Mark Norwood trial starting to wrap up
Mark Norwood declined to take the witness stand Thursday as testimony in his murder trial started to wrap up.
The only person to speak in his defense was Marc Taylor, a forensic expert. Taylor offered possible explanations as to why hair from Norwood was found in the home of Debra Baker after she was murdered in 1988.
During questioning Taylor agreed that it Is possible to track hair, and carry hairs into a building inadvertently on objects. Back in the 80's Norwood did construction work and installed flooring. While he told investigators he never met Debra Baker.
Defense attorneys noted that Norwood and his wife often held yard sales and it was suggested his hair was on items sold to Baker or another innocent transfer could have happened.
"If there are multiple reasons why human hair is transferred into a house or something like that. It can end up on any number of variety of different objects depending on what activities take place in the house," said Taylor. Defense attorney suggested examples like, doing laundry, garage sales, remodeling all could be explanations for hair in a house.
Prosecutors believe Norwood's hair was in Baker's home because he had broken into it the night she was killed. Norwood was linked to several burglaries in Baker's neighborhood around the same time period.
"There's a big difference between possible and reasonable, and that's just what we want the jury to focus on, this theory of the magical traveling pubic hair or what was really reasonable, and that he murdered her and left his pubic hair behind," said Assistant DA Katie Sweeten.
Before prosecutors rested Thursday afternoon they called a county inmate testify about conversations he allegedly had with Norwood while they both sat in a common area. FOX 7 is not disclosing the inmate's name because of concerns regarding his safety.
The inmate told the jury that Norwood seemed proud to have his name in the news.
When they spoke about why He was locked up, the inmate claimed Norwood said, "He would never forget the look on their faces." The inmate testified he believed Norwood was talking about the murder of Christine Morton, who he was already serving time for, as well as Debra Baker, who is charged with killing.
FOX 7 was provided a letter Norwood sent to his sister. In it he wrote that he was back in insolation. Family members say the letter was written at the time the jail house conversation allegedly happened.
"Look one of the things I'll tell you about inmate testimony is an inmate testified in the Michael Morton trial back in 1986 or 87 or whenever he was tried, that an inmate said Michael Morton confessed to him, so you got to take that inmate testimony for what it's worth, because it's obvious he didn't kill his wife," said defense attorney Brad Urrutia.
Before closing arguments take place Friday morning Prosecutors are expected to call a rebuttal witness. After that defense and prosecutors will each get an hour to do closing arguments. The case could be given to the jury by noon.