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00:05In the criminal justice system, the people are represented by two separate yet equally important groups.
00:11The police who investigate crime and the district attorneys who prosecute the offenders.
00:15These are their stories.
00:19I told you, this has to stop.
00:22Please just leave me alone.
00:23Emily, everyone's waiting to toast you.
00:28You okay?
00:30You got to keep the bad energy far away, right?
00:48I want to thank you all for coming tonight, my fellow freethinkers, my passionate positivists.
00:56Tomorrow, we get to share so many of the ideas we've discovered together.
01:00We get to help even more people embrace holistic wellness.
01:05Here's to long, healthy lives ahead.
01:13All right, what do we got?
01:15Female, mid-30s, gunshot to the back of the head.
01:20Name is Emily Starr.
01:21Close range, huh?
01:23MLI said there was some stippling on the scalp from the powder burns.
01:26Time of death?
01:27Body temp indicates between 10 and midnight.
01:30Any witnesses?
01:31A clerk at the bodega around the corner remembers hearing a loud noise around 1045 and seeing
01:36someone rush from the scaffolding in a puffy tan coat with a tote bag.
01:39Man?
01:40Woman?
01:40He couldn't say.
01:41Her put a hood and scarf on.
01:43Guessing because of the scaffolding, no cameras.
01:45Nothing functioning around here.
01:48Thanks.
01:49What do we got?
01:50Wallet.
01:52Phone.
01:53That's a pretty nice purse.
01:56Emily Starr.
01:58Your amazing life.
02:01Just got cut short.
02:17A wonderful outfit.
02:18Let's go!
02:18You feet propre?
03:19A few years ago, she opened the center here because so many of her followers wanted to work with her
03:22in person.
03:24Does Emily have any family that we should be notifying?
03:28No, her mom split when she was young and her dad died of lung cancer.
03:31That's what got her started on her health journey.
03:34Emily was killed on 10th and 27th.
03:37You know what she was doing there?
03:38She was walking home from her book party here.
03:41Did she leave alone?
03:42Yeah.
03:43Were there any problems at the party?
03:45Any arguments?
03:45No.
03:46It was a great night.
03:49But she did get a call that kind of rattled her.
03:52You know who from?
03:53No.
03:53She stepped away to take it and looked worried.
04:01The Emmy says the slug pulled from the Vic was from a .22 caliber.
04:05The great sweeps have not found a murder weapon, so where are we at with this medicine conversation?
04:10According to Emily Star's cell records, between 7 and 9 p.m., she got seven calls from the same number.
04:15And?
04:17Number traces to Skylar Gibson.
04:20Oh.
04:21She's another health influencer.
04:24And judging by her social media posts, hashtag backstabber, hashtag snake, she's not a fan of Emily Star.
04:31She also texted Emily an hour before she was killed.
04:35Watch your back, bitch.
04:37That doesn't sound healthy.
04:43Emily and I used to be friends.
04:45Roommates for a couple years.
04:47We planned to write a wellness book together.
04:49And what, she went off on her own?
04:52She wrote her book without even telling me.
04:54And last week I got my hands on an early copy, saw my recipes, my post sequence.
04:59And that ticked you off?
05:00The wellness market is a $2 trillion industry, detectives.
05:04We all want a piece.
05:05This was a serious business dispute.
05:07Watch your back, bitch.
05:08That doesn't sound very business-y.
05:10Uh-uh.
05:11You got an alibi for last night?
05:12I was leading an online breath class.
05:14The whole thing was recorded.
05:16I never stepped foot outside this building until 11pm.
05:20Look, I'm sorry she's dead.
05:22Truly.
05:23Okay.
05:23But, can you think of anyone who might want to kill her?
05:30Well, her ex, Zane, loved her too much.
05:33Trolled her after the breakup.
05:35Dude had anger issues.
05:38And I'm betting he didn't like that Emily wrote about him.
05:41In her new book?
05:43Chapter 13.
05:44Cleansing yourself of an evil ex.
05:56Hi, Zane.
05:57We're just going to play a little show and tell, all right?
05:59I'm going to show you a video.
06:00You're going to tell me what the hell you're doing.
06:02Sit down.
06:07That's you at Emily's book party two nights ago,
06:10trying to get in,
06:11while that nice gentleman with the iPad
06:12is telling you to take a hike.
06:15That piss you off?
06:16No.
06:17I just wanted five minutes of her time.
06:19I wanted to make amends.
06:20Make amends patrolling her online for a year?
06:22Look, I'm a better man now, okay?
06:25I'm getting married next month.
06:26And I credit Emily for motivating me to get my act together.
06:30Why the sudden need to unburden yourself?
06:32I mean, do you really think
06:33she would have wanted you at her big night?
06:36I heard her on the radio this week.
06:37She was reading from her book.
06:39It's a bit about me,
06:40and I sounded awful.
06:44So I went to apologize,
06:46and then they wouldn't let me in,
06:47so I left.
06:48Where'd you go?
06:50Just a bar I know.
06:51It's a mile north of the event.
06:56Hey, Zane's alibi holds.
06:59Got surveillance from outside the bar.
07:00He leaves six minutes after the shot was fired.
07:04Okay.
07:05Is that a city bus coming up 10th Ave
07:07from the direction of the shooting?
07:08It is, which means that it passed by the area of the shooting
07:11just minutes prior.
07:12Did you pull the dash cam?
07:13Mm-hmm, and look what it found
07:15a few blocks north of the shooting.
07:18You run facial right?
07:19No luck.
07:20The face isn't visible enough.
07:21But the figure does match the description
07:23we got from the witness,
07:24minus the tote bag.
07:26So the shooter must have ditched the tote bag
07:28between the shooting and here.
