Reasonable doubt

"The gun is in Pat Russin's hands, it isn't in Hugo Selenski's hands," Fannick said.

WILKES-BARRE – In a three-hour closing argument, the attorney for double-homicide suspect Hugo Selenski said the case against his client is "a mess" and is filled with reasonable doubt.
Demetrius Fannick, who occasionally raised his voice and passionately disputed prosecution theories, not only said authorities haven't proven Selenski robbed and killed two suspected drug dealers, he suggested that two prosecution witnesses, Pat Russin and Paul Weakley, might have killed the men themselves.

Whether or not you think Hugo is guilty, Fannick has done a great job. Everyone I have talked to think he has run circles around the DA's case. The TL poll agrees:


Poll: What do you think the decision of the Hugo Selenski jury will be?

Guilty of first degree murder
43 votes (14%)

Guilty of a lesser charge.
54 votes (18%)

Not Guilty
202 votes (68%)

And he will use theatrics, WNEP:

Fannick closed by saying no shotgun pellets were found near the bodies and to hammer home his point, he scattered hundreds of shotgun pellets across the floor of the courtroom.

The best comment on this case that I have read:


D.B. Echo said...

If I ever decide to murder someone by stabbing them with a rhinoceros horn in front of a bunch of witnesses while smoking a Cuban cigar and carrying a suitcase full of heroin with a dead underage Romanian hooker tucked under my arm, it's gonna be in Wilkes-Barre. I just hope I get the same defense team, prosecutors, and judge as Hugo.