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[ominous music]
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‐ It is incredibly rare
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for criminal defendants
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 Todd Mullis, a farmer,
and father of three
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charged with killing his wife.
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[dramatic music]
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‐ I just pulled the fork out.
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I picked her head up
a little bit
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and there was‐‐
there was just nothing.
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There was just no response.
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‐ He's decided
to take that gamble.
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Could it helped him convince
the jury he's not guilty?
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‐ She must've fell on a‐‐
fell on a corn fork.
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‐ Or will it come back
to haunt him?
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‐ You want me to confess
to something I did not do.
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‐ Take a court‐side seat
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with the medical examiner,
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the reporter
who covered the case,
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the family's attorney,
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and the lead investigator.
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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've told 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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[dramatic music]
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[tense music]
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‐ I believe one
of the witnesses
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described you
as being excited?
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‐ Yeah, I was very excited.
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I think I had adrenaline
pouring out of my ears.
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I was just‐‐I was
in reaction mode.
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I wanted to get her
to the hospital.
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Come on.
Let's go.
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♪ ♪
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‐ Todd Mullis, an Iowa born
and raised pig farmer
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stands accused of the brutal
killing of Amy Mullis,
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his wife of 14 years.
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The couple's 13‐year‐old son
found Amy unresponsive
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in a shed on the family farm,
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impaled with a corn rake.
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Despite his pleas
of innocence,
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Todd Mullis is charged
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with first‐degree
premeditated murder
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and faces life in prison.
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Todd Mullis has decided
to testify
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in hopes of explaining
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how he got caught up
in this horrific death.
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♪ ♪
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‐ Todd, did you ambush
your wife, Amy,
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in that shed that day
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and brutally beat her
with that corn fork?
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‐ No, I did not.
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[tense music]
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♪ ♪
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‐ Amy had so much life
left to live,
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but that life was viciously
taken from her
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on November 10, 2018,
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in a town called Earlville.
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‐ I farm crops.
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We've got a hog operation,
a custom feeding operation
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where we raise our pigs
for a company.
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‐ The Mullises were
very successful.
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They ran a huge
pig farm operation.
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‐ Everybody talked
about Amy Mullis like
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she was a very nice person,
very outgoing,
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and they had three kids,
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Taylor, Wyatt, and Trysten.
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‐ They were kind of a model
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Midwestern American family.
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‐ Mr. Mullis,
I'm going to move ahead now,
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specifically
to November 10, 2018.
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And unfortunately,
that was the day
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of Amy's death, correct?
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‐ Yes.
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♪ ♪
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‐ The day started out
as any other.
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Trysten and Todd
were in the barn.
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They were getting ready
for a litter of piglets.
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And then Amy came out,
and she was also helping them.
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Todd had asked her if she
could get the pet carrier.
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So Amy had gone off
to the red shed
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and she'd been gone for
like an hour, I believe or so.
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Then he asked Trysten
if he could go check on her.
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And so Trysten went over
to the red shed,
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and that's when he found
his mother kneeling forward
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and she had the corn rake
in her back.
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And, of course,
he screamed for his dad.
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She must've fell
on a corn fork.
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I really don't
know what happened.
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‐ From Todd's perspective,
it was an accident.
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‐ When they got
to the hospital,
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Amy was already dead.
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So they were waiting
for the medical examiner.
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‐ Upon examination of the body,
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I noted that there were
a total of six wounds
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that were arranged,
not in a row,
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but more so scattered
across her back.
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And further examination
of the corn rake
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showed the corn rake
had a total of four tines.
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Indicating that she would have
to be impaled by the rake
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at least twice.
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And that indicated to me
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that the manner of her death
was not accident,
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but it was a homicide.
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Of the six wounds,
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a number of them
entered the chest cavity,
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and one that was actually
on the right side of the back
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went through
the entire chest cavity
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and into the right breast
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and punctured
her breast implant.
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‐ Mrs. Mullis sustained
other injuries
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to her face, to her hands,
a gash to her chin.
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Those are all indicative
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of some type of struggle
or assault attack
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prior to those fatal injuries.
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[intense music]
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‐ But there was more
that Todd Mullis
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would have to explain.
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♪ ♪
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‐ Amy Mullis met Jerry Frasier
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through the Delaware
County Pork Producers.
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Amy had started an affair
with Jerry Frasier
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about five years before,
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and then their relationship
kind of cooled down
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and then it, you know,
started again.