07:29Do you have a map of the area?
07:30Yeah.
07:36Okay, see right there?
07:38That passageway that the shooter's coming out of,
07:40that's a dead end.
07:41So the shooter ducked in and ducked out?
07:43Call the SRGs.
07:45Sure, there's a couple of dumpsters in that alley.
07:49The gun was still in the tote bag,
07:51so it wasn't contaminated with any trash.
07:53Any prints?
07:54Nothing on the weapon,
07:55but when we test fired up,
07:57we found something interesting.
07:59See those grooves?
08:01Yeah.
08:02Any matching nightband?
08:03Primer pen markings on this casing
08:05are an exact match to a bullet pulled
08:07from a convenience store-armed robbery
08:08six years ago.
08:09What happened to that gun?
08:11According to the file,
08:12it was never recovered,
08:12but they did get the shooter,
08:14got a conviction based on video.
08:16Who was the shooter?
08:17Eric Domingo.
08:18From South Ozone Park.
08:20Some narcotics priors.
08:22Any idea where he is now?
08:24Looks like he was up at Mid-State,
08:26but was released a month ago.
08:35NYPD.
08:37Domingo, open up.
08:39NYPD.
08:41Whoa, whoa, whoa, officer.
08:42Hey, stand back.
08:43Stand back.
08:44You stand back.
08:45There's nothing in the house, I swear.
08:47All right, check the typhoon.
08:49Make sure it's clear.
08:50You're not going to find anything.
08:51We're not interested in your dope.
08:52We want to talk about Emily Starr.
08:54I don't know what you're talking about.
08:55Well, that surprises me,
08:56because she was killed by the gun
08:57you used in an armed robbery
08:58a few years ago.
08:59And we also have a bullet from it
09:01that pierced the skull
09:02of a 34-year-old woman.
09:06Oh, boy.
09:07So you want to tell us
09:08where you were two nights ago?
09:10Around 10.45?
09:12You mean Thursday night?
09:13Yeah.
09:14That was my recovery meeting.
09:16Yeah, yeah, at St. Mary of Ascension.
09:19Talked to Father Romano.
09:21There were 10 of us.
09:22He had us praying,
09:22praying to stay clean.
09:24It was from 9 to 11.
09:25So how did your gun
09:26end up as a murder weapon
09:27while you're talking to God?
09:30Hey, look.
09:31My girl pawned it.
09:33While I was in.
09:35She needed the cash.
09:38Clayton Boyce?
09:40You're law enforcement.
09:41That is correct.
09:44We're here about a gun
09:45a New York City pawn shop
09:47resold you a few months ago.
09:49Sounds like an illegal firearm
09:50and an illegal transaction,
09:52which I would not partake in.
09:54That's so funny.
09:55That's exactly what
09:56the pawn shop guy said to me
09:57right before I threatened
09:58to have the ATF shut him down.
10:00I got rights.
10:01I don't have to speak to you.
10:02Oh, we got rights, too.
10:04We got rights to get a warrant
10:05for all your records.
10:06Every transaction.
10:08I mean, if you sold one single
10:09keychain without sales tax,
10:11the state has the right
10:12to revoke your business license.
10:14And that's after we exercise
10:15our right to get your FFL yanked.
10:19Listen, that .22 revolver
10:21was used in a murder.
10:23If you help us find out
10:24who bought it,
10:25we may just get too busy
10:26chasing down our suspect.
10:27We get very focused.
10:28And we just don't have any time
10:30to look into your bookkeeping.
10:33At the gun shows,
10:34people show up with cash
10:35looking for something
10:36under the table.
10:37Some sellers unload stuff out back.
10:40You got a place and date
10:41for this gun show
10:42where there's .22,
10:43which you know nothing
10:43about disappeared.
10:46Fallen Rock gun show.
10:47Ten days ago.
10:50There's no list
10:51of gun show attendants,
10:52but we managed
10:53to get parking lot video.
10:54We ran 122 plates.
10:56Any matches to anyone
10:57on Emily Starr's contact list?
10:59Nothing.
10:59But three were rental cars,
11:01so we looked to video
11:02of those drivers.
11:03Two show their face
11:04in broad daylight.
11:05But this one,
11:06the one with the hat down,
11:06scarf up?
11:07Trying to hide?
11:08That car was rented
11:09to a Roger Massey
11:10from Darien, Connecticut.
11:1152, married,
11:12works for Capstone Insurance.
11:13Why don't you run
11:15the rental plates
11:16through the MTA
11:17and see if that car
11:18was anywhere near Manhattan
11:19the night of the murder?
11:20And now,
11:21does this guy
11:21have any link to Emily?
11:22He's not on her client
11:23or follower list.
11:24Looks like he came in
11:25over the triburre
11:26at 8.18 p.m.
11:29Went back over the bridge
11:30at 11.52 p.m.
11:32That's an hour
11:32after the murder.
11:34He's calling a warrant.
11:42What in the hell
11:42is going on here?
11:43We have a warrant
11:43to search your premises.
11:44Step aside, sir.
11:45Search for what?
11:46Why?
11:47Mr. Massey,
11:48your rental car
11:49was in Pennsylvania
11:50last week
11:51at a gun show
11:52where we believe
11:53you purchased a weapon
11:53used in a recent murder.
11:55Murder?
11:56Pennsylvania?
11:57Well, that's not possible.
11:58My wife was only
11:59using the rental
11:59for errands
12:00while hers was in the shop.
12:01Someone else
12:01must have used it.
12:03Carol, come down!
12:07They're here
12:08about the rental car.
12:10Rental car?
12:11Hey.
12:12We found this
12:12in the garage trash
12:14bagged a few times.
12:15We sprayed luminol.
