Ryan Widmer - Bathtub Murder Trial of Bride of 4 Months, Sarah Widmer

Defense wants alleged confession thrown out in Widmer trial

6:10 PM Tuesday, January 25, 2011


LEBANON — On the eve of the third Ryan Widmer bathtub drowning trial, the defense asked a judge to keep a mystery witness from testifying about an alleged phone call confession.

Widmer’s defense asked Judge Neal Bronson Tuesday in court filings to exclude the alleged phone call confession and to let them introduce evidence of the mystery witness’ past criminal convictions in Iowa for theft, burglary and fraud among other infractions.

The filings state that Widmer never met the woman, but she contacted him after the NBC “Dateline” piece about the case aired in September 2009. The pair communicated on a number of occasions via cell phone, but the defense contends the alleged phone call confession cannot be authenticated and is thus inadmissible.

“Allowing the jury to consider testimony abut a confession allegedly made during a phone call which telephone records show was never made seems to define unfair prejudice,” the motion reads.

Read more:
http://www.middletownjournal.com/news/crime/defense-wants-alleged-confession-thrown-out-in-widmer-trial-1064032.html?cxtype=ynews_rss

Widmer defense motion goes after mystery witness’s past
Defense team files 3 last-minute motions

Posted: 01/25/2011
Last Updated: 1 hour and 33 minutes ago


LEBANON, Ohio - Three new motions were filed by the defense in the Ryan Widmer case just before the third trial gets under way, including their request to include prior convictions in their cross-examination of the mystery witness “Jane Doe.”

According to the motion filed Tuesday afternoon at 4 p.m., the mystery witness has a criminal background stemming from 1992, when she was charged with three counts of burglary. The most recent conviction in 2007 was for 4th degree theft. She was sentenced to pay a $315 fine.

Read more:
http://www.kypost.com/dpps/news/widmer-defense-motion-goes-after-mystery-witness%E2%80%99s-past_5962965

It sure seems like the prosecution is reaching (or are desperate) if they have to have a witness like that with no proof of the call in which the confession was made.

I agree.....

Chicken bone latest twist in Widmer case

By Janice Morse • jmorse@enquirer.com
January 25, 2011

Add this to the long list of strange twists in the Ryan Widmer murder case: a potential expert witness was so badly hurt by a chicken bone, he won't be available to testify until March - but his previous testimony still might crop up in Widmer's current trial.

Dr. Werner Spitz "suffered a perforated bowel from a chicken bone he had swallowed" and underwent emergency surgery on Christmas Eve, and a second surgery on Jan. 4, his office said in a Jan. 25 letter. He will be available to testify "in the latter half of March," the letter said.

Read more:
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20110125/NEWS010702/101260346/Chicken-bone-latest-twist-in-Widmer-case

Ryan Widmer Trial 3: Day 1 LIVE

http://livewire.wlwt.com/Event/Ryan_Widmer_Trial_3_Day_1

The jurors will be going to the former Widmer home at 10am. Janice Morse from the Cincinnati Enquirer will be going through the home after the jurors.

Defense: Mystery Witness Can't Verify Widmer Confessed
Attorneys Say Phone Records Cannot Prove Call Made

POSTED: 5:20 pm EST January 25, 2011
UPDATED: 6:10 pm EST January 25, 2011


~Snipped~

Defense attorneys said they expect the Iowa woman to testify that she sent Widmer an e-mail through the website freeryanwidmer.com and the two began exchanging text messages from their own cell phones.

According to defense attorneys, the witness will testify that Widmer called her cell phone from a "blocked" number and confessed to killing 24-year-old Sarah Widmer.

The witness will testify that she and Widmer have never met or spoken face to face but she recognized his voice from the Dateline program, defense attorneys argued.

"(The witness) claims to be able to identify Ryan's voice on the telephone after hearing Ryan speak for approximately 12 seconds during the Sept. 18, 2009, 'Dateline,'" defense attorneys argued.

Defense attorneys said that, based on evidence shared with them by prosecutors, the witness does not remember the date of the call, and they said her phone records do not show any call meeting the time of day, time period or length of the call as she described to investigators.

