True Crime Involving Doctors | “48 Hours" Full Episodes | Forensic Files

[Music] this is definitely one of the stranger cases I've covered it seems like it
comes right out of a novel on November 12th 2012 Jake Nolan set out to the office
and home of Dr Michael Weiss Jake had with him a duffel bag with a massive Sledgehammer a steak Knife zip
ties and he's walking through the streets of Manhattan with this when you walked into Dr Michael
Weiss's office with that duffel bag with the weapons that were [Music] inside what did you intend to
do you know I intend did to kill [Music] him this is not a who done it he did what he was accused of doing but the big
question was why I saw Jake Nolan brainwashed by Dr Pamela buckbinder an ivy trained
psychiatrist she's brilliant I would have done anything for Pamela it happens so slowly that you
don't really recognize this growing feeling inside of you that one day you wake wake up and say I'll kill for this
woman by the end of this manipulation by Dr bookbinder Jake Nolan had become weaponized to attack Dr Weiss the man
with whom she had been fighting over custody of her son they hated each other and in turn
she made me hate him she had already told me that she wanted me to hit him over the head playing like you know
Maxwell's Silver Hammer by the Beatles repeatedly in the [Music] house Jake Nolan suffered from bipolar
disorder he had these learning problems he had personality problems Pamela took someone who she knew was severely
mentally ill and she morphed me into whatever she wanted me to be and I obeyed just like a
puppet she used him for her own benefit she sacrificed him his office door was open and I see
Michael sitting in a chair I think this is really when I became fully psychotic I don't buy Jake's story that
he was brainwashed and manipulated he knew exactly what he was doing and do you believe that each step
of the way Jake could have made the decision to leave of course he could have and Dr bookbinder claims that she
had no involv ment at all in this that anything Jake Nolan did he did completely on his own 911 wish emergency
hi I can hear someone out in my hallway screaming in pain but I don't know what's going on out there and I'm afraid
to go out and what was so odd about this is he didn't try to flee Jake Nolan starts snapping selfies of himself
covered in blood I mean who would possibly snap a selfie of themselves right after they
tried to murder someone [Music] [Music] [Music] there's never going to be a night I
don't fall asleep feeling awful for what I've done to this day Jake Nolan insists
his mind was not his own when he set out to kill Dr Michael Weiss at his office on November 12th
2012 the knife was in my pocket and the sledgehammer was over my shoulders he sees the sledgehammer and charges at me
and I reached for the knife here I am with his knife and the guy's bleeding and I'm bleeding and I'm
thinking oh my God this is terrifying it's as if I woke up from a bad dream after Jake stabbed him Dr Weiss fought
back furiously both men ended up in the hallway of the Manhattan highrise 911 V emergency is gu screaming
like crazy for help both men were rushed to the hospital where Jake was placed under
arrest for attempted murder and handcuffed to his bed in the weeks ahead said Jake's bizarre story unfolded his
claim that he had been manipulated to kill by his own cousin psychiatrist Pamela
bookbinder my experience with Pamela looking back was incredibly frightening incredibly
frightening Jake's Target that day Michael Weiss was Pamela's ex-boyfriend and another psychiatrist do you believe
he was brainwashed yes to be honest I try and come in here as little as possible because it's just
too many memories Debbie and Jim Nolan Jake's parents are devastated he is basically a
really good kid who doesn't have a mean bone in his body when we met Jake in the summer of
2016 he seemed rational I've been on meds now for over a year and a half that have finally worked for me but he says
that wasn't always the case Jake's parents insist that to understand how and why their then 20-year-old son could
have been conditioned to kill you have to go back to his childhood Jake was our third and our
youngest child he was a absolute Delight he was gifted he was smart he like to invent
things but Jake also had problems by the age of five he was diagnosed with ADHD attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder there was something with him that just wasn't the same as everybody else and we started to notice
significant changes in his personality and his demeanor around the ages of 145 what did you see he went through these
large mood swings still Jake had moments of Brilliance while in high school in Miami he made news after he won a
prestigious contest co-invention a study tool app for iPhones called flash me and
then a month later I couldn't get out of bed my parents bribed me with everything
to get out of bed please get out of bed please get out of bed Jake you got to go
to school please go to school today don't miss another day of school Jake was then diagnosed with depression and
anxiety these episodes worsen to the point where at the age of 17 Jake threatened to kill himself he got a
