625 --> 00:18:06,545
That her injuries were
excessive and extensive.
427
00:18:06,670 --> 00:18:08,756
And she would not have been
acting normally
428
00:18:08,839 --> 00:18:11,175
when she received these
devastating injuries.
429
00:18:12,092 --> 00:18:14,303
‐ The standard of law
is very clear.
430
00:18:14,386 --> 00:18:17,097
It's the job
of the prosecutor
431
00:18:17,222 --> 00:18:19,933
to prove beyond
a reasonable doubt that time.
432
00:18:20,059 --> 00:18:22,519
And you know why?
433
00:18:22,603 --> 00:18:24,188
Because
that's reasonable doubt.
434
00:18:24,313 --> 00:18:26,607
That says this child
was injured somewhere else,
435
00:18:26,690 --> 00:18:28,025
not in the 30 seconds,
436
00:18:28,108 --> 00:18:29,902
not in the minute
that Lindsay Partin had her.
437
00:18:29,985 --> 00:18:31,278
‐ The defense
argued that the State,
438
00:18:31,403 --> 00:18:32,988
burdened with
proving the case,
439
00:18:33,072 --> 00:18:35,282
had left far
too many questions unanswered.
440
00:18:35,366 --> 00:18:37,493
‐ If you have a doubt
441
00:18:37,576 --> 00:18:40,412
based in reason
and common sense,
442
00:18:40,496 --> 00:18:42,164
your verdicts are not guilty.
443
00:18:42,247 --> 00:18:43,957
‐ We want justice
for this little girl,
444
00:18:44,041 --> 00:18:47,503
but we don't want the wrong
person to be convicted.
445
00:18:47,628 --> 00:18:49,338
‐ As the jury began
determining
446
00:18:49,421 --> 00:18:50,506
Lindsay Partin's fate,
447
00:18:50,589 --> 00:18:52,174
there were still
plenty of questions
448
00:18:52,257 --> 00:18:53,759
about what happened to
Hannah Wesche
449
00:18:53,884 --> 00:18:56,178
on the morning of
March 8, 2018.
450
00:18:56,261 --> 00:18:57,554
Jurors would have to
sort through
451
00:18:57,680 --> 00:18:59,598
four counts
of child endangerment
452
00:18:59,723 --> 00:19:02,601
as well as involuntary
manslaughter and murder.
453
00:19:02,685 --> 00:19:05,396
...you and your attorney,
please stand.
454
00:19:06,563 --> 00:19:08,816
‐ People were on
pins and needles
455
00:19:08,899 --> 00:19:10,943
waiting to hear
this verdict.
456
00:19:11,068 --> 00:19:12,444
‐ As for count one
of the indictment,
457
00:19:12,569 --> 00:19:15,322
endangering children,
we the duly impaneled jury
458
00:19:15,406 --> 00:19:18,367
do find the defendant
Lindsay Partin guilty.
459
00:19:18,492 --> 00:19:22,079
‐ After he first
said "guilty,"
460
00:19:22,204 --> 00:19:24,206
you just saw the look
in Lindsay's face.
461
00:19:24,289 --> 00:19:25,791
‐ As for count two
of the indictment,
462
00:19:25,916 --> 00:19:27,209
the duly impaneled jury
463
00:19:27,292 --> 00:19:29,503
do find the defendant
Lindsay Partin guilty.
464
00:19:29,586 --> 00:19:31,588
‐ Hannah suffered
grievous injuries.
465
00:19:31,672 --> 00:19:34,174
But there's certainly
a question in my mind
466
00:19:34,258 --> 00:19:36,593
and other people's minds
whether or not it was even
467
00:19:36,677 --> 00:19:39,972
possible for those injuries
to have been inflicted
468
00:19:40,055 --> 00:19:41,598
in the minute or so
469
00:19:41,724 --> 00:19:43,475
that Lindsay and Hannah
were together.
470
00:19:43,559 --> 00:19:45,477
‐ As to count three
of the indictment,
471
00:19:45,561 --> 00:19:47,062
we the duly impaneled jury
472
00:19:47,146 --> 00:19:49,398
do find the defendant
Lindsay Partin guilty.
473
00:19:49,523 --> 00:19:51,150
...of the indictment,
474
00:19:51,233 --> 00:19:53,360
involuntary manslaughter,
guilty.
475
00:19:53,444 --> 00:19:54,862
Count five of the indictment,
guilty.
476
00:19:54,945 --> 00:19:57,698
‐ Guilty again, guilty again,
guilty again.
477
00:19:57,781 --> 00:20:01,785
‐ And finally, as to count six
of the indictment, murder,
478
00:20:01,869 --> 00:20:04,455
We the duly impaneled jury
do find the defendant,
479
00:20:04,580 --> 00:20:06,415
Lindsay Partin, guilty.
480
00:20:06,540 --> 00:20:09,543
All 12 signatures
accompany the verdict.
481
00:20:09,626 --> 00:20:11,754
‐ There are some who will look
at Lindsay Partin's case
482
00:20:11,879 --> 00:20:13,964
and say, "Well, the question
still hasn't been answered."
483
00:20:14,047 --> 00:20:15,507
‐ It still to this day
bothers me
484
00:20:15,591 --> 00:20:18,761
not knowing what had happened,
truthfully, to Hannah.
485
00:20:18,844 --> 00:20:21,388
‐ Lindsay Partin's family
still believes
486
00:20:21,472 --> 00:20:24,141
in her innocence, and they're
not gonna stop fighting.
487
00:20:24,224 --> 00:20:25,517
‐ Her girls are going to be
488
00:20:25,559 --> 00:20:27,102
grown up by the time
that she gets out.
489
00:20:27,227 --> 00:20:30,522
And that is really
the most devastating thing.
490
00:20:30,606 --> 00:20:32,691
‐ Hannah Wesche
has her own supporters.
491
00:20:32,733 --> 00:20:34,693
They believe justice
was done,
492
00:20:34,777 --> 00:20:36,862
and they want to
remember Hannah forever.
493
00:20:36,945 --> 00:20:40,032
‐ So did taking the stand
hurt Lindsay Partin's case?
494
00:20:40,073 --> 00:20:41,366
She received a life sentence,
495
00:20:41,492 --> 00:20:43,702
and must serve a total
of 18 years before
496
00:20:43,744 --> 00:20:45,579
even the possibility
of parole.
497
00:20:45,662 --> 00:20:48,415
Apparently Lindsay's
police statement cost her.
498
00:20:48,499 --> 00:20:50,125
Even if jurors
had questions about
499
00:20:50,250 --> 00:20:51,710
what happened to
Hannah Wesche,
500
00:20:51,835 --> 00:20:55,589
Lindsay's own words may have
been impossible to unhear.
501
00:20:55,714 --> 00:20:58,258
Defendants are never forced
to take the stand.
502
00:20:58,342 --> 00:21:00,010
But that decision is likely
503
00:21:00,135 --> 00:21:02,346
the biggest one
they ever make.
504
00:21:02,429 --> 00:21:05,641
For "Under Oath,"
I'm Dan Abrams.