They asked Judge Neal Bronson to exclude any testimony about such a call.

"Allowing the jury to consider testimony about a confession allegedly made during a phone call which telephone records show was never made seems to define unfair prejudice," defense attorneys argued. "The probative value under these circumstances is virtually zero."

This link also has the 3 motions that were filed:
http://www.wlwt.com/ryan-widmer-retrial/26613489/detail.html

Posted on FB, Jennifer C. is supposedly the mystery witness:






Here is a link to the emails posted on Facebook. www.facebook.com/album.php?fbid=177670362268343&id=156366941065352&aid=31451

Notes On Widmer Jury Tour

Judge Neal Bronson allowed Enquirer reporter Janice Morse to retrace the jurors' steps after they left, serving as a "pool reporter" and later sharing observations with other news reporters.

The staircase leading to upstairs is only a few feet from the front door. There are seven steps that end at a landing, then a turn and five more steps to get to the top of the stairs, where one turns a corner to get to the master suite.

The master bedroom is connected to the bathoom where Sarah Widmer drowned in the tub. There is a shower next to the tub.

In the bathroom, it is only about eight steps from the doorway to the far wall. The width from the bathtub to nearby cabinets is only about three feet.

It would be difficult for two adults to stand shoulder to shoulder in that space. The bathroom is small, but looks larger in photos.

Tub fixtures were removed by order of the court because they had been changed since new owners moved into the house.

The judge prohibited media photography inside the home at the request of the home's new occupants.

http://www.wlwt.com/news/26622395/detail.html

In regards to the secret mystery witness, Jennifer Crew, judge will allow her testimony and will allow her past criminal activity. Apparently, she is a current patient in a methadone clinic and can recite parts of the Dateline segment word for word......

"Haven't seen the ruling, but based on the prosecution objections the judge sustained and overruled, it seems that he will allow evidence of charges related to fraud/burglary/theft but not probation violations or driving without a license. Guess he's narrowly allowing the stuff most related to her truthfulness and credibility. Makes sense to me."
by Travis Gettys at 12:25 PM

I've enjoyed the info Travis is supplying us with...will tune back in after lunch break (1:30) when court resumes...

Hi Estee! It's like being there. I read where Inside Edition is there as well as Dateline now. I think this secret mystery witness is a total bust......what a farce. I was kind of expecting a jail house snitch, but so far she appears to be even worse than that....... on the prosecution.

Secret mystery witness - Jennifer Crew

~Snipped~

During her opening statement, defense attorney Lindsey Gutierrez identified the witness as Jennifer Crew, the manager of a gentleman's club in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Crew contacted Ryan through the website freeryanwidmer.com after seeing the September 2009 episode of Dateline featuring the case. The relationship evolved into e-mails to Ryan's personal account, then text messaging and phone calls to Ryan's personal cell phone.

Crew states that there was a call with Ryan that lasted an hour and that in that call he confessed to drowning his wife, Sarah.

She cannot say when the call took place, or the number it took place from. Defense attorneys say phone records showed no record of an hour long call on Jennifer's cell phone.

When interviewed by investigators, defense attorneys said Crew could quote word for word the Dateline episode.

Prosecutors say Crew told them Ryan appeared to be intoxicated when he confessed.

She sent several texts to Ryan in December, and then seven months later, after sending birthday presents to Ryan and his twin brother, she told investigators Ryan confessed to her.

Judge Bronson reminded jurors that opening statements are not evidence.

http://www.fox19.com/Global/story.asp?S=13909519

Yes, Piper...this is quite interesting...Court just wrapped up...I've been glued to my laptop all day and probably will be until this whole trial is completed...I'll probably wind up with a DVT for being so inactive...I can't believe the discrepancies in that transport record...and some of the testimony that said wet magazine and floor and other testimony that said no water found anywhere...There definately is conflicting testimony...Don't know when Ms Crew will take the stand, but sounds like it will be quite entertaining to say the least...
Hope others here at RC are getting involved in this thread....Thanks for bringing it to my attention...