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Todd Mullis
was really possessive,
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so it was kind
of dangerous for her
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to actually start that again.
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So at this point
in the investigation,
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they're starting
to kind of put together
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the pieces of the puzzle.
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‐ You want me to confess
to something I did not do.
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I did not do that.
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‐ Were you able
to get Amy out the door
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with the fork
stuck in her back?
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‐ There was no way.
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So I just pulled the fork out.
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I tossed it.
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And I got underneath of her,
and I told Trysten,
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"Go get the truck.
We got to go."
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‐ This is a circumstantial
evidence case.
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There's not a lot of physical
evidence in this case.
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Even the crime scene
was devoid of blood
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and other things
that you typically would see
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when someone's
viciously attacked.
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[ominous piano music]
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‐ Todd Mullis was
seemingly living
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an American dream
with his family on their farm.
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He insisted he's innocent
and that he did not‐‐could not
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have impaled his wife
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and mother of his children
with a corn rake.
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He's willing to take the stand
and risk being sentenced
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to life without parole.
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So will Mullis' account
convince the jury,
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or at least establish
reasonable doubt?
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‐ If you're going to be one
of those few people
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who testify
in your own defense,
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oh, you better be ready
to hit one out of the park.
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Because your fate hangs
on your every word
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that you speak to that jury.
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‐ Todd Mullis needs
to persuade the jury that
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while his wife's
renewed affair
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with their pig distributor
was devastating,
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he had no motive
or even ability to kill her.
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♪ ♪
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‐ How did you meet Amy?
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‐ I met Amy at the Delaware
County Fair in Manchester.
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I just met her at the beer tent
or something like that.
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‐ How long did the two of you
date before marrying?
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‐ I'd say, well,
it went about 14 months.
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♪ ♪
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‐ We've heard
a lot of testimony
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about Amy having an affair.
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What did you
and Amy do about it?
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‐ We decided immediately that
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she wanted to quit her affair,
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go to counseling,
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and then wholeheartedly
work it out.
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‐ Was there any direction
given to you by this counselor
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as to how to work
on your marriage?
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‐ Just to be open,
and it really helped.
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It really,
really progressed well.
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‐ Were you satisfied that
she wanted to stay married
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and would be faithful?
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‐ Yes.
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‐ Up until the time
of Amy's death,
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did you have
any suspicions at all
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that she was having an affair?
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‐ No.
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‐ So Amy had, in fact,
left her job as a nurse
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to recommit herself
to, you know,
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the farm work
and to the family life.
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‐ Was there any reaction
from Amy when you announced
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this plan to go out and work
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in the hog barn
to get things ready?
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‐ I think she just asked,
"Hey, you need some help?
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Mind if I come out?"
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‐ How did this thing with
the pet carrier come about?
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‐ Trysten actually
suggested it.
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He goes, "Hey, Dad, we need
to get that pet carrier out."
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And I go, "Yeah.
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"Amy, why don't you go get
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that pet carrier out
of the shed?"
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‐ What did you and Trysten do
after she left the hog barn?
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‐ We just continued working.
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‐ At any point,
did you become aware
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that Trysten had stepped out
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of the main part
of the hog barn?
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‐ Yeah, I think I‐‐I seen him
take‐‐I seen him go down
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towards the end to get a drink.
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Yeah.
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That's what he said
he was going to do.
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"I'm gonna grab
a drink quick, Dad."
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‐ The big question,
I think, developed
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with regard to the timeline.
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I think it perhaps
became something
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that was difficult
for the jury to accept.
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‐ Trysten told authorities
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he was with his dad
all morning
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except when he stepped
outside the barn
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to get a drink of water.
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The defense argues
that would only give Todd
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a matter of minutes to run
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from the far end
of the hog barn,
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across roughly 100 yards
to the red shed,
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attack and kill Amy, and run
back without being caught
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or showing physical signs
of distress.
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‐ So the question was,
was he out of Trysten's sight
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long enough to have
committed this crime
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and get back to the area
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where he would have
been with Trysten?
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♪ ♪
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‐ Was he gone very long?
‐ No.
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‐ While he was doing that,
did you ever leave the barn?
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‐ No, I did not.
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‐ The argument that it's
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virtually impossible for Todd
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to carry out this murder
is an effective argument.
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Here, you know, we have
a great distance being covered.
