Transcripts For WNCN Dateline NBC 20160207

He says, is your heart beating fast . And i said, yeah, it is. I mean, this is it. I looked at him and said lets go down to the comic bookstore. I knew immediately, the crime scene tape was there, they said you cant go through, we are investigating a homicide. Theyre investigating the comic bookstore. The comic bookstore was a mom and pop shot outside detroit. The fantasy big guys, spidey, hulk, xmen. In the Storage Space in back was an ugly reality. One of the shop owners was on the floor. Customers found her. Multiple times there friday night. The 13th. Tom and lenora stopped by the comic book shop before going to dinner. They liked to buy from the woman there, barb. She knew our name when we walked in, she would light up with a smile. Many times would come around the counter to greet us. But not on this summer evening. It was just after 6 00. Tom and lenora picked out a comic but no one was behind the counter to take their money, not barb or her husband michael. It wasnt uncommon someone wouldnt be at the cash register, but this was a longer than normal time. We thought we would stick around because we liked her. Some teenage customers were in the shop browsing, they, too, were itching to pay and go. They were the first to peek into the back room and see barb. Cried out theres somebody back here. At that time tom and i rushed to the back storage area and found we thought she perhaps had fallen backwards and hit her head. I noticed she was blue around her mouth. Her pupils were dilated and big. And, um, i could not find a pulse. Lenora, a customer happened to be a nurse and took charge. She noticed only a small amount of blood and concluded that barb had suffered heart attack or seizure and she told her husband to call 911 while she began administering cpr. I had never done cpr on someone that i knew and loved and i thought please, god, let this be okay. Shes a mother. As the ambulance rushed barb to the hospital, lenora ward thought shed done her professional best and she wasnt at all sure her prayers would be answered. I knew she was medically in dire straits. Emergency room was Barbara George. She doctors were working to get a pulse. One e. R. Nurse was kris kehoe. If you give 100 compressions a minute, the better the chance to revive her. After 15 minutes it was all over. A doctor pronounced barb george, the mother of two dead. It was up to nurse kehoe to clean up the body for the family to view. Thats when she saw it. When we were straightening up her hair we noticed blood on the top of her head. I noticed there was a small hole. My first thought as a nurse was that it had to be a bullet hole there. Imagine that, Barbara George, the nice woman behind the counter, shot. Shot in the head and it didnt seem like it could happen back at the comic bookshop, friends and family showed up for a Birthday Party for her husband. Singing of happy birthday and all of the superheroes from his beloved marvel and action comics looking on. All those guests now stunned to find the party turned into a crime scene. And barb, the hostess, was dead. Two possible clues to solving the mystery, right after the murder witnesses reported seeing a speeding car and a man waiting outside the comic book shop. And he had on a dark outfit for that time of the year. A fishermans cap, is how i would describe it. At kay, the numberone jewelry store. In america. Levian chocolate diamonds. Every kiss begins with kay. Aaaaaaaand were back at Cricket Wireless switch and get a brand new lg risio for 19. 99, or take a spin with the Samsung Galaxy grand prime for 29. 99 Cricket Wireless. Something to smile about. Feel a spark of emotion light up every inch of you. Feel warm inside. Feel our big beautiful candle. Feel glade. Lilly. She pretty much lives in her favorite princess dress. But once a week i let her play sheriff so i can wash it. I use tide to get out those week old stains and downy to get it fresh and soft. You are free to go. Tide and downy their hole in the wall shop, comics world, had been barb and Michael Georges just go for it passion. Over the years and he liked superheroes adventures way more than he liked selling insurance, i used to go to her games. I remember going to the tournaments and she was the typical sister. He was because up in a bash was brought up in a polish family. When she found herman, marriage became the organizing principle of her life. Was she a happy bride . Very happy. She couldnt wait. Two girl, Barbara George seemed complete. Her kids were her pride and joy, and i think that was everything to her. The night of friday the 13th brother joe and his then girlfriend now mary shamo drove over to the comic shop for what was to be a celebration. Barbs surprise Birthday Party in the store for michael. He was turning 30. Michaels mother was going keep the two kids at her house for the weekend while barb and michael took off after the party for a cozy couple of days at a lodge. So that would have been a friday night and it was going to be a romantic weekend . Right. A weekend not meant to be because by the time joe and mary got to the comic bookstore before 9 00, was there confusion, cop cars. We pulled up and joe rolled down the window and the Police Stopped us and they said you cant go through. Were investigating a homicide. Somebody was killed. I immediately thought mike because i thought no one hated my sister. Absolutely nobody. But the victim wasnt mike. It was joes sister and it was steckman to make sense of the senseless. Hed been the investigator on duty when the hospital called that theyd had a woman come in with a single gunshot to the head. Now we had a fullblown homicide. You know its going to be a long night. Yes. As the Detectives Team scoured the strip mall dumpsters for maybe a tossed weapon, clothing, something, he turned over the few facts he had so far. A woman with children gunned down execution style in the back of the little comic bookstore, Police Interviewed merchants and customers at the mall, had anyone seen anything out of the ordinary . It turned out tom and lenora ward did, the couple who had given barb first aid, and picked up on something when they arrived, a speeding car in front of the comic bookshop. And we both thought to ourselves, that car is going too fast. Later, they wondered if that was the getaway car, but another observation tugged at them, who was the guy lurking outside the comic bookshop . That time of the year, a greek fishermans cap is how i would describe it. Another man would say he saw a different suspicious character, someone wearing what appeared to be a fake beard, possibly a bearded lady. The shop was small, deeper than it was wide. Aisles and bins filled with comic books out front by the register and a door to the back storage room. Barbara george had been found just inside the back room. On the far wall was a locked door that led to the alley in the rear. Now were inside the comics corner. Crime scene techs began videotaping the crime scene. The cash register. There was 750 still in the cash register, untouched. In a glass case just behind the till, the collectible vintage comics and they hadnt been ransacked. In the storage area, some bins were toppled over, that as they ran to assist barb george as she lay on the floor. George as 400 was in her pocket and the good jewelry wasnt taken. Later the medical examiner would determine it the shop owner had been shot from above, indicating shed been crouching. Another bullet had been fired first, police believed. It missed and went through a swimsuit calendar on the wall and into the empty shop on the other side of the sheet rock. If it was a robbery at the comic bookstore, it was an unusual one. Just after 8 00, detective steckman was told that the husband of the victim had just arrived. He identified himself and he said whats going on . We said well, theres been an incident here and were sorry to tell you, but your wife has been injured. Injured, not dead. We never told him what happened to her. He doesnt know what happened to his wife. To our knowledge we had no idea what was going on. You have to go over to the at the hospital, Michael George was informed that his wife had died of a gun shot wound to the head. A few minutes later, mary and his brotherinlaw joe came rushing in. The girlfriend was undone by the awful news. Im blown away in shock. I wasnt even related to her, and i was devastated and i was crying and i was upset. But there was someone that didnt seem as upset as mary was, the new widower, Michael George. Why was she so suspicious of the comic book man . An untroubled husband with a very troubled marriage. We started receiving phone calls. We might want to look at his relationship with his employee renee. Real cozy. Yes. Low prices on everything you need to put the fun in your tax refund. Happy tax refundays from walmart. The citi double cash card comes in very handy with cash back twice. With 1 when you buy and 1 as you pay. With two ways to earn on purchases, it makes a lot of other cards seem one sided. Get ready new superstar mascara by loreal. Super dramatic lashes. One primer thickens to the max supervolumized two black fiber formula stretches to the max