butcher knife from downstairs and he took it upstairs to his room and he said he was going to kill
himself we were terrified Jake was hospitalized and was also diagnosed with bipolar disorder
bipolar disorder is a severe and chronic mental illness that's characterized by severe mood swings psychiatrist Dr Sasha
B has evaluated Jake for the defense swings that go from deep dark suicidal depressions to periods of incredible
Elation grandiose ideas poor judgment he's a mess he's such a prisoner of his own mind that he can't
he can't get anywhere in life there's not a day that goes by that I don't think of killing myself by the
Time Jake was in college doctors had prescrib some 30 medications to treat him with little success some of these
medications change brain chemistry do they not well these are powerful psychotropic medications his disorder
his problems were so profound sometimes he's taking four five six medications at
once Jake admits he was also doing legal drugs and drinking barely making it to class the Nolan thought their prayers
had been answered when Dr Pamela bookbinder Debbie's own niece offered to help we thought this was great I adored
Pam you trusted her I trusted her with my most prized possession my child the plan Jake would live part-time with
Pamela in her Manhattan apartment she would give him therapy sessions and monitor his
meds in in return she proposed he helped take care of her then four-year-old son
Calder in spite of Jake's mental illness Pamela and I had formed a relationship when I was really young I this is my
cousin this is someone I really knew and I UST everything into this one woman I mean this woman is going to save my life
by all accounts the plan seemed to be working I thought he was very happy and I thought he was quite stable so you
guys must have felt everything's coming together here thank you finally thank you
right but the Nolan now say sending their son to live with Pamela was the biggest mistake they have ever
made it's a total horrible nightmare to hear more of the 911 calls join us on Facebook at 48
Hours when Jake Nolan went to live with his psychiatrist cousin Dr Pamela bookbinder he had no idea he'd end up on
the front lines of a physical and psychological War there relationship between Dr bookbinder and Dr Weiss was
very toxic from the outset reporter Rebecca Rosenberg has covered the case for the New York
Post the relationship was on again off again there were allegations of domestic violence on both sides it definitely got
physical Roland acedo is an attorney for Dr Michael Weiss is it true that Pam once attacked Michael with broken glass
she was arrested and charged with an assault he received stitches I mean there's physical proof that he was
attacked is it true that Michael Weiss has also been arrested in the course of this war with Pam yes Pamela contended
that Michael threatened her or attempted to assault uh in each incident the charges were
dismissed but the war of the psychiatrists moved onto another Battlefield the courtroom as Pamela and
Michael fought over the custody of their son these are two psychiatrists couldn't
they talk it out there was no communication but back during the times when he and Pamela were
communicating Big Time Michael Weiss attended family parties including Jake bar mitzvah
to wish you congratulations on your bar mitzvah um we're both so happy for you we were inspired by all of the speeches
about opportunity and charm and character and we think you have them all and that
makes it even more incredible that Jake would Target him this is a man who respected me and who I
respected [Music] greatly Michael and Pamela never married and broke up for good soon after their
son Calder was born ready yeah when Calder was four Pamela asked Jake to be her child's Godfather shortly before she
took Jake in Jake's mother is convinced that is when Pamela began to manipulate his mind Jake had been feeling so bad
about himself and here all of a sudden I'm so important to called her everything I do has to be right
this was a kid that I loved more than life Jake wants a normal life defense psychiatrist Sasha B says Pamela knew
how to give Jake the life he craved he wants to be a successful respected family man with a nuclear
family and a happy life there's a photograph of the three of you in bed basically in your
underwear what should we take from that picture I guess that just goes to show you the level of comfort that I really
felt there it was not unusual in the morning for her to invite me into into bed with Calder and I and to share that
familiar moment you know really feel like a family together but Dr barde finds these images deeply
troubling when you think that you're seeing pictures of essentially a a a patient and his
psychiatrist it's really horrific it's really creepy just as troubling for Jake's
family were text messages discovered on his cell phone let me read to you some of the texts that Pam bookbinder sent to
Jake you're just the most fun person to love you're so beautiful she'd call him lovey sweet Jay you are remarkable you
are brilliant I have so many thoughts about you well this is almost sickening and there