I'm here! I didn't get to keep up today outside of the updates in this thread though. I'm hoping to read up on the news after dinner tonight. It sounds interesting so far.

Day 2 of trial #3.........

Link to Travis Gettys' live blog:
http://livewire.wlwt.com/Event/Ryan_Widmer_Trial_3_Day_2

Mystery Witness Identified In Ryan Widmer Trial
Jurors Tour Former Widmer Home Before Trial Begins

POSTED: 10:30 am EST January 26, 2011
UPDATED: 11:18 pm EST January 26, 2011

Recap of yesterday's proceedings with video..
http://www.wlwt.com/ryan-widmer-retrial/26622156/detail.html

~Snipped~

News 5 talked with a woman in Missouri who said Jennifer Crew stole her identity.

"Our wires are still crossed. I have no idea who this person is," the fraud victim said. "I wouldn't take her word for much at this point."

The woman said her credit is still impacted.

However, the prosecution said that even someone with a checkered past may have insight into what happened to Sarah Widmer.

Krumbein said it could be possible that Crew has bulletproof information that only the killer would know.

The prosecution has the first line-up of witnesses and it's still unclear when Crew will take the stand.

My bet is Ms Crew will testify near the end (so the jury will still have it in their memory)...I might be wrong, but that is my gut feeling... then its time for me to get to Travis' blog...

For some reason, people were thinking she'd testify first, I didn't think that would happen either! She sounds like a real piece of work from what's been said in court and her criminal background. She's memorized the entire Dateline episode! I find that very odd....


Lengthy questioning in regards to EMT's on the scene, one EMT was disciplined for that particular run. And it's interesting that the defense has an incomplete report compared to the prosecution's complete report. No wonder there was so much confusion. And it seems both contain inaccuracies. So the entire story of exactly what happened to Sarah once they arrived is not clear at all. They did 5 intubation attempts and worked on her for 45 minutes, that takes a toll on a body. And once she arrived at the hospital, that intubation was pumping air into her stomach and not her lungs.

Next firefighter/paramedic being questioned was disciplined for this run, not the report or actions but because he told his mother something about the case while venting about work. Says his brother overheard this and posted some of the confidential patient info on a blog.

Widmer testimony continues amid buzz

By Janice Morse • jmorse@enquirer.com • January 27, 2011

~Snipped~
LEBANON - Testimony in the Ryan Widmer murder case resumed this morning with continued questioning of one of the first-responding medics who tried to revive drowning victim Sarah Widmer .

Speculation continued over when a new, recently disclosed witness will testify about the alleged confession of Sarah Widmer's husband, Ryan.

Legal experts say that a coroner likely would need to testify and allege a crime before the witness, Jennifer Crew, 36, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, could testify. Prosecutors say she heard Ryan Widmer confess to drowning his wife in their bathtub.

Warren County Coroner Russell Uptegrove, who ruled Sarah Widmer's death a homicide, was the 18th prosecution witness to testify last year, and his testimony took more than four hours. Prosecutors have not said when Uptegrove might testify during this trial.

Prosecutors say Widmer got drunk and made an hour-long phone call to Crew in the middle of the night to confess - and that he made a threat that kept her silent until last June, after Widmer's second trial ended in a hung jury.


But defense lawyers say they found no record showing any call of that duration and time frame on Crew's phone records. Crew alleges Widmer's motive was that his wife of four months was planning to leave him, lawyers said in court.

But Widmer's lawyers say evidence will show the newlyweds exchanged love-filled text messages preceding Sarah Widmer's death.

Read more:
http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20110127/NEWS0107/301270048/

Jason Stevens, firefighter/paramedic testimony:

Stevens says Sarah was dead the entire time they were attempting to revive her.
by Travis Gettys at 11:58 AM

Stevens says no attempt made to falsify the report. Existence of incomplete report had no impact on their treatment of Sarah.
by Travis Gettys at 11:57 AM

Vieux asking where incomplete copy of report came from, and Clark objecting. But Stevens allowed to say that the investigator might have turned it over with other documents related to case.
by Travis Gettys at 11:57 AM

Stevens says an incomplete version of the report was given to an investigator at the hospital. Says he did not tell investigator that report wasn't complete.
by Travis Gettys at 11:55 AM

Hi, Piper!

