Peter Van Sant

Carol, I'd like you to try to move this. Instead, he pulled the tarp. And this is a courtroom. It's a flat floor. It's lacquered. And he pulled it. It was a dramatic... stunt that backfired. There was also this issue of there was just a couple spots of blood inside the house. Prosecutors seized on that and said, well, that's where he must have been shot.

And the blood started in the kitchen, went down some steps into this lower area where that was his bedroom. And there was a door out there that led outside. According to the defense, why wouldn't there have been a bunch more blood there and some blood spatter if he had been shot And also, and this was confirmed by the Ferris daughter, Amanda, just a few days prior to his disappearance.

And the blood started in the kitchen, went down some steps into this lower area where that was his bedroom. And there was a door out there that led outside. According to the defense, why wouldn't there have been a bunch more blood there and some blood spatter if he had been shot And also, and this was confirmed by the Ferris daughter, Amanda, just a few days prior to his disappearance.

And the blood started in the kitchen, went down some steps into this lower area where that was his bedroom. And there was a door out there that led outside. According to the defense, why wouldn't there have been a bunch more blood there and some blood spatter if he had been shot And also, and this was confirmed by the Ferris daughter, Amanda, just a few days prior to his disappearance.

Her father had been bitten by Melody's dog on the ankle in the kitchen, and he had bled. And so when our people heard this stuff, for them, there was reasonable doubt out there. But what became the biggest piece of evidence for the jurors was when one of these electronics cell phone experts testified

Her father had been bitten by Melody's dog on the ankle in the kitchen, and he had bled. And so when our people heard this stuff, for them, there was reasonable doubt out there. But what became the biggest piece of evidence for the jurors was when one of these electronics cell phone experts testified

Her father had been bitten by Melody's dog on the ankle in the kitchen, and he had bled. And so when our people heard this stuff, for them, there was reasonable doubt out there. But what became the biggest piece of evidence for the jurors was when one of these electronics cell phone experts testified

that Gary Ferris' cell phone shows that the day after they believe he had been placed in that burn pile, his phone moved from the house to the burn pile and back to the house. And at that time, there was only one person that was on the property who could have done that. And that person was Melody.

that Gary Ferris' cell phone shows that the day after they believe he had been placed in that burn pile, his phone moved from the house to the burn pile and back to the house. And at that time, there was only one person that was on the property who could have done that. And that person was Melody.

that Gary Ferris' cell phone shows that the day after they believe he had been placed in that burn pile, his phone moved from the house to the burn pile and back to the house. And at that time, there was only one person that was on the property who could have done that. And that person was Melody.

And for jurors, that was the single most important piece of information for them that said, well, no one was at the farm at that time except Melody.

And for jurors, that was the single most important piece of information for them that said, well, no one was at the farm at that time except Melody.

And for jurors, that was the single most important piece of information for them that said, well, no one was at the farm at that time except Melody.

Yeah. And also that expert analyzed the phone relationship between Melody and her lover, Rusty Barton. They'd had a relationship for several years and they tended to always speak at a certain time in the evening. But on July 3rd, these phone calls went on through the night. There were several of them. And the last call was made around 2.30 in the morning, which was highly unusual.

Yeah. And also that expert analyzed the phone relationship between Melody and her lover, Rusty Barton. They'd had a relationship for several years and they tended to always speak at a certain time in the evening. But on July 3rd, these phone calls went on through the night. There were several of them. And the last call was made around 2.30 in the morning, which was highly unusual.

Yeah. And also that expert analyzed the phone relationship between Melody and her lover, Rusty Barton. They'd had a relationship for several years and they tended to always speak at a certain time in the evening. But on July 3rd, these phone calls went on through the night. There were several of them. And the last call was made around 2.30 in the morning, which was highly unusual.

And it suggested to people, well, what were they talking about? What had just occurred that might demand a phone call like this? And the speculation is a murder.

And it suggested to people, well, what were they talking about? What had just occurred that might demand a phone call like this? And the speculation is a murder.

And it suggested to people, well, what were they talking about? What had just occurred that might demand a phone call like this? And the speculation is a murder.

Well, this was high drama. I've been to so many sentencing hearings and none of us knew this was coming. Melody comes alive. She'd been silent throughout this entire trial, unemotional, stoic, not reacting to some of the things that are being said. And all of a sudden, It was like Mount St. Helens, you know, that lava dome had built up and built up.