was never any romantic or sexual relationship ever between these two people so what this is is all
mental manipulation I miss you terribly she would say when you were away that sounds
romantic you know it does I don't know what her intentions were to this day I wouldn't be able to
tell you and as Pamela was apparently building Jake up he says she was tearing Michael Weiss apart claiming Michael was
refusing to pay cder's child support and worse she had me convinced that he was being molested at his father's home how
many times did she say this was this repeated over and over oh this was every day has Michael Weiss ever ever abused
his son in any way absolutely not Michael worships that child Jake what real evidence did you have that Michael
was sexually abusing his son there was no evidence but at the Time Jake says that's how Pamela was able to pull him
into the plot to kill Michael Weiss part of the indoctrination process was to get Jake to participate in
developing the plan and the plan if you believe Jake was horrific pamelo was determined
for me to torture Michael before killing him she wanted me to inject him with some you know poisonous chemicals she
wanted to burn him alive in front of a group of people Jake's story is dramatic but is
it true despite Jake's accusations he was the only one charged but Michael Weiss sued Dr book
binder for the attack and in court papers she calls the claims against her utterly baseless and states I never
asked Mr Nolan to attack or harm Mr Weiss Dr bookbinder also claims that there's no Smoking Gun here there
there's no evidence of emails or text messages that show that she and Jake plotted this together you can't deny the
footage that shows her in Home Depot buying a sledgehammer Jake in this surveillance video at a Home Depot
in New York City proves his claims that's Pamela standing next to him paying for the very tool that police
would find the next morning on the floor of Michael Weiss's office Jake there's no one that really
disputes that you suffer from Mental Illness but could you have another problem as well could you be a
sociopath no I could not had I never met Pamela bookbinder this wouldn't be my story
[Music] [Music] as Jake Nolan's eyes opened on the morning of November 12th 2012 the day he was supposed to kill
Michael Weiss he says he wasn't alone Pamela was there in bed rubbing my back telling me how much she loved me that I
was a savior that I was the greatest person ever that no one else understood her just the night before Pamela had
bought this Sledgehammer at a home Depot in New York that is Pamela bookbinder paying for the sledgehammer she's right
there she has cash in her hand with plans Jake claims of having him bash her ex-boyfriend in the head you intended to
kill him Jake says that Pamela's lovey-dovey mood quickly changed as she allegedly packed a duffel
bag with weapons she was hysterical crying tears as she put the sledgehammer into a duffel bag with the kitchen night
like she's packing a a bag to head off to school except this is to head off to a murder
exactly and there was one more item that was vital to the scheme the night before
she had provided me with the map in igan's apartment she handed me that this map which Pamela Drew herself showed the
multiple entrances of Michael Weiss's building Michael's attorney Roland ACO do you believe it essentially this was a
battle plan map I believe it was a map that Jake was provided to allow him to get access to Dr Weiss's apartment
without going through the normal security measures Pamela says she never gave Jake
the knife and that the map was given to Jake to help care for caler it had the daycare where he was going
it had Dr Weiss's building Jake says Pamela said goodbye that morning with just one goal in mind today
is the day life is going to be so much better after Michael is she used the word
terminated after Michael has terminated clutching that handdrawn map Jake headed to Michael's Midtown
Manhattan highrise he kind of scoped out the building on different sides it had two separate
entrances entered through the business entrance Jake signed in writing that he was heading to a tutoring center in the
building called bright kids it was marked on the map he didn't even bother using an alias I signed him with my own
name remember I was willing to die for this woman I wasn't trying to hide anything Jake went straight to the 12th
floor and walked in on Michael in the middle of a session Jake left the office and waited
in a stairwell while Michael finished with the patient what are you thinking to yourself what's going through your head
I think I was really nervous I think I wanted to back out but I didn't have a means to do it cuz I couldn't go back to
pamelo without this done I felt like I had no choice after the patient left Jake asked
Michael for some Financial forms for calder's school Pamela claims picking up those forms was the only reason Jake was
there but Jake says it was Ola ruse to distract Michael while Jake went to the restroom to
prepare I grabbed the sledgehammer I put the knife in my pocket from here on out it's it's um I
remember bits and pieces but according to Michael Weiss's attorney Michael remembers it all too
