Last Tuesday, I wrote about a brief blackout in the courtroom that happened just as testimony was getting underway for the day. Lights went out for about 30 seconds in the windowless courtroom, and guards fumbled with their flashlights to shine them on the defendant, Dale Hausner, who is accused of eight murders.
Now, Hausner is disputing the story. Standing in the courtroom during the lunch break today, Hausner was reading through a handful of newspaper stories printed since the start of the trial. Remember, prosecutors have called Hausner a “narcissist” because he reportedly cut out and saved dozens of newspaper clippings about the Serial Shooter killings while the they were ongoing. In the near-empty courtroom a few minutes ago, he read aloud part of my story published the day after the blackout. “About 30 second later, the lights came back on,” Hausner read. “All the jurors sighed with relief.” (Note: Hausner added a couple words for emphasis.)
“Come on!” Hausner said to his attorneys, apparently not knowing the writer was in the courtroom. “The lights were out for about seven seconds and when I looked over, all the jurors were fine.”
“Be careful,” his attorney Ken Everett said, “I think the reporter is right over there.”
Hausner looked back at the gallery, mumbled something, sat down and laid the story on the table. He read other stories silently to himself.
Photo by pool photographer. Hausner listens to testimony last week during his trial in Maricopa County Superior Court on eight murder charges.
I just wanted to thank you for your updates on this case!
Can you say mistrial?