Courts

Nebraska Murder Defendant Slashes Own Throat

Feels like a dramatic way to change one's plea.

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In fairness, I had no idea what kind of stock image I was even supposed to be looking for with this story. (Image via Getty)

If this happened on a television courtroom drama, you’d criticize the writers for being overly dramatic.

Aubrey Trail was on trial in Nebraska, charged with first-degree murder for the killing and dismemberment of a 24-year-old victim. During the proceedings, Trail appeared to slash his own throat with an unidentified object.

Trail shouted out: ““Bailey is innocent and I curse you all.” He then fell out of his wheelchair bleeding. Trail was taken to a hospital and, I believe, remains alive.

“Bailey” is Bailey Boswell, who is also charged with murder. Boswell was living with Trail at the time of the crime and prosecutors think that Boswell lured the victim out on a date through the Tinder app, and at the very least contributed to the dismemberment.

So… I’m gonna, like, leave behind the gruesome details and try to think about this like a lawyer. Does a courtroom “exoneration” from a co-defendant, prior to that defendant attempting to kill himself, carry a lot of weight in the prosecutor’s office? Is that the kind of thing that changes one’s theory of the case?

I don’t think so. I mean, the man said “Bailey is innocent,” which doesn’t nearly begin to answer the outstanding questions about Boswell’s culpability. According to the news report, prosecutors have Boswell setting up a Tinder date with the victim. The day of the date was the last day the victim was seen. Boswell was living with Trail. Trail just kind of, sort of admitted to killing her. Prosecutors say they have Trail and Boswell at Home Depot buying… dismemberment tools. And they have Boswell resetting the victim’s phone to factory settings.

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I don’t know what Boswell is “innocent” of. Did he not strike the killing blow? I’m glad Trail apparently survived his attempted suicide, because I’m sure prosecutors still have more questions for him.

Nebraska murder suspect slashes his own throat in court [NBC News]

Elie Mystal is the Executive Editor of Above the Law and a contributor at The Nation. He can be reached @ElieNYC on Twitter, or at elie@abovethelaw.com. He will resist.

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