well Jake came out of a bathroom in Michael's office and hit him with a sledgehammer Michael managed to duck
just in time missing the full brunt of the 10lb tool still the sledgehammer made contact with his shoulder that's
when Michael says Jake reached for the knife that's when I first stabbed Michael Weiss
and then from there on out it was just it was a fight and then he stabbed Michael seven or eight times in various
places the stomach the back the chest Michael who's 6'3 and 205 lbs managed to overpower Jake on the ground standing up
you know I got stabbed multiple times I thought this I thought that someone was bound to Die the two men
stumbled into the hole hallway where neighbors heard the commotion I think it's a psychologist who might have had a
client who went nut good morning patient breathing yeah but they got a lot of blood they're losing a lot of
blood then as he sat on the floor bleeding Jake lifted his cell phone and took that selfie why did you take a
selfie you know we were sitting right next to each other and I was reporting back to Pamela like what do I do next
Jake says Pamela didn't respond a short time later at the hospital Jake tried texting her again this is what you wrote
in hospital please come Michael bleeding badly same I walked into office he stabbed me with my knife in the
heart this time Pamela answered with a single word where there was no plan for after the
attack I think it was Pamela's plan to just dismiss me and like oh well he tried to kill him he lost you know try
again later I mean I really believe it's her plan to try again later hospital records say Jake was in a
manic state after the attack Pamela eventually showed up at the ER but was not allowed to see Jake I
was in full-blown psychotic episode I was heavily medicated on morphine Michael Weiss suffered multiple cuts to
his upper torso and legs he was stitched up and released from the hospital Jake was still recovering from
his own wounds to his chest and hand when the reality of his arrest for attempted murder hit
[Applause] him could Jake have backed out of the attack see more of the crime scene
photos at 48 hours.com [Music] after his arrest for attempted murder Jake Nolan spent 4 days recovering in
the hospital he then appeared before a judge and was freed on $200,000 bail pending trial Jake was
allowed to fly home to live with his parents outside of Miami ready what would you have said to cder one day if
he asked you why did you kill my father I don't know I gave everything for this child I
was willing to kill someone for this child that alone can only show how sorry I feel when he finds out about this
later on in life but what of Pamela bookbinder soon after the attack Michael sued for
custody of their son claiming Pamela was The Mastermind a family court judge considered the evidence in that case
including the Home Depot images and granted Michael Weiss full custody of cder and barred Pamela from any contact
for 5 years the evidence showed and the family court agreed that Pamela was involved in the plan or plot to attack
and kill Michael despite the evidence presented in Family Court Pamela was still not
criminally charged in the attack why not not the District Attorney's office will
not comment but Michael Weiss's attorney thinks part of the problem is the key accuser in this
case Jacob because he contends that he has this history of mental illness is perhaps not the most reliable witness
for the prosecution Jake spent much of his time awaiting trial in and out of treatment
centers for both his mental problems and drug and alcohol addiction despite those efforts his life almost
came to a tragic end in May 2015 what happened that caused you to be in this hospital
bed I tried to kill myself I tried to take my own life This Time Jake ended up in a coma after poisoning himself this
was probably the worst day of my life because they told us they didn't think Jake was going to make it
finally in March 2016 3 and 1 half years after the attack Jake's trial gets underway in New York
the prosecution portrayed Jake as kind of a spoiled rich kid just one of many challenges for the defense Jake Nolan
was a very unreliable narrator of this event for one thing it wasn't until weeks after the attack that Jake claimed
Pamela had manipulated him another problem he gave at least three different versions of what happened each
was meant to cast him in the most innocent light possible in one version Jake tried to put the blame on Michael
Weiss when the first responder showed up he immediately pointed the finger at Dr
Weiss and said he stabbed me in another account Jake told investigators he never
swung the sledgehammer this was a big hammer I couldn't even lift the thing up Jake claims he only brought the
sledgehammer and knife because he was afraid of Michael perhaps most stunning of all a
third version he claims that Dr Weiss pulled the sledgehammer out of his bag and attacked him first with it so that
really doesn't make any sense I mean how would Dr Weiss even know that the sledgehammer is in the
bag Jake has said he had been convinced the attack on Michael was the only way to save Calder but at trial prosecutors
