Wife acquitted of murdering Marine husband

[lady_kishiria]

Remember Cynthia Sommer, tried two years ago for murdering her Marine sergeant husband with arsenic? We wondered why the D.A.'s office hadn't gone for the death penalty.

Turns out she didn't do it.

We're not talking "she got her sentence overturned on a technicality" here. She flat out didn't do it. The D.A.'s office seems to have not gone after the death penalty because they *knew* the medical evidence was shaky. Instead, they concentrated on how she behaved after his death, most notably that she got a boob job.

There was still tissue at Balboa Medical, so they ran tox screens on it finally and it turned out that there was no arsenic in the husband's body at all.

And then people wonder why I'm against capital punishment.

(Edit: I spelled the name wrong and didn't put up the San Diego Union-Trib article because it was awful. If KUSI's web site has the story now, it didn't last night, their coverage was voluminous.)

Comments

[cinchntouch.livejournal.com]

Ms. Sommer might be able to sue the D.A. for malicious prosecution. I wonder if they thought they even had a winnable case.

[kishiriadgr.livejournal.com]

Because just as the worst axe murderer must have a defense attorney, someone with a weak case must have a zealous prosecution. Remember, this may have been a weak case based on circumstantial evidence, but her behaviour was still suspicious and the prosecution *had* a case. If she'd dressed in black and stayed home instead of being a party girl, no one would have ever pursued this.

[heisenfeature.livejournal.com]

And that right there is what I hate most about society. If you do exactly what they expect of you and conform, you're okay. The moment you step past that, you're a horrible person who deserves the worst.

[cinchntouch.livejournal.com]

To be honest, I know squat about the case outside of your OP. I just don't see how a boob job is circumstantial evidence. Strange behavior? yes. But for all we know she might express her grief through silicon. I am assuming there is more evidence than her behavior after her husband's death, or is that actually enough to try a case?

I like prosecutors btw. I have been informed by attny. friends that I should have been one. LOL

[kishiriadgr.livejournal.com]

She got a boob job, participated in wet t-shirt contests, and had a lot of sex.

Reprehesible behaviour, but not evidence of murder!

[cinchntouch.livejournal.com]

I would agree. Though I think it is suspicious. Unfortunately/fornately suspicions aren't proof.