superextended superstar. sounds of birds whistling music introducing new ky touch gel cr me. For massage and intimacy. Every touch, gently intensified. A little touch is all it takes. Barbara george had been shot to death in the storage room of the comic book shop she owned with her husband michael. Six hours after her murder Michael George had returned from the hospital to show the chief detective sergeant steckman around what was now a crime scene. The back room where barbara was shot was where a robbery must have happened. He noticed two important white boxes were gone. As soon as he walked into the back room he said there were two expensive comic books missing. So hes saying i had expensive stuff. Two boxes of comic books and theyre gone. Michael george made a list of stolen comics and estimated their value at 12,600 and he later filed claims for missing spiderman, Green Lantern and ironman. To name just a few. Hes talking about his robbery. His whole scenario was it had to be robbery. Michael george told the detective he had no idea what happened to his wife. Hed last seen her a little after 4 00 when she relieved him behind the counter. He said he took their two kids over to his moms and remained there napping on her couch until 8 00 when he returned to the comic bookstore. Detective steckman asked him questions the cop would when a wife was murdered. Were there any girlfriends . No. Were you having any affairs . No. Any problems with your marriage . No. Shamo, the girlfriend of barbs brother couldnt make out what he was feeling because his eyes were concealed behind dark, dark sunglasses. Like something a blind person would wear. Or youd see Stevie Wonder wear. And mary sensed that michael was acting strange, only increased after a visit to the trailer park home where Michael George and barbara had lived. She and joe, barbs brother had gone over to give michael some support during tough days. He comes in and her vacuum is sitting there and he grabs the vacuum and embraces the vacuum like he showed more emotion with this vacuum than he did the whole time. Whats he saying to the vacuum . Oh, this was barbs vacuum and oh, my gosh, shes never going to use this vacuum again and he would go to a blender and shes never going to be in the kitchen again. Are you thinking whats up with this guy . I am looking at him like a screw ball. Here you are grieving over the vacuum and these appliances, there was no tears in his eyes and nothing going on. The police, meanwhile, were chasing down bank records, insurance policies looking for leads on the speeding car, the man in the greek fishermans cap, the socalled bearded lady and whether this could have been a botched robbery after all. They were also getting a crash course on the value of vintage comics. Unhappily for them, the case detectives hadnt found the gun and hoped for forensics like a bloody print just werent there, but the investigators were getting calls on the q. T. About Michael George maybe having a girlfriend. When did you learn about a shop assistant named renee. That was two days later. We started receiving phone calls from people advising us that we might want to look at his relationship with his employee named renee. A little cozy. Check it out. Yes. It was barb george who befriended renee the their Childrens School and brought her to work at the comic bookstore. Renee had five children and her floundering marriage had ended in divorce just three weeks before barbs murder. Not long after they buried barbara, mary shamo remembers dropping in unexpectedly at the comic bookshop along with her boyfriend joe and the pair got a shockeroo. They saw them canoodling. Their arms were crossed over to each other and when you lose someone in your life and you look around at the world like whats going on . Why does the world keep moving when i just lost someone so important and here this man is and hes as happy as a clam. You wouldnt think that he had any care in the world the way he was carrying on with her. Michael and renee would set up a new home together with the help of 130,000 Life Insurance payout on barb that he received as beneficiary. Is he becoming what cops call a person of interest . Yes. At that point he was. At that point he had to be. He talked to the police casually at the store that night and then in a more formal interview with the Police Station six days later, but according to detective steckman, Michael George said he would hire an attorney. Lawyer up. Hed stop talking. Exactly. This is a big, unsolved case . Yes. Yes. How much frustration is building with the family . What can you do . Cant take you can take the law into your own hands, but whats going to happen with that . Did you ever talk about it . I felt it. There was times i felt, you know, that i should do something, but, you know, im a catholic. I couldnt live with it. In the comics, superheroes are ageless, but the comic are ageless, but the comic book shop in the clinton strip mall wasnt. It closed its doors in 1992. Michael george, the shop owner and his new wife renee had moved from town. They settled some 375 miles southeast of detroit in an old coal mining town. On the main drag there, the georges had opened their new shop, comics world. With his two kids and renees five being raised together in their spacious new home they found friends among the other parents involved in their kids sports teams. Michael coached the pastors daughter in basketball. He never missed a game. Tremendous family man. Respected business person in the community. Jeff had the Electrical Supply shop three blocks down from comics world. His life were the kids and i would have to say his life was for renee. He treated her like gold. They endeared themselves to a toun where families went back generations by raising money for the make a wish charity and giving comics to the public library. Besides his good works, they say he was just plain fun. The guy always had a smile on around him. He had all, but severed ties with the murdered wifes family. Uncles and aunts rarely saw barbaras two girls. Come the year 2000, was Michael George even aware that the longtime chief of police in his former town had passed away. Chief robert smith had died without solving the nagging case of the comic book murder. Everyone in this town was aware of that crime, and probably myself more so because my dad was the chief of police at that time. Chief smiths son, eric smith. I had driven by that store a thousand times with my old man and just about every time we drove by there there was there was something he said. Still gnawing at him. There was no question about it. Four years after his fathers death eric smith was elected chief prosecutor in Macomb County, michigan. He became responsible for all of township and beyond. I cant tell you how many people came up to me and said that a Family Member of theirs had been murdered and been and you could see the desperation on their face and they really thought that the system had passed them by, and i thought if im going to be the chief Law Enforcement officer of this county i cant let people out there think that we dont care. So we started a cold case unit very soon after i came in. One of prosecutors smiths first acts in office was to send out a letter to all of the Police Departments in his county asking Police Chiefs and detectives to look at their old unsolveds with fresh eyes. I did it with Michael George in mind. There was no question in my mind that at the time i was hoping that wed get a lot of cases i was hoping that Clinton Township would pick this case up. And maybe resolve one for the old man. Thats it. That was the case that was unsolved for my old man, for my dad. Just as hed hoped, the Clinton Township p. D. Reopened the dusty comic book murder case and what a surprise the detectives find there, someone did have a vital piece of information about the night of the murder, but his story had how could police have missed it all those years . A phone call to the comic bookshop that seemed to come at a very bad time. He sounded like he was in a busy and in a hurry to get off the phone. R. Find the blend you need for the hair you love. Suave professionals works as well as salon brands. Live beautifully suave for the 51 million of us who may need a different kind of underwear, this is depend silhouette active fit. Its slim and smooth so wearing it is no big deal. Get a free sample of depend at underwareness. Com at olive garden, starting at 12. 99. Choose 3 of 10 favorites to enjoy on one plate. Plus unlimited salad and breadsticks. The best tour of italy is the one you create. At olive garden. I recommend nature made fish oil. Because i trust their quality. 