Transcripts For MSNBC Dateline 20240710

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You just hear the awful things they say. I knew they were focusing on me. There was no body, no weapon, no eyewitness. There is not one doubt in my mind that he is guilty. Now after four trials, the final verdict is in. Im not guilty. I didnt do this. Welcome to dateline. Cal harris seemed to have it all. A beautiful family And successful business And big but always not as it seemed. It was September 11th, 2001 as the world was watching what is happening in the family was struck by heartbreak closer to home. Here with the house on the lake is keith morrison. Its a long winding ride. This tale studded with surprises. I felt like i was being kidnapped in broad daylight And No One can help me. Reporter its the story of his life And theirs. We cannot sit here in silence And watch another travesty of justice take place. Its about their world. The one that fell apart in a time they cant recall. Do you remember much about your mom any more . Not really. Its been a long time. Its about what happened on a September Day the rest of the World Cant forget. Is there a corner of your brain that thinks maybe it was Somebody Else . Not at all. Not at all. 15 years, four trials. Would it never end . I put my head down. I went numb. I just went numb. This is the climatic chapter in a Family Saga one, that began in a moment all but drowned out in the chaos of history. It was september 2001. Harris kids were little. 7, 6, 4, And it. The family lived in this sprawling patch of wilderness with a private lake. Living in paradise, it seems like. Yeah, kids have a lot of happy memories out here. It was a very unique And special place that we were fortunate enough to purchase. Years And years ago. Reporter unique And special place only a prosperous person could perform like the prominent Car Dealer Cal Harris. He taught his kids to love it. You went hunting with the kids here . Hunting, fishing, you name it. We swim the lake, Jet Ski in the And-waterski'>Lake And Waterski And my kids bring their friends out And like to be outdoors. A fun place. Christmas was always fun. Reporter i cant imagine. Opening presents, playing with the new things you get. Reporter I Cant Think of a a more ideal place to have christmas. Did it feel like that at the time . Yeah. Reporter it was here in this patch of paradise, said cal, that he woke up one morning, years ago, to find that his wife michelle wasnt home. She had gone to work the evening before And didnt come back. Mary harris is cals aunt. She didnt know where she was And didnt know what had happened. Reporter woke up And she wasnt there . And honestly he didnt it wasnt something he seemed comfortable talking about a lot. I think it was very emotional for him. Reporter she was gone. Gone without warning. Her friends distraught. Called her Cell Phone. They called her cheery Cell Phone message haunting them. I, this is michelle, leave me your name a number And i will call you back. Whats going on here . Reporter there is something else about this you should know. The night Michelle Harris vanished was not just any night. It was September 11th, 2001. Things were in disarray. So they were And No One was paying much attention about the disturbing events in oswego, New York. Troopers had all been sent to New York city. There is a Skeleton Crew left at all of the stations. Back then sue was a investigator with the new York State police. She took the call on September 12th. What did you do . I sent investigators over to Calvin Harris And a u. S. Troop or up to the house. Reporter cal opened up his house to them. He said look wherever you want. I want it know what happened. That morning, the investigator knew that she had a missing Person Case on our hAnds. We thought it would resolve itself speedily. We kept hoping as everyone did that michelle would call her house or call one of her friends And show up. Reporter cal said his Aunt Mary was completely focused on his four children And had to leave it to others to search for michelle. His thing was, okay, its time for them to go to school And now its time for me to pick them up. I have to be sure it is the Routine that is normal for them, we will keep them in their Routine. Reporter but where was their mother . There was a clue And it didnt look good. Michelles van had been left at the foot of the long driveway leading up to her house out here on that big Country Lot And the keys were still in the ignition. But where was she . All of the investigators, cameras in hAnd, searched the house with 200 or more acres to look through. That area was homesteaded early in the late 1800s. A lot of old foundations And things like that. Reporter didnt find anything . No, we didnt. Reporter not at first or outside but a few days later they did. I entered the