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November
21, 2002
News Specialist Jed Boal reporting
(Salt Lake City-KSL News) -- Patricia Bottarini could have
easily plunged to her death in Zion National Park without
being pushed -- that's the testimony of a defense witness
in the trial of James Bottarini.
Bottarini
is accused of shoving his wife off a cliff five years ago
to collect more than $1 million in life insurance and investment
money.
For more than two weeks, jurors listened to the prosecutor's
version of evidence against James Bottarini.
Today, they started to hear the possibilities for the other
side of the story.
Early next week they'll have to decide whether Patricia Bottarini
was pushed, or accidentally fell.
A week ago, federal jurors stood on this ledge, looked over,
and wondered if Patricia Bottarini could have stumbled and
fallen to her death 500 feet below.
Today a scientist told them it's very possible.
Federal prosecutors say James Bottarini pushed his 36-year-old
wife off the Observation Point Trail in 1997, then lied about
it to collect on $1.25 million.
A forensic engineer testified today that the woman could have
slipped, stumbled, tripped or fallen off this trail without
being pushed. He even showed them short videos with computer-generated
figures to illustrate the point.
The expert witness said trying to recover from a stumble could
produce enough lateral force to send a person over the steep
edge.
This contradicts the testimony of the prosecution's expert.
He concluded last week it was not likely Patricia Bottarini
stumbled and fell to her death on that trail.
The defense expert admitted he cannot tell how or why she
fell, but he said there are countless ways Patricia Bottarini
could have stumbled to her death, such as tripping on a rock,
a leg giving out, or fainting.
Ultimately, he said, it's very possible someone could stumble
and go over the edge.
Earlier, friends of the Bottarinis testified that the couple
had a normal, loving relationship without marital strife.
A nanny for the couple's two young boys testified that she's
100 percent sure Bottarini is not guilty.
The New Jersey man is charged with interstate domestic violence
and wire fraud, but prosecutors must prove he killed his wife
to prove their case.
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