Crime Stories with Nancy Grace - Film crew finds dead body; And Dad/husband charged with HOMICIDE in "assisted suicide" of ill wife.

Episode Date: July 2, 2019

A film crew stumbles over a decomposing body. Nancy Grace details events leading up to the discovery of remains of a father of six missing for five months. Who killed Lanard Curtaindoll? Also today, a loving husband is charged in the assisted suicide death of his terminally ill wife. Was it really murder? Our panel of experts include Forensics Specialist Joseph Scott Morgan, Clinical Psychologist Dr. Ryan Fuller, Defense Attorney Paula Notari, Medical Examiner Dr. Tim Gallagher and Investigative Reporter Dave Mack. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an iHeart Podcast. Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. Over the past four weeks, the family went out searching fields and vacant homes in both Pontiac and Detroit. Those efforts have turned up nothing. Police tell the family they found Curtin Doll's SUV from that night, but there's been no activity on a cell phone or credit card. Leading me to believe it's more to it than what people are talking about. And they're not talking.

I'm Nancy Grace. This is Crime Stories. Thank you for being with us. Take a listen to our friend Jermont Terry at NBC4. And investigators need tips because with each passing day, it gets harder to believe a father would deliberately desert his family like this. No, the not knowing is the worst part ever. Now, the family insisting that this is completely out of character for Curt and Dahl. Now, they do plan to do another search effort at vacant homes and buildings throughout Detroit and in Pontiac. Right now, police are only saying that this is a missing persons case, but the family suspects foul play. When a guy, Leonard Curtendall, goes missing, family and friends in a panic, but then bizarre turn of events.

Listen to our friends at Fox 2. Film crew was shooting a scene in a wooded area in Pontiac when they noticed a foul smell and soon realized it was coming from a decomposing body. Investigators believe it's the body of a missing Pontiac father. He's been gone for months. We had no idea where he was and how he was doing it to now. family. He's been missing for months. He's been missing for months. He's been missing for months. He's been missing for

months. He's been missing for months. He's been missing for months. He's been missing for months. He's been missing for months. He's been missing for months. He's been missing for months. He's been missing for months. He's been missing for

months. He's been missing for months. He's been missing for months. He's been missing for months. He's been missing for months. He's been missing for months. He's been missing for months. He's been missing for months. He's been missing for After five months of not knowing, his family's starting to get some answers, not the ones they hoped for. I'm just mad it happened like this, dumped in the trash, for real. Oh my goodness, this guy goes missing, his body found in a bizarre manner, an indie film crew on location in a wooded area smells a strong odor and investigates. They find a body, a badly decomposed body.

Joining me right now, syndicated talk show host Dave Mack. Dave Mack, how did this guy, Lenard Curtin, go missing? Actually, he went out the night around Thanksgiving, went to a club, and went out for a night on the town, and never, ever showed back up home. That was where you heard in the first cut. His family was just shocked. They missed him for Thanksgiving. They missed him for Christmas. They missed him for New Year's. This is a family man. He's got six kids, and he just goes off the radar, totally gone and nobody's talking. Wow. Okay, then his body turns up.

Take a listen to our friend at Fox 2, Jessica Dubnock. We're told the body was badly decomposed. Police were able to use tattoos to ID Curtin Dahl, but they can't be certain it's him until the body is taken to the medical examiner. We're here at the right time, right place, right time. The body was taken to the medical examiner. We're here at the right time, right place, right time. Jeremiah Daniel and his film crew were

shooting a movie here Wednesday afternoon. He still had makeup on from the shoot. They discovered the body in a wooded area not too far from Orchard Lake and telegraph. All the skull. Um that's all I could see, and the smell was really bad.

That's when everybody started to freak out. Police are not saying whether this is a suspicious death. They will know more after an autopsy is done. Curtendall's family says it wasn't like him to just disappear. He's very giving. He's a good father, and we love him. So Dave Mack, syndicated talk show host, he was last seen out and about with friends at a local bar.

