Bone Valley S1E3: Trial by Ambush

Published: September 28, 2022
Host: Gilbert King (Lava for Good Podcasts)

Episode Overview

Main Theme:
This episode delves into the complexities and failures of Leo Schofield’s murder trial for the killing of his wife, Michelle. The story is told through firsthand accounts, court records, and interviews, exploring how Leo’s defense unraveled, prosecutorial ethics were questioned, and jury dynamics ultimately sealed his fate. The episode critiques the justice system’s handling of the trial, highlighting Leo’s inexperience, poor legal strategy, and a prosecutor’s unorthodox actions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Public Defender Dilemma

[04:11–10:17]

• Leo, 22, unable to afford a private attorney, is assigned a public defender. Investigator Toni Maloney and attorney Holly Stutts take a keen interest and believe in his innocence.
• Inside jail culture, Leo’s cellmate “Squeegee” warns him against trusting public defenders, calling them “public pretenders,” pressuring Leo to seek a high-profile lawyer.
  • “Squeegee had said, you can't go to trial on a murder charge with a public defender... you need a superstar attorney.” – Leo ([07:06])
• Leo hires famed attorney Jack Edmond by signing over his forthcoming $50,000 insurance settlement, only to be abandoned and left waiting months without communication.

2. Unethical Prosecutorial Conduct

[10:42–15:24]

• Amidst attorney absence, Leo, alone in jail, is unexpectedly approached by prosecutor John Aguero—wearing an electric chair tie pin—who tries to solicit testimony against Leo’s own father in exchange for immunity.
  • “I believe your father's guilty and you're covering for him.” – Aguero ([11:44])
  • “I'm gonna put you in the electric chair.” – Aguero, slamming his hand on the table when Leo refuses ([14:20])
• Legal experts inform King that such conduct violates the Sixth Amendment and prosecutorial ethics, but there’s no available record to substantiate Leo’s account and Aguero is deceased.
  • “Prosecutors are never supposed to negotiate plea deals... without defense counsel present.” – Gilbert King ([14:45])

3. The 'Superstar' Defense Falls Flat

[15:25–18:10]

• Leo first meets his new defense lawyer, Jack Edmond, the night before trial. Edmond, a legendary but unorthodox showman, employs a “trial by ambush” style—reacting to the state's case instead of mounting his own.
  • “If you needed to win a case on the law... you didn't want Jack Edmond.” – Gilbert King ([18:10])
  • “He was the one you wanted if you were guilty, guilty, guilty.” – Sheriff Grady Judd ([17:35])
• Edmond declines a plea deal from the prosecutor (12 years for second-degree murder) without consulting Leo.

4. Trial Begins: Theatrics vs Preparation

[22:38–29:39]

• Edmond is described as flamboyant, walking into court daily with rolls of Lifesavers. He’s ill-prepared, mixing up witness names, dates, and locations in his opening argument:
  • “Now I'm lost. I done goofed up, hadn't I? Nope. I'm wrong, ladies and gentlemen.” – Jack Edmond, in his opening ([29:02])
• Leo’s mismatched jail-cut hair and ill-fitting borrowed suits paint a pitiful figure in court.

5. State’s Case: Character Assassination & Weak Evidence

[29:39–37:39]

• The prosecution, lacking physical evidence, leans heavily on bad character testimony from 21 witnesses—detailing Leo’s temper, violence, and alleged abuse towards Michelle.
• Star witness Alice Scott claims to have seen Leo carrying a “heavy object” from his house and cleaning the carpet—a narrative contradicted by her own sister-in-law, Linda Sells, whose timeline is off by a week or two.
  • “You knew it wasn't a body. There's no way you could have mistaken an amp for a body.” – Leo, recalling the event ([36:31])
• Much is made of Leo Sr.’s bizarre claim that a “premonition from God” led him to Michelle's body—a story that backfires under Aguero's aggressive cross-examination.