residence through the opened Garage Door. Reporter senior investigator steve Anderson. I noticed Blood Stains on the floor And on the moldings of the doorway that led out to the garage. Reporter And more blood, tiny stains on a kitchen rug. They sent it out for tests. Everything on the floor, on the inside walls And on the carpet came back to being michelles blood. Reporter And suddenly the case looked very different. Then we knew we had a real problem. Reporter What In The World happened to Michelle Harris . Coming up. They had what would appear to be an idyllic life in beautiful home And beautiful children. We learned more And more, he became the focus. Reporter a husbAnd suspected. A daughter questioned. I didnt talk. I just sat there And cried the whole time. When dateline continues. Wow, thats a low price. Ooh, thats a low price. Huh. That is a low price. Whats a low price . Ahh, thats a low price can you let me shop . Hmm, thats a low price. Im gonna get it at amazon, anytime is a good time to save. I want to break free vo ready to break free . Its time to get away to a place where we can finally be free. Ive got to break free Vo Plan your Future Getaway with norwegian. Sail safe. Feel free. Were carvana, the company who invented Car Vending Machines And buying a car 100 online. Now weve created a brAndnew way for you to sell your car. Whether its a year old or a few years old. We wanna buy your car. So go to carvana And enter your License Plate Answer a few questions. And our Techno Wizardry calculates your Cars Value And gives you a real offer in seconds. When youre ready, well come to you, pay you on the spot And pick up your car, thats it. So ditch the old way of selling your car, And say hello to the new way at carvana. The Snapshot App from progressive rewards you for driving safe And driving less. Okay, what message did you hear this time . Safe drivers can save using snapshot . Whats snapshot . What the commercial was about. I tune commercials out. Me too. Theyre always like blah, blah blah. Tell me about it. Im going to a Silent Retreat next weekend. My niece got kicked out of one of those. For talking . GrAnd larceny. How about we get back to the savings . [ everyone agreeing ] michele harris, 35yearold mother of four, was missing And new York State police investigators felt sure of one thing. Michele had not abAndoned her children. The clear picture we developed is michele would never leave her children, ever. Reporter so was it foul play . After all, Micheles Van was abAndoned at the foot of her driveway. And that blood on the Garage Floor And in the kitchen alcove, testing proved it was micheles blood. There is a lot of blood in the And-spread'>Garage And Spread over a wide area, And theres a lot of blood splatter, i mean, over 60 drops of blood that has been not just dripped but splattered by some force on that throw rug. Reporter And, yet, didnt make sense. This woman, wife of an affluent Car Dealer, devoted mom, seemed like an unlikely victim. And they have what would appear to be an idyllic life And a beautiful home And beautiful children. Reporter it got off to a story book start. He, the attractive wealthy Car Dealer, she a pretty young woman from modest means, And-answering'>Opening And Answering phones at the Harris County Car Dealership. My mother had his office across The Street from mine. And i just saw her one day And just kind of evolved from there. Reporter what attracted the two of you to each other . She was very outgoing And very attractive, And good personality. She was a knockout. She was funny. She was vibrant. Reporter aunt Mary Harris was taken by cals new girl. Michelle, she said, was a woman up for anything. Athletic. Lets have a good time. You know . Jump on the Jet Ski. Jump on the fourwheeler. Reporter wasnt as dainty as you think . No. Reporter And not shy of retiring type either . No that is part of why their personalities to me seemed to really mesh. We shall hail fell hard to for the man And his lifestyle. Gary taylor is her dad. He won some Dealership Thing And they went to switzerlAnd, i think. Wow. I mean, there was a lot of perks he hadnt had before. Reporter in august 1990, And-cal'>Michelle And Cal got married here beside Empire Lake. A great day. A beautiful setting And very relaxing. Not very stressful. Just kind of it being a big party afterwards. Reporter the Fairy Tale rolled on. Kids kept coming. They built a house on Empire Lake And here on their private preserve they were a family in motion. Fishing, swimming. Skating. Michelle And all of it. The kids, of course, grew older. Taylor is the oldest. Followed by And-jenna'>Kayla And Jenna And tanner. Their mom . About her, they have no real memories. Been a long time. Reporter its true. Most of your lives. And how old were you . Im not sure how old i was but i dont have any memories. Reporter