I looked for this thread in the wee hours and could not find it! What is it under? I clicked on it now on the Homepage to the left (recent comments).

I found numerous articles from main stream media in the News section of RC last night. I clicked on the articles and many had videos.

One article said his wife was going to divorce him. Maybe she told him that and he killed her?

I saw where one TV station has a Live Chat during the trial. I think a reporter is providing info while in the Court Room.

That is cool for those following the case!

Maybe the third time will be a charm and he is found guilty. Hopefully, the jury won't screw up and cause a mis-trial. Didn't that happen in the first trial?

Articles said the second trial was a hung jury.

As you can see, I have not followed this case.

Hi Ann! It's under the Daily News Thread. The live blog is really cool, Travis Gettys from WLWT Channel 5 runs the blog from the court room.

Ryan was found guilty in the first trial, but then it was revealed some jury members conducted their own tests on how fast a body would dry. So it was declared a mistrial and Ryan was released from prison. And the 2nd trial was a hung jury.

The proper/improper CPR and intubation attempts are very relevant in this case. As are the inconsistent reports in relation to the coroner stating cause of death as a homicide. It seems the defense will be stating these attempts could have caused the injuries that the prosecution is claiming came from Ryan. And with an incorrect report, the prosecution didn't have correct information to base their case on........

Day 3 of trial #3, link to live blog:



http://livewire.wlwt.com/Event/Ryan_Widmer_Trial_3_Day_3

Expert: Sarah Widmer not likely to have seizure

By Janice Morse • jmorse@enquirer.com • January 28, 2011

LEBANON – A medical expert testified Friday that drowning victim Sarah Widmer's medical records revealed no significant medical problems that could have contributed to her death -- not even her reported bouts of sudden sleepiness and her severe headaches.

Dr. James Layne Moore, who heads the Ohio State University lab that studies brain waves, sleep and epilepsy problems, left open the possibility that Sarah Widmer could have suffered a first-time seizure. “She’s not a very likely candidate to have a seizure…(but) it can’t be ruled out,” Moore said.

During testimony that spanned more than two hours Friday, Moore conceded that bruises on the right side of Sarah Widmer’s head could have been inflicted if she fell and hit her head during such a seizure. He also said that, if she had fallen forward, she could have gasped and breathed in water and “you wouldn’t be able to sit up.”

Assistant Prosecutor John Arnold offered Moore’s testimony to counter defense lawyers’ contentions that Sarah Widmer, 24, may have suffered a medical problem that contributed to her drowning in her Hamilton Township bathtub in August 2008. Prosecutors allege that her husband, Ryan Widmer, 30, of Mason, killed his wife of four months.

Moore also reviewed a new piece of information: A report of a heart murmur when Sarah Widmer was 10 months old. That report was absent from two past trials of her husband, Ryan Widmer.

Read more:

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20110128/NEWS010702/301280026/

Coroner insists Sarah Widmer's death was homicide
Ryan Widmer's lawyers try to make point that rescue attempts could have left marks

By Janice Morse • jmorse@enquirer.com • January 28, 2011

LEBANON - Warren County Coroner Russell Uptegrove remained steadfast in his opinion while testifying Friday: Sarah Widmer’s drowning was a homicide, he says, largely because of bleeding he found deep inside the tissues of the front of her neck.
He thinks a blow to the neck or compression could have caused the injuries, and says they weren’t consistent with those he has seen caused by life-saving efforts.

But defense lawyers got Uptegrove to admit he was unfamiliar with studies that show medical procedures – including attempts to insert a breathing tube – can cause injuries that mimic marks inflicted by choking.



The coroner also acknowledged that bruising on Sarah Widmer’s body may have appeared exaggerated because water dilutes a drowning victim’s blood, causing it to seep further than undiluted blood.

