Since the beginning of the federal murder trial against James Michael Wells, defense attorneys have argued the possibility of another culprit. And the defense has probed witnesses about the alleged turbulent marriage of James Hopkins, one of the two victims.
Those who have testified described James' wife Debra as high-energy or eccentric. One Coast Guard member testified that Debra often said whatever popped into her head. The defense has regularly questioned those who worked alongside Hopkins at a Coast Guard installation on Kodiak Island and came to know the couple.
While defense attorneys haven't outright implicated Debra as the murderer, their questioning implies alternate scenarios for the events that led to the death of 41-year-old Hopkins and 51-year-old Richard Belisle. Inquiries into personal relationships have slowed the trial at times as prosecutors argue whether such evidence could spur "mini-trials."
Wells was a Coast Guard civilian employee who stands accused of killing two Coast Guard members on Kodiak, the second largest island in the United States and home to a major military base. The communications station at which Wells worked is geographically separate from the island's main base.
The murders happened early in the morning of April 12, 2012, and Wells is charged with fatally shooting Hopkins and Belisle. Authorities never found a murder weapon, and the government is arguing the case based on circumstantial evidence. Federal prosecutors contend Wells was the only person with the knowledge to pull off the murders without leaving any physical evidence behind.
Wells and his alleged victims worked at what is called "the rigger shop," a kind of maintenance building. As Hopkins and Belisle were starting their workdays around 7 a.m., Wells allegedly avoided security cameras to shoot and kill the men with a .44 revolver. The government argues Wells was distraught over grievances about his job performance.
'Mini-trial on tangential issues'
Wednesday afternoon, as the government blasted through a handful of Coast Guard technicians responsible for monitoring who comes to or leaves the communications station, defense attorney Peter Offenbecher asked Coast Guard Chief Josh Sanders about an incident when Debra Hopkins visited the rigger shop.
While most of the shop's crew was away on a job, she reportedly went to the building, also referred to as T1, and "had a few words" with the workers who remained behind. Sanders said he resolved that issue but didn't go into the specifics. Offenbecher asked Sanders if he sat down with two female members of the shop and discussed the incident; he said he didn't remember.
As the attorney continued to probe, the government objected, arguing the defense was leading the witness. Then, the parties had a discussion away from the jury. Static filled the courtroom speakers as they argued over the line of questioning. It's not the first time that's happened during the six days of testimony.
In an affidavit filed in U.S. District Court before the trial began, the prosecution wrote that "while the government does not seek to prevent the defendant from asserting the possibility of an alternate perpetrator, this Court must carefully consider the evidence the defense offers and apply the Federal Rules of Evidence to ensure the evidence is probative, reliable, will not mislead the jury and will not result in 'mini-trials' on tangential issues." However, several side discussions have occurred.
Following Wednesday's private discussion between parties, Offenbecher asked Sanders his impression of Debra's mental state. He responded that she was high energy. The attorney then asked if Sanders remembered telling people she was crazy. "Yes," he said.
The defense has also raised questions about Belisle's daughter hanging around known criminals on Kodiak, and during its opening argument federal public defender Richard Curtner said that the now infamous, heavily-tattooed suspected cop shooter Jason Barnum may have been on Kodiak when Hopkins and Belisle were murdered.
Unread correspondence
Earlier Wednesday afternoon, FBI special agent Holly Steeves, a forensic examiner, testified she'd been tasked with looking through Belisle's work laptop and Wells' cellphone for any activity the morning of the murders. Steeves captured an image of the alleged killer's cellphone.
She hoped to examine the phone's GPS functionality to track Wells' movements on April 12, 2012. Unfortunately, the function had been turned off since Oct. 2011. And the first incoming call to Wells' phone came in after 8 in the morning, Steeves said, about an hour after the bodies of Hopkins and Belisle were found.
Activity on Belisle's laptop indicated the rigger shop employee launched Internet Explorer and was sifting through emails until 7:10 a.m., Steeves said. The government argues Wells gunned down Belisle moments later.
"There's an (incoming) email at 7:23 that remains unread," the special agent said.