Robert Kiner

We needed to present the jury with some kind of alternative to Delbert having done this. And I don't mean that to sound as if we needed to create something. Maybe we just needed to dig a little further into the case. And I think that's around the time that Albert Sargent's name surfaced. Albert Sargent was a local guy, probably twice Delbert's age. Delbert, in fact,

We needed to present the jury with some kind of alternative to Delbert having done this. And I don't mean that to sound as if we needed to create something. Maybe we just needed to dig a little further into the case. And I think that's around the time that Albert Sargent's name surfaced. Albert Sargent was a local guy, probably twice Delbert's age. Delbert, in fact,

I've lived with him for some period of time. He was a martial artist. And as we came to see, he was a little bit, he came across as kind of dangerous and not all there. And the more we delved into this, the more it became apparent to us that he may have been involved in this in some way.

I've lived with him for some period of time. He was a martial artist. And as we came to see, he was a little bit, he came across as kind of dangerous and not all there. And the more we delved into this, the more it became apparent to us that he may have been involved in this in some way.

that notion just became stronger and stronger as time wore on to the point where we decided we were going to take his deposition. Chris Frappier had established a pretty good relationship with Albert Sargent, so I think he was unaware of what our thinking was. I think he was caught off guard a little bit during his deposition, and he gave some answers, and I

that notion just became stronger and stronger as time wore on to the point where we decided we were going to take his deposition. Chris Frappier had established a pretty good relationship with Albert Sargent, so I think he was unaware of what our thinking was. I think he was caught off guard a little bit during his deposition, and he gave some answers, and I

I can't remember exactly what they were, but I do remember that they were answers that threw even more suspicion on him that he could have been involved in this somehow. And so our defense posture slowly morphed from simply the confession was not to be believed because of overbearing cops. That Delbert had no reason to do this, was not looked upon as dangerous. He didn't have a criminal record.

I can't remember exactly what they were, but I do remember that they were answers that threw even more suspicion on him that he could have been involved in this somehow. And so our defense posture slowly morphed from simply the confession was not to be believed because of overbearing cops. That Delbert had no reason to do this, was not looked upon as dangerous. He didn't have a criminal record.

He got into small scrapes. I think he was charged a couple times with minor offenses, but never convicted. The state's case was grounded primarily on a confession that shouldn't be believed. So that was the early on theory. But then as this Albert thing evolved, we came to believe that we might have

He got into small scrapes. I think he was charged a couple times with minor offenses, but never convicted. The state's case was grounded primarily on a confession that shouldn't be believed. So that was the early on theory. But then as this Albert thing evolved, we came to believe that we might have

a good explanation for how this murder occurred and that the police should have been looking toward Albert Sargent and not Albert Tallman. But because the confession happened so soon after the murder, I think it was case closed in their eyes and it was up to us to undo what a lot of people believed was a fait accompli come trial time.

a good explanation for how this murder occurred and that the police should have been looking toward Albert Sargent and not Albert Tallman. But because the confession happened so soon after the murder, I think it was case closed in their eyes and it was up to us to undo what a lot of people believed was a fait accompli come trial time.

Dumont and I going crazy, jumping on the defense table, thinking the judge can't possibly at this stage of the game allow this to happen. We argued. I think it became quite heated. Ultimately, the judge ruled that he was going to allow the state to call Agent Rawalt to testify. Dumont and I were stunned.

Dumont and I going crazy, jumping on the defense table, thinking the judge can't possibly at this stage of the game allow this to happen. We argued. I think it became quite heated. Ultimately, the judge ruled that he was going to allow the state to call Agent Rawalt to testify. Dumont and I were stunned.

I can't think I couldn't think at the time and I can't think now of the judge that would have allowed that testimony at that late date. But Judge Hudson decided to allow it. And we continued to argue about this in front of the judge. We had no notice of this. This is obviously crucial testimony. And here we are in the middle of the trial.

I can't think I couldn't think at the time and I can't think now of the judge that would have allowed that testimony at that late date. But Judge Hudson decided to allow it. And we continued to argue about this in front of the judge. We had no notice of this. This is obviously crucial testimony. And here we are in the middle of the trial.

I headed for the men's room and was literally standing at a urinal. And I looked to my right and someone began speaking to me. And there was Agent Rawalt with a smug grin on his face. And as we were standing there, said to me, Mr. Kiner, I guess you're ready to plead your client guilty now, aren't you? I didn't have any weapons on me, and that was probably a good thing that I didn't.

I headed for the men's room and was literally standing at a urinal. And I looked to my right and someone began speaking to me. And there was Agent Rawalt with a smug grin on his face. And as we were standing there, said to me, Mr. Kiner, I guess you're ready to plead your client guilty now, aren't you? I didn't have any weapons on me, and that was probably a good thing that I didn't.

I just wanted to smash him in the face because I thought he was full of crap, essentially. And the notion, the general notion that I think the public has that all of us want to have that that the FBI is neutral, that they do investigations and they call them and they see them, and they're not on the side of the defense or the side of the prosecution, they're on the side of the truth.

I just wanted to smash him in the face because I thought he was full of crap, essentially. And the notion, the general notion that I think the public has that all of us want to have that that the FBI is neutral, that they do investigations and they call them and they see them, and they're not on the side of the defense or the side of the prosecution, they're on the side of the truth.