early in the morning. I submit to you that Gregg Aldrich knew Natalie would be back home in Closter sometime early-to midmorning Monday, and he went there to confront her. He arrived before her. You will hear from a neighbor's housekeeper, Suzie Walsh, that she saw Natalie getting out of her car in her garage at a few minutes be-fore eight. She will tell you that five hours later, at one o'clock, when she drove past Natalie's home, she saw that the car door was still open, and sensed something was wrong. You will hear that she decided to enter the home and found Natalie dying on the kitchen floor. You will hear from the detectives that there was no sign of forced entry, but Natalie's mother will tell you that Natalie had kept a key to the back door, which had a separate lock, in an imitation rock in the backyard. That key was missing. And very significantly, Gregg Aldrich knew where to look for that key since he had bought that imitation rock for Natalie."
Emily continued, "The state acknowledges to you that no evidence physically connecting Gregg Aldrich to the murder scene was recovered. Hence, in the first two years of this investigation, though substantial circumstantial evidence existed regarding Gregg Aldrich, the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office recognized that even great suspicion is not enough. Gregg Aldrich was not arrested until six months ago. He was arrested after the break that was needed occurred. That break came in the person of Jimmy Easton."
This is the toughest part, Emily thought, as she took a sip of water. "I will begin my reference to Mr. Easton by telling you immediately that he is a career criminal. He has numerous felony convictions over a twenty-year span and he has served several terms in prison. Six months ago he did again what he has done most of his adult life--he committed another crime. He broke into a home in Old Tappan, but was caught running from it with money and jewelry. The police were alerted to this burglary by a silent alarm that had been tripped. When he was being processed at the local police department, no doubt he knew he was facing a long prison term. He told the police that he had important information regarding the murder of Natalie Raines. Detectives from the prosecutor's office immediately responded and spoke to him."
The jurors were all listening intently. She sensed their negative reaction when she detailed Easton's prior record of burglary, theft, forgery, and sale of illegal drugs. Before going into all of what Easton had told the detectives, she prefaced it by saying that she would never expect a jury to believe him unless there was substantial corroboration to what he was saying. She stated that there was.
Emily bluntly told the jury that, as they might expect, Mr. Easton a not cooperating simply out of the goodness of his heart. In exchange for his testimony, the prosecutor's office had agreed to limit his prison term on his plea to burglary to four years in prison, which six years less than the ten-year term he could have received as a habitual offender. She told them that sometimes plea agreements like this were necessary to obtain information in a more serious case. She emphasized that Easton would still receive a prison term, but also would benefit from his cooperation.
Emily drew in a deep breath. She was well aware that the jurors mere totally engaged and listening to every word. She told them that in had informed the detectives that he had had a chance meeting in a bar in Manhattan with Gregg Aldrich two weeks before Natalie Raines was murdered. Easton said that Aldrich was drinking heavily and appeared very depressed. He stated that Aldrich started talking to him as they sat at the bar and indicated that he wanted to set rid of his wife. Easton explained to the police that he had recently been paroled and could not get a job because of his criminal record. He was living in a rented room in Greenwich Village and kicking up odd jobs.
"Ladies and gentlemen
Emily continued, "The state acknowledges to you that no evidence physically connecting Gregg Aldrich to the murder scene was recovered. Hence, in the first two years of this investigation, though substantial circumstantial evidence existed regarding Gregg Aldrich, the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office recognized that even great suspicion is not enough. Gregg Aldrich was not arrested until six months ago. He was arrested after the break that was needed occurred. That break came in the person of Jimmy Easton."
This is the toughest part, Emily thought, as she took a sip of water. "I will begin my reference to Mr. Easton by telling you immediately that he is a career criminal. He has numerous felony convictions over a twenty-year span and he has served several terms in prison. Six months ago he did again what he has done most of his adult life--he committed another crime. He broke into a home in Old Tappan, but was caught running from it with money and jewelry. The police were alerted to this burglary by a silent alarm that had been tripped. When he was being processed at the local police department, no doubt he knew he was facing a long prison term. He told the police that he had important information regarding the murder of Natalie Raines. Detectives from the prosecutor's office immediately responded and spoke to him."
The jurors were all listening intently. She sensed their negative reaction when she detailed Easton's prior record of burglary, theft, forgery, and sale of illegal drugs. Before going into all of what Easton had told the detectives, she prefaced it by saying that she would never expect a jury to believe him unless there was substantial corroboration to what he was saying. She stated that there was.
Emily bluntly told the jury that, as they might expect, Mr. Easton a not cooperating simply out of the goodness of his heart. In exchange for his testimony, the prosecutor's office had agreed to limit his prison term on his plea to burglary to four years in prison, which six years less than the ten-year term he could have received as a habitual offender. She told them that sometimes plea agreements like this were necessary to obtain information in a more serious case. She emphasized that Easton would still receive a prison term, but also would benefit from his cooperation.
Emily drew in a deep breath. She was well aware that the jurors mere totally engaged and listening to every word. She told them that in had informed the detectives that he had had a chance meeting in a bar in Manhattan with Gregg Aldrich two weeks before Natalie Raines was murdered. Easton said that Aldrich was drinking heavily and appeared very depressed. He stated that Aldrich started talking to him as they sat at the bar and indicated that he wanted to set rid of his wife. Easton explained to the police that he had recently been paroled and could not get a job because of his criminal record. He was living in a rented room in Greenwich Village and kicking up odd jobs.
"Ladies and gentlemen
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