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Once your asthma is well controlled, your doctor will decide if you can stop breo and prescribe a different asthma control medicine, like an inhaled corticosteroid. Do not take breo more than prescribed. See your doctor if your asthma does not improve or gets worse. Ask your doctor if 24hour breo could be a missing piece for you. See if youre eligible for the comic book murder files came out of the archives, and the lead detective blowing off the dust was lieutenant craig keith. Hed been on the Clinton Township force long enough to remember the killing of the strip mall and he took it personally that someone out the lieutenant had identified with the victim. I was approximately the same age and had children the same age and maybe that was something that just stuck with me. This is a tough one to pick up the stack. Yeah. I knew that going in, but i always operate under the theory you dont shoot, you dont score and i owed it to myself, because it was something i had told myself, but i owed it to barb, too. The detective needed help, good, oldfashioned shoe leather cops to make the calls and knock on doors. So he recruited veteran detectives jimmy hall and lenny rico. The two of them went into the old boxes, reading and rereading yellowing Police Report, but theres a reason crimes go into the cold case file and stay unsolved, a lack of evidence. The three wondered if they had one of those here. Is this even doable and finally when we came to the conclusion that its doable, we need to notify the family and thats when the family contacted them. The cold case detectives were georges family false hopes after 17 years, but in early 2007 the detectives laid out what they find warts and all for barbaras brother joe and other Family Members. We were honest with them and we dont know how successful were going to be here. Still, after that meeting with the detectives, barbs family and friends allowed themselves to be optimistic. I told my sister when we walked out of that Police Station, i said something will come out of this. Joe and mary, his girlfriend back then had broken up after barbaras murder, but they remained close over the years. My dad was in the hospital at the time and he was dying of cancer and i told my dad what was going on, and he could barely even talk and he lit right up and he said, good. Good. Gods going to get him. The detectives started their investigation as though it were july 13, 1990. The 911 call had just come in. All three of them knew this csi Forensic Science saving the day. No weapon, no blood smears in terms of what people are used to seeing nowadays with dna, we didnt have it. We just had to do detective work which means get out there and interview people. They say without preconceived theories they chased down the old leads again, the speeding car, the man in the old greek fishermans cap and the bearded lady and reexamined the old motive. Was it possible that barbara had been shot to death over a pricey, collectible comic book . Thank you, sir. The cold case detectives interviewed over a hundred people and of all those fresh 2007 interviews, the one they did with this man turned out to be the game changer. His name is mike renan a girls softball coach, now confined to a wheelchair after 2003. He was a College Senior and a spiderman fanatic. On july 13, the night of the murder, detectives learned he had placed a call to the comics world store. He thought it had been around 5 30 or so about 30 minutes before the murder. The avid collector wanted to know why one of his comic books had zoomed in value. A voice he knew very well answered the phone, it was Michael George, the shop owner. He sounded like he was busy and in a hurry to get off the phone. Did he say im busy, there are people in the shop, i have to go. No, just short. Just something you could hear in his voice. He would b. S. A little bit and there was no time for b. S. The cold case cop had struck gold. Mikes story was the missing puzzle piece the detective his been looking for for years. If renauds account is true, it does nothing less than demolish Michael Georges alibi that he was napping at his mothers around 6 00. Renauds call meant george was lying and he was certain he talked to the comic store owner at the shop and that that brief conversation must had taken place a few minutes before barb was killed. The embarrassing bit about this nugget of a clue is that mike had told the very same story to the police in 1990, the day after the murder. What looked like a case breaker in 2007 had simply slipped through the cracks back then. Theyd had it in the case file all along. In clear handwriting, there it was. A record of renauds july 14, phone call to the police. Mr. Renaud stated he called comic world around 5 30 and talked with the owner Michael George. Thats the one piece that was missing. Even so, it was a piece that still had flaws as evidence. There were no existing phone logs to corroborate renaud ale logs to corroborate renaud ale s story or to pin down the exact Donald Steckman doesnt know how that note from renaud went a stray, but he said he was unaware of the comic book collectors story about talking to the owner of the shop minutes before the murder. How did you not see it . Well, i never saw it. If we had seen it we would not be sitting here today. You would have been for an arrest and indictment in 1991. No doubt about it. Now the Investigative Lead pointed just one way, toward the husband. It just kept coming back to mike and it was a funnel effect. We started off looking at a lot of things and a lot of people and it just narrowed down just like a funnel. It was time for the cold case detectives to take a road trip to pennsylvania. A trip across miles in time. They were going to make a surprise visit to Michael George at comics world. Was the onetime husband finally collectible . After 17 years a conversation a suspected killer never expected. Tomorrow and let me know because this is [ bleep ]. Heres something to shout from the mountaintop. Crickets plans start at 35 a month, after 5 auto pay credit. With more 4g lte coverage nationwide than tmobile or sprint. Cricket wireless. Jet. Com is here. The smart way to save on pretty much anything. Its the biggest thing in shopping since. Wheres the money . Cash registers. Sorcery. With jet. Com, you can save on pretty much anything. We had teams of detectives go to all three locations at exactly the same time. Michael at the store, his wife renee at the house and michaels mother at her home back in hazel park, michigan. Unannounced. Unannounced. When they found comics world the two detectives waited for customers to leave, checked their watches and sauntered in. We were about a minute behind the other detectives and he was talking to renee, his wife and he says no, theres nobody here and he had his back to us as he around and he said theyre here and he got off the phone and he looked pretty sick at that point. Detective hall switched on the tape recorder hed concealed in his jacket. Introduced ourselves. Mike was pretty much unemotional and he said hey, come on in. Have a seat and started talking to him. This is some of that conversation. We have a few questions for you. Want to talk to you about it. What did the police tell you . They never told me what the leads were. He didnt say much at the beginning. Did he say this is great news . Ive wondered for 17 years. And youve solved it. Didnt get the typical nothing. He just started staring. 17 years on, Michael George claimed a flickering memory for events. I dont remember. He became sweaty, twitchy, anything . He was very pale. Didnt make eye contact. Most of the interview his head was looking down towards the table. In 1990 his latenight conversation with the lead detective at the store after the murder, Michael George had speculated that barb was killed in a botched robbery, someone after valuable vintage comic books. What was taken . Very old books. He couldnt remember exactly how many comics were taken or the amount. Although he was sketchy details he had no problem coming up with an answer on why barbara of all people had been murdered, switches from robbery to revenge. I think barb was at the wrong place at the wrong time. I think somebody wanted to get back at me. I dont know who it was. I should have been there. This was a vendetta and that, what . Barbara took the bullet that was meant for him. Exactly. That was different from what he told the police back in 1990. Is that as interesting as anything else you heard . Absolutely. Hed come up with a new motive. Meanwhile, the prosecutor in michigan, the son of t onetime police chief was deeply curious about how the swoopdown interview was going. Were you surprised to hear that he talked to them and that he hadnt lawyered up or said im getting on the phone to my attorney right now . Very surprised. I think he was so shocked by the fact that were still looking at him. So shocked that he didnt know what to do and thats why we didnt call him. Thats why we didnt give him a as the interview continued, Michael George as he hadnt in 1990 now owned up to his philandering. Late in the 90minute interview the conversation circled back to the earlier theme, robbery, the supposed theft of valuable comics. The detectives asked if anyone knew that he kept the good stuff in the back storage room. Thats when things got testy and listen as georges previously and confrontational. I am trying too to to find out how the individual would know they were there, unless it was an inside job. Insurance fraud. So youre saying im lying . Im saying thats a possibility. You have to look at all options. Now youre saying i lied about the books being gone . So now what youre saying is i