6. Defense Case: A Weak Stand

[40:48–41:38]

• Leo takes the stand at Edmond’s insistence—usually a risk in a murder trial—admitting to past temper and minor violence but denying murder.
• On cross, Aguero is relentless, exploiting Leo’s inexperience, making him appear inconsistent.
  • “I don't have any training on how to speak to people... I'm scared to death as it is.” – Leo ([44:46])
  • “Leo was trying really hard to hold his composure, but it was tough.” – Reporter ([46:35])

7. Closing Arguments & Jury Deliberation

[47:21–51:12]

• Aguero uses a narrative “12 days of Christmas” style closing, emphasizing coincidences but including misstatements and ignoring inconsistencies in the testimony.
  • “If you want to believe this man is innocent, then you have to believe this is a coincidence...” – Aguero ([47:21])
• Edmond, underprepared, focuses on the lack of physical evidence.
• The jury, now reduced to 10 members due to illness and emergency (no alternates), deliberates for four hours.

8. Verdict and Aftermath

[51:12–54:28]

• Leo is found guilty of first-degree murder. The courtroom is described as shocked but relieved.
  • “When they said he was guilty, we were just relieved and happy, and for a few minutes it was a celebration.” – Karen Kilgariff ([52:03])
  • “I don't want to die.” – Leo to his attorney upon conviction ([53:41])
• Leo addresses the jury at sentencing, pleading his innocence, but is sentenced to life in prison, as the prosecutor failed to win a death sentence.
  • “You’ve already taken [my life] away. I'm not guilty. I didn't kill my wife.” – Leo ([54:28])

9. Critical Missed Evidence

[54:46–End]

• The episode closes with King revealing that Leo’s lawyer ignored potentially exculpatory fingerprint evidence found in Michelle’s car—a fact left unexplored during the trial and pivotal to the ongoing investigation.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “All I'm looking for, somebody needs to come and save me. You know, I don't know how you're going to do it... I just know that I need some help.” – Leo ([08:25])
• “Prosecutors are never supposed to negotiate plea deals... without defense counsel present.” – Gilbert King ([14:45])
• “If you were guilty, and had to win on the emotion of the jury, you always wanted Jack Edmond.” – Sheriff Grady Judd ([17:42])
• “Now I'm lost. I done goofed up, hadn't I? Nope. I'm wrong, ladies and gentlemen.” – Jack Edmond ([29:02])
• “I was incredulous that this could even be taking place. It was just so beyond my ability to imagine that I would personally be facing something like that.” – Leo ([53:20])
• “Wouldn’t you like to know if someone else’s fingerprints were in that Mazda?... The painful truth is someone else’s fingerprints were found in the Mazda and the fingerprint evidence was right there for Jack Edmond to see. If he had just looked…” – Gilbert King ([54:46])

Timestamped Highlights

• [05:44] – Toni Maloney describes initial faith in Leo’s innocence.
• [09:09] – Private attorney’s investigator demands $10,000 from Leo.
• [12:19] – Leo is alone with prosecutor Aguero (and no defense counsel).
• [17:35] – Grady Judd discusses “trial by ambush” legal style.
• [24:16] – Leo describes his mismatched courtroom attire.
• [29:02] – Edmond’s bumbling opening argument.
• [33:39] – Alice Scott testifies about seeing Leo move a "heavy object."
• [36:31] – Leo realizes the event Scott describes is him carrying an amp, not a body.
• [41:38] – Leo honestly faces his own character on the witness stand.
• [44:46] – Leo describes his terror during cross-examination.
• [47:21] – Aguero’s “12 days of Christmas” closing.
• [52:03] – Jury delivers guilty verdict; defense reacts in shock.
• [54:28] – Leo’s plea to the jury at sentencing.
• [54:46] – Revelation: Key fingerprint evidence ignored.

Tone & Storytelling Style

The episode maintains a tone of tragic inevitability, deep skepticism toward the justice system, and empathy for the wrongly accused. Gilbert King’s narration is deeply investigative yet accessible, mixing technical legal insights with the very human distress of those involved. Direct quotes from Leo capture his vulnerability, while courtroom figures like Aguero and Edmond are painted in all their flawed humanity and charisma.

Conclusion

“Trial by Ambush” offers a vivid account of a trial gone awry—showing how inexperience, systemic neglect, prosecutorial overreach, and a focus on spectacle over substance can combine to produce a devastating miscarriage of justice. The episode leaves listeners with the knowledge that beyond the verdict, crucial evidence was never explored—a revelation that sets the stage for further investigation in the ongoing Bone Valley story.