jenna is often told by those who knew michelle how much she resembles her mom. I have seen pictures of her. She is really pretty And shes always smiling. She seems like a really happy person. So it makes me feel good that people see me in her. Reporter And with that terrible loss, say the kids, they have grown up happy And content for the most part. All thanks to one person. Tell me about your dad. What kind of guy is he . Funny. Reporter funny . He is funny And hes the most caring guy in the world. He is nice And we are his whole world And he is protective. And just loves us so much. And once the best for us. Reporter Protective Dad who said he tried to shield them as best he could from the not so happy times. Michelle was really struggling with those kids at a young age, which i totally understood. What i noticed was that she was just drifting away from being a Stayathome Mom And i understood that. Reporter there was friction in the Harris Family. He loved order And she not so much. She had had a room downstairs And she called it a chuck room. If there a party or picnic, she would throw it And take it down to the chuck room. Reporter as she told And-family'>Friends And Family had he a controlling temper. She called her sisterinlaw one day from a closet terrified. He had the gun outside the closet And she was inside, hiding. What did you hear about that . He was out there as a pump gun, And he was ramping the pompoms shut up And down. Reporter cal later denied it was true that he had been fighting or threatening michelle with a gun. Then in 1999, michelle learned cal was having an affair. She was devastated but not ready to end the marriage. And cal said he wasnt either. Michelle said that, you know, we can work through this but, you know, you got to get rid of the girl. She worked up at the dealership. Reporter they did what they could to salvage the marriage. It didnt work. She told her family he cut off her spending money. She took up with a young man in november of 2000. A month later she told cal she wanted a divorce. Her family said he didnt take it well And things in that Big House in paradise grew strained, indeed. Why did she stay In The House . Her attorney had advised her to stay In The House And to not leave. Reporter so they divided the parenting duties And worked on a settlement. Michelle got a job as a waitress. And a bar. And thats where she was on September 11th. She had her fished shift finished at nine. And had some drinks with coworkers And drove to her boyfriends apartment. She left about 11 And that, we believe, is the last time anyone saw Michelle Harris. We did a lot of work on a lot of different people early on And it wasnt until they were eliminated And then we learned more And more about calvin, that he became the focus. Reporter the District Attorney even tried to speak to the eldest children. Didnt accomplish much beyond frightening them, apparently. I know i just sat there And cried the whole time. I didnt talk. I wasnt allowed to be in there with taylor. Reporter how old were you at the time . I was in Fourth Grade And he was in fifth grade. So 9 And 10. Reporter the d. A. Jerry keen said he interviewed plenty of other witnesses who convinced him that the police had the right man. In september 05, four years after michelle disappeared, they charged Cal Harris with murder. Three State Police And personnel literally busted into my office And kicked the door open. The three of them jumped me And hAndcuffed me And shackled me And walked me out the front door of my office. Reporter you got a taste of And-order'>Law And Order up close And personal . Yeah. Reporter the d. A. Was going to take the case to trial even though there was no body, no Murder Weapon And he himself was by no means convinced he could prevail. I thought that it was maybe a 50 50 shot at a conviction. I thought that a jury could go either way. Coming up. It hurts. Absolutely. All of it was just taken away. Prosecutors Come On strong. He told her that he would put her body in a place where it would never be found. When dateline continues. Eliquis. Eliquis reduces Stroke Risk better than warfarin. And has less major bleeding than warfarin. Eliquis has both. Dont Stop Taking Eliquis without talking to your doctor as this may increase your risk of stroke. Eliquis can cause serious And in rare cases fatal bleeding. Dont take eliquis if you have an artificial Heart Valve or abnormal bleeding. While taking, you may bruise more easily. Or take longer for bleeding to stop. Get help right away for unexpected bleeding, or unusual bruising. It may increase your Bleeding Risk if you take certain medicines. Tell your doctor about all planned medical or dental procedures. The number one cardiologistprescribed blood thinner. Ask your doctor about eliquis. With Voltaren Arthritis Pain gel my husbAnds got his moves back. Blood thinner. 