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We have the brutality
of this murder,
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and then he returns to his son
as though nothing happened.
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Those are the kinds of issues
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that can make a jury pause.
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And if you're
a defense attorney,
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what you want a jury to do
is you want them to pause,
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and you want them to reflect,
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and you want them to say,
"Hey, is this possible?"
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‐ Todd, did you ambush
your wife, Amy,
256
00:10:53,905 --> 00:10:55,114
in that shed that day
257
00:10:55,239 --> 00:10:57,325
and brutally beat her
with that corn fork?
258
00:10:57,408 --> 00:10:58,910
‐ No, I did not.
259
00:10:58,993 --> 00:11:00,703
‐ Maybe everything else
we heard
260
00:11:00,786 --> 00:11:02,496
doesn't sound good
for Todd Mullis,
261
00:11:02,580 --> 00:11:04,957
but could he have done it?
262
00:11:05,082 --> 00:11:07,043
And if it's not possible
263
00:11:07,168 --> 00:11:09,170
that he could have done it
in that short window.
264
00:11:09,253 --> 00:11:11,964
then we have
to find him not guilty.
265
00:11:16,719 --> 00:11:18,763
‐ Up until the time
of Amy's death,
266
00:11:18,888 --> 00:11:20,640
did you have
any suspicions at all
267
00:11:20,723 --> 00:11:22,475
that she was having an affair?
268
00:11:22,558 --> 00:11:23,601
[tense music]
269
00:11:23,726 --> 00:11:25,353
‐ No.
270
00:11:25,394 --> 00:11:26,812
‐ Todd Mullis is accused
of impaling his wife,
271
00:11:26,896 --> 00:11:28,439
Amy, with a corn rake.
272
00:11:28,522 --> 00:11:30,858
Mullis has now taken the stand
in his own defense,
273
00:11:30,983 --> 00:11:33,653
telling the story of a happy
all‐American family
274
00:11:33,736 --> 00:11:35,821
and arguing that
he never had the time
275
00:11:35,905 --> 00:11:38,074
or even a reason
to murder his wife.
276
00:11:38,157 --> 00:11:39,825
But now his account
has to stand up
277
00:11:39,909 --> 00:11:42,286
to the prosecutor's
cross‐examination.
278
00:11:42,370 --> 00:11:45,498
♪ ♪
279
00:11:45,581 --> 00:11:48,542
‐ At that point, that agent
Turbett says to you,
280
00:11:48,668 --> 00:11:50,127
"Hey, do you have
a Jerry Frasier
281
00:11:50,211 --> 00:11:52,004
that works on your farm?"
And you say, "Yeah."
282
00:11:52,088 --> 00:11:53,047
‐ Damn.
283
00:11:53,130 --> 00:11:55,007
‐ Agent Turbett goes on
to ask you,
284
00:11:55,091 --> 00:11:57,551
"Anything else I need to know
about Jerry Frasier?"
285
00:11:57,635 --> 00:11:58,636
And you say, "No."
286
00:11:58,719 --> 00:12:00,179
Which was not the truth
287
00:12:00,263 --> 00:12:02,348
because you didn't tell him
at that point
288
00:12:02,473 --> 00:12:05,518
about the fact that
you confronted Amy and Jerry
289
00:12:05,601 --> 00:12:07,520
about the affair.
290
00:12:07,561 --> 00:12:08,688
You didn't bring it...
291
00:12:08,813 --> 00:12:09,855
‐ I‐I didn't bring it up
that time.
292
00:12:09,939 --> 00:12:11,315
‐ You didn't bring it up then.
293
00:12:25,955 --> 00:12:29,000
‐ Amy was not happy.
294
00:12:29,083 --> 00:12:30,876
She was having an affair,
295
00:12:30,960 --> 00:12:34,005
and she was planning
on leaving the defendant.
296
00:12:34,130 --> 00:12:37,591
The defendant knew
she was having another affair.
297
00:12:37,675 --> 00:12:40,344
And the defendant
had to do something.
298
00:12:40,428 --> 00:12:43,097
‐ Todd Mullis said
that Amy had changed.
299
00:12:43,180 --> 00:12:45,141
And so I think that's
when he was concerned,
300
00:12:45,224 --> 00:12:48,060
and so he started looking
at her phone
301
00:12:48,185 --> 00:12:51,188
and found, you know,
that she'd been calling
302
00:12:51,272 --> 00:12:55,109
Jerry Frasier
and found text messages.