How long had he been missing before his body was really accidentally stumbled upon? How many months? Five months, Nancy, five months. To Joe Scott Morgan joining me, forensics expert, author of Blood Beneath My Feet on Amazon. You know, Joe Scott, you and I know this to be true because you explain why the longer it takes to find a body, the more time that elapses, the more difficult it is to solve a murder. Yeah, as time goes by, Nancy, you begin to lose evidence. We're talking five months down range since this gentleman was last seen. So everything's going to be compromised at the scene

or potential for compromise at the scene relative to physical evidence. We're talking about clothing, obviously the soft tissue of the body that's going to give this going to be demonstrative of any kind of injuries this man might have sustained. And just the effects of wind, water, rain, snow, freezing temperatures, this sort of thing, and exposure to the elements is going to be very impactful. Well, the reality is that the body was so badly decomposed, just as you were saying, the medical examiner had to use tattoos to make an ID. To Dr. Tim Gallagher joining me, we're now medical examiner out of the Florida jurisdiction. How do you go about when you can't identify by facial recognition, okay? How do you go about

identifying a body? There are certain methods. One of the methods is x-ray. If the person had any orthopedic work done on them, that is operations on their bones, broken bones, we can compare the x-rays from when they were alive to when the body was found. Also dental work. We can get old dental records and identify the person. Also dental work. We can get old dental records and identify the person

through their dental work via that method. Also DNA. We can remove some of the tissue, perhaps some of the bone marrow or some of the pulp from the teeth and send that off for DNA and compare that against known family members. You know, an interesting thing about DNA and fingerprints, you have to have somebody to compare it to, okay? So you can get the victim's DNA, you can get the victim's fingerprints, but unless they're in the fingerprint databank, APHIS or CODIS, there's no way you're going to make a comparison. Explain, Joe Scott Morgan, why there has to be somebody to compare the prints in the DNA to. Yeah, that's the rub. Everybody always asks, well, won't you just ID the body off of fingerprints? Well, that's fine.

You can get a perfect fingerprint taken from a body, for instance. But if in fact there's nobody to compare it to, it's worthless at that point in time. Same with DNA. You have to know who you're looking for. There is no generalized, contrary to what people think, there is no generalized DNA bank that you can actually go to and do a comparison. Now, there's been a lot of changes, but we're still not at the point where we can just drop a DNA sample into a gigantic pool and get a match. I mean, your fingerprints have to be on record. When you're a baby, I think they take a print of your foot,

not your fingerprints. You have to either have a criminal record or you have to have given your fingerprint willingly like I did. When I went into law enforcement, I had to give my fingerprints. And they still exist somewhere out there. So I guess, you know, I won't be killing my husband anytime soon. Let's just put it that way and leave a fingerprint behind anyway. Long story short, I want to go back to Dave Mack, syndicated talk show host.

So we find his body after months and months being gone. Last seen at a club. Now, wasn't that club owned by his girlfriend's dad? Actually, it was owned by his so-called girlfriend. I say so-called because his family says they weren't dating. Apparently, Lakeisha Hawkins and Lenard Kirkendall did have a relationship of sorts, and something happened in the club that night that Lakeisha's father, Kenneth Hawkins, actually witnessed. And that's where we sit right this minute, is what did he do when he saw this interaction between Leonard and Lakeisha? Okay, when you say they had interaction, for all I know, he could have bought her a Diet Coke at the bar.

What do you mean by the father? Okay, first of all, you're saying she, the daughter, Lakeisha Hawkins, age 33, owned the bar. I also have information the dad, but it's the same thing. The last place he was seen was an establishment run by his on-and-off girlfriend, Lakeisha Hawkins. Her dad also there, Kenneth Hawkins. So when you say the dad, 49-year-old Kenneth Hawkins, sees interaction between Lakeisha and Lenard Curtendall, what do you mean by that? I'm trying to be kind.

Lenard apparently, according to witnesses, was in an argument that escalated to where he put his hands on Lakeisha, putting his hands on her throat and was choking her, and that's what Kenneth Hawkins allegedly saw in the bar that night. Take a listen to our friend reporter Jen Shands at WXYZ. Curtendall's brother says

when L.A. first went missing, he knew something was wrong. Bro don't leave. He's not leaving his family. That's off top. Dozens of people gathered where Curtin Doll's body was found Saturday night to light candles, pray, and share memories, which for White, center around their children just him being a loving father um supporting his kids and always being there for them um i'm gonna miss that support you know we've missed him these last few months and it's been you know it's been rough Crime stories with Nancy Grace. Curtindall's brother says when L.A. first went missing, he knew something was wrong. Bro don't leave. He's not leaving his family. That's off top. Dozens of people gathered where Curtin Doll's body was found Saturday night to light candles, pray and share memories, which for White