Sarah Widmer’s husband, Ryan, 30, of Mason, is being tried for a third time on a murder charge following two mistrials. The couple had been married just four months before her drowning death in August 2008.

On the fifth day of Widmer’s current trial, Uptegrove’s five-hour testimony kept jurors in court until after 7 p.m. Friday.

Bronson told the jury to return to court at 8 a.m. Monday, an hour earlier than usual.

That fueled speculation that prosecutors may call the formerly secret “mystery witness” to testify Monday. Prosecutors say Widmer made a drunken confessional call to Jennifer Crew, 36, on her cell phone in Iowa, admitting he had drowned his wife after an argument.

Defense lawyers say Crew has a history of drug problems and criminal convictions and that her cell phone records do not show that call.

Uptegrove’s testimony was a key setup move for prosecutors. Legal procedures require evidence of a crime before another witness could allege that someone confessed to that offense, experts say.

But prosecutors could choose to call other witnesses before calling Crew, and more medical testimony is expected in the case, which is expected to last about three weeks in Warren County Common Pleas Court.




Read more and see
• Expert on Sarah Widmer's medical condition
• Complete trial coverage: Video, photos, timeline


http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20110128/NEWS010702/301270038/Coroner-insists-Sarah-was-killed

Years ago, my brother's girlfriend was visiting me and all of a sudden she started having a seizure. It was so violent that I immediately grabbed her shaking head and put it in my lap so it would be a softer blow than the carpeted floor. When it was over I took her to the emergency room. She told me she had never had a seizure before. She was 17 years old at the time. And, it was not epilepsy but I can't remember now what caused it.

What if this was Sarah's first seizure? The excessive bleeding to the back of the neck could have been caused by her head banging against the tub. One of those blows could have knocked her out.

It just seems like there is a concerted effort to put Ryan away for murdering his wife. Those injuries surely could have been caused by other reasons than homicide.

Piper, It was heartbreaking to hear Ryan's 911 call and his attempt to pull her from the tub...I believe some of her bruising was caused by her removal from the tub...I don't doubt for one minute that other bruising was caused by the multiple attempts to intubate her and do CPR...How log did it take for the paramedics to get to the residence after the 911 call was made...Ryan said she had been in the bathroom at least 1/2 hour...there is no telling how long it was before she had her accident...

Yes, Estee...there were 5 unsuccessful intubation attempts on Sarah.

Ryan's 911 call:

Dispatcher - Ron Kronenberger

Dispatcher: 911 What is your emergency?

Ryan: (Hyperventilating, stammering and trying not to sob - Dog Barking in background)

"My wife fell asleep in the bathtub and I think she's dead" (continues to hyperventilate)

Dispatcher: What's the address?

Ryan: 5250 Crested Owl Court Morrow, OH

Dispatcher: Okay I need you to calm down for me..I can't understand the address, what was it?

Ryan: (speaking slower) 5250 Crested Owl Court (hyperventilating)

Dispatcher: 5250 Crested Owl? in Hamilton Township?

Ryan: Yes, Morrow, Ohio

Dispatcher: Now what's going on?

Ryan: (speaking very fast) "She fell asleep in the bathtub I think....I was downstairs, I just came up here (panting) and she was laying face down in the bathtub.

Dispatcher: In the water?

Ryan: Yes!

Dispatcher: How old is she?

Ryan: She's 24 (still breathing fast, sobbing)

Dispatcher: And she's in the bathtub?

Yes, she's in....the water's draining right now....I tried to do everything I could I..... (crying) (1:00)

Dispatcher: Have you taken her out of the water now?

RYan: Yes the water's completely drained but she's just laying here unconscious....

Dispatcher: So she's still in the bathtub?

Ryan: Yes, Yes,

Dispatcher: Okay Okay. So...what...you drained the water out of the tub? (1:15)

Ryan: Yes

Dispatcher: How long was she in the bathtub? (1:23)

Ryan: I....I...I have....15 minutes to a half hour...somewhere in there...I was downstairs watching TV...she falls asleep in the tub all the time but....(sobbing, still breathing fast)

Dispatcher: And how are you related to her? uh...Are you her mother?....er

Ryan: I'm her...I'm her husband...