303
00:12:56,277 --> 00:12:57,903
‐ Back in 2018, did you work
on the Mullis farm?
304
00:12:57,987 --> 00:12:59,739
‐ Yes.
‐ And in what capacity
305
00:12:59,822 --> 00:13:01,365
did you do work
at the Mullis farm?
306
00:13:01,449 --> 00:13:03,784
‐ Just overseeing
their hog operation.
307
00:13:03,909 --> 00:13:05,703
‐ At some point,
did your relationship
308
00:13:05,828 --> 00:13:07,872
with Amy change
from a business relationship
309
00:13:07,955 --> 00:13:09,540
to some other type
of relationship?
310
00:13:09,623 --> 00:13:10,916
‐ Yes.
‐ And this was
311
00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:12,460
a sexual relationship, correct?
‐ Yes
312
00:13:12,543 --> 00:13:14,670
‐ Generally, where would
you and Amy meet?
313
00:13:14,795 --> 00:13:17,131
‐ Usually just on a gravel road
somewhere.
314
00:13:17,214 --> 00:13:19,008
‐ And in fact,
you talked to the police
315
00:13:19,091 --> 00:13:20,843
shortly after Amy's death?
316
00:13:20,926 --> 00:13:22,178
‐ Yes.
‐ And you indicated to them
317
00:13:22,261 --> 00:13:24,180
that you believe
the last time you saw her,
318
00:13:24,305 --> 00:13:26,140
that you did have some type
of sexual relations?
319
00:13:26,223 --> 00:13:29,560
‐ It wasn't.
Yeah, it was not sex,
320
00:13:29,685 --> 00:13:30,770
It was oral.
321
00:13:30,895 --> 00:13:31,896
[ominous music]
322
00:13:31,979 --> 00:13:33,773
‐ Did you and Amy ever have
323
00:13:33,856 --> 00:13:36,025
any conversations
about what Todd would do
324
00:13:36,108 --> 00:13:39,070
if he found out
she was having an affair?
325
00:13:39,153 --> 00:13:40,696
‐ One time, she did say that
326
00:13:40,821 --> 00:13:43,449
if he ever found out,
she would disappear.
327
00:13:43,532 --> 00:13:46,202
‐ Amy Mullis had told friends
that she was afraid
328
00:13:46,285 --> 00:13:49,705
of her husband and even went
as far as to say, you know,
329
00:13:49,747 --> 00:13:50,998
"If something happens to me,
330
00:13:51,082 --> 00:13:53,042
look at Todd Mullis,
my husband."
331
00:13:53,125 --> 00:13:55,920
‐ All of Amy's friends
were aware that Todd
332
00:13:56,003 --> 00:13:57,671
was a very
controlling personality,
333
00:13:57,755 --> 00:14:02,093
and they even referred to Amy
as "PoT", Prisoner of Todd.
334
00:14:03,094 --> 00:14:05,638
‐ What, if anything, happened
in July 2018?
335
00:14:05,721 --> 00:14:08,808
‐ Todd confronted me
about a bunch of text messages,
336
00:14:08,891 --> 00:14:10,935
and then I denied it.
337
00:14:11,060 --> 00:14:12,812
‐ She said [bleep]
was going to hit the fan
338
00:14:12,895 --> 00:14:16,023
because Todd had called
Jerry's wife.
339
00:14:16,107 --> 00:14:17,942
‐ The prosecution
paints Todd Mullis
340
00:14:18,067 --> 00:14:20,236
as a scorned lover,
betrayed by his wife's
341
00:14:20,319 --> 00:14:23,280
extramarital affairs
and seeking revenge.
342
00:14:23,406 --> 00:14:25,408
He spent years
building their life together
343
00:14:25,533 --> 00:14:28,327
and had everything to lose
if Amy left him.
344
00:14:29,495 --> 00:14:31,580
‐ The way that we know that
the defendant planned this was
345
00:14:31,705 --> 00:14:35,418
after the police executed
a search warrant on his house.
346
00:14:35,501 --> 00:14:38,712
They collected the defendant's
iPad that is connected
347
00:14:38,838 --> 00:14:41,382
to his personal Gmail account,
348
00:14:41,465 --> 00:14:44,427
and they were able to see
searches in the months
349
00:14:44,510 --> 00:14:47,012
before Amy's death.
