Mar 7, 2008

Reiser testifies for third day

Judge issues gag order against attorney for talking to reporters

Bay City News

The judge in the marathon trial of computer scientist Hans Reiser issued a gag order against his attorneys Thursday but issued no such order against Reiser, who completed his third day of testifying in his own defense by continuing to attack the character of his missing wife Nina.

Reiser previously alleged that Nina, who disappeared on Sept. 3, 2006, was an adulterer and an embezzler and Thursday he told jurors that she frequently "worked people" and was "a little manipulative."

Reiser, who on Wednesday alleged that one of Nina's boyfriends was into sadomasochism and brought up the subject of cannibalism, also said Thursday that another of Nina's boyfriends worked for the KGB, the secret police in her native Russia.

In his three days on the witness stand, Reiser hasn't expressed any concern about Nina being missing and has spent only a few minutes talking about the day she was last seen alive, when she dropped off the couple's two children at the house in the Oakland hills where he lived with his mother after Nina filed for divorce from him in 2004.

Instead, 44-year-old Reiser has mostly talked about his computer file business, his financial problems, his complaints about Nina and his unhappiness with the court system in light of his experiences in divorce court with her and in family court after she disappeared.

Displaying emotion for one of the few times in his lengthy testimony, Reiser fought back tears Thursday when he said he was "shaken" when his two children were taken away from him by Alameda County Child Protective Services after Nina disappeared.

"My kids love me so much," he said. "They have a pure, uncomplicated love for me."

The children currently live in St. Petersburg, Russia, with Nina's mother.

The end of Reiser's testimony and of his lengthy trial, which began on Nov. 6, is nowhere in sight because his trial is now in recess until March 17, as Alameda County Superior Court Judge Larry Goodman will take a long-planned vacation next week.

When the trial resumes, Reiser will continue his direct testimony under the questioning of his lead attorney, William DuBois.

After that direct testimony finally ends, Reiser is expected to face a lengthy cross-examination from prosecutor Paul Hora.

After Reiser completes all his testimony, DuBois plans to call three more witnesses, including a DNA expert.
The trial also will be in recess the week of March 24 to accommodate jurors who planned vacations for that time because they thought the trial would be over long before then.

Closing arguments and jury deliberations aren't expected until sometime in April.

Goodman issued a gag order Thursday against all the attorneys in the case, apparently because he was angry that DuBois told reporters outside court on Wednesday that he was upset that the judge barred him from asking Reiser questions about alleged sadomasochism and drug use by Sean Sturgeon.