State of Iowa V. Michelle Boat Trial
Videos from the Court Case
News Excerpt
Dr. Bob Leonard: "You're a, have a lot of experience, seen a lot of big trials. You may have seen more big trials than, oh, anybody, other than your colleagues on Court TV. What do you think of the local prosecution and the defense in the murder trial of Michelle Boat?"
Chanley Painter: "I was super impressed with the, well, both sides, really, but the prosecutor there in Marion County, Ed Bull, he's just a pro in the courtroom. His opening statement was fantastic. I was hanging on every word. I mean, he, you could tell that he was prepared, and he purposefully chose certain words. I mean, the imagery of, that he used in his opening statement made me feel like I was there at the crime scene, uh, when it happened. And that, that's, that's real experience, uh, someone who knows what he's doing. And the way that he was able to cross-examine the defendant herself, Michelle Boat. Uh, he was, he knew, he's a master at that. He, he knew how, you know, the classic advocacy class we take in law school, how you lead the person you're cross-examining to the edge of a cliff and then, let them jump off of it. Right? She fell into all of his traps, if you will, on cross-examination. And he did so in a way that he didn't have to scream and yell about it, which I thought showed a lot of restraint and experience on his part."
Dr. Bob Leonard: "What did you think of Jared Harmon's, uh, closing arguments for the prosecution?"
Chanley Painter: "Yes. He did the rebuttal and I thought he did an excellent job of bringing it back to why we're here. And the main issue this jury needed to take back with them, which probably was one of the reasons why the jury didn't take long to make a decision in this case. It was a record for Court TV, less than 45 minutes for a jury deliberation and a return verdict, again, 'cause she wasn't saying she didn't do it. She just said she did do it. It was just was it first-degree murder or something less. So, I think he really hit it home right. That was last word that the jury heard before they went back into deliberation. And he kept it short, which I think is important for attorneys. And the point had been made with closing arguments, and this jury had already made up their minds, so he kept it simple. And he kept it short to the point, and that was effective."
Interview with Chanley Painter, Court TV, by Robert Leonard, KNIA/KRLS Radio, originally aired May 24, 2021