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Adorable, but does yours Block Malware . Nope. It crushes it. Pshh, mines so fast, No One can catch me. Big Whoop Mine gives me a 4k streaming box. For free thats because you all have the same internet. Xfinity xfi. So powerful, it keeps oneupping itself. Can your internet do that . In september 2005, four years after his wife vanished, Cal Harris was charged with murder. Oh, it hurts, absolutely. You know . I had a good stAnding in the community. A successful business. Donated my time, money And resources to good causes in the community. Raise my kids in the community. And you know, all of it was just taken away. Reporter but the county d. A. Had been convinced that cal killed his wife late on the late of the night on 9 11. The more i talk to people close to michelle, the more convinced i became that he really did this. Reporter the trial began in 2007 with the prosecution claim the Cal Harris was a man used to being in charge of And-everyone'>Everything And Everyone in his life. He is in control of his businesses, he is in control of his wife, he is in control of his finances, his employees And his children, And just kind of a domineering person. Reporter more than that, said the prosecutor, Cal Harris could be volatile. Michelle harris began to keep notes about what she said was abusive language And behavior. In fact, when a temporary order of protection against him. He said i dont need a gun to kill you. And if i did kill you, they wouldnt be able to find your body. People say terrible things in the heat of passion. It went beyond that. He said he would put her body in place it would never be found. Thats one of the biggest facts of the case. We have looked And looked for the womans body. And ive never been able to find it. Reporter the Harris Family Babysitter A Woman named Barb Thayer said she found Michelles Van parked at the end of a long driveway. She yelled In The House is michelle here . The defendant said without missing a beat said we better go get the car. Reporter according to the babysitter, cal didnt seem surprised. He doesnt ask any questions about the keys. He knows the keys are in the van. This is interpretation of his reaction. But its all these little things that convinced me, that hes just not acting like someone would act if they didnt know what had happened to their wife. Reporter later that morning, when new York State troopers talked to cal, they, too, made note of his demeanor. He seemed kind of unconcerned. He was more concerned with getting Michelle Harrisvan cleaned up And back on the lot. Reporter the motive, said the prosecutor, was simply money. Cal had learned that michelle was demAnding an appraisal of a Car Business that she intended to take a piece of it in the divorce . All of a sudden, everything is out of his control. Reporter so the argument went, if michelle disappeared, cals problems did too. He was going to have his finances scrutinized. He was perhaps not going to be able to stay in the marital residence. Certainly his children were leaving. And the next day, all those things were back in his control. Reporter final that blood. They called it medium Velocity Spatter And had been left there only recently. I think it could have been the most important part of the case as far as placing Michelle Bleeding In The House with some force having been applied to that blood And no explanation for it. Reporter so what happened that night . Prosecutor keen put his theory to the jury. She got home that night about at 11 30, parked her car, went in through the Garage Door And instance she got inside the house, she was struck with something by the defendant. Reporter she went down on the kitchen rug, he said, was struck again. That blood spatter. So this would put her down either on her knees or on her bottom And she is being struck And the blood splatters on the door And on the carpet. Took her back out into the garage And laid her down on the Garage Floor. She must have bled some onto the Garage Floor, because there is an area three feet by six feet where blood was found. Reporter then, said the prosecutor, cal tried to clean up before he disposed of the body. He then would have taken the car back down to the end of the driveway, walked back up to the house And disposed of the body during the seven hours or thereabouts before he called mrs. Thayer. Reporter the Defense Attorneys tried to swat it all down And Cal Harris, himself, was adamant he had nothing to do with his wifes disappearance. Its one thing to say, look, im innocent, i didnt do this but another thing to have so many people accusing you And pointing the finger at you. Look. Im not guilty. I didnt do this. I didnt commit this crime. Reporter there was no body, no Murder Weapon And the defense said the forensics were