Dispatcher: Husband?

Ryan: Yes

Dispatcher: What's your name?

Ryan: Ryan Widmer

Dispatcher: Spell that last name for me Ryan

Ryan: W-I-D-M-E-R (breathing heavy)

Dispatcher: Have you tried CPR?

Ryan: Yes....as much as I could....what little bit I know..

Long pause...Ryan heard trying to hold back from crying, sobbing, hyperventilating..

Ryan: Is somebody coming? (2:23)

Dispatcher: Yeah, they're on the way Ryan...There's no way you can get her out of the bathtub?

Ryan: I can try but I have to set the phone down..

Dispatcher: Go and get her out of the bathtub and get her on a flat surface.

Ryan: Okay, Okay.....I'm dropping the phone (Sound of phone being put down) (2:39)

Sounds of Ryan struggling to get her out of tub..

Ryan: She's on a flat surface. (3:10)

Dispatcher: What's that?

Ryan: She's on a flat surface....

Dispatcher: Okay, go ahead and get back to doing CPR....try to do CPR They'll be there in a little bit, okay?

Ryan: K

Dispatcher: Is your....is your doors unlocked?

Ryan: No

Dispatcher: Are you using....Okay Run and unlock the doors so when they....they can get in....when they come back

Ryan: okay (panting) they're unlocked now.. (sirens heard in background)

Dispatcher: Okay

Ryan: We're.....I'm upstairs..(panting)

Dispatcher: You're upstairs? (3:39)

Ryan: Yeah (panting)

Dispatcher: You have more than one bathroom in the house?....er

Ryan: No, there's two but the upstairs is the only one with a bathtub

Ryan heard trying to give CPR breaths (4:02)

Dispatcher: Ry...Ryan put the phone down and try CPR for me?

Ryan: Okay....Come on baby...come on.....

Dog barks

(4:27) Sounds from Ryan as he attempts CPR


Silence.....

Tape ends 5:52

Ryan's cell phone shows call was almost 7 minutes before his cell phone hung up.

He said she was face down? I would think if she fell asleep she would be face up. If this wasn't a homicide then Sarah had a medical problem that may have happened just as she was climbing in the tub and that's how she landed face down. If Ryan murdered her and knew he was going to use the excuse that she falls asleep all the time then he'd be smart enough to know to lay her face up, I would think.

"Says call came in at 10:49:53, according to computer that records audio"

"Says call came in almost a full minute ("50 seconds") before an officer was dispatched."

Will a jury 'buy' troubled Widmer witness?
Iowa woman with checkered past is wild card in trial

By Janice Morse • jmorse@enquirer.com • January 29, 2011

LEBANON - The identity of the "mystery witness" who surfaced after two mistrials in the Ryan Widmer murder case is now known.

Also known are a few things about Jennifer Crew, whose name prosecutors kept secret for seven months.

She's a 36-year-old Iowa woman with a checkered past who reportedly took a call in the middle of the night to hear a drunken confession from Widmer, then sat on the information for months.

But what is not known: Exactly what she will say, how she will say it - and whether a Warren County jury will buy it.

"A lot of law students are absolutely horrified that this is the alleged 'star witness' for the prosecution's case and this is a major basis for why there is a third trial," said Joe Mooney, a student at Northern Kentucky University's Chase College of Law.

But Mooney, who attended Widmer's trial Friday, conceded that even people who "aren't the most upstanding individuals," such as jailhouse snitches and those with shady pasts, can sometimes convince juries that they are telling the truth.

Widmer's retrial heads into its sixth day Monday in Warren County Common Pleas Court, amid much speculation about when Crew might testify.

Last week, first-responding police and medical personnel described circumstances that aroused their suspicions the night Sarah Widmer, 24, drowned in 2008. Her hair was wet, while her skin and the bathroom seemed dry. But they conceded there was no sign of struggle and no wet towels anywhere, nor any freshly dried towels in the clothes dryer.