350
00:14:47,054 --> 00:14:48,722
January 5th, 2018.
351
00:14:48,806 --> 00:14:49,974
There's a search for
352
00:14:50,057 --> 00:14:51,851
"Characteristics
of cheating women."
353
00:14:51,934 --> 00:14:53,978
Did you do that search?
‐ No.
354
00:14:54,061 --> 00:14:55,396
‐ And right around that time,
355
00:14:55,479 --> 00:14:57,857
"Did ancient cultures
kill adulterers?"
356
00:14:57,982 --> 00:14:59,608
Did you do that one?
357
00:14:59,692 --> 00:15:00,693
‐ No.
358
00:15:00,776 --> 00:15:02,111
‐ All the internet searches
359
00:15:02,236 --> 00:15:04,029
are indicative
of premeditation,
360
00:15:04,113 --> 00:15:06,323
planning, determining
how he's going
361
00:15:06,407 --> 00:15:09,493
to accomplish
his wife's murder.
362
00:15:09,577 --> 00:15:13,164
‐ And right after that
"Killing unfaithful women."
363
00:15:13,247 --> 00:15:15,374
Did you do that search?
‐ No.
364
00:15:15,458 --> 00:15:17,918
‐ And the last one
of that bunch
365
00:15:18,002 --> 00:15:20,171
is a visited site,
366
00:15:20,212 --> 00:15:23,591
"Punishment is 18 months
for killing cheating wife."
367
00:15:23,674 --> 00:15:25,843
Did you do that one?
‐ No.
368
00:15:25,926 --> 00:15:27,261
‐ What's more on point
369
00:15:27,344 --> 00:15:30,890
is the fact that he searched
for the penalty
370
00:15:30,973 --> 00:15:34,143
for someone who kills
an adultering spouse.
371
00:15:34,226 --> 00:15:35,728
He was looking forward,
372
00:15:35,811 --> 00:15:39,773
"If I do get caught,
what penalty will I suffer?"
373
00:15:41,025 --> 00:15:42,318
‐ You called 911
on November 10, 2018,
374
00:15:42,401 --> 00:15:44,445
and you pull over
because they want you
375
00:15:44,570 --> 00:15:46,030
to be able to do CPR.
You remember that?
376
00:15:46,113 --> 00:15:47,448
‐ Yeah. Yep.
‐ Because eventually,
377
00:15:47,531 --> 00:15:48,908
you do some CPR on her.
Is that right?
378
00:15:49,033 --> 00:15:50,201
‐ Yes.
‐ Now, Todd, here I'm gonna‐‐
379
00:15:50,284 --> 00:15:51,535
I'm gonna play you the part
380
00:15:51,619 --> 00:15:53,162
where you're doing
the chest compressions.
381
00:15:53,245 --> 00:15:54,622
And I'm just going to ask
that you listen
382
00:15:54,747 --> 00:15:57,500
in between
the chest compressions, okay?
383
00:15:57,583 --> 00:16:00,961
‐ [breathing heavily
over phone]
384
00:16:01,045 --> 00:16:03,339
Cheating whore.
385
00:16:04,548 --> 00:16:05,799
‐ Todd, do you whisper,
"Cheating whore" right there?
386
00:16:05,883 --> 00:16:07,218
‐ No.
387
00:16:07,301 --> 00:16:09,011
‐ Okay, I am going to play
another clip for you.
388
00:16:09,094 --> 00:16:10,638
Just try to listen
really closely.
389
00:16:10,721 --> 00:16:12,681
I just want to know
if you remember what you said.
390
00:16:12,765 --> 00:16:13,891
‐ Cheating whore.
391
00:16:13,974 --> 00:16:16,435
[breathing heavily
over phone]
392
00:16:16,560 --> 00:16:18,354
[indistinct]
393
00:16:18,479 --> 00:16:20,356
Go to hell, cheating whore.
394
00:16:20,439 --> 00:16:22,942
‐ Right there, do you say,
"Go to hell cheating whore?"
395
00:16:23,067 --> 00:16:26,278
‐ Go to hell, cheating whore.
396
00:16:27,071 --> 00:16:28,364
‐ No.
‐ So you don't hear that?
397
00:16:28,447 --> 00:16:30,199
After you hear a ping,
you don't hear
398
00:16:30,282 --> 00:16:31,700
"Go to hell, cheating whore"?