better get a lawyer. We didnt say that. Yeah, you did. You just said one of the possibilities. That is a possibility. Okay. If youre going to show up tomorrow, let me know, im get a lawyer. This is bullshit now. The next day, in fact, he would need a lawyer. A criminal defense lawyer. The michigan detectives and the Pennsylvania State Police Arrested him at his workplace, the comic book store. As he was led away after a later Court Appearance he loudly proclaimed that police had nabbed the wrong man. No, i didnt do this. The cold case had turned red hot. Michael george was returning to michigan and would stand trial for the firstdegree murder of his wife. A case prosecutors knew would be hard to prove in the age of csi and showme forensic evidence, thats because there was none. So it would come down to a single witness and his recollection of a solitary phone call he said he made on a friday the 13, 1990. A twist in court few would have predicted. Initially, never crossed the line. After five hours you start to worry. Whats that . A package its a swiffer wetjet. It almost feels like its moving itself. This is kind of fun. This is deep couch sitting. [jerry bell iii] deep couch sitting meet the matte with vivid impact. New vivid matte liquid lip color from Maybelline New York. Now lips go vivid with. Super saturated color new sensuous feel drench your lips in vivid matte. Maybellines vivid matte liquid make it happen Maybelline New York who knew dates and cashews mashed together could taste likea cookie . 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In a michigan courtroom not far from his old comic book store Michael George was standing trial, charged with the firstdegree murder of his then wife barbara. He was the husband from hell. In early 2008 the man who intended to put george away was steve kaplan, then the trial prosecutor for the countys cold case unit. Its true, we didnt have forensic evidence supporting our case. He knew getting the comic book man with nothing, but circumstantial evidence, no weapon, no witness, no dna this was a tough one to win, something he never let on to the jury, of course. We will prove to you that it was a murder, and if its a murder theres only one person in this world who had a reason to kill this wonderful person and thats Michael George. For kaplan, proving it all boiled down to a case of who do you trust . Would the jury believe janet george, michaels mother . She said her son was sleeping on murder or would the jury accept the word of the comic book collector mike renaud . He said the defendant was in the store around that time answering his phone call. Who answered the phone . Michael george. How long did you talk to the defendant at that time . Less than five minutes. What time did you call the defendant . Anywhere between 5 15 and 5 45. Do you remember how he seemed to you . He seemed like he was in a hurry. How important is he to your case . Without Michael Renaud we cannot win this case because without Michael Renaud we cannot place the defendant physically in that store close to the time of barbaras shooting. And then came a routine moment that weve all seen in courtroom dramas on tv. The prosecutor in this case, steve kaplan, rose and told the judge. Your honor, the people rest. And the defense response in this michigan courtroom just as the case thrown out. Not enough evidence. The state hadnt met its burden argued Carl Marlinga and asked for the judge for whats called a directed verdict. When you just dont know you have to you have to pull the plug. You have to say thats it. And then it got really strange. And you say, your honor, the state has not proved its case. We ask that you dismiss it right now and that it not go to the jury. It happens all of the time. Right. And almost always youre rebuffed. Thats right. And almost always youre rebuffed within about 10 to 15 seconds. That didnt happen here. No. This time the judge listened intently for 20 minutes as Michael Georges defense lawyer argued that there was no way the prosecution had proved beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant was in the comic defendant was in the comic book shop with a gun in his hind. The trial judge is obligated to make a call to say whether or not there was sufficient prosecutor kaplan knew that by law the judge has to regard all evidence in a light most favorable to the prosecution. He took just 30 seconds and queried with a brief citation of case law arguing why the case should go to the jury. The evidence presented to this court begs the question of fact to the jury whether Michael George is the murderer and the motion should be denied. And then the judge retired to his chambers to ponder this motion to dismiss and ponder he did, staying out for hours. Eric smith, the countys chief prosecutor. What was going on . Well, i i can tell you what was going on in the prosecutions end. We were fit to be tied. Weve all tried hundreds of cases, and these motions for directed verdicts are dismissed almost immediately. Did you expect it was possible that he would come out and say this case is dismissed, jurors, youre dismissed. We dont have a case here. Well, initially, it never crossed my mind. After a couple of hours it never after five hours you start to worry. Carl marlinga was feeling better by the hour. I remember walking outside with my client and saying this is obviously good news. I cannot lie to you. Judges dont take this long to decide these motions. After hours of watching the clock go round, the defendant, out on 1 million bond praying with his circle of friends and family in the hallway, the judge at last returned to the bench. The court has been reviewing this matter for approximately five hours, i think an extraordinary length of time to review any motion for directed verdict. He started, was there a case to be made for the defenses position. Albeit, it could be argued that this evidence is marginal. Then he seemed to point out the merits of the prosecution. If the evidence is believed by the jury then the jury could reach a finding of guilt. On the one hand, and the other. Where was the judge going . So the court, at this point, cannot substitute its judgment for that of the jury. He decided for the prosecution. There was enough evidence to go forward. The directed verdict was denied. The defense had lost a fivehour long highstakes game and apparently by the closest of margins. Thats probably the toughest moment i ever had as a lawyer. You thought you might have had it. I thought i delivered this guy from this horrible, horrible experience of not only having lost his wife, but having falsely blamed for it for all these years, i thought the ordeal was almost over. The jury filed back in for the defense case unaware how close theyd come to being thanked and sent home without if the judge had indicated he had doubts about the case, what had doubts about the case, what would the jury think once the defense played its trump card, Michael Georges alibi witness . The verdict. Count number one, firstdegree murder. We find the defendant dont let bad odors escape. Continuously neutralize them with glad with febreze. Everyones lookin red carpet ready. My man, lemme guess who youre wearing. Toenail fungus . Whaaat . . Fight it with jublia. 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Fired up by the fact the judge almost dismissed the case, the defense counted out the crucial phone call that placed the defendant at the scene. Michael could not have been at the story committing this murder. He said it was impossible to be in two places at once. He called the alibi witness to say he arrived at her house after 5 00 p. M. , friday the 13th. Said he was tired. When you got back, did you observe michael at all . Yeah. Where was he . On the couch sleeping. Now it was up to the jurors to decide if they believe his Michael George answered his phone call. Decision day. March 17th, 2008. Michael george prayed quietly to himself. His freedom, his family, the life hed enjoyed in pennsylvania were at risk forever. A murder conviction meant mandatory life, no possibility of parole. All rise for the jury, please. The jury of eight women and four men filed in nervously as one juror explained. My hands were sweating, and i took a look at Michael George, and i saw his family, and i was numb and scared at the same time. My brother turns to me and says is your heart beating fast . Yeah, it is. This is it. The foreman read the verdict. Count number one, firstdegree murder. We find the defendant guilty. Guilty of firstdegree murder. Michael george slumped and sobbed in his attorneys arms. Please be seated. Barbs sister and two brothers seemed to share a gasp of he took away my oldest sister. She didnt get to see me get married. She didnt get to see my son being born. Shell never get to see him do anything. I mean, he took a part of me away. Across the room the convicted mans younger daughter, one of barbs two children, collapsed into her stepmother, renee. Michael george would go on weeping for a full two minutes. I didnt do this but lieutenant craig keith, the cold case detective who rediscovered the crucial evidence was unmoved by georges tears. Mike showed no emotion back in 1990 