12:16It's got blood spatter
12:17on it.
12:18Blood?
12:18What in the hell
12:19is going on here?
12:21Mrs. Massey,
12:23is that your jacket?
12:25Roger, say nothing.
12:27What?
12:28Just say nothing.
12:29All right, let's go.
12:30Checking them both in.
12:31He did nothing.
12:31That's okay, come on.
12:32We're going to let
12:32the DA make that call.
12:34You have the right
12:34to remain silent.
12:35Do you understand?
12:36Anything you say
12:36can and will be used
12:37against you.
12:38Roger, it's okay.
12:39Say nothing.
12:40Nothing.
12:47Neither the wife
12:47nor the husband
12:48is talking.
12:49No, not a peep.
12:50And they both
12:51have lawyers on the way.
12:52But I did call
12:53the insurance company
12:54where Roger works
12:55and they say
12:56he was in the office
12:56on the day
12:57of the gun show.
12:58Also,
12:59there was only one person
13:01in the surveillance video
13:02of their rental car
13:03who matches her belt.
13:04All the evidence points
13:06to the wife
13:06being a single shooter
13:08wearing the jacket
13:08that was found
13:09at the Massey house
13:10with the victim's blood.
13:11I mean, Carol's DNA
13:12is all over it.
13:13Why does a suburban wife
13:14execute a 30-something
13:16influencer?
13:17We pulled the phone records.
13:19It seems like Roger
13:20called her twice,
13:22five months ago,
13:22and then she stopped
13:24answering his calls.
13:25What about her?
13:25Did she have any contact
13:26with the victim?
13:26She reached out
13:27a few times
13:27in the weeks
13:28before the murder,
13:29but the calls
13:29always went to voicemail.
13:31So, maybe the husband
13:33had an affair
13:34with Emily Starr
13:35and the wife
13:36got jealous?
13:37Motive is iffy here.
13:40But we can prove
13:41that she bought the gun
13:42the week before
13:44and then she shot
13:44the victim
13:44in the back of the head.
13:45I think any grand jury
13:46in town will say yes.
13:48So,
13:49cut the husband loose,
13:51charge the wife
13:51with murder too.
13:55So,
13:56what's the connection
13:56between Carol Massey
13:58and Emily Starr?
14:00Because other than
14:00some unanswered phone calls,
14:02I don't see that
14:03she sent any emails
14:04to the victim.
14:04No,
14:05but here's a flurry
14:08of emails
14:08with someone named
14:09Lauren Hope
14:10in the month
14:11before the murder,
14:12subject,
14:13why won't you listen
14:15and stop ignoring me?
14:18Email address
14:18is at Hudson University.
14:20Hmm.
14:22Well,
14:23according to her
14:23social media,
14:25Lauren Hope,
14:26age 20,
14:27used to live in
14:27Darien, Connecticut
14:28before she went
14:29to Hudson.
14:31Oh.
14:32Used to be tagged
14:32in her photos
14:33as Lauren Massey.
14:36She's the couple's
14:37daughter?
14:39Is there a Lauren Hope
14:41in Emily's records?
14:42Lauren Hope?
14:44Oh,
14:45just last year
14:45she spent 14 grand
14:47on Starr's workshop.
14:49Three-day cleanse.
14:50That's a lot of money
14:51for green juice.
14:54She also paid
14:55weekly rent
14:56to stay at Starr's center
14:57last winter
14:58over the holidays.
14:59Guessing mom
15:00didn't like that.
15:01This email
15:02to her daughter
15:03says Emily Starr
15:04only wants
15:05your money
15:06and
15:07the woman
15:09is dangerous.
15:11So,
15:12rebellious kid
15:14changes name,
15:15blows through
15:16thousands
15:16on fringe
15:18wellness regimen?
15:19Mom kills
15:21to shut it down?
15:23It's not perfect,
15:24but it's
15:25the beginning
15:26of a narrative.
15:30An illegally
15:31purchased handgun
15:32a week
15:33before the murder,
15:34the victim's blood
15:35on the defendant's
15:37jacket,
15:37emails detailing
15:39Carol Massey's
15:40anger
15:40at her daughter's
15:41spending
15:42at Emily Starr's
15:43center.
15:44The state
15:44has a preponderance
15:46of evidence
15:47linking Carol Massey
15:49to this horrific
15:49crime,
15:52which ended
15:53the life
15:53of an innocent
15:55young woman.
16:00Everything
16:01Mr. Price
16:02said,
16:02absolutely true.
16:04The evidence
16:05against my client
16:06is crystal clear.
16:07What's not clear,
16:10why Carol Massey
16:11had to commit
16:11this horrific crime.
16:13Well,
16:14I'll tell you,
16:14because Emily Starr
16:15is not as Mr. Price
16:16would have you believe,
16:17an innocent woman.
16:19She was instead
16:20a deadly,
16:21imminent threat
16:22to the defense
16:23defendant's daughter,
16:24Lauren Massey.
16:26Twenty-year-old Lauren
16:27nearly died
16:28under Emily Starr's
16:29so-called care
16:30and would have died
16:32had Carol Massey
16:34not acted.
16:35My client
16:36only killed
16:37Emily Starr
16:38to save
16:38her daughter's life.
16:40This was an
16:41incontrovertible
16:42defense of others.
16:44Objection.
16:44Your Honor,
16:45this is
16:46unfair surprise.
16:48Chambers.
16:49Emily Starr
16:50was unarmed
16:51when she was shot.
16:52We're not saying
16:53she was a threat
16:53to Carol Massey,
16:54she was an imminent
16:55threat to Lauren.
16:56It was nowhere
16:56near the crime scene.