399
00:16:31,742 --> 00:16:33,369
‐ No.
400
00:16:33,452 --> 00:16:35,079
‐ The allegation was that
401
00:16:35,204 --> 00:16:38,374
Todd was making remarks
402
00:16:38,415 --> 00:16:41,877
about his wife
while he was giving her CPR
403
00:16:41,961 --> 00:16:44,213
that indicated
he wanted her to die.
404
00:16:44,338 --> 00:16:46,131
Not only had he denied
it earlier,
405
00:16:46,215 --> 00:16:47,508
and he said it was an accident,
406
00:16:47,591 --> 00:16:51,220
but now we have
this kind of anger and venom
407
00:16:51,303 --> 00:16:53,180
still pouring out at the point
408
00:16:53,264 --> 00:16:55,391
when he's trying
to resuscitate her.
409
00:16:55,474 --> 00:16:58,185
So in terms of whether or not
this was devastating
410
00:16:58,269 --> 00:16:59,603
to his defense?
411
00:16:59,687 --> 00:17:00,604
Absolutely.
412
00:17:03,732 --> 00:17:06,652
‐ The image of Todd
Mullis insulting his wife
413
00:17:06,735 --> 00:17:08,320
while administering CPR
414
00:17:08,404 --> 00:17:11,115
could leave a lasting
impression on any jury.
415
00:17:11,240 --> 00:17:13,701
But did he even have
the time to do it?
416
00:17:13,784 --> 00:17:15,995
Has the prosecution
done enough to convince
417
00:17:16,078 --> 00:17:18,080
12 jurors of his guilt?
418
00:17:18,205 --> 00:17:21,041
‐ So the physical evidence
is absent here,
419
00:17:21,166 --> 00:17:23,002
but the circumstantial
evidence
420
00:17:23,043 --> 00:17:25,796
continues to pile up.
421
00:17:25,879 --> 00:17:29,425
But anybody who's
tried cases knows
422
00:17:29,508 --> 00:17:33,345
that there's no predicting
what a jury will do.
423
00:17:37,683 --> 00:17:38,976
[tense music]
424
00:17:39,059 --> 00:17:41,729
‐ I was a faithful
and loving husband,
425
00:17:41,854 --> 00:17:43,022
and I never did this.
426
00:17:43,105 --> 00:17:46,025
[dramatic music]
427
00:17:46,150 --> 00:17:50,029
‐ You saw photographs
of how big that barn is
428
00:17:50,112 --> 00:17:53,282
and where the entrances
and exits are.
429
00:17:54,408 --> 00:17:56,535
So what the state would
want you to believe apparently
430
00:17:56,577 --> 00:17:58,454
is that Todd went
431
00:17:58,537 --> 00:18:01,457
to the other end
of the bar and out a door
432
00:18:01,582 --> 00:18:04,043
and ran up the length
of a football field,
433
00:18:04,126 --> 00:18:06,128
then onto the red shed,
434
00:18:06,211 --> 00:18:08,130
committed a murder,
435
00:18:08,213 --> 00:18:12,259
got back before Trysten
finished a drink of water.
436
00:18:12,885 --> 00:18:15,804
Now, feasible?
437
00:18:15,888 --> 00:18:18,015
That's what you have to decide.
438
00:18:18,098 --> 00:18:21,352
♪ ♪
439
00:18:21,435 --> 00:18:25,147
‐ Amy Mullis will never get
to see her kids graduate
440
00:18:25,230 --> 00:18:26,732
from high school.
441
00:18:26,857 --> 00:18:30,069
She won't be there
when they go off to college,
442
00:18:30,152 --> 00:18:32,237
and she won't be there
when they get married
443
00:18:32,363 --> 00:18:34,406
because her life ended
444
00:18:34,531 --> 00:18:36,241
when she was brutally
445
00:18:36,367 --> 00:18:38,619
and viciously attacked
446
00:18:38,702 --> 00:18:42,539
with a corn rake
on November 10, 2018.
447
00:18:42,665 --> 00:18:46,377
Amy Mullis
would still be alive today
448
00:18:46,502 --> 00:18:49,963
if it weren't for the actions
of her husband.
449
00:18:50,047 --> 00:18:52,007
[dramatic music]
450
00:18:52,091 --> 00:18:53,842
‐ Todd Mullis maintains
he did not kill
451
00:18:53,926 --> 00:18:57,388
his wife of 14 years
over her extramarital affairs.
