The Russell “Russ” Faria murder retrial began quietly on Monday in Troy, Missouri. Faria was convicted in 2013 of murdering his terminally ill wife, Elizabeth “Betsy” Faria, in 2011. The Missouri Eastern District Court of Appeals threw out Faria’s conviction in February of this year, based on claims of improperly suppressed evidence and alleged prosecutorial misconduct, paving the way for a new trial.
The atmosphere leading up to the opening of Faria’s retrial has been far different than that of his first trial in 2013, which was highly publicized. The case has now been sealed from public view, at the request of attorneys on both sides, which is likely the reason for the lack of immediate coverage.
The demeanor inside the courtroom is sure to be different this time around as well. One noticeable change will be the lack of a jury. At Faria’s request, his future will be decided solely by the judge. But the most significant variation from the first trial is most definitely the fact that the defense will now be allowed to present evidence pointing to another suspect. Read More »