16:57Your Honor,
16:58Lauren Massey
16:59has not responded
17:00to us,
17:00but we can confirm
17:01that she was
17:02three miles
17:03from the shooting
17:04that night.
17:05Is this true?
17:05It's irrelevant
17:06to our defense.
17:07Your Honor,
17:07Lauren Massey
17:08suffers from acute
17:09lymphocytic leukemia.
17:10She won't respond
17:11to Mr. Price
17:12because she was
17:12in the hospital
17:13finally receiving
17:14proper medical care.
17:16Your Honor,
17:17Section 3515,
17:19New York State Code,
17:20mandates that
17:20defense of others
17:21can only be invoked
17:22to stop the use
17:23of unlawful
17:24physical force
17:25against someone.
17:26Physical harm
17:27was a component.
17:29Emily Starr
17:29made Lauren Massey
17:30forsake
17:31life-saving
17:32medical treatment.
17:32But her advice
17:33wasn't unlawful
17:34and the defendant
17:35was too far
17:36from her daughter
17:36at the time
17:37of the shooting
17:37to possibly meet
17:39the reasonable belief
17:40standard
17:40that her daughter's
17:41death was imminent.
17:43Your Honor,
17:44we will present science
17:45to show her death
17:45was imminent
17:46due to Emily Starr's
17:48reckless remedies.
17:49Lauren Massey
17:50was on the brink
17:51of death
17:51until her mother
17:52intervened.
17:56I'll allow.
18:00The defense
18:00is totally meritless,
18:02but you need to be
18:04ready for whatever
18:05accusations they throw
18:06at the victim.
18:08So what did Emily Starr
18:10actually say
18:10about cancer?
18:15Juicing cleanses
18:17the body of toxins
18:18and fights disease.
18:20And rebalancing
18:21the body's pH level
18:22can kill cancer.
18:24pH level.
18:25That is a nice touch.
18:27So Emily Starr
18:28peddled in
18:29unproven remedies
18:30and a teenager
18:31ended up dangerously sick.
18:33Yeah, but Emily
18:34didn't use
18:34physical force
18:35against Lauren.
18:36It doesn't meet
18:37the legal standard
18:37of the defense.
18:38It may not matter
18:39to the jury.
18:40Defense is going
18:41to have a field day
18:42presenting Emily's
18:43homeopathic nonsense.
18:44They will go for
18:45jury nullification
18:46and force us
18:47to defend
18:48her pH
18:49juice cleanses.
18:51Nolan,
18:52just so you know,
18:54I don't think
18:55homeopathy
18:55is nonsense.
18:57And I'm going to bet
18:58there are a few
18:58jury members
18:59who are just like me.
19:01I actually followed
19:02Emily Starr.
19:04You can't just dismiss
19:05an entire field.
19:06As it pertains
19:08to this case,
19:09the defense will
19:10paint Emily Starr
19:11as a deadly
19:12snake oil saleswoman
19:13and they will argue
19:14that the stakes
19:15for Lauren Massey,
19:16who was battling
19:17a serious leukemia,
19:18were life and death.
19:19It's not going to be
19:20hard for the defense
19:21to garner sympathy
19:21for the mom
19:22of a cancer victim.
19:26Okay.
19:26So,
19:27we remind the jury
19:29that this is about
19:30free speech.
19:31It's about
19:32guarding care options
19:33they may very well want.
19:34We defend
19:35Emily's integrity
19:36and we make damn sure
19:38she's sympathetic as well.
19:43Healing others
19:44was her life's calling.
19:45She wanted people
19:46to know they had choices
19:47outside of the establishment.
19:48How did she help you?
19:50I was an addict.
19:51Opioids.
19:52She walked me
19:53through detox,
19:54gave me natural remedies
19:55for the pain,
19:55sat with me
19:57through the worst of it.
19:58Did Emily ever
19:59prevent you
20:00getting a second opinion
20:01from a real doctor?
20:02No, but I've honestly
20:03been so healthy
20:04it hasn't even
20:04crossed my mind.
20:06I owe everything
20:07to her guidance.
20:08Nothing further.
20:13How much did Emily's guidance cost?
20:16I can't say exactly.
20:18Ballpark.
20:18Last year.
20:19How much did she make?
20:20I mean, you had access
20:21to her business statements.
20:23It was around
20:23700,000.
20:25Wow.
20:25But her company earnings
20:26allowed her to grow
20:27her platform,
20:28reach more people.
20:30How much money
20:30did Emily make
20:32off Lauren Massey,
20:33the defendant's daughter?
20:34I'm not sure.
20:36Your Honor,
20:36I'm handing over
20:37what has been marked
20:38Exhibit A,
20:40Lauren Massey's payment records,
20:42to Star Serenity Center.
20:44Would you read aloud
20:45the total amount?
20:48$23,204.
20:49$23,000.
20:51Was that for
20:52high-tech machines,
20:53CT scans,
20:54MRIs,
20:55cutting-edge medicine?
20:56She offered a full
20:56homeopathic regimen
20:57of juice,
20:58herbal teas,
20:59enemas,
21:00exercise.
21:00Were you aware
21:01that doctors,
21:02people with actual
21:03medical degrees
21:03who study cancer,
21:05had given Lauren
21:06an 85 to 100%
21:08long-term survival rate
21:09if she underwent
21:10chemo and radiation,
21:11but that if her cancer
21:12went untreated
21:13by those tested therapies,
21:15they estimated
21:16that she had only
21:18a year to live.
21:19I don't think...
21:20Your Honor,
21:20Mr. Sirianni's questions
21:21are outside the scope
21:22of the witness's testimony.
21:24Withdrawn.