center around their children. Just him being a loving father, supporting his kids and always being there for them. I'm going to miss that support. You know, we've missed him these last few months, and it's been, you know, it's been rough. Wait a minute. Wait a minute. A loving father with six children. Then what's he doing with a girlfriend out at a bar at night? Take a listen to Erica Erickson at Fox 2. Six months after their brother, 41-year-old Lenard Curtin, of Pontiac, went missing, and exactly two weeks since his decomposing body was found in this THE FAMILY SAYS THE FAMILY IS NOT TOLD ABOUT THE FAMILY'S DEFENSE. THE FAMILY IS NOT TOLD ABOUT THEIR BROTHER'S MURDER. 41-YEAR-OLD LENARD CURTENED ALL

OF PONTIAC WENT MISSING. EXACTLY TWO WEEKS SINCE HIS DECOMPOSING BODY WAS FOUND IN THIS EMPTY FIELD. HIS FAMILY BELIEVES THERE'S MUCH MORE NOT BEING TOLD ABOUT THEIR BROTHER'S MURDER. WHATEVER HAPPENED IN THAT

CLUB, HE DIDN'T DESERVE THAT. HE DIDN'T DESERVE TO BE DUMPED OUT HERE LIKE THIS. BACK IN NOVEMBER, THE OAKLAND COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE SAYS LENARD HAD BEEN A member of the Oakland County Sheriff's Office says Leonard had been inside this Pontiac club with his girlfriend, 34-year-old Lakeisha Hawkins. But Leonard's family says Lakeisha was not his girlfriend. Apparently, the two had been seeing each other despite them both seeing other people. That girl been stalking my bro. That girl is very, very hateful.

She is a lifetime movie. Whole flick. A whole movie. This would feel like a lifetime movie. Hopefully. A whole movie. This would feel like a lifetime movie. Okay, right there. You're hearing now, granted, this is his family, Leonard Curtin Dolls, but to Dr. Ryan Fuller, clinical psychologist, executive director at New York Behavioral Health, as I always say when I'm trying to figure out a murder, look around for the nut as soon as you find the nut that's the most likely person to act out of the norm and here you've got now granted you got to consider the source it's his

family but they say she stalked him and that she is quote a lifetime movie i would say that qualifies as a nut dr fuller yeah well we do we do know that, as you kind of allude to, that sort of abnormal behaviors are correlated with other abnormal behaviors. And so, you know, you certainly want to pay attention to if there's a lot of drama and things like that. That certainly doesn't mean there's physical violence involved, but certainly we do know that intense negative emotions like anger and things like that do put us at risk for aggression. Very rare when that happens, but you certainly don't want to ignore those kinds of factors. If someone's got a chaotic life, certainly it makes sense that investigators would want to pay close attention to that as a possibility. Well, according to Fox 2 reporter Erica Erickson,

it gets worse. Lenard's family says quite possibly the most disgusting part about all of this is when their brother went missing, Lakeisha Hawkins helped them search for him. She's just a sick person. She's a sick individual. She picked us up, passed out flyers, drove us around. Leonard's siblings also say Lakeisha Hawkins offered a $10,000 reward to find him. And that's not all. He sat here at the vigil with you. Right. Kenneth Hawkins since charged with five counts including open murder. Lakeisha Hawkins charged with carrying away of a human body and accessory after the fact.

Y'all see her face? Ain't no tears in that woman's face. Ain't no pain in her eyes. Kenneth Hawkins facing life in prison. Lakeisha facing 10 years. You know, it always amazes me to Dr. Ryan Fuller. And again, I'll bring up Scott Peterson because he's such a perfect example of him going to the vigil. We've seen that many times standing by when he knew where Lacey Peterson was. He killed her. How do these people keep, how do they keep a straight face? Yeah, I mean, it's unclear in every individual case, but you've asked about personality disorders in the past. It's possible someone like that could have any social personality disorder where