hinted at another motive Michael Weiss had taken out a $1.5 million life insurance policy the
beneficiary was his son who probably at the time was 3 or 4 years old but there was a catch just 3 days before the
attack Michael agreed to make Pamela the policy's irrevocable trustee what does that mean in English irrevocable means
can't be taken back so if Michael dies if Michael passed away the child would get the 1.5 million do but she would be
the person that controlled the money for the child Jake insisted he had no clue before the attack that money may have
been involved I had no idea Pima never mentioned that to me her plan was for you to kill him MH but the most damning
evidence came from Jake himself the prosecution psychiatrist interviewed Jake before trial and clips from the
exam were played to jurors in one a shockingly Frank discussion about another item Pamela bought at Home Depot
oh Bo the zip ties for she wanted me to like torture Michael um which I didn't tell her but I wasn't
down to do that so you were down to kill but not torture yeah okay what did she want you to do to to torture
she want me to cut off his balls she said that was a line too far for you yeah how
come I know I've never heard anyone before the prosecution saw this as a stunning admission on tape at least it
appears Jake was a willing participant in planning the attack and could draw a line when he wanted
to the Crux of the prosecution's argument here is that this is not not some babbling idiot that didn't know
which way was up I think I was in control up to a degree but the deal was to kill Michael
Weiss the deal wasn't to torture Michael Weiss it might seem like Jake is splitting hairs but one of Jake's
lawyers Steven Brownstein says that's exactly how Jake's mind was working in fact it's why he and his legal team
argue a risky defense de capacity you're going to have to admit that your client did the crime but his
capacity to establish the intent the motive to commit that crime he lacked and therefore he should be found not
guilty I understand that the prosecution feels that clearly Jake never had a gun
to his head in my opinion psychologically speaking he did Dr Sasha B who testified for the defense at trial
says Pamela had replaced Jake Free Will with her own it's very much like a cult where there is a shaping of the person's
thought processes to meet the cult's ideals it's a small cult it has two people in it there's the cult leader
Pamela bookbinder and the cult member Jake Nolan Jake never takes the stand Pamela bookbinder never even set
foot in the courtroom neither side called her to testify in March of 2016 after a 2-e
trial the jury began its deliberations in less than an hour the jury comes back we have reached a
verdict guilty guilty of attempted murder it's unjust I'm no harm to society and a
little over 3 months later the judge describes the attack as an act of extreme brutality and violence and
sentences Jake Nolan to 9 and a half years in prison you're in just such shock I was like somebody just crushed
me from from top to bottom just just totally took my heart right out of me and what of Michael Weiss the man
Jake Nolan would have killed if the murder plot had succeeded he's been traumatized by this I know what I did
was very serious but there is also another party that needs to take responsibility too and that person is
Pamela bookbinder and her role in this sorted case is about to take let's wait till
she comes down a dramatic turn Pamela bookfinder Peter Van s from 48 hours I have a simple question why did you buy
that sledgehammer Pamela bookbinder the most talked about woman during Jake Nolan's
trial had always managed to elude the public but we caught up with Pamela about 4 months after Jake Nolan was
sentenced I have a simple question why did you buy that Sledgehammer you know what you can answer that question
were you going to do some Home Improvement or were you buying a murder weapon out of her face I can get it out
of her face you can answer that question but on October 19th 2017 almost 5 years after Michael Weiss
was attacked the law finally caught up with Dr Pamela bookbinder bookbinder was arrested at a
friend's house outside Syracuse New York she was charged with second deegree attempt murder and first deegree
attempted Assault The Manhattan district attorney accus bookbinder of masterminding the
plot to send Jake Nolan to murder her ex-boyfriend and the father of her son Michael Weiss I name pamel and I'm not
guilty at the Time Jake Nolan would not comment on Pamela bookbinder arrest but Michael Weiss's attorney did I was not
surprised when she was was indicted and arrested the prosecutor's office said months ago during the Nolan trial that
they thought she was involved and I think the evidence against her is significant Pamela is innocent I'm
telling you that Pamela bookbinder hired two top New York defense attorneys Ronald fet and
Eric frons Pamela bookbinder had nothing to do with that who say that this video
of bookbinder buying that sledg is just a sideshow Pamela buckbinder is an educated psychiatrist not Wy coyote she
didn't plan to orchestrate a murder with a sledgehammer that the man couldn't pick up bookbinder attorneys argued