452
00:18:57,471 --> 00:18:59,598
But did he come across
as credible?
453
00:18:59,723 --> 00:19:02,351
Would it be enough
for at least one juror,
454
00:19:02,434 --> 00:19:05,562
if not all of them,
to have reasonable doubt?
455
00:19:05,646 --> 00:19:09,108
♪ ♪
456
00:19:09,233 --> 00:19:11,360
‐ So when the jury
left to deliberate,
457
00:19:11,443 --> 00:19:13,696
you don't know
which way it's going to go.
458
00:19:13,737 --> 00:19:17,032
‐ Any case
can have quirks on it.
459
00:19:17,116 --> 00:19:20,035
This was a case
that I was not convinced
460
00:19:20,160 --> 00:19:21,537
would go either way.
461
00:19:21,620 --> 00:19:23,872
‐ We, the jury,
find the defendant,
462
00:19:23,956 --> 00:19:25,708
Todd Michael Mullis,
463
00:19:25,791 --> 00:19:28,836
guilty of the crime of murder
in the first‐degree.
464
00:19:28,919 --> 00:19:30,671
[dramatic music]
465
00:19:30,713 --> 00:19:33,382
‐ Taking the stand
was a gamble that in this case
466
00:19:33,507 --> 00:19:34,842
did not help Todd Mullis.
467
00:19:34,967 --> 00:19:37,261
He tried to tell a story
of a happy family,
468
00:19:37,344 --> 00:19:40,180
but much of the evidence
told a different story.
469
00:19:40,264 --> 00:19:43,016
The confrontation
over his wife's renewed affair
470
00:19:43,100 --> 00:19:44,977
and nearly a year
of internet searches
471
00:19:45,060 --> 00:19:47,229
about killing unfaithful women
472
00:19:47,354 --> 00:19:50,733
may have sealed
Todd Mullis' fate.
473
00:19:52,067 --> 00:19:53,527
Todd Mullis was sentenced
to mandatory life in prison
474
00:19:53,652 --> 00:19:56,613
without the possibility
of parole.
475
00:19:57,573 --> 00:19:59,658
‐ This was,
by outward appearances,
476
00:19:59,742 --> 00:20:01,910
your sort
of all‐American family
477
00:20:02,035 --> 00:20:05,706
but internally, it was
a very troubled family
478
00:20:05,789 --> 00:20:09,918
in a very troubled relationship
between Amy and Todd.
479
00:20:10,002 --> 00:20:11,587
Really, kind of, sums up
480
00:20:11,670 --> 00:20:14,757
the tragedy of this whole case.
481
00:20:14,882 --> 00:20:16,258
Amy Mullis is gone.
482
00:20:16,383 --> 00:20:18,427
The mother of three children.
483
00:20:18,510 --> 00:20:20,012
Todd Mullis will now spend
484
00:20:20,095 --> 00:20:21,597
the rest of his life
in prison.
485
00:20:21,722 --> 00:20:23,891
You have three children
who don't have a mother
486
00:20:23,974 --> 00:20:25,309
or a father, you know,
487
00:20:25,392 --> 00:20:28,353
he left his children
essentially orphans
488
00:20:28,479 --> 00:20:30,856
as a result of this tragedy.
489
00:20:30,939 --> 00:20:33,525
‐ Without a mother
or father to raise them,
490
00:20:33,567 --> 00:20:36,195
the Mullis children have fallen
into a custody battle
491
00:20:36,278 --> 00:20:38,489
between
the surviving grandparents.
492
00:20:38,572 --> 00:20:41,700
A once‐happy family
is now left in shambles.
493
00:20:41,784 --> 00:20:44,536
‐ The destruction
of the family is what I see
494
00:20:44,661 --> 00:20:47,206
as the final coup de grace
495
00:20:47,331 --> 00:20:51,543
so to speak,
in these circumstances.
496
00:20:52,544 --> 00:20:54,213
‐ Defendants are never
forced to take the stand,
497
00:20:54,296 --> 00:20:56,381
but that decision is likely
the biggest one
498
00:20:56,507 --> 00:20:58,175
they'll ever make.
499
00:20:58,258 --> 00:21:01,678
For "Under Oath,"
I am Dan Abrams.
500
00:21:01,762 --> 00:21:04,431
[dramatic music]