they're actually not experiencing empathy or remorse. They just simply don't experience those kinds of emotions and are able to sort of behave in instrumental ways that allow them to achieve their goals without sort of concern and care for others. They're really focused on preserving themselves, surviving and achieving whatever it is they've identified as the goal. You know, the reality is to you joe scott morgan if that film crew had not found curt and all's body these two kenneth and lakisha hawkins could have gotten away

with a murder yeah yeah you're absolutely right nancy you know the further further down in time that we go we talk about losing evidence as goes by, things get more and more compromised. And, yeah, if they had not stumbled on to this fellow's body, yeah, it's quite possible. You know, I often think, you know, when all the cases I worked over the course of my career, how many bodies were actually out there that were never found? This could have been one of them. To you, Dave Mack, she is out already on a $200,000 cash bond. What's the chance she's going to take off?

That's what they're deeply concerned about is that she's going to bolt. They're keeping the dad locked up. They're keeping close track. You know, they've got a monitoring device on her and everything else. But, you know, Nancy, one last thing on the body. You know, the family actually searched the area where the body was found. His sister walked that path, and they believe that these people went and moved the body there because they had already searched that place. Okay, that takes some cold blood.

And to Dr. Tim Gallagher out of Florida, you know, the body was so decomposed. It had been there for over five months before it was found. Could that affect the evidence the prosecutors need for a conviction? Well, it's difficult to say. Number one, you have to determine what the cause of death is. If it was, for instance, multiple gunshot wounds and then some of those gunshot wounds were visible on the bones in the skull, if there were gunshot holes and entrances and exits going through the skull, then the decomposition of the soft tissue might not play into determining the cause of the murder. If there was things such as strangulation, then of course that might, that evidence will be lost in the decomposition process.

And let me ask you the same question. To Joe Scott Morgan, the body had been there over five months. Could the level of decomposition affect the evidence, basically what the state needs to prove the cause of death? Yeah, I guess that it could, Nancy, to a certain degree, but I was encouraged. I remember hearing what the film crew said. They said, we saw his shirt. So if this is something, say, for instance, like a gunshot wound,

if a gunshot wound passed through that shirt, there might be an opportunity for that shirt to hold some evidence relative to things, well, first off, like it's been fired through, and secondly, like a range of fire, this sort of thing. So that soot deposition that might be on the shirt might still be there. To Dave Mack, syndicated talk show host, do we know the cause of death is gunshot? And if so, is it multiple gunshot? No, it's one gunshot directly in the chest.

And according to a witness inside the club, Mr. Hawkins pulled the gun, put it right up to his chest, backed up a couple of inches and fired. So there is an eyewitness. And just like Joe Scott Morgan mentioned, the shirt was there. The shirt is going to show evidence of a gunshot. And I just can't help believe there's a chance that bullet is still there. We wait as justice unfolds. Kenneth Hawkins behind bars, his daughter Lakeisha Hawkins out on bond. Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. Now the 65-year-old man from Westbrook is charged with second-degree manslaughter. Earlier this year, state lawmakers considered the Aid in Dying bill

that would essentially legalize assisted suicide, allowing doctors to prescribe a lethal dose of medication to adults who are terminally ill and have less than six months to live. The measure was the focus of intense debate but died in committee. With so many states passing these laws now and over 20% of Americans having access to these laws zip codes are defining end-of-life care and end-of-life choices for some. That's wrong. Connecticut should do better. Tim Appleton works for Compassion and Choices, an organization that focuses on improving care and expanding options for people at the end of life.

Although he says they don't know enough details about Connor's case to say if the family member could have benefited from the aid in dying bill. Connecticut residents should have access to this law and it should join the one in five Americans in other states that do. So family members aren't faced with this terrible choice that could land them in the criminal justice system. However, there are advocates for those with disabilities who are worried families could take advantage of the bill if it was enacted. That's Fox 61's Xenia Maldonado. In the last hours, a husband charged with manslaughter for holding a gun up to his terminally ill wife's head so she could pull the trigger and kill herself. He says she was too weak to steady the weapon after a horrific year-long battle with cancer.

I'm Nancy Grace. This is Crime Stories. What is right? What is wrong? Joining me right now, syndicated talk show host Dave McDave. What's happening? The woman actually was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and it had spread to various parts of her body.