On Friday, Warren County Coroner Russell Uptegrove testified that he ruled Sarah Widmer's death a homicide. Under legal rules, some evidence of a crime must be established before prosecutors can present testimony alleging that Widmer confessed to that crime.

No one is saying when Crew will take the witness stand. A gag order prevents lawyers from talking about the case outside of court. Even without such an order, lawyers often prefer to keep their trial strategies to themselves.

But defense lawyers have already come out swinging in court records, attacking credibility problems swirling around Crew: her history of drug problems, theft convictions and her long-distance association with Ryan Widmer.

"The 'mystery' is why she is allowed front-and-center status in a case of this magnitude," said Christo Lassiter, a University of Cincinnati law professor who has been following the case closely since it began.

"You have got to be kidding me," he said, after learning some basic facts about Crew and her connection to the case.

She contacted the freeryanwidmer.com website immediately after seeing the Sept. 18, 2009, "Dateline NBC" program featuring the Widmer case, which was then headed for a second trial.

A profile Crew created with that website under the screen name, "poohbear4u," says she is a pre-law student and "I support Ryan 1000% and I will do anything in the world to help him!"

Defense lawyers dropped hints in court that this new witness was "obsessed" with Widmer. They say the two have never met in person. They only exchanged text messages, e-mails and phone calls. Their last contact was in December 2009. Seven months later, in June 2010, she told investigators about Widmer's alleged confession.

For a jury to believe her, "There's got to be something that she's going to be able to point to in her testimony that nobody else knows - that she could have only learned from Widmer," says Mooney, the law student. "She'd better have a unique fact in there that absolutely nails it."

If she doesn't have something incredibly detailed and believable to say, prosecutors could be sabotaging their own case, Mooney and others say.

"All of her apparent flaws may taint the state's case and sink it," says Cincinnati defense lawyer Mark Krumbein, who has listened to hours of testimony in the case. "Jurors may think, 'Is this the best they've got?' She may be worse than a jailhouse snitch."

Crew, who has worked as the manager of a gentleman's club, has been convicted of several crimes over the years and reportedly was receiving treatment for drug addiction at a methadone clinic where she told a counselor about Widmer's alleged confession.

In addition, defense lawyers say Crew's phone records do not support her allegation. She told investigators that Widmer confessed during an hour-long call to her cell phone at 2 a.m. or 3 a.m., but no call fits that description, defense lawyers say.

Even so, prosecutors may be stuck with her.

"The prosecution actually has no choice but to call Ms. Crew, warts and all. They have a live witness whose story can at least be partially corroborated who will testify that Widmer confessed to killing his wife," said Mike Allen, former Hamilton County prosecutor.

Lassiter, who also has some past experience as a prosecutor, offered a different analysis.

"The prosecutors are using Jennifer Crew because they are caught up in their view of the case and are frustrated that the defense has managed to demonstrate and preserve reasonable doubt so effectively," he said.

He said that even the motive that Crew reportedly provided - that Widmer's wife was planning to leave him after four months of marriage - doesn't withstand scrutiny.

Sarah Widmer's best friend since childhood and a number of other witnesses have testified that the newlyweds seemed happy and devoted to each other. Defense lawyers say they have lovey-dovey text messages that the couple exchanged. And, Lassiter said, a person's decision to leave a marriage is not made "in isolation" - so Sarah Widmer would have told someone.

Read more:

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20110129/NEWS010702/101300334/Will-jury-buy-troubled-witness-

If I were a juror I would not believe her (Crew) unless there was a phone record of the confession she is alleging.

I agree Sherry...Since there is no phone record to prove her point, I say it never happened...

I agree about the phone call, they obviously have other records of them talking a few times but no such call exists as to the date, time and length of call she describes. She also said this particular call came through on a blocked or private number, none of the others did from what I've read.

See now, that's what is hinky! A private/blocked number?! How convenient!

Even if it was blocked it would still show an incoming call from "private number"...and would record the time spent on the call...One can't call cell phones from most payphones in Florida...LE had that done to keep people from calling their drug dealers...That's one reason why most addicts have pre-paid el-cheapo cell phones...