21:27But,
21:28just so I can completely
21:30wrap my head
21:30around the finances,
21:32true or false,
21:34Emily Starr
21:35asked Lauren Massey
21:36to pay her
21:37$23,000
21:39to be killed
21:40slowly within a year?
21:41Objection.
21:42Withdrawn.
21:43Nothing further.
21:56Get this.
21:57Influencers, followers,
21:59singer,
21:59holistic praises.
22:01Emily Starr's
22:02subscribers list
22:03is growing.
22:04Her followers
22:05are making
22:06TikTok testimonials.
22:07After the defense
22:08painted her as a crook.
22:10Guess all price
22:10is good price.
22:11Not according
22:12to the oncology community.
22:13They're up in arms
22:14about all this
22:15anti-science,
22:17wellness stuff.
22:18They have officially
22:19denounced Emily,
22:20her center,
22:21and 18,000 other
22:23TikTok influencers
22:24whose cancer cures
22:25have no basis
22:26in science.
22:2718,000?
22:28That's a lot.
22:29Yeah, it is.
22:32And that could
22:33be useful.
22:40When did you learn
22:41that Lauren
22:42had decided
22:42on Emily Starr's
22:44so-called therapy?
22:46Lauren missed
22:47a follow-up
22:48with her oncologist.
22:50So I called her.
22:52She said
22:53big business
22:55had caused her cancer.
22:56She didn't want
22:57big pharma
22:58to profit off
22:59her treatment.
23:00She told us
23:00she was changing
23:01her name
23:02to reflect
23:02this new outlook,
23:05Lauren Hope.
23:07And she didn't want
23:08my dangerous
23:09and doom-filled advice.
23:11I was so confused.
23:14And then eventually
23:15we found a credit card bill
23:17for Star Serenity Center
23:19and figured out
23:21who Emily Starr was.
23:22And what was the status
23:24of Lauren's cancer
23:25during this time?
23:26We didn't know.
23:26But last June
23:28we got a phone call
23:29from an ambulance.
23:31Lauren had collapsed
23:32in a store.
23:33At the hospital
23:34we got her an MRI
23:35and the cancer,
23:37it was all over
23:38her insides.
23:39It was just
23:40eating her away.
23:43And we thought
23:43this would snap her
23:44back to her senses.
23:46but Emily told her
23:48it was a natural
23:49cleansing stage.
23:50That what she needed
23:52was rest
23:53at the center.
23:55My husband and I
23:56had four different
23:57oncologists
23:58look at Lauren's scans
24:00and they all said
24:01the same thing,
24:01that she would be dead
24:02within months.
24:03Did you give this
24:04information to Lauren?
24:05We couldn't.
24:07Emily told her
24:07to avoid upsetting contact.
24:09I couldn't find her
24:11at her dorm.
24:11I didn't know
24:12if she was at the center
24:13or on a trip.
24:14All I knew
24:15was that
24:15she was going to die
24:17very soon.
24:22Nothing further.
24:27Mrs. Massey,
24:30I can only imagine
24:33how stressful it is
24:34to have a sick child
24:36and I applaud
24:37your efforts
24:37to get her
24:38the best treatment.
24:40She had chemo
24:42and radiation,
24:44correct?
24:44At the start,
24:45yes.
24:46So,
24:47your daughter
24:48was well-versed
24:49in the care
24:51options available
24:52and yet
24:53she chose
24:54something else.
24:54No.
24:55She was led
24:56to believe
24:57that this juice
24:58option could be
24:59as effective
25:00as radiation
25:01and chemo.
25:01and then
25:02Emily told her
25:03that she was better.
25:05That's not a choice.
25:06That's a con.
25:10You admit
25:11freely
25:12to shooting
25:13Emily Starr.
25:15I do.
25:16Because of
25:17the dangerous advice
25:18she gave your daughter?
25:20Yes.
25:21Did you know,
25:22Mrs. Massey,
25:23that just last year
25:25over 18,000
25:27wellness advisors
25:28recommended alternatives
25:29to chemo
25:31and radiation?
25:32Would you kill them all?
25:35Those thousands
25:36didn't shut
25:37my daughter away
25:38from her parents.
25:39Is that what
25:40this is about?
25:42Anger?
25:42That Emily Starr
25:44assumed your role?
25:47No.
25:48Is that why
25:48you could think
25:48of no other remedy
25:50but to shoot her?
25:51I just went there
25:52to scare her,
25:53to beg her
25:54to leave
25:55Lauren alone.
25:56With a loaded gun
25:57that you had driven
25:58across state lines
25:59to purchase.
26:00Lauren needed treatment.
26:01She needed a doctor.
26:03Emily walked away.
26:05Her spell
26:06over my daughter,
26:07it needed to be broken.
26:08My baby was gonna die.
26:09I wasn't gonna let
26:10that happen.
26:11So, yes,
26:11I...
26:11I shot her.
26:21Nothing further.
26:23Let's adjourn
26:24for the day.
26:27The jury knows
26:28the mom legally
26:29overstepped.
26:30I'm just not sure
26:31they care.
26:32She was
26:33very sympathetic.
26:35Well,
26:36you're assuming
26:36the jury can't keep
26:37their emotions
26:38out of this?
26:38No,
26:39I'm assuming
26:40they think
26:41the mother
26:41was suffering
26:42some sort of
26:42extreme emotional distress
26:44when she was confronted
26:45with how dangerously
26:46her daughter's cancer
26:46had spread.
26:47The girl
26:48was on the precipice
26:50of death.
26:51Okay,
26:51Nolan,
26:52don't go soft on me.
26:54Okay,
26:54not now.
26:55Look,
26:56I'm truly sorry
26:57for what that woman
26:58went through,
26:58but no way
26:59did she lose her cool.