The chemotherapy and radiation that she was undergoing, the treatment was so painful because it was exacerbated by her Lyme disease. She was in constant agony, constant pain. She was looking for any kind of way out. Lori's battle against cancer was horrific. As a matter of fact, listen to this. She had ovarian cancer that had spread to other organs in her body and the treatments for that combined with the Lyme disease she already had left her just in constant pain. That's according to the arrest warrant we already have. 65-year-old Kemp Connors turned himself into police yesterday. This was a long police investigation. About a year and a half ago, his 63-year-old wife Lori was diagnosed with cancer. Her doctor told police about her pain

and her weakness that she was feeling. She actually tried to kill herself once before THE WIFE OF THE MAN WHO WAS KILLED IN THE SHOOTING OF THE WIFE'S HUSBAND. THE WIFE WAS A FAMILY MEMBER OF A FAMILY MEMBER WHO WAS CONVICTED OF CANCER. HER DOCTOR TOLD POLICE ABOUT HER PAIN AND HER WEAKNESS THAT SHE WAS FEELING. SHE ACTUALLY TRIED TO KILL HERSELF ONCE BEFORE WITH WHISKEY

AND PILLS AND FAILED. THE REPORTS SAY SHE ASKED HER HUSBAND FOR HELP THIS TIME AROUND. SO LAST SEPTEMBER 6TH, THE ARREST WARRANT SAYS HIS WIFE WAS LYING IN BED. HE HELD A GUN TO HER HEAD WHILE SHE PULLED THE TRIGGER. THE TWO OF THEM TRIED TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE SHE DID IT ALL BY pulled the trigger. The two of them tried to make it look like she did it all by herself, but police could tell she had help, and he quickly admitted to what he had done when police started

asking her about that. And because assisted suicide is not legal in the state of Connecticut, he is now facing a count of manslaughter, too, that is assisting someone with taking their own life. Despite the difficult situation and whatever sympathies people might feel, it is technically a homicide and is being treated as such. That's WTNH News 8 Kent Pierce. Straight out to Paula Notari, criminal defense attorney, federal trial lawyer. Paula, question, what impact will Lori's reported suicide notes and previous suicide attempts have on the case against her husband of 42 years, Kevin Connors. Nancy, I think this case is tragic. I think we need some compassion here. And I think that this is a jury nullification case.

I think that the defense is just going to have to do their best to show that this husband was desperate to end the pain and suffering of his wife. This is a good man, a good marriage. He loved his wife. They had four children together. There's no indication that anyone wanted to go, that mom wanted to kill herself because she was in so much pain. And the husband was just trying to stop his wife from living this life of torture. And he, in the end, he was, I mean, this case really touches home for me because I had a daughter that passed away five years ago, and I had to watch her in the end stages of life.

And there's nothing more compelling and horrible than for a family member to watch another family member suffer. I think any juror that has watched a loved one, you know, die from a horrific disease like cancer is going to feel his compassion and they're going to, this is jury nullification. This is a case that I think will play an important role in legislation to euthanasia. You know what, Paula Notari, excellent point. Here is the problem, Joe Scott Morgan, Joe Scott forensics expert, author of Blood Beneath My Feet on Amazon. Joseph Scott Morgan, I covered a case somewhat similar to this,

where the wife died after a long battle, not with cancer, but a different ailment. The husband, quote, helped her commit suicide. Turned out he had a girlfriend. There was inheritance to him upon his wife's death. It looked really bad. That's the problem. That was not the case here with the Connors. They'd been married 42 years. He had been by her side throughout her entire battle with cancer. But when you pass a euthanasia bill

and allow euthanasia or mercy killing, that may not address the facts of each case. It's a tough call, Joe Scott. Yeah, it is, Nancy. And you don't know what people's motivations are at the end of the day. As an investigator, when we take a look at this, we have to put it to the litmus test of law relative to whatever the homicide statutes are in that particular jurisdiction. At the end of the day, you've got one person taking the life of another person. It doesn't mean that we as investigators are not without compassion, but we have to stick to the law as we investigate these cases and collect all of the evidence that we can. And then at the end of the day, it's going to be up to the prosecutor, the defense attorney, and ultimately the judge and the jury to make that determination. Well, the reality is, Joe Scott,

that police investigated Lori's death for nine months before they ever arrested husband Kevin Connors. Let me ask you, do you believe there's more to the story? What does that mean to you? Well, you know, I think that at the end of the day, they're struggling. They're wrestling with the idea of what statutory obligations are. And they have to look at this very, very carefully. Was there any underlying evidence that he was angry at her, that there was some kind of, you know, uh, uh, unresolved issues with them that he just wanted to take her life maliciously. And they're, they're having to, and they look, these people know, they know what the public is going to say relative to this.