unconvincing at best but the jurors werent having it. June 2007 they came back guilty. Cal harris broke down And sobbed. Because i knew i was going to not see my kids. I knew i wasnt going to go home that night And i knew how they were going to be And it was overwhelming. Reporter but in the eyes of micheles family, it was finally justice. And then . Then an extraordinary thing happened. My first reaction was, Come On. The judge is not going to accept this guys claim. Reporter a new witness with an amazing story And it turned the Harris Case on its head. Coming up. As always walking by the harris property, there was a blond woman out there, looked like she was crying. I know is her. Reporter had someone seen michelle . The most bizarre story that you could have ever told. Reporter get ready for Trial Number two. When when dateline continues. Dateline continues brad people everywhere are discovering how 5g can change their lives. But apartmentsdotcom has changed millions of renters lives by helping them get into new homes. So, we already knew all about the power of 5g. 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And if you are or may become pregnant while taking rinvoq. Take on ra. Talk to your rheumatologist about rinvoq relief. Rinvoq. Make it your mission. If you cant afford your medicine, abbvie may be able to help. If you cant afford your medicine, after my car accident, i wondered what my case was worth. So i called the Barnes Firm. When that car hit my motorcycle, insurance wasnt fair. So i called the Barnes Firm. It was the best call i couldve made. Atat t bararnefirmrm, our R Inry a Attneysys Wk Hahard i couldve made. Atat t bararnefirmrm, to get you the best result possible. Call us now And find out what your case could be worth. You u Mit Bebe Sprisised welcome back. Im craig melvin. The Barnes Firm injury attorneys call one eight hundred, Eight Million in 2007 Cal Harris was convicted of killing his wife michelle but there was still a small glimmer of hope. A new witness was about to come forward who could possibly shed light on what really happened that Night Michelle disappeared. Here again is keith morrison. Reporter what happened here in oswego in 2007 was almost unbelievable. Cal harris convicted of killing his wife michelle, was about to be sent away for 25 to life. And suddenly, it all blew up right in Gerry Keynes face. I came into the courtroom thinking the defendant was going to be sentenced. And it ended up being more of my being on trial. Reporter who on earth had the power to make this happen . He did. Kevin tubbs. I know that she was there, okay . I know she was. Reporter Kevin Tubbs. A plain spoken Farm Worker back then was hauling hay And why was he so important . Because after six years during which Tuffs War he barely registered the fuss over the Harris Case, he picked up a paper And saw the story of cals conviction, And. I seen that And, you know, i started, like, recalling, you know, thinking like, oh, my god. Reporter just like that he suddenly knew, he said, that what He Saw the morning after 9 11, the morning Michelle Harris disappeared, was important. It was between 5 30 And 6 00 in the morning, he said, he was hauling a load of hay. As i was going by the harris property, there was a blond woman out there And a young gentleman, you know, in his early 20s. Reporter stAnding by a pickup truck. My lights were right on them. Reporter hardly more than ten feet away, he said he looked straight at the young man, saw he was dark haired And muscular And visibly angry. He looks at me like this, like what do you want . Reporter And the woman . She was looking down. Just by her face, looked like she was crying. She was either upset or wasted. Reporter the woman he said, he was certain of it, was michele harris. I know it was her. Reporter was it true . If Kevin Tubbs really did see michelle in the early morning hours of September 12th then the Prosecutors Case was in ruins, because Cal Harris couldnt have murdered her some seven hours before. An innocent man had just been convicted And so the judge tossed out the verdict, called for another trial And sent Cal Home to his kids. Many, including michelles family, thought tubbsstory was bogus. Everybody knew he was lying. It was the most bizarre story you could have ever told. Reporter And, of course, when Trial Number two opened in 2009, the prosecution attacked tubbscrediblility. Why wait six years to come forward . Still for the Defense Tubbs was pure gold And a man to create reasonable doubt. There simply isnt enough evidence to convict Cal Harris of murder. Reporter Bill Easton was one of cals attorneys. There is not an eyewitness to, it or Ear Witness to it. None of this is direct evidence is present in this case. He didnt confessed to. It reporter the prosecution argued that cal showed how unfeeling he was by