and now he cries and my impression of that is mike is crying for himself. It was devastating. It was just devastating. Barely able to stand, george was helped to the podium to face the judge. From dismissing the case altogether. The jury has found you guilty of all charges. At this time im remanding you to the custody of the Macomb County sheriffs department. The comic book man was now a convict. Okay. Put your hands behind your back. George i didnt do this. His hands were cuffed and deputies led him away. I had no doubt that the verdict that we came to was the correct one. The juror his returned to their deliberation room. They said they could hear george sobbing, but that didnt shake their confidence in their verdict. They said it had come down to the testimony of the man who said he called about a spiderman comic. I think i hear you all saying he was tripped up by answering that phone call from Michael Renaud. He should not have been there when mike renaud called. The cold case unit started by Prosecutor Eric Smith with this case in mind had won a conviction. I really thought he was finally going to face the just punishment he deserves. And smith had notched one up for his dad, the late police chief or so he believed. My next thought went right to my old man. I wish he was here to share this with, but i know hes smiling. The losing defense lawyer voiced the kinds of comments youd expect to hear. I think the jury got it wrong. I believe we have a strong shot with this judge to get either not right reversal or a new trial. But that wasnt brave bluster. In this case, Michael Georges defense attorney was being prophetic. Six months later the defense tried again. A motion for a new trial before the same judge. One of the grounds for the appeal was prosecutorial misconduct. This is not a robbery. Not a robbery. What happened was in his Closing Argument the prosecutor had a display for the jury. His timetable is and out of the judges eye shot began assembling pieces of a photo like a jigsaw puzzle. The punchline when you put the picture together, jurors, theres your killer. Maybe clever or maybe cornball, but either way the prosecutor may have overstepped his bounds. The image of the finished puzzle was a mug shot of Michael George that was never introduced into evidence and according to defense lawyers showed him in a bad light. Prejudicial error the defense argued, strike one. Strike two was newly discovered evidence in the Police Case Files possibly favorable to the defense. Judge biernat had had enough. A judge ruled Michael George should get a new trial in the 1990 comic bookstore murder case. Biernat threw out the murder verdict and is now giving Michael George another chance to it was just elation. It was, like, okay. The greatest injustice that i had ever been associated with as a lawyer has just been corrected. We are going get a new trial. Carl marlinga and joe always believed in their clients innocence and now they won another chance to prove it. Michael was devastated by the verdict. I didnt do this. Suddenly hes got new life. Suddenly he has faith again in the system. I think he had two things working. He had new evidence and unfairness in the Closing Argument on top of this real heartfelt feeling by judge biernat that an innocent man had been convicted. The county Prosecutor Eric Smith wasnt buying any of it. The judge seemed to have directed that there be a new trial because of prosecutorial misconduct. He hung his hat on a lot of things and that was one of them. Since the case began it appeared he was not comfortable with this case and what he did was set aside a murder conviction which smith was beside himself even though the controversial decision was backed by michigans highest courts. You wait 18 years for justice, and you finally get justice only to have it the carpet pulled out from under you. After the 2008 guilty verdict, barbs brother had gone to her grave site to share the good news. We finally got him, you know . He didnt get away with it, and, you know, you can rest now. But now there was the judges blockbuster decision. It tore a hole in our hearts. It was something that here we thought it was over. Barbs family would have to go through the painful ordeal all over again and with even more uncertainties this time around. So the jury had found Michael George guilty. Doubts. A new jury could go either way. Especially since the defense now had new evidence, more possible alternate killers and just dug up dirt on the prosecutions star witness. But two completely new prosecutors were revved up for the coming courtroom battle. Steve fox. And bill cataldo teaming up to make Michael George face the music one more time. The trial of the comic book murder volume 2 was now at hand. A different jury, different prosecutors. Michael george fell prey to the two issues most known to common man, sex and money. Will there be a different verdict . Hey, dont forget to put up your kickstand. bike bell sighs kelloggs raisin bran. And try tart and sweet kelloggs raisin bran with cranberries. Come on dont drop your phone, drop your network. Bring your phone to Cricket Wireless. We have more 4g lte coverage nationwide than tmobile or sprint. Living well your immune system works hard to keep you top of your game. You can support it by eating healthy, drinking fluids, and getting some rest. And you can combine these simple remedies with airborne. No other leading immunity brand gives you more vitamin c. Plus it has a specially crafted blend of 13 vitamins, minerals and herbs. So when you want to support your immune system, take airborne, cell phone rings where are you . Well the squirrels are back in the attic. Mom . Your dad wont call an exterminator. Can i call you back, mom . He says its personal this time. If youre a mom, you call at the worst time. Its what you do. If you want to save fifteen percent or more on car insurance, you switch to geico. Its what you do. Where are you . Its very loud there. September 2011, in the nearly three years since the last comic book murder trial Michael George had been locked up in the county jail where he said inadequate care caused a he was now confined to a wheelchair as his second trial got under way before a new judge, mary chinowski, but if the defendants disability made him appear feeble and more sympathetic to you are jurors, the new Prosecution Team would work hard to demonize him. Michael george fell prey to the two issues most known to common man, sex and money. What was your theory for the jury . I think motive is important, and it was easy. 130,000 in insurance proceeds, and the fact that he really didnt want to be married. He didnt like his wife. He found her completely unattractive. He wanted a new life. In his opening argument, prosecutor steve fox that in 1990 Michael George was having a torrid affair with renee, now he wanted to get rid of his overweight wife and move on to someone better. Before the murder the husband wasnt bothering to hide his disdain for his wife barbara according to this prosecution witness. She testified she and her son went to comic world the saturday before the murder. Theresa, they were in the store when theresa walked in. I had remarked how beautiful what did he say . If it wasnt for his daughters that he would not be with his wife and that he found her unattractive and heavy and if it was up to him he would take the girls and move to florida. What was your reaction to that response . I couldnt believe he had said Something Like that to me while she was right there in the store. And that same customer was shocked again days later when michael made what she thought was a pass at her during his own wifes viewing at the funeral home. He gave me a very inappropriate hug. It would have been a hug that i husband. Its a very intimate hug. A little creepy, but the following saturday as was their custom teresa and her son stopped by comics world. Michael slipped her a note. Would you read that note for the jury. You look very, very, very pretty today. Thanks for coming in. Sincerely, michael. Publicly scornful of his wife, hitting on other women and now a longtime friend of barbaras was testifying that her friends and family were all well aware with of capital t, trouble, in the marriage. Kathy got a call weeks before the murder. She was crying, very upset. Mike wanted a divorce. And did she convey to you whether she would agree to that . Oh, she did not want a divorce. Prosecutor fox then asked the witness about seeing the defendant at barbs funeral. His mother yelling out, mom, did you call the Insurance Company . It just didnt sound good because of the phone conversation i had with barb and then now her death. Michael george, a onetime insurance salesman himself received 130,000 taxfree from his wifes Life Insurance policies, not bad money in 1990. A witness who worked with michael in the Insurance Business was asked about the money. What does the document say . This is a claim statement for payment of the proceeds. Who signed the claim . Michael george, looks like. On what day . 