McDonnell's 'Crazy Wife' Defense Is Totally Unprecedented

[DonViejo]

By CATHERINE THOMPSON Published AUGUST 28, 2014, 6:00 AM EDT

Jurors could begin deliberating as early as Friday in the federal corruption case against Virginia ex-Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) and his wife Maureen. Over five weeks of testimony, jurors have heard a barrage of details about the McDonnells’ finances and about their interactions with a wealthy Virginia businessman, Jonnie Williams, from whom the couple is accused of taking $177,000 worth of gifts and loans in exchange for lending the credibility of the governor’s office to Williams’ dietary supplements company.

But without a doubt, the most engrossing aspect of the trial has been the revelations about the McDonnells’ marriage. In testimony, the governor painted a picture of his marriage veering so far into soap opera territory that pundits began referring to it as the “crazy wife” defense. Legal experts told TPM that was an unprecedented strategy to deploy in such a high-profile criminal case.

When the former governor the took the stand, he cast his wife as a mercurial thorn in his side — not to mention that of the entire Executive Mansion staff. Under questioning by the defense, various other witnesses described Maureen McDonnell as a hoarder, "diva-ish" and "pathologically incapable of taking any kind of responsibility." One former aide testified that the governor was "in denial about Mrs. McDonnell’s mental capacity."

For his part, McDonnell testified that he considered his marriage “on hold” while in the governor’s mansion and further revealed that he moved out of his home just before the trial began, opting to live with his parish priest in order to prepare for court each day away from Maureen McDonnell. Defense attorneys are hoping that all this testimony proves to jurors that communication between the McDonnells was too strained for them to have been able to conspire together to promote Williams’ company.

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http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/bob-mcdonnells-crazy-wife-defense-is-unprecedented

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"The devil...errr, I mean my wife, made me do it"

[Lindsay]

1. Nah. Oldest defense in the world.

"It was Eve's fault," said Adam.

[Shrike47]

2. Hey, 'affluenza' worked, this just might work too.

When the prosecutor can clearly establish that certain events occurred, the defense has to be creative. They're working hard for their client. Yay, lawyers!

No, that's not sarcasm.

[Punkingal]

3. He's a POS....

Their daughter testified yesterday that he was never around, leaving the wife to basically bring up 5 kids on her own, and when he was around, he gave attention to the kids, but little to the wife.

She also said that both of them could turn on the smiles and pretend when it was necessary.

Imagine, their own daughter says their marriage was a sham!

This whole defense is disgusting and revealing, and I think McDonnell is clueless. I can't believe this will work. If I were on the jury I would find him guilty because he is such a hypocritical ass. I don't believe he didn't know what was going on.

[underpants]

4. They left out Maureen being called a "nut job"

[wandy]

5. My bet is that if McDonnell pulls this off. If he walks away without........

so much as a scratch, it will put him back in the running for 2016.
Right back up there with Christie, Walker, Perry and Bush.
The Teapublican base admires this sort of thing you know.
Shows leadership ability.