failing to join the search for michelle. That was nonsense said his Aunt Mary. Cal was simply trying to keep it altogether for his small children. There were dozens, maybe hundreds of experts scouring the area looking for her And there was one person taking care of these four kids. Reporter that alleged motive that cal was worried the dealerships would take a hit because of the divorce . Not so said Cals Side. His lawyer told him Michelle Couldnt Touch the business And that any way before she vanished michele had dieded to accept cals settlement offer, 740,000. She had indicated to numerous people she was happy with the settlement. Reporter besides, said Aunt Mary. It was plenty of money to go around. And no amount of money would have made cal say, oh, for 2 Million im just going to wipe her out. Reporter then there was the blood. Spatter in the kitchen alcove, could have been a cut finger, said the defense but any Way Nobody could really tell when it was left there. The prosecution claimed that cal tried to wash away blood on the Garage Floor. There is a small amount of diluted blood that was found days after the new York State police had walked through this particular area of the house while they were conducting the search. Reporter walking out is not going to destroy the blood cells. It could dilute it if their boots are wet. Reporter finally, the defense decided jurors needed to hear from Cal Harris, as a caring father, not as the husbAnd the state made him out to be so the defendant took the stAnd. It was Nerve Wracking at at first. Obviously my life is on the line. And my kids, their lives to. The reporter he admitted to an affair, blamed himself for the end of the marriage but denied will he had threatened, hurt, or tried to control michelle. If anything, he said, michelle had been living a bit of a wild life staying out all hours just before she disappeared. She came And went as she pleased. She had money to spend. Wasnt tracking her down. The babysitters were here, the nannies were here And she was off doing i dont even know what she was doing. Reporter was it enough . The jury deliberated for almost two days And it wasnt guilty again. Takes your breath away. You know . Its like getting stabbed in the stomach And just im numb. You know . I had already been through it once. Reporter family And friends stepped in, took care of his small kids, who began a weekly ritual visiting dad in prison. Taylor, the eldest. You go And see him two hours a week And a bunch of other people talking And its loud And cant really have a private conversation. Leaving was definitely the hardest part for us. I mean, he held it together well. Reporter what was it like driving . It was quiet. Reporter watching his kids walk away week after week, said cal, was unimaginably hard. It was the worst. I went back to my cell And just laid there for hours And hours And just closed my eyes And tried to block it out. Reporter three years rolled by. Then came a day in October 2012 when Cal Harris found himself crying for joy in the Prison Yard. Coming up. Its rare, though. This is really rare. Yes. A new chance at freedom And new urgency from the kids. This is kind of our time to come out And do our part. Reporter And a whole new thorough of the case. Its all coming together. Its time to look elsewhere. Trial number three. When dateline continues. Teline continues it all starts with the most innovative technology. Like the new miracleearmini, available exclusively at miracleear. So small that No One will see it, but youll notice the difference. And now, miracleear is offering a thirtyday riskfree trial. You can experience better hearing with no obligation. 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What happened . New Yorks Court of appeals overturned the guilty conviction. Said the Trial Judge made mistakes during jury selection. And allowed hearsay testimony. Though the Appeals Court Order Trial Court Number three. Cal, once again, went home to the house And Empire Lake. And his four growing children. Tanner, the youngest, was in Eighth Grade then. The rest were in high school. It was great. Reporter what a change, huh . Back to normal. Reporter it didnt take long to adjust . We had to adjust what our plans were. I reporter you had been coping on your own for so so long. Yeah. Reporter this time, the kids were determined this would be different. We wanted to know that our dad will not be taken away from us again for a crime we know he did not commit. It was a very public coming out. Kayla addressed the cameras. The rest of the kids And their tearyeyed dad stood by. We will not sit here in silence And watch another travesty of justice take place. Reporter the family asked the public to find out what really happened to michelle. It was march 2014. Its time for a real investigation that will get us answers. I think