27:02Well,
27:04get ready to contend
27:05with another
27:05sympathetic witness.
27:08Lauren Massey
27:09is out of the hospital.
27:15Lauren,
27:15thank you for coming today.
27:17I know it took
27:17a lot to get here.
27:19It did.
27:20But I'm just grateful
27:22to be alive.
27:23And I owe it
27:24to my mother.
27:26Lauren,
27:27the jury has heard
27:27about Emily Starr's
27:28regimen,
27:29and there's been
27:30some speculation
27:30as to how and why
27:31you came to follow
27:32her advice.
27:33Could you tell us
27:35in your own words?
27:40I hated being
27:41a girl with a disease.
27:43Emily made it seem
27:44like there was
27:46an easy way
27:47to get better.
27:48The...
27:50things the oncologist
27:51had told me
27:53didn't seem real.
27:56Emily prayed upon that,
27:58then made sure
27:59hers was the only
28:00voice I heard,
28:02told me my cancer
28:03was gone.
28:06Do you understand
28:07how crazy that is?
28:10Did you show them
28:11the scans
28:12of what was going on
28:13inside me,
28:14the scans she
28:15prevented me
28:16from seeing?
28:17Yeah.
28:19Thank God
28:20for my mother.
28:22I wouldn't be here.
28:26Thank you, Lauren.
28:27Nothing further.
28:38Lauren?
28:41I know you have
28:42been through a lot
28:44and, uh,
28:47clearly
28:48love your mother
28:48very much.
28:50I do.
28:51And you expressed
28:52dismay that
28:53Emily had lied to you,
28:54so I want to give you
28:55a chance to be honest.
28:56You were 19
28:57when you decided
28:57to stop chemo
28:58and follow Emily's
28:59health recommendations?
29:00Yes.
29:01A legal age
29:02to make medical
29:03decisions for yourself?
29:06Yes.
29:06Did Emily
29:08ever tell you
29:09she had medical
29:09training?
29:12No.
29:13And you understood
29:14that your doctor
29:16had recommended
29:17chemo
29:18and radiation?
29:20Yes.
29:25Did Emily
29:27Star
29:27ever lock you
29:29in a room?
29:31No, but
29:32she
29:33restrained me
29:35psychologically,
29:37told me to cut ties
29:38with anyone negative.
29:40My parents,
29:42my doctor.
29:44she
29:44said
29:45their
29:45fear-mongering
29:46would make
29:47my cancer
29:47worse.
29:48And you
29:50believed her?
29:55When you're
29:55sick,
29:56you want it
29:57to go away
29:59so badly.
30:02Any liar
30:03can own you.
30:05My actual
30:06doctor,
30:07he's
30:07not allowed
30:08to lie.
30:09You all
30:10won't let him.
30:11He had to
30:12tell me
30:12the treatment
30:12was going
30:13to be
30:13awful.
30:17Why was
30:17Emily allowed
30:18to say
30:19anything?
30:23It almost
30:24cost me
30:24my life.
30:27I'm only
30:28better now
30:28because I
30:29finally saw
30:29the MRIs.
30:31I saw
30:32proof that
30:32my cancer
30:33had gotten
30:33worse under
30:34Emily's
30:35care.
30:37And all
30:37of this,
30:39my mother
30:40was the
30:41only person
30:42willing
30:42to fight
30:43for me.
30:45Save me.
30:48Please,
30:51don't punish
30:52her.
31:00Nothing further.
31:17tough witness.
31:20Pushed too
31:21hard,
31:21backfires.
31:23I can tell
31:24the jury
31:25feels really
31:26sorry for
31:26the daughter
31:27and the
31:27mom.
31:29Frankly,
31:30Sam,
31:31I'm feeling
31:31it myself.
31:33It doesn't
31:34justify murder.
31:35A TikTok
31:36star convincing
31:37a teenager
31:38with cancer
31:39to forego
31:40life-saving
31:40treatment,
31:41that is bad
31:41enough.
31:42But preventing
31:43the girl
31:43from receiving
31:44critical medical
31:45information from
31:46an actual
31:46oncologist
31:47after she
31:47collapsed.
31:48All she did
31:49was tell
31:50Lauren to
31:50stay off
31:51email.
31:51And to
31:52avoid speaking
31:53with her
31:53parents.
31:54That's not
31:54free speech,
31:55Sam.
31:55And that's
31:55coercion.
31:56Emily Starr
31:57assumed a
31:57duty of care
31:58when Lauren
31:58was at
31:59her center
31:59and she
32:00violated it.
32:01So what,
32:01now you're
32:02saying that
32:02the mother
32:03was reasonable
32:04and believing
32:04that this
32:05was the only
32:06way to save
32:06her daughter's
32:07life?
32:07Reasonable?
32:08No.
32:10Understandable?
32:12Well,
32:12and what
32:13happened to
32:13the law
32:14as your
32:14compass?
32:20My mother
32:20died of
32:21breast cancer.
32:23I'm so
32:24sorry.
32:25The treatments,
32:27they were
32:27pretty brutal.
32:29She'd always
32:29been high
32:30octane.
32:31She was a
32:31lawyer.
32:32She was a
32:32damn good
32:33one.
32:35She hated
32:36being so
32:36drained.
32:38And then
32:39she started
32:39reading about
32:40homeopathic
32:41treatments.
32:43Eventually
32:43she fell for
32:44the hope
32:44pitch.
32:45Stopped
32:46chemo
32:46for a few
32:46months.
32:47She got
32:47her hair
32:47back.
32:47She got
32:48some energy
32:49back.
32:49But that
32:50cost her
32:52a year
32:53of her
32:54life.
32:56When you
32:56are that
32:57sick,
32:57you are
32:58vulnerable.