7 18 of 90. July 18, 1990. Yes, sir. Are you aware that Barbara George was buried on july 16, 1990. Womanizer, scoundrel. The prosecution dissected his our concentration was to show that he was the only guy, that he was the one who had to have done it because no one else on earth would have. Speak loudly. Your first name is kim . Prosecutors called this witness who worked at a nail salon in the same strip mall as comics world. I would say i witnessed 30 to 35 arguments. She testified shield hear many arguments between michael and barbara that summer, but the one she heard that day, friday the 13th sound uglier. It was much louder. Much more violent. Yes. Barbara george would be discovered by customers on the floor in the back of comics world. Yet in this public place of a strip mall, customers coming and going, cars, no witness remembered hearing gunshots, though two had been fired and no one remembered seeing anyone leave the store and no witness saw Michael George at the store until he drove up at 8 00 for by then police were all over the scene. He told us who he was, identified himself and wanted to know what happened in the store. Lead detective Donald Steckman, then of Clinton Township p. D. Testified that michael said his wife was working at comics world. I advised him there had been an incident at the store and his wife had been injured. Did he ask you about her condition . No. Did he ask you about how it happened . No. Steckman told the husband that then lieutenant donald brook would be driving him to the hospital where he could find out about his wife. The former lieutenant testified that michael started chatting without prompting. He made a statement that i thought was noteworthy. What was that statement . Something must have fell or dropped on her in the back room. Why is that statement interesting to you . Because i never told him that mrs. George was in the back room of the store. Those are things he should have known. He knows evidence that only the shooter would know not information is. Later that night according to police, Michael George told investigators the two white boxes of expensive comics were missing and that poor barbara must have stumbled into a robbery gone bad. A theory police and prosecutors subsequently rejected. This is why it was not a robbery. The diamond ring was on her hand and we know it was worth at least 2500. There was 700 in the register. Expensive comics behind the glass were untouched. The safe, untouched. The safe was in the back storage room where michael claimed the missing boxes of comics had been. Whats unique about that these two white boxes were unmarked and they didnt say expensive comic books here. Missing comics were never found, but prosecutors believe they were never stolen, either, even though michael recovered a 12,600 Insurance Claim for them. There were a hundred unmarked only way to know which ones to grab would be if it was an inside job. The only inside job according to the prosecutors was the murder itself. The reason its an inside job is because of the accessability to that door. That door was central to the prosecutors theory of the murder. Michael george, they said, sneaked in the back door and concealed himself until his wife was alone in the store. When she came into the back room their belief was he fired two shots. The first one hitting a swimsuit calendar in the wall, the Second Striking barb in the top of her head as she was ducking away. The murder took place and where he went from there our theory is out of the back door and gone. Slipping into the alley, sight unseen, but not before he left through the back door. Locking that lock. Double locked. Indeed, the door was locked from the outside when police arrived. Something prosecutors claimed only Michael George could do. Youd have to have both keys . No one but the defendant had keys to the back door, prosecutors maintained, and they added any supposed robber would have fled through the busy front door and would have been spotted. There were too many witnesses that started walking in a minute to two minutes of that gunshot. No one saw anyone leaving with boxes of comic books. No one saw Anyone Running out the front door. What about people spotted by witnesses minutes before and after the murder . The guy in the greeks fishermans cap, the suspicious character who seemed to be wearing a fake beard. The socalled bearded lady. Police made a sketch of the bearded lady, but prosecutors say none of the wouldbe suspects ever amounted to anything except in the case of the bearded lady. Person may have been Michael Georges accomplice. Now the prosecutors would offer up their star witness, the sole person who with could say the husband was indeed in the store as the minutes were counting down to murder. Comic collector mike renaud. But this time the defense was ready with new evidence to challenge not only renauds credibility, but also his memory. In 1990 you used marijuana and you drank alcohol on the weekends, did you not . Ed, baked, and paired with even more lobster . You get hungry. And you count the seconds until red lobsters lobsterfest is like new dueling lobster tails with one tail stuffed with crab, and the other with langostino lobster macandcheese, its a party on a plate and you know every bite of lobster lovers dream lives up to its name. Hey, eating is believing. So stop dreaming and start eating. 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Once again, Michael Georges guilt or innocence would likely come down to the man who said he made an innocent phone call about a spiderman comic book. We would call mike renaud. Jurors bought his account of speaking to the shop owner over the phone apparently minutes before the murder. The judge, however, had seemed skeptical. But now 12 new people would be deciding the case. So prosecution and defense lawyers had to start up fresh with the allimportant star witness. The stakes couldnt be higher. Michael renaud, without him would you have a case . No. Hes the only one that puts the defendant at the scene. Hes the only one that alone can destroy the defendants alibi. Issue a warrant. They knew their clients freedom depended on them reinforcing the defendants alibi. Its a winwin for the what we hoped to direct the jury to focus on was specifically that alibi. The defendants 1990 story was that hed left his Clinton Township shop some time after 4 00 p. M. To go to his mothers house. It was Michael Georges alibi that he was at his mothers house from 4 30 to 7 30. A little after he arrived, his mother said he took her grandchildren to the park and he was sleeping on the couch some they got back some time after 6 00. Barb was murdered a little after 6 00. If Michael Georges account is true, he was at his mothers at that time and therefore could not be the killer. But according to prosecutors Michael George wasnt napping on the couch at all. They contended hed returned to comics world and sneaked into barb left to order pizza for his Birthday Party and about what time was that . Between 5 00 and 5 30. Thats the timeframe when this woman, a friend of barbs came to the store. It was locked and she had to wait for barb to return from the if she was not in the store answered the phone. If someone answered the phone it would have to be someone other correct. Prosecutors questioned the one witness who could identify who answered the phone. Michael renaud. Yes, sir. Mike renaud. In 1990 a decade before his disabling accident renaud was married and had a young daughter and was holding down two jobs. Were you also attending school . Yes. I was going to wayne state. How well did you do in wayne state . I graduated cum laude. The prosecution wanted to regard renaud as knowledgeable and a comic book collector. Before july 13, 1990 how frequently would you go to the store . At least once a week. The day of the murder he stopped by comics world before work, but renauds critical story with the jury had to do with the phone call he made later in the day to the shop. He had a collectors question about a spiderman comic he owned. He called because he was jumped from 8 to 40. Did you contact anyone to up in value . Yeah, i called mike. He knew the voice. He knew the time that he would be there and thats the whole case. Tell me about the demeanor of Michael George, and the answers were very short and he seemed to be in a hurry to get off the phone. You might wonder as many people did if Michael George was lying in wait to murder his wife in just moments, why would he be so dumb as to pick up a ringing phone in the store . He picks it up for one of two reasons, either as a businessman, its a call and he doesnt want to lose business or number two, its his accomplice from the outside letting him know whats going on. Couldnt investigators simply pull the phone logs and verify renauds story by seeing what time the records showed the call coming in. Not 22 years ago. The phone company didnt keep those kinds of logs on local calls, but remember, renauds investigative cracks altogether until a cold case cop craig keith came upon it in 2007 and in that rediscovered file was a statement saying that a guy named renaud had called the Police Department the day after the murder. He wanted the detectives to know that hed spoken with Michael George in the comic shop at 6 00 p. M. On the fateful day. After you hung up with the department, did you think