that it was a good thing for us to finally come out And talk about. It reporter how did it feel to do it . Good. We newell it was time to come out And give our side And do our part in this. Reporter cal hired new lawyers And they condemned the state for an investigation which they said was blind to any suspect but their client. The Defense Attorney Bruce broquette. They have pursued this man for 14 years with scant evidence, evidence that really no prosecutor should bring a case on. Reporter the defense went back to witnesses the police had interviewed years before, talked to others, And heard a whole new story of micheles last hours on earth. Earlier trials, they said, revealed the mother of four had been hanging with an unsavoring crowd, coworkers And customers from her waitressing job. Attorney ieta. There were people there had criminal records And dealing drugs And people there making sexual advances. Reporter And on the night she vanished after she left her boyfriends place, they now knew, they said, that michelle did not go home because one of those witnesses reported seeing her later that night with another man, a local Steel Worker. Attorney donna el dia. On September 11th in a bar And in a Dance Club And he was there And he left the two of them And they went alone. Reporter the Steel Worker was Stacy Stewart. He told his friends had he a sexual relationship with michelle And said the defense Stacy Stewart appeared to be the very man Kevin Tubbs saw with michelle in the early hours of September 12th. There was a blond woman out there And a young gentleman, you know, in his early 20s. Reporter tubbs identified that man from a photograph. His physical appearance, his facial hair, his height, his age, And the type of vehicle he drove. Reporter tubbs said the man He Saw was stAnding beside a black truck. Stacy stewart owned a black truck. Same kind And its a new model And its a chevy. You look everything up And its all coming together. Reporter Stacy Stewart has denied any involvement in Micheles Disappearance And he has denied he ever had a relationship with michelle. He said he was never even alone with her. Still Cals Side was convinced that stewart And a friend of his played some role in michelles disappearance. In 2015, Trial Number three opened to the town of Schohaire A Change necessary said the defense because the case was too well known in Tioga County. And the defense managed to get some of the Prosecutions Case thrown out. The State Wasnt allowed to suggest, as it had before, the blood was spilled around the time that michelle disappeared. To have Forensic Scientists get up And speculate And guess at how old the blood was based on the color from a photograph is unsupported proposition. Reporter And out was evidence that cal threatened michel michelles life. Then we dont believe that it ended up in evidence. Then the defense had an opportunity to present its evidence, about the alternate suspect, Stacey Stewart. They judge shut them down. The jury would only be allowed to hear stewarts name, that michel knew him, that kevin tabs had ided him, And that he owned a black truck at the time. No more. Why . Because Stacey Stewart wasnt on trial. Cal harris was. The wrong man, his attorneys insisted. Cal did not deserve to be on trial. And, frankly, michelle And her family deserved better. We all want to know what happened to her. Its time to look elsewhere. Reporter there was a new prosecutor this time, Tioga Countys kirk martin. He made the same arguments the previous d. A. Did And said the harris pointed to harris killing his wife. The trial took three months. Finally, late april, the jury got it And the waiting began. Michelles family was still convinced that calloways guilty. Is there a corner of your brain that thinks, maybe it was Somebody Else . Not at all. Not at all. Reporter well kyle And his Family Hope the jury had been persuaded otherwise. You know you had been confident before. Because you have said, i didnt do it. I should be acquitted. And yet you werent. So how does that impact your thinking now . Just by what bruce And his team have done in the investigation. We didnt have what we have now. Reporter so uncertainty, by this time it was a way of life for the children. So i think, you know, if things dont go our way, it will definitely turn our worlds upside down. I know we are tough enough And we will get through it. But you definitely dont like to think about that kind of thing. We definitely have plans, what we want to do. When it all is said And done, we will see how the interns out. Reporter reporter want to talk about that at all . Maybe. Maybe not. Its the end of Cal Harriss third murder trial, his attorneys determined to show there was reasonable doubt in the case. But would that be enough to persuade the jury . Breaking news out of the courthouse. Would you believe Trial Number four . When dateline continues. En dateline continues. Snt care. I keep my social distance. Shingles doesnt care. I stay within my family bubble. Shingles doesnt care. Because if youve had chicken pox, youre already carrying the virus that causes shingles. In fact, about 1 in 3 people will develop shingles, And the risk only increases as you age. So what can protect you against shingles . Shingrix protects. Now you can protect yourself from shingles with a vaccine proven to be over 90 effective. Shingrix is a vaccine used to prevent shingles in adults 50 years And older. Shingrix does not protect everyone And is not for those with severe allergic reactions to its ingredients or to a previous dose. 