33:01Yeah.
33:04But we
33:05need to
33:05get justice
33:06for Emily.
33:06Yes.
33:09But man
33:10won in 15
33:11years is not
33:12a terrible
33:12outcome.
33:13I'm not
33:13sure it's
33:14the just
33:14or appropriate
33:15outcome.
33:15You want
33:16to risk
33:16losing this
33:17whole thing
33:18to jury
33:18nullification?
33:24I'll
33:25set up
33:25a meeting.
33:27Man
33:28one is
33:28a good
33:29offer,
33:29Carol.
33:31But it's
33:32an admission
33:33of guilt.
33:34You killed
33:35an unarmed
33:35woman.
33:36I saved
33:37my daughter's
33:37life.
33:38And I
33:39stand by
33:40the fact
33:40that Emily
33:40Star's
33:41actions
33:41were deadly.
33:43Mrs.
33:43Massey,
33:44I am
33:44sympathetic
33:44to the
33:45horrible
33:45situation
33:46that you
33:46faced.
33:47That's
33:47why we're
33:48here with
33:48an offer.
33:49A very
33:50fair offer.
33:51If you
33:52decline,
33:53the charge
33:53goes back
33:54to murder
33:54two,
33:55which carries
33:55a minimum
33:55sentence
33:56of 15
33:56years to
33:58life.
34:01Think
34:01about
34:02Lauren.
34:02Your
34:03daughter
34:03needs
34:04you.
34:04I am
34:04thinking
34:05about
34:05Lauren
34:06and all
34:06the other
34:07Laurens
34:07out there.
34:08Emily
34:09Star's
34:09business
34:09is booming.
34:10This is
34:11dangerous.
34:12People need
34:12to know
34:12the truth.
34:15Seems
34:16like a
34:16pretty
34:16emphatic
34:17no.
34:17Come on.
34:28The verdict
34:29is a
34:29toss-up
34:30at best.
34:32I feel
34:33sorry for
34:33her,
34:34but I don't
34:34want anyone
34:34to walk
34:35for a crime
34:36like this.
34:37If the jury
34:38is leaning
34:38into sympathy
34:40and emotion,
34:41let's play
34:41the game.
34:42Meaning?
34:43Emily had
34:44battled cancer
34:45herself,
34:46right?
34:46She went
34:46through the
34:47same fear,
34:48same struggle.
34:49Do you
34:49want to
34:50call a
34:50rebuttal
34:50witness?
34:51Someone to
34:51remind the
34:52jury that
34:53Emily had
34:53legitimate
34:54personal
34:54reasons for
34:55her unusual
34:56recommendations,
34:57that it
34:57wasn't about
34:58greed.
34:59It was about
35:00choices that
35:00worked for
35:01her.
35:02In her
35:03book,
35:03Emily writes
35:04about her
35:04cancer support
35:05group back
35:06in Pennsylvania.
35:08I'll find
35:09them.
35:14I heard
35:15about the
35:15court case.
35:16I've just
35:17been too
35:18busy to
35:18follow it
35:19all.
35:20Oh,
35:20I appreciate
35:22you taking
35:22the time
35:22to meet
35:23with me.
35:24We're
35:24trying to
35:25paint a
35:25full picture
35:26of Emily.
35:27It would
35:28be really
35:28useful to
35:29hear about
35:30her back
35:31when she
35:31joined
35:31her support
35:32group.
35:32Well,
35:34Emily,
35:34um,
35:37bundle of
35:38energy and
35:38positivity.
35:40It was
35:40really
35:40inspiring
35:41at first.
35:42You know,
35:43a lot of
35:43us were
35:44battling
35:45depression,
35:46struggling
35:46with our
35:46families.
35:48I had
35:49just lost
35:49my
35:50consulting
35:50job
35:51because I'd
35:52taken so
35:52much time
35:53off of
35:53treatments.
35:54I couldn't
35:55stay on
35:55my feet.
35:58Emily got
35:59me feeling
35:59hopeful again.
36:00You said
36:01it was
36:01inspiring
36:03at first.
36:05Did
36:05something
36:05change?
36:06It's
36:07just...
36:09We'd
36:09all jumped
36:10in,
36:10drinking
36:10her teas
36:11and juices
36:11but also
36:12doing our
36:12treatments.
36:13We felt
36:14a little
36:14better,
36:15but Emily...
36:17She had
36:18adenocarcinoma.
36:20Stomach
36:20cancer.
36:21It's
36:21brutal,
36:21but she
36:23never had
36:23any weight
36:24loss,
36:25no abdominal
36:26pain,
36:26never even
36:27got tired.
36:29I mean,
36:30Emily Starr
36:31never did
36:32any wrong
36:32by me,
36:33but don't
36:34you think
36:34that's
36:35strange?
36:40No,
36:41no evidence
36:41of any
36:42tumor tissue
36:42and not
36:43a single
36:43microscopic trace
36:44of a cancerous cell
36:45in her body.
36:46And the
36:47stomach
36:47was in
36:48excellent
36:49shape.
36:49You get
36:50a chance
36:50to talk
36:50to her
36:51diagnosing
36:51doctor?
36:52No hospital
36:52within 200
36:53miles of
36:54Emily's hometown
36:54where she
36:55says she
36:56was diagnosed
36:56with cancer
36:57has a record
36:58of ever
36:58admitting her
36:59for anything.
37:00Well,
37:01then I'm
37:01going to say
37:01she didn't
37:02beat
37:02cancer.
37:03She
37:04never
37:04had
37:04it.
37:08Thank
37:08you.
37:09Thanks.
37:16Emily's
37:16whole
37:17foundational
37:18story
37:19was a
37:19lie.