about it further . Yes. Why . I did not want to get mike in trouble. If i was wrong on my time. And according to those newly discovered police records, renaud had called the police back almost immediately to amend the time hed spoken to Michael George. What did you advise police this time when you called back . It was closer to 5 30 instead of 6 00. There were multiple calls to police. We saw that as a strength rather than a weakness. Hes trying to help Michael George and hes trying to tell the police dont get him in trouble because of me. In this because he has some ill will against the defendant or hes making it up for 15 minutes of fame. Thats not how the defense team saw renaud. They thought he was basking in the limelight of the big murder trial. We think hes just exaggerating his own importance in his mind. He saw a way to become important in a homicide investigation. When the defense had its crack at renaud on crossexamination, it wanted the jury to question his motives, memory and credibility. First of all, this guy mike renaud makes himself sound like hes a good buddy of Michael George. He talks to him all the time. Michael george doesnt remember him at all. Renauds multiple calls to the police changing his times indicated that this witness didnt have a good handle on his recollections and was therefore, unreliable. He calls back several times being uncertain of the time when he was making the call. If the call to Michael George happened at all and the defense disputes that it did, defense attorney marlinga believed it must have been placed before the shop owner left for his mothers house. That was more than an hour so youre saying renaud is not just mistaken with his times, that he is hes a person of mischief. We think he wanted to to become a hero. In fact, since the last trial renaud had tried to bolster his story by adding new facts according to the defense. Renaud revealed for the first time that he went to the Clinton Township Police Department days after the murder to make a report in person. Marlingas tough crossexamination brought out that renauds memory of that Police Interview was at best, hazy. The person that you met with in the facetoface conversation. Do you know the name of that person . I do not. How about the gender . Male or female . It was a male. Old or young . I cannot say. This was person in a uniform or in a suit, sport coat or a suit . I cannot say. Do you remember seeing a badge . I cannot say. Did you ever see a Police Report that was generated as a result of that interview . No, sir. Report of that interview. Was it another example in the defenses theme of inept police work or a figment of renauds imagination . Either the Police Department lost a very important Police Report or the lack of police notes is a fact because the interview never happened. Isnt it true, sir, that you invented that you made up this conversation . I did not do that. But now the defense was moving on, telling the jury there may be a reason why renauds memory is so hazy. Back in those days, the lawyers asserted, he was often in a haze of pot smoke. Times that you were high . Objection. Argumentative. So the strategy is to go nuclear on mike renaud . I wouldnt say nuclear. Facts. And you drank alcohol on the weekends, did you not . I was in college and that would not surprise me. Talking about occurred on friday friday july 13th, your two initial calls into the Clinton Township police occurred on saturday, july 14th of 1990. We are agreed that friday and saturday are weekend days, correct . Correct. When questioned whether he got high on the only weekend that mattered, july 13th and 14th, 1990, renaud had to admit he just didnt remember. You could have used it, or you do not remember . Correct. The goal was to raise reasonable doubt about renauds recall and credibility. Marijuana can cause a time distortion so were talking to a person that does not have the best handle on time. Now that the defense believed it had shredded renauds story. It was ready to tell the jury who really murdered Barbara George. Impossibly strange disguise. He said it looked like a woman in a fake beard, a really thin guy. Womanly hips or something. Get ready new superstar mascara by loreal. Super dramatic lashes. One primer thickens to the max supervolumized two black fiber formula stretches to the max superextended superstar. New superstar mascara by loreal makeup designer paris. The citi double cash card comes in very handy with cash back twice. With 1 when you buy and 1 as you pay. 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The victims shoe could be as for any hard evidence that Michael George killed his wife in cold blood, the defense maintained it just didnt exist. And you have no weapon, no witnesses. No. No forensics. Nothing. Nothing. Nada, nothing that ties him to the crime. The jury, your honor, the people rest. Just as in the first trial came that moment when the prosecution rested and the defense filed a motion saying, your honor, they havent proved their case. There is no physical evidence which links Michael George to the crime. But this time there was no fivehour retreat to chambers for the judge to think about it. Her ruling came in seconds. The court is finding that the prosecution has presented substantial evidence. The defendant teared up. There was enough evidence, the judge declared, to go forward. The conclusion, gentlemen, is that the motion is denied. So with that setback, not unexpected, the defense began attack. That the original police work was inept, that there was evidence, some of it new, this someone else committed the murder and thirdly, that Michael George had a strong alibi. We decided that our strongest evidence was the alibi, and that would normally be sufficient to win, but knowing that we are dealing with michaels history and the affairs that could make him an unlikable character, joe and i realized that we really almost had to prove innocence. Michael george told police that hed left the store with his daughters a little after 4 00 p. M. That friday. They went to his mother janets house about 30 minutes away. He said he was asleep on his mothers couch when, tragically, his wife was shot. Janet george, the mother had testified in the first trial and backed up her sons asleep on the couch story. On the couch. Defense attorneys altered their strategy for trial number two. Maam, do you swear that you will read word for word transcript . Mom didnt testify in person this time around. The defense had a standin lead ead read Janet Georges 2008 testimony into the record, in a time that michael arrived after 5 00 p. M. That day. She said he was tired while she took her granddaughters to a nearby playground. When you got back, did you observe michael at all . Yeah. Where was he . He was on the couch sleeping. If they believed the story, Michael George couldnt possibly have been at his shop at 5 30 answering the phone. Thats when the star prosecution witness mike renaud said he talked to him. Janet george was the alibi. Why didnt you put her on the stand . Tough call. We agonized about it. The problem with janet george is that she loves her son, but shes a wild card. The lawyers were confident about their decision not to call the mother because they had a strong witness to substantiate parts of her story. Okay. Peggy was Janet Georges nextdoor neighbor. On that friday the 13th, like most days, peggy said she got home from her job between 5 45 and 6 00. As you got close to your house did you see anybody . I actually saw janet and the two girls in the School Playground at the end of our street. When you saw them there, what, if anything, did they do . We just waved. As you pulled into your house what, if anything, did you see in front of janets house . There was a van parked in front of the house. Okay. Did you recognize whose van it was . I assumed it was one of michaels vans, yes. In the prosecutions theory of the time line, there was a missing link of logistics. How did michael get from his mothers place and back to the the neighbors sighting of his van outside his moms could plant the seed of reasonable doubt. She has no dog in the fight. Shes not a close, close bosom buddy or lifelong personal friend of janet and michaels. Shes a neighbor. Why wouldnt you believe her . When you take the combined testimony of janet george and peggy you have solid evidence that he was at some place else. And that neighbor was a person the defense team had found on its own. The police had never knocked on doors to corroborate michaels alibi of being at his mothers, evidence in itself, the defense argued of shoddy police work. Even the former Police Lieutenant admitted on crossexamination that aspect of the investigation could have been better. If you were the officer in charge of this case, would you have conducted a canvass of his mothers neighborhood to see if people could have placed him there at or about the time of the homicide . Yes, sir. For instance, the police never tested Michael George for gunshot residue the night of the murder. In the rear entry door. And also failed to dust the prosecutions critical back door for possible fingerprint. If the bad guy touched the handle to get out that way, he would have