The murder trial of Nathan Leuthold started Monday. Leuthold is accused of first degree murder in the 2013 Valentines Day shooting death of his wife Denise.
This is also the first time the press is being allowed to broadly use cameras and microphones in the courtroom in the 10th Judicial Circuit.
Jodi Hoos is the prosecutor with State’s Attorney Jerry Brady. She told the jury the evidence points to Nathan Leuthold. She says he denies much of it. But Hoos says the jury doesn’t need his admission to find him guilty. “You will have eyewitness identification, DNA, gunshot residue, forensic downloads from cell phones, forensic downloads from a computer, motive and Denise Leuthold’s own words. And they all point to one person and he’s sitting right across from you.”
Hoos says there could be more than 100 exhibits and 50 witnesses in the trial.
Hugh Toner is defending Nathan Leuthold. He says there is gunshot residue and DNA, but the state isn't telling the whole story.“It was on the sweatshirt that he wore when he went hunting. It was next to a duffel bag in his bedroom where he had all of his hunting and gun equipment. How sinister is that? That’s what you’re going to conclude.”
Toner says the state has preconceived notions that don’t go any where, and that doesn’t add up to murder.
The trial is expected to last a week. Tuesday would have been the Leuthold’s 19th wedding anniversary