37:22Jury
37:23is going
37:23to loathe
37:24her
37:24and quite
37:25possibly
37:25let the
37:26mom
37:26walk.
37:27Why does
37:28the jury
37:29need to
37:29know?
37:29This
37:30doesn't
37:30meet
37:30the Brady
37:31standard.
37:32Sam,
37:32we've
37:33been
37:33in court
37:33defending
37:34Emily's
37:34right to
37:35share her
37:35theory of
37:36self-healing.
37:37But it
37:37isn't
37:38exculpatory
37:38and it
37:39sure as
37:39hell
37:39doesn't
37:39give the
37:40mom the
37:40right to
37:40gun her
37:41down.
37:41No,
37:42of course
37:42it doesn't
37:42but it
37:43does show
37:44that Carol
37:44Massey's
37:45mistrust
37:45was warranted
37:46that she
37:46was right
37:47to think
37:47that she
37:48was full
37:48of crap
37:49and that
37:49in my
37:50opinion
37:50is
37:51favorable
37:51to the
37:51defense
37:52and quite
37:52frankly
37:54the jury
37:54should know
37:55this
37:55and so
37:56should
37:56her followers
37:57sitting
37:57in court.
37:59like you
37:59always say
38:00her job
38:01is to
38:02follow the
38:02law
38:02and in
38:04my opinion
38:04this information
38:05is irrelevant
38:06to Carol
38:06Massey's
38:06defense.
38:07It has
38:07nothing to
38:08do with
38:08her daughter's
38:08imminent
38:09death.
38:11So
38:12you think
38:12we should
38:13just sit
38:14on it?
38:14Yes.
38:18We have
38:19to.
38:26one thing
38:27is clear
38:30Carol
38:30Massey
38:31killed
38:31Emily
38:32Starr
38:33and
38:34despite
38:35her
38:35extensive
38:36efforts
38:37to get
38:37away
38:37with
38:37it
38:37she
38:37was
38:38caught
38:38once
38:39caught
38:39she
38:39couldn't
38:40contest
38:40the
38:40evidence
38:40so
38:41she
38:41told
38:41you
38:43she
38:43had
38:44to
38:44do
38:44it
38:44because
38:44Emily
38:45Starr
38:45was
38:46about
38:46to
38:46kill
38:46her
38:47daughter.
38:48This
38:49young
38:50wellness
38:50influencer's
38:51unconventional
38:53ideas
38:54were
38:55according to
38:56Carol Massey
38:56tantamount
38:57to
38:57homicide.
38:58Fortunately
38:59for you
38:59she's
38:59made
39:00your
39:00job
39:00easy
39:00because
39:01the
39:01law
39:01is
39:01crystal
39:02clear
39:03about
39:04what it
39:04considers
39:05a
39:05legitimate
39:06defense
39:06of
39:07others
39:07the
39:07harm
39:08averted
39:08must
39:09be
39:10unlawful
39:11and
39:12imminent.
39:14In
39:14this
39:14case
39:15neither
39:16standard
39:16was
39:16met
39:17the
39:18defense
39:18called
39:18no
39:19expert
39:19to
39:20testify
39:21that
39:21Lauren
39:21was
39:22going
39:22to
39:22die
39:22that
39:23night
39:23or
39:23even
39:24that
39:24week
39:24more
39:25important
39:26Emily
39:27broke
39:27no
39:28laws
39:29in
39:30advising
39:30Lauren
39:31in
39:31fact
39:31for
39:32seven
39:32years
39:32as
39:33an
39:33active
39:33influencer
39:34not
39:34a
39:34single
39:35civil
39:35or
39:35criminal
39:36charge
39:36was
39:36brought
39:37against
39:37her
39:38you
39:39want
39:39to
39:39know
39:40what
39:41unlawful
39:41physical
39:42force
39:42looks
39:42like
39:43it
39:43is
39:44this
39:47dad
39:48is
39:48the
39:48person
39:49who
39:49needed
39:49protecting
39:49that
39:50night
39:50a
39:51young
39:51woman
39:51walking
39:52home
39:53from her
39:53own
39:53party
39:54when a
39:54gun
39:54was put
39:55to her
39:55head
39:57none
39:58of us
39:58could offer
39:59her that
39:59protection
40:00but we
40:00can
40:02offer
40:02her
40:04justice
40:06it's
40:06okay to
40:07empathize
40:08and
40:09to
40:10sympathize
40:10with Carol
40:11Massey
40:12I
40:12do
40:14but
40:14you
40:15cannot
40:15let
40:16her
40:16get
40:16away
40:17with
40:17murder
40:27members
40:28of the
40:28jury
40:29have
40:30you
40:30reached
40:30a
40:30verdict
40:31we
40:31have
40:31your
40:32honor
40:32on the
40:33count
40:33of
40:33murder
40:34in
40:34the
40:34second
40:34degree
40:35we
40:35find
40:35the
40:35defendant
40:37guilty
40:38members
40:39of the
40:39jury
40:39we
40:40thank
40:40you
40:40for
40:40your
40:40service
40:41we
40:41are
40:41adjourned
40:42mom
40:44i'm
40:45sorry
40:45i'm so
40:47sorry
40:53mr
40:54price
40:54we
40:55wanted
40:56to
40:56thank
40:56you
40:56for
40:57getting
40:57emily
40:58justice
41:02as a
41:03great
41:04prosecutor
41:04once
41:05told
41:05me
41:06a
41:07good
41:07person
41:08killing
41:08a
41:08bad
41:08person
41:09is
41:10still
41:10murder
41:11a
41:31little
41:37me
41:39come
41:39and
41:40have
41:40you
41:41you
41:56Transcription by CastingWords
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