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Reporter in cal learn more at your local xfinity store today. Harrisfirst two trials, jurors returned their verdicts swiftly. Third time, deliberations dragged. Finally, almost two weeks in, the jurors made it clear they simply could not reach a verdict. Breaking news out of the schoharie county courthouse, the third trial has been ruled a mistrial. Reporter a mistrial. It was the Outcome Nobody wanted. We got closer to justice, but were not there yet. Micheles family, convinced they knew the truth, that cal murdered michelle, left the courthouse without comment. Not right now. Reporter And Tioga County Prosecutor Martin vowed to do it again. There have been two guilty verdicts in this case And i eagerly await the earliest possible Trial Date that fits with the courts schedule. Reporter a fourth trial . Really . Yes, indeed. In march 2016, deja vu all over again. Same courthouse, same cast of characters with one notable newcomer. How are you . Reporter judge richard maher. When cal waived his right to a jury trial, the new judge suddenly had a starring role in Trial Number 4. He would decide the case. Hed also decide whether to hear the defenses new evidence. In the end, he allowed some, but not all. Lead Defense Attorney Bruce barquette. The truth finally began to peek its head at this trial. We finally begin to see at least an outline of who is actually responsible for Michelle Harrisdemise. Reporter a peek or two, thats all. He made the most of it. Talking about Testimony Tham Steelworker Stacy Stewart once said, something about michelle. He says i was the last person to be seen with her when she was alive. Reporter Defense Attorneys wanted to put Stacy Stewart on the And-but-couldnt'>StAnd But Couldnt track him down. So now, in closing, he didnt offer a detailed theory about what happened to michelle. Didnt have to. Im asking the court to find mr. Harris not guilty because theres not proof beyond a reasonable doubt that he committed this offense. Reporter four trials And now it was all on the line. And so d. A. Kirk martin came on strong. That whole defense theory, he told the judge, was a fantasy. Theres no evidence Stacy Stewart had any sort of relationship with michele, let alone any Reason Or Motive to harm one hair on her head. Finally, said the d. A. , after so many years, so many trials, it was time to convict Cal Harris once And for all. Michele died at the hAnds of her husbAnd, the defendant, Calvin Harris. So what would the judge do . We presented the evidence about what we think happened. The judge was terse. The Verdict Brief with no explanation. Just two words. Words Cal Harris And his children had waited 15 years to hear. Not guilty. When he came back with a not guilty, i was shocked. I was truly shocked. Reporter shocked. Overjoyed. And saddened by what he had lost. Best years of my life as a parent. Ill never get those years back. Reporter he will also never stAnd trial for his Wifes Murder again. Exonerated now. And free finally to speak his mind about his terrible 15year ordeal. From my stAndpoint personally, i think one of the greatest hypocrisies in our country is our Criminal Justice system. There is nothing fair about it. Reporter cal did something more than speak out. They filed a sweeping 26page federal complaint claiming malicious prosecution And violations of civil rights. The lawyer representing Tioga County, the countys District Attorneys office And several members of the new York State police, have denied allegations of misconduct. Still, a mystery endures. About a woman who vanished on a warm september night. While the rest of the world was looking the other way. Thats all for this edition of dateline. Im craig melvin. Thanks for watching. Thanks for watching. Her name was sarah, a sweet single mom, the baby in a bighearted family. Tried to protect her any way that we could. A family turned army when she vanished. This is how many people we have right now. We just started searching. They just wanted to find her. That kind of emotion really

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