left some prints, but well never know that because the police didnt dust that. There were some plastic storage bins. And Police Photos inside the comic storeroom where barbara was found was clutter blocking the back door. How could Michael George have gotten in or out with all of that. Does that look like the room. The former detective did not know how to read that junk apparently in the way. Was that leaning up against the door . I cant tell the perspective. Its hard to tell. The defense felt it had raised enough reasonable doubt to secure a not guilty verdict and even though they in no way offer the jury other possible murder suspects considered in a scenario of a robbery gone bad. The defense calls mr. Thomas clinton. The defense put on a witness who told a story about being with two friends outside a comic bookshop in flint, michigan, some 50 miles away from Michael Georges shop. A sinisterlooking guy was peddling hot comics. A man approached us in the parking lot and asked us to take a look at old comics that he wanted to sell. This new defense witness said he came forward after watching the first comic bookcase on dateline. He testified that the then teenagers didnt trust the seller and didnt buy anything from him. The vibe the gentleman was giving us told us no way. The witness said that encounter took place july 14, 1990, significantly, the day after Barbara Georges murder, but his friends, called by the prosecution contradicted him and said it actually happened weeks earlier. Building. The defense wasnt out of alternative suspects. One of the store customers who had initially come upon Barbara George, thomas ward recounted seeing a suspicious man lurking about when he got to comics world a little after 6 00 p. M. It appeared that this individual was looking, trying to gaze into the store quite focused, in a quite focused fashion. Warren said he remembered the man because of his distinctive hat. He had a greek fishermans cap, a cap like this. Let me show you defense exhibit 105. Yeah. And still another new witness testified that in 1990 she briefly dated a guy who wore a shortbrimmed hat like that. A guy who carried a gun and was up to no good and was up to no good with the comic book stores. I realized that he was stealing these comic books. These were all possible suspects the defense claimed, curiosities was someone who became known as the bearded lady. Witness joe gray, a friend of the georges came to the store before 6 00 to drop off supplies for michaels Birthday Party. Gray was with a friend who had gotten a gander of something strange. He said it looked like a woman in a fake beard, a really thin guy with womanly hips or something. Gray and his friend were so concerned about this weird bearded lady out front they warned Barbara George to be on the lookout. It didnt feel right. Why would somebody wearing a fake beard . Maybe someone would come to the party as a joke or maybe they were trying to rob the place. It was joe grays friend who helped police make the sketch of the socalled bearded lady. I believe the person with the fake beard and mustache is the killer. Thats your solution of this . Its a fake beard and mustache on a july day with no no theater productions or suspicious in these circumstances, that person is the killer. What would 12 fresh jurors believe this time . The comic book murder case volume 2 had one final chapter left. He said victoza works differently than pills. And comes in a pen. Victoza is proven to lower blood sugar and a1c. Its taken once a day, any time. Victoza is not for weight loss, but it may help you lose some weight. Victoza is an injectable prescription medicine that may improve blood sugar in adults. With type 2 diabetes when used with diet and exercise. It is not recommended as the first medication to treat diabetes and should not be used in people. With type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis. Victoza has. Victoza is not insulin. 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To create the vera wang love collection. Its got to be special. Modern interpretations of timeless designs. Bring out the beauty in every bride. Its got to say yes. The vera wang love collection. The comic book murder was a grueling case in search of an ending, Barbara George had been shot to death in 1990. Her husband was arrested in 2007. His first trial ended in a guilty verdict that was later overturned, and now after a sixweek retrial in 2011, a second jury was behind closed doors deliberating. 21 years in all, and once again, Michael George hadnt testified as was his right. His lawyers had put him through a mock crossexamination that sprang leaks. After all that time. I put together a pattern of crossexamination questions where he had to say i dont remember about 20 times in a row and we have two solid alibi witnesses. Its almost malpractice to put him on the stand. But the prosecutors believe his reluctance to testify was more about him not being able to stand up to the grilling he would have faced in a real crossexamination. My wife was murdered, thats the most important day of my life and i forgot what happened that day . Its because maybe i talked myself out of wanting to remember. I wanted to hear what he had to say. These jurors said the entire panel was disappointed that it didnt hear the story from Michael Georges own mouth. I think you can see a lot about a person when they talk about themselves. Dateline talked to 10 of the 12 jurors and they told us the first vote revealed a split. Seven guilties, five not. And your not guilties, what . Needed to be persuaded . It was the robbery. It was clarification and a couple had an idea that maybe the robbery did happen. The central question for each juror was which story to believe, the comic book collector who said he talked on the phone to Michael George in the shop just before the murder or the defendants mother, his alibi witness that he was napping on her couch across town at the same hour. To me, ultimately, it came down to Michael Renauds testimony and the phone call that he made that placed Michael George at the scene of the crime. So did the defense damage mike renauds credibility by attacking him as a marijuana smoking, beerguzzling college kid . Not to this juror. I think they were trying to personally attack him to get us to believe that he couldnt remember anything because he was a drug abuser. Several questioned the mothers recollection of events. Im not saying she would lie for him, but, i mean, would you stick up for your kids . The jurors talked it through for three days and finally took a vote. We have a verdict. Their job was done. All rise for a jury. Michael george cried quietly. His wife renee, remained stoic. On the benches across the court, barbs brother hoped for justice from a second jury. Its 12 people. You dont know what theyre thinking. The foreperson read the verdicts. First degree premeditated murder of Barbara George guilty, first degree premeditated murder. Guilty, murder in the first degree and guilt oat other counts, as well. Felony firearm and insurance fraud. Michael george didnt break down this time. He closed his eyes and seemed to talk to himself. Behind him his wife renee buried her head. Barbs brother contained his joy out of respect for his nieces who lost their mother and now their father. Its a little bit bittersweet. They still have to come to the realization that their fathers a murderer. The prosecutors quietly congratulated each other on the conviction. What they deserved, the justice they deserved. Michael george was led out of the courtroom to begin the rest of his life in prison, no possibility of parole. A terrible injustice as his staunch defense attorney saw it. I was left with this case for four years and i dont see any evidence that he was there committing these crimes. I prosecuted killers, defended killers, this man was not guilty. I dont know why god has put us through this. I do believe he loves us. Six weeks after the verdict, Michael George did finally speak out, but as a convicted murderer at his pro forma sentencing hearing. The catastrophe of putting people away that are innocent has not started with me and will not end with me. Before this, ive never been accused of any crime, nor domestic violence. I have no police ridiculous, no problem with drinking or drugs. The lives that are destroyed by people being overzealous in the Police Community will find mercy in god above. Barbs brother joe expected nothing and said he got it. Once again, no apology. He thinks hes better than anybody else and he thought he was going get away with it. As barbs family saw it since 1990 he did get away with murder until eric smiths cold case unit finally made him pay. Do you still talk to barbara . Yes. Did you talk to her in the courtroom that day . Yes. What did you say . That i love her. That we miss her and that we finally got him and hopefully she can rest in peace and we can move on. In the end it didnt take superheroes to get a conviction in the comic book case. The state had something better, tenacious prosecutors and a dedicated coldcase cop who like superman, believed in truth, justice and the american way. Contains material that originally aired at a later