Frances Hall's defense team on their one big regret | Forensic Files

I think in our minds we now think we should have put her on in the guilt innocent phase and we think that would
have made a lot of difference that's a little thing it's a judgment call at the time uh although we thought we had
enough for a jury that the state had not met their burden of proof looking back at this time and how well she
communicated on the stand we do wish that we had done that you know I think that would have helped the jury yeah I
think it's a huge thing and we quite frankly collectively as a group thought that Francis wasn't strong enough in her
grief to get up and tell her story we thought that the state would Pummel her uh but when she did speak we saw a
Francis we had never seen before we saw a strength that we had never seen in the
almost three years we worked on this case and uh I think that came from a realization that this wasn't a story she
was reading this was what was happening in her life into her family's life and it came from a desperation if you will
the strength to do that and I think when the verdict when you look at it the jury
gave her the least they could after they heard from her you know we didn't she didn't take the stand in her in her in
the first phase of her trial and they do instruct jury and you avoid D on the person not testifying but it's a hard
thing when the person doesn't get up and tell their part of the story so in retrospect that's probably the biggest
thing we'd do different

Alan and Jean Brown, two members of Frances Hall's defense team, tell "48 Hours" what they would do differently if they were to try the case again.

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Brief Summary

The episode reflects on Francis's trial and the impact of her testimony on the jury's verdict.

Key points

The Power of Testimony. Francis's unexpected strength during her testimony changed perceptions in the courtroom.
A Regretful Reflection. The team reflects on their decisions regarding Francis's testimony and its impact on the jury.

Episode highlights

The Power of TestimonyFrancis's unexpected strength during her testimony changed perceptions in the courtroom.“We saw a strength that we had never seen before.”0:38Oct 16, 2016

Episode quotes

We saw a strength that we had never seen before.

Reflecting on Francis's unexpected strength during her testimony.

0:38WatchOct 16, 2016

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