The lion's share of people are going to say, look, he ended her life because she was suffering. But we still cannot escape what the law requires. So you believe those nine months were taken to study potential motives, to study the background of the victim and her husband, the state of their marital relationship, possibly even the poundage required on the trigger pull to show that he pulled the trigger, not her. I mean, in my mind, that is a very intricate investigation. Yeah, yeah, it is, Nancy. And, you know, you couple that with her physical condition, as you mentioned, she's debilitated, she's laying in bed. Look, this lady is suffering from a myriad of problems, you know, not the least of which is obviously metastatic carcinoma. And she's also got

Lyme disease, Nancy, which makes this all the more horrible. Can you imagine the suffering that's going on with her? And she is in a weakened state. And does she have the presence of mind to make this decision at the end of the day? Did she say, go and get me the weapon, place it in my hand, cock the weapon for me, and I'll pull the trigger? So does that make him the perpetrator in this case because he went and put the weapon in her hand? Crime Stories with Nancy Grace.

65-year-old Kevin Connors of Westbrook is a loving father, grandfather and husband of 42 years. And now he faces a second degree manslaughter charge for allegedly helping his terminally ill wife die by suicide. Mr. Connors did what any loving husband would do. Connors told police he held the gun to his wife Lori's head and she pulled the trigger on September 6th. He turned himself in on Thursday, posted a $50,000 bail and faced a judge on Friday. This is an aberration. HE WAS ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE BUSINESS. THE DRIVER PULLED THE TRIGGER ON SEPTEMBER 6TH. HE TURNED HIMSELF IN ON THURSDAY, POSTED A $50,000 BAIL

AND FACED A JUDGE ON FRIDAY. THIS IS AN ABORREMIA. SHE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH LATE STAGE OVARIAN CANCER WHICH HAD SPREAD TO OTHER PARTS OF HER BODY AND SUFFERING FROM LYME DISEASE ACCORDING TO THE ARREST WARRANT AND CONTEMPLATING SUICIDE FOR SOME TIME, EVEN some time, even surviving an attempt a month before she died, leaving behind many suicide notes to family members. She was suffering horribly, going through chemotherapy and in considerable pain. She decided and took actions to escape that pain. A legislative proposal to

allow medical aid in dying was introduced in Connecticut's General Assembly this spring, but did not win approval. The ACLU has been pushing for death with dignity legislation for years. Incidents like this show the need for the legislature to really grapple with this issue and come to some resolution. That's Fox 61 reporter Samara Abramson. You know, I want to go back to Paula Notari, criminal defense attorney. You know, the judge holds a lot of this in his or her hand and I'll tell you why I think that the defense if they've got the right judge could go to the judge before you have a jury before one piece of evidence is put up and ask the judge for basically a summary judgment asking the judge to throw out the case before it goes to the jury. And if the judge is pro-mercy killing,

he or she may do it. What do you think? Yeah, I think, well, not every jurisdiction allows for that, but certainly in cases where the defense and the prosecutors are sort of bound by the law, as the investigator said just now, that they do their investigations, but ultimately the law is the law and they have to follow the law. But in a case where I think the parties are equally troubled by the fact that this is compassion and not bad intent, I think they can go for a bench trial or some other option to show that his intent was not an intent to kill, but it was compassion, and they can reach some type of alternative. I mean, clearly where judges are compassionate, where prosecutors are compassionate,

there's a lot of different options for the parties, you know, diversion or this guy was a correctional officer on top of it. So, I mean, he dedicated his life to law enforcement and now he's on the other side. So there must be tremendous compassion for some type of just result. Well, here are a few choices the judge would have to take a look at the indictment and say, right at the beginning, the evidence that we know, the charges themselves don't support a cause. Let me just tell you a cause of action.