Estee, that's very interesting about the payphones to cellphones - I didn't have a clue!

Ryan Widmer Trial 3: Day 4 Live Blog

They started at 8am this morning, earlier than usual.

http://livewire.wlwt.com/Event/Ryan_Widmer_Trial_3_Day_4

Sarah's brother, Mike Steward, in court this morning


I feel bad for all of the family members. Autopsy photos being viewed and discussed, for the third time. I can't imagine how difficult that is to see.

Second Mystery Witness May Testify in Widmer Case

Published: 1/26 5:56 am Updated: 10:29 am

Prosecutors working to convict a Hamilton Township man for drowning his newlywed wife in the couple's bathtub filed a motion today to limit the questioning of their star witness. That motion also contained a mention of a second mystery witness whose testimony may be called soon.



The state filed motions today regarding the first mystery witness, a strip club owner from Iowa named Jennifer Crew. Crew contacted Widmer through the "Friends of Ryan Widmer" website after seeing him on national television. The two communicated via email and text message. Crew says Ryan called her one night, drunk, and admitted to killing Sarah, saying he did it because Sarah was going to leave him.

The defense says phone records do not match Crew's story. Crew also has a long record including convictions for fraud and theft. Today, the prosecution filed a request asking the judge to limit the defense's ability to question Crew on her criminal past. Prosecutors say most of Crew's convictions are too old or not specifically related to her credibility. The only conviction the prosecution feels is relevant is her 2007 misdemeanor charge of theft.


The prosecution goes on to say, "On the other hand, the State has thus far honored the defense request that the State not return a subpoena showing the name and address of another Jane Doe witness, currently living in the area, and whose identity was recently discovered by the state, and who also became involved with the Defendant as the result of Dateline and the defendant's website, and moved to the area following her involvement with the Defendant."

Read more:
http://www.local12.com/news/local/story/Second-Mystery-Witness-May-Testify-in-Widmer-Case/eF_HyYI_7UeOcOClOs7qXg.cspx

Footnote in the motion filed by prosecutors on Monday morning, 1/31, mentions a second Jane Doe witness.

I like this Dr. Rogers guy...He said intubation injuries could appear the same as strangling and that lip abrasions were not uncommon due to intubation...

And how do you like this statement...Rogers says seizures can occur upon birth and up until death. So median age for seizures would be somewhere in between.
by Travis Gettys at 12:33 PM

Doesn't that just about cover it ?????

I'd go as far to say....yep, that about covers it!!

And don't you know that all those that tried to intubate Sarah and do CPR on her are going to say that they did it "according to the book"...No one wants to admit that they made a mistake....However she had already expired and probably was "brain dead" at that point...I still say some of her bruising could have been cause from her removal from the tub...Why hasn't the defense mentioned that???

And notice the confusion in testimony...yes, we worked on her going down the steps, no we didn't work on her going down the steps. From the testimony today and pictures of the stairway, it would have been impossible for anyone to work on her then. The multiple & unsuccessful attempts had to do some damage, I just don't understand how it couldn't. They could never get her airway cleared to do it successfully.

I also agree with you about how Ryan got Sarah out of the tub. I understand she was just a little over 5 ft tall, so she's small. Did Ryan reach down and scoop her up, did he have hold of her upper body, is he strong enough to lift her completely? There was testimony last week something to the fact that dead weight is just what it means. If he had to pull on her to get a good hold on her or basically drag her out if he couldn't lift her, I would think there would be some bruising.

According to the 911 call, they instructed Ryan to drain the tub, then pull Sarah out. When the water drained, could her head have hit the tub? I'm going to go back through testimony from the previous trials to see if this is ever brought up, I don't remember it. I've also wondered over the last two years if he hadn't already pulled her out of the tub before he called 911. The frothy blood stain they talk about being between her legs on the carpet, when there is no sign of any blood coming from her vaginal area. Then the other stain near her head makes me think that in case he moved her trying to save her. I don't know....

They aren't starting court until 10am tomorrow morning, and possibility of cancellation for the day. Big ice storm expected...