before two judges that their client should be granted bail and her family offered to put up a $1.5 million bond to
guarantee she wouldn't run off this despite the fact that when she was arrested she had in her possession her
passport birth certificate and her son calder's expired passport the entire world has fallen on this woman
periodically methodically over the last 5 years and what did she do she engaged councel she engaged the bondsman she
stayed around and made no attempts to flee her attorneys contend that the case has essentially been solved and that
Jake Nolan is the sole perpetrator he admitted everything when you walked into Dr Michael Weiss's office with that
duffel bag with the weapons that were [Music] [Applause] inside what did you intend to
do you know I intended to kill [Music] him bookbinder legal team later pointed to what they say is an incriminating new
piece of evidence found buried in their legal file a note allegedly written by Jake Nolan
to his mother Debbie after the attack in 2012 as he recovered in the hospital it
reads Pamela has nothing to do with this this man acted completely on his own so it's a very very crucial piece of
evidence remember Jake's defense team said he wrote this letter while he was in what his doctors called a manic State
and heavily medic at that note probably can't be admitted into evidence in any event cuz it's hearsay after the judge
heard these arguments he refused to Grant bookbinder [Music] baale she was ordered held in New York's
notorious Riker's Island [Music] jail where she remained for 5 years through legal wrangling and the pandemic
then on September 7th 2022 in a pre-trial hearing she made a stunning announcement she accepted a deal to
spend 11 years in prison in exchange for pleading guilty to attempted assault and
a lesser charge in connection with Dr Weiss's attack seemingly bringing her case to a
close but just one month later bookbinder turned her routine sentencing on its head with her lawyers telling
judge Farber that she wanted to withdraw her plea she claimed on the day she agreed to the deal she was exposed to
mace on Riker's Island she did not take her medication and she inadvertently got
a contact high when someone was smoking drugs on her bus ride to court but Judge
Thomas Farber would have none of it he ordered the plea deal to stand and the sentencing to
continue Dr Weiss showed up to make a victim's impact statement he did not want to be recorded while he read his
remarks telling the court that he suffers from PTSD and that he believes bookbinder has so much hatred for him
that she will do anything in her power to harm him even after she is released from
prison prosecutor Joel ciderman was next and he did not hold back I think it's necessary to make the record straight
and defendant tried to have Dr Michael Weiss murdered she hated his guts she sought to destroy him because of their
failed relationship she stood to control $1.5 million in life insurance on his life in
the name of his son she bookbinder's attorney had heard enough I rection your honor has nothing to do with the
underlying allegations in this case a sentencing not a lynching I I understand Mr Mr fron but I don't with the da says
it sentence and ciderman kept going she's on video her all of her genius in terms of academic genius didn't mean
that she could out with the NYPD who immediately went to Home Depot when they saw the sledgehammer and they knew where
it came from and she sent Jacob Nolan with a map bookbinder's lawyer finally had his chance to speak well that was a
rather unpleasant experience following a negotiated disposition the bottom line is her
pleading guilty is not a license to step on her throat and just say whatever you
want that's an injustice she stands ready for sentence your honor Miss bucker you can speak if you wish to you
don't have to she was brief if there was one true statement Mr Sidman said I missed it judge Farber had the final say
there can be no doubt that if you plot to bash somebody's head in with a sledgehammer that the intent is to call
C his death he then reminded everyone that he presided over Jacob Nolan's trial back in 2017 the compelling and
Powerful evidence at that trial supported Mr Nolan's account that Miss buckbinder planned to brutally murder Dr
Weiss Barber then sentenced bookbinder to serve 11 years in prison and he also issued an order of protection for Dr
Weiss and just before officers took bookbinder away she turned to her family and friends who blew kisses at her
defense attorney Monica neame says that in 2027 Pamela bookbinder will be free to
start her life over and even reach out to her son there's no question about her love for her son
[Music] a son with Secrets he just lied to everybody his parents vanish you know
cars go off the road things happen what happened to the holders not making any sense and it's taking weirder and
weirder turns nobody saw this coming 48 Hours next on CBS and streaming on Paramount Plus
[Music] 48 Hours presents this is Officer the Houston Police Department major fend division
career chal [Music] Squad hey my name is Valerie McDaniel I've always tried to be an