That's not going to happen. The judge is not going to try to change the law from the bench. Here's another thing. As you pointed out, a bench trial could happen. And what that means is you don't strike a jury, you put it to the judge. And the judge, here's the case. I've done that many times. I never liked bench trials. I'd rather take my chances with a jury than the whim of one person. But that's a potential, that's an alternative. Then you've got a directed verdict. A directed verdict is when after the state puts, now this is a possibility right here, after the state puts up the case, the defense

moves for directed verdict. Before the defense puts up a case, before it goes to a jury and says the state hasn't made out a case, I want a directed verdict. The judge might rule that way. The other alternative is a verdict, a directed verdict notwithstanding the evidence at the entire, the end of the entire case before you give it to a jury. I mean, there's several options the judge has, although I think a judge is going to let this go to a jury trial and put it off on the jury. I mean, that's the way the system is set up. Yeah, I agree with you. I don't think this is the kind of case where, I mean, the statute is so specific where he's actually being charged with assisted suicide, which is what happened. So

I think the judge would be hard pressed to just not to just decide and not let this go to the jury. But let's remember, the judge will have discretion if the jury does find him guilty at sentencing. You know, I think that it's a manslaughter charge. So the judge will have discretion to be lenient with him. Yeah, the judge can be lenient. Take a listen to WTNH News 8 Mario Boone. It's a story making national headlines. Kevin Connors charged with second-degree manslaughter. Kevin Connors is a kind, compassionate, loving father, grandfather, husband of 42 years. Yet he's now accused of helping his cancer-stricken wife, Loretta, take her own life. Mr. Connors did what any loving husband would do. He's here today holding himself to be accountable for his actions. Clad in a dark blue suit and burgundy tie,

Connors answering the serious charge in court Friday for the first time. Last year, his wife was diagnosed and struggling with a terminal late stage cancer that was aggressive. She was suffering horribly, going through chemotherapy and in considerable pain. Tell me, straight out to you, Dave Mack, syndicated talk show host, tell me the status of the case right now. Right now, waiting on the court date to move forward. And again, he's been charged officially with manslaughter. And we'll see where it goes once he gets to court.

Victim Lori Connors is a mother of four. Where do her children stand on this, Dave Mack? Firmly on the side of their father. They knew the relationship. You alluded to the number of notes that she wrote to her family members before this took place. So they're not just sympathetic and empathetic, they're firmly on the side of dad. Take a listen to WTNH News 8, Mario Boone. State police warrants show before she ended her life in September 2018, Mrs. Connors penned 13 suicide notes and even STATE POLICE WARRANTS SHOW BEFORE SHE ENDED HER LIFE IN SEPTEMBER 2018... MRS. CONNORS PINNED 13 SUICIDE NOTES AND EVEN SURVIVED A PREVIOUS SUICIDE ATTEMPT. INVESTIGATORS SAY MR. CONNORS INITIALLY CLAIMED TO BE ASLEEP WHEN HIS WIFE SHOT HERSELF...

THEN LATER ADMITTED HELPING HOLD THE GUN TO HER HEAD. HE INSISTED THOUGH... SHE PULLED THE TRIGGER. SOT we're confident at the end of this process justice will be able to come out and say

that we're going to get justice done. SOT we're going to get justice done. SOT we're going to get justice done. SOT

we're going to get justice done. SOT we're going to get justice done. SOT we're going to get justice done. SOT we're going to get justice done. SOT

we're going to get justice done. SOT we're going to get justice done. SOT we're going to get justice done. SOT we're going to get justice done. SOT

we're going to get justice done. SOT we're going to get justice done. SOT we're going to get justice done. SOT we're going to get justice done. SOT, though, she pulled the trigger. We're confident that at the end of this process, justice will prevail. Mr. Potters will be returned to loving care of his family. Now, there have been attempts over the years to legalize assisted suicide here in Connecticut. However, those efforts have faced stiff opposition. But we do know that after a nine-month investigation, they charged him with manslaughter, not murder. To me, that's very probative.

You know, when you actually look at this case, Nancy, you mentioned it a minute ago, you know, because of what it sets up for the, you know, you take this case and you've got a loving relationship here where everybody is just sympathetic, but it's always the other case, you know, of the guy who's actually setting it all up to make it look like that, when in fact he's a scoundrel who took his wife out. I mean, you know, the law is the law for a reason. We wait as justice unfolds.

Nancy Grace, Crime Story, signing off. Goodbye, friend. This is an iHeart Podcast. Goodbye, friend.