DETROIT – The prosecution in the Samantha Woll Murder Trial rested its case Tuesday, July 2, after three weeks of detailed testimony.
The jury was also shown photos of the crime scene as the defense begins to make its case.
Prosecutors called dozens of witnesses since the trial began in June. Its final witness was Detroit Police Lt. Richard Sanchez.
“There is no reason Mr. Jackson-Bolanos should have had Samantha Woll’s DNA on him or his clothing,” he said.
The jury also got to hear some phone calls Michael Jackson-Bolanos allegedly made behind bars.
Samantha Woll was found stabbed to death outside her Lafayette Park condo last October. Jackson-Bolanos was arrested a month later.
He’s now on trial for first-degree murder, home invasion and lying to a peace officer.
Prosecutors played phone calls they say were made by Michael Jackson-Bolanos while in the Wayne County jail last January. During those calls, Jackson-Bolanos stuck to his story of his innocence and criticized the investigation.
“Maybe I will wake up soon and reality will be back,” Jackson-Bolanos said on the call.
The defense called its first witness Tuesday afternoon, Michigan State Police Detective Trooper Elizabeth Stockmeyer.
Jackson-Bolanos’ attorney Brian Brown tried to draw attention to other people who could have committed the murder such as Woll’s ex-boyfriend, Jeffrey Herbstman, who called police in a “frantic state” in November and told them he had convinced himself that he had killed her.
“Do you think it was important to gather or remember certain location information from a suspect who called 911 making admissions about killing someone?” Brown questioned.
“I don’t recall,” Stockmeyer said.
The defense also mentioned Aaron Pergament and questioned whether he was stalking Woll.
The trial, which began on June 10, has last much longer than anticipated, according to Judge Marget Van Houten.
Van Houten asked jurors if they would be able to continue beyond Wednesday. None of them objected.
The trial will resume Wednesday morning.