honest kind person I've try to live the best life I can Valerie wound up being the top of the
class the valedictorian the valedictorian in our 1987 High School graduating class she sure did my name is
Megan she's my second cousin she's generous and creative smart nice and sweet she would always like take care of
my dog [Music] I wasn't sure if I should be a vet anymore and Valerie brought that passion
back I know that Valerie made an audio recording of all of her memorable moments in life I met through friends a
man named M MCD and I thought he was the cutest thing tall and skinny with his boots
Valerie and Mac lived a lavish lifestyle a high-end life you know a life of luxury a life of beauty Great Cars
Valley had a Mercedes daughter went to a great school they worked a lot it was a big
thing they both be working and but did they seem happy together yeah yeah it seemed
[Music] great one morning at work there was a a not on my desk that said Dr McDaniel call Miss
Brown she said I've been your husband's lover it tore up divorce is never an easy
thing she met Leon a medical doctor he actually went to the same school I did a little bit of ER but then also like like
cardio and transplant [Music] I looked at him and smiled and he smiled back and just a beautiful
person her face her smile she had this outwardly exuberance of energy that I really can't describe she fell for Leon
she was madly in love with him we were um planning on getting [Music] married Mac always wanted more more more
at the detriment of their daughter my name is MZ azi and Leon Jacob tried to hire me as a
Hitman in the car did he give you $2,500 he paid the 2,500 cash yes in cash right and what did you see on his
face excitement he was enjoying it like he actually was excited about the whole thing I could never hurt the man that my
daughter loves so much the male subject he's gone he's done all right this is been a long drawn out
story that's led to an unbelievable conclusion when he came into my office he shut the door he said I'm Dr Leon
Jacob I felt like I was talking to Satan himself [Music] [Music] 48 hours operation murder reported by
Peter vanent [Music] 2453 2453 yes ma'am it's going to be a major offenders investigation it's 3:00 a.m. on Friday
March 10th 2017 Houston police are making their way to the seventh floor condo of beloved
tarian Valerie McDaniel I'm afraid we have some bad news bad doesn't begin to describe
what's about to be revealed it turns out to be a fatality Valerie's ex-husband Mack
police tell her was dead just 6 months after their divorce had become final you have anybody you can call to to help you
to St to stay with you but how could Valerie's life have arrived at this Dreadful
[Music] moment Valerie earned her degree in veterinary medicine at Texas A&M it was
during that time she met Mack McDaniel Valerie's friend Greg Holloway my impression of ma is that he was a a good
man he was a standup guy Mac proposed and Valerie had the man of her dreams as she describes in that recording of her
memories we did get married we had a beautiful fairy tale wedding moved into a house that my
parents had bought me to live in not long after that Valerie decided to open her own
Clinic Valerie's cousin Cody Bernard I admired her it sunk something inside of me I wanted to I want to do that one day
something big you know Mac was her office manager but even as the vet clinic thrived the two longed
for something more they said she couldn't have any children so the only option was to
adopt in 2008 the couple adopted a daughter when she was just 2 days old but as their new family came together
their marriage began to fall apart it started Valerie says with a phone call from a stranger the woman who claimed to
have been Max's lover but Valerie said says that wasn't all she gave me lists of women that he had stuck
with Valerie says she confronted Mack and forgave him but claims it wasn't long before Mac cheated
again and that was the first time I ever said the word divorce and I yelled it at
him outside and I yelled it and I yelled it Valerie says she forgave ma yet again
but then a chance encounter would change the course of her life Leon J Jacob the
son of Valerie's neighbor Golda Jacob stopped by he ran up to me and um stuck his hand out and introduced himself the
cockiest mother ever met in my life Valerie was in her mid-40s but she was stunning um both inside and out the
attraction was Mutual you could tell he knew how beautiful he was and I was lonely
Leon Jacob was eight years younger than Valerie and a doctor what type of surgeries have you done all kinds of
surgeries I've assisted in heart kidney pancreas transplants with a strained home life
and an attractive new friend what happened next may have been inevitable and he sat across from me and we had
some wine and I had my feet out on the chair next to him just out of the blue he reached out and just
ran his finger up my left foot and that was it it was like a movie moment it's quite an interlude according
to what she described yeah compliments uh all around I guess in December 2014 Valerie filed for divorce claiming ma
committed adultery Ma's attorneys told us Mac had no comment about the divorce petition and the claims Valerie made in
her audio diary between Max alleged cheating and Valerie's new love interest both wanted
out of the marriage the divorce was finalized in August 2016 Valerie and her daughter then moved
into this building in the upscale River Oak section of Houston not long after Leon joined them
here the relationship really Blossom quickly because we had been very close friends for so long
Dr Britney King worked alongside Valerie at the vet clinic I seem very much in love um holding hands and and loving
towards each other but there was one old problem in Valerie and Leon's new relationship and his name was
Mac there were multiple times in the clinic where she would just be in tears um was everything okay and it was
something surrounding um her ex-husband Mac had found out that Leon was staying with me it be arguments or stuff with
the the child visitation but Leon had his own issues with past loves one involving extreme mental cruelty and
another assault and stalking charges Leon Jacob is a predator he's scary Samantha connect is a Harris County
assistant district attorney he wants what he wants and he'll stop at nothing to get it could there be more to
Valerie's new love than she can imagine he has no problem using women um in fact I I think he enjoys
it Valerie McDaniel's new Livin boyfriend grew grew up in a Texas sized world of beauty opulence and opportunity
I always wanted to be a doctor my whole life ever since I was about three or four as he pursued his degrees Leon met
and married his college sweetheart they had two boys we had a happy loving family I got two great kids two
boys they're the most important things to me in my life a good family and now with an MD
after his name Lon was well on his way but Leon's picture perfect life disguised a troubled
relationship after 12 years of marriage his wife filed for divorce citing extreme mental cruelty and one year
later Leon was arrested for stalking his now ex Leon has to be in control when his ex-wife went to end their
relationship he wasn't going to have it um and he wasn't going to go down without a fight Leon isn't it true that
you've had brushes with the law involving stalking cyber stalking intimidation uh physical harassment
assault aren't all those true I pled guilty to a attempted cyber harassment charge that
was stemming from an acrimonious divorce that I went through with the my previous
wife Leon admits that he called often but he claims it was simply to speak with his Boys I Tried desperately to
contact my kids over and over and over again and I'm not going to apologize for that Leon finally moved on to a new
residency and was living in Pittsburgh where he met this woman 33-year-old Megan veras I met Megan in a hotel in
Pittsburgh she was the assistant general manager there the new couple moved to Houston
there were lavish vacations family get togethers and yet another residency Leon's seventh he's a
failed doctor he's been kicked out of every Residency program he's ever been a part of and what's the problem what was
the basis of these dismissals do you know the belief that he was the smartest guy in the room in ability to get along
with people um inability to get along with patients and in fact one of the records that we found said that they
believe that he was a danger to patients and that he would be a liability for them to keep
around 3 years into their relationship Megan vericast thought leyon was a threat to her too Megan kicked Leon out
of their apartment later accusing him of assaulting her she wanted me to move all my stuff
out she came there and was very hostile the police uh were called there was no violence of any kind and a day later she
claimed that I had hit her and that you'd put your hand over her mouth yeah which is not true Leon is about Leon
smile smile it frustrated him to know in that Megan veros would not forgive him and the fact that he couldn't get Megan
back frustrated him and angered him Leon was arrested in February 2017 for assault and stalking you can
charge anybody with anything it doesn't mean that you're guilty of that the DA's
office has been on this case since its Inception we help prosecutors are convinced that LE knew his future as a
doctor would be destroyed if Megan testified against him so they believe he planned a little operation to make his
pain go away he feels like if Megan disappears if she goes away that his criminal case will go away and he can
resume his career as this beloved surgeon that he thinks that he is prosecutors claim leyon decided what he
needed was a hitman and he thought he'd found one Taz are you a Hitman no were you ever willing to murder anyone for
money no no no no I would never do something like that Taz aay was introduced to Leon by a mutual
acquaintance did Leon ever tell you how he wanted his ex-girlfriend to be killed
yes he he actually offered suggestions one of them was a syringe to the heart with potassium would give her a heart
attack and that would actually kill her Taz is a decorated former US Army soldier who saw Leon's deadly demand as
an opportunity to Save a Life I saw somebody in danger and I knew that I can do something