Woman Accused of Murdering her Husband: Trial in Progress
Summary:
Paragraph 34 reads: "• Krystle’s blood alcohol content was .09 percent. Krystle also had therapeutic levels of antidepressants in her system. Tazewell County Assistant State’s Attorney Caelyn Deeb-Diver."
In her opening statements Wednesday, Tazewell County Assistant State’s Attorney Caelyn Deeb-Diver said Krystle McGlothlin went to the apartment of her ex-husband’s girlfriend with the intent to kill him.
Defense attorney Matthew Hoppock, however, countered that testimony that will be delivered by witnesses may not be truthful that they may not have been able to see the things they claimed they saw because Krystle’s headlights were not on and the parking lot was dark. He added that some witnesses have ulterior motives for the testimony they have presented in the past in court or in statements to police.
Testimony begins
Testimony opened with the recollections of Krystle’s best friend and that of her ex-husband’s best friend.
Tazewell County Assistant State’s Attorney A.J. Yergler called McGlothlin’s best friend, Trisha Beeny, to the stand, where Beeny testified about a party at the McGlothlin home at 247 Koch St. on Nov. 9, 2006, and her knowledge of issues in the McGlothlin relationship.
Though Krystle and Dennis had divorced, they were living together at the time of Dennis’ death.
Beeny testified that she arrived at the party at about 7 p.m., where she found Krystle, Krystle’s ex-husband Dennis, Trisha’s boyfriend, James “Bimmer” Glass, and Sylvester Way drinking alcoholic beverages, some of them smoking pot and people playing cards. Jean McGlothlin, Dennis’ mother, was lying on the love seat. Beeny said the mood was good when she came to the party, but ultimately Dennis, Glass and Way went outside where an argument began.
Benny said that Krystle, Glass and Way were smoking pot and that Krystle had drunk beer and whiskey.
Dennis and the two men argued about a work relationship. Dennis owned a company and the two men worked for him. Dennis had let the two men go because of financial issues with the company, said Beeny.
After becoming very upset, Dennis got into his truck and left the party despite Glass’ pleas not to leave. Krystle, Glass and Beeny waited for a while to see if Dennis would return. When he did not, Glass and Beeny went home and Krystle left in Dennis’ mother’s car to look for Dennis, said Beeny.
McGlothlin suspected that Dennis was at Michelle Jackson’s apartment. Jackson had been involved with Dennis for a long time. According to Beeny’s testimony, Krystle said that if Dennis was with Michelle she would take her children and leave Dennis for good.
Beeny testified that Krystle stayed with Dennis’ mother for a while during his affair with Jackson.
Beeny also told of an incident at the Pour Farm bar in the Goofy Ridge/Forest City area. Dennis, Krystle, Glass and Beeny went to the bar to listen to a band. Beeny said that Krystle was hesitant to go because she did not want to run into Jackson, but after being assured she would not be there she went.
At the bar, said Beeny, Jackson did come in. Jackson ultimately left the bar with Glass and Dennis, which angered both Beeny and Krystle.
Beeny said that throughout the course of their friendship she never once heard McGlothlin threaten to kill Dennis. She said that McGlothlin knew where Jackson lived because Beeny had pointed it out to her.
The McGlothlins had moved from Pekin to Goofy Ridge and then Havana to get away from Jackson, but Jackson kept injecting herself into Dennis’ life, Beeny said. Prior to the night of his death, Dennis had told Krystle that he “promised to stay with her and be faithful, but he cheated several times after that. He still stayed with Krystle,” said Beeny.
Glass told a different story. Glass said he was not drunk on the night on the party, but had had several beers. His girlfriend earlier in her testimony said he was pretty drunk and had been smoking pot.
Glass said an argument over the working relationship between the three men started inside the house and eventually ended up in the yard.
“Dennis got into a conversation about the past,” said Glass. “He eventually started crying and said he loved me and that he wanted us to be closer again.
“Sly (Way) said he only wanted us around when he needed something.”
Glass said Dennis got upset and drove off in the truck.
Glass said that Krystle was in the yard alone with him and that he heard Krystle say that “If he is with Michelle I’ll kill him.”
Defence attorney Fred Bernardi asked Glass if he knew where Dennis was going when he left the party. Glass said he did not.
“That’s a bold-face lie, isn’t it?” asked Bernardi.
“No sir,” said Glass.
Bernardi read testimony given by Glass in the first trial of McGlothlin stating that he told Krystle that he did not think Dennis was with Jackson. His testimony in 2007 said that he didn’t tell her because what he and Dennis discussed stayed between him and Dennis.
Later Bernardi pinned Glass down even further regarding his statement that Krystle said she would kill Dennis.
“You want her to be convicted of first degree murder, don’t you?” said Bernardi. After continuing with that line of questioning for a few more minutes Glass said, “Yes ... It’s as simple as paying for what has been done.”
Jean McGlothlin died on Oct. 10, 2009. She had already testified in the first trial of her ex-daughter-in-law. Through role playing, her testimony was read into the record with a courthouse employee reading the transcribed words of Jean and a prosecutor asking the questions.
In her previous testimony, Jean told the court that a week before her son was killed she heard Krystle crying in the bedroom. When she asked her what was wrong Krystle and Jean discussed the affair between her son and Jackson. Jean said that Krystle said she would move back to Florida if she could not get Jackson out of their lives.
Jean was a friend and the employer of Jackson. The night of the party that preceded Dennis’ death, she had been visiting Jackson’s house.
At the party, Jean said Krystle told her that if Dennis cheated again she would “run him down.” Jean said, “Yeah, right.” Jean’s testimony was in direct conflict with Beeny’s statement that she had never heard Krystle threaten Dennis. Beeny was present when Krystle allegedly made the statement.
Jean also said she didn’t see anyone smoking pot in the house the night of the party. She was lying on the love seat in the living room where the group was gathered.
Opening statement high points:
• Dennis had been drinking and smoking marijuana that night. His blood alcohol content was .15. Defense attorney Matthew Hoppock
• Krystle’s blood alcohol content was .09 percent. Krystle also had therapeutic levels of antidepressants in her system. Tazewell County Assistant State’s Attorney Caelyn Deeb-Diver
• After an argument erupted, Dennis left and went to the apartment of his girlfriend. Krystle eventually drove to the apartment, where she began to vandalize her ex-husband’s vehicle and threw a hammer through a glass window, demanding that Dennis come out. A witness said she had threatened to leave with their children and he would never see them again. Caelyn Deeb-Diver, referring to the testimony of witness Kenneth Cornwell,
• Dennis then reportedly came out and was almost immediately struck by Krystle’s vehicle. Krystle left the scene and when she returned she expressed no sorrow or words of distress upon finding Dennis lying in the parking lot, but instead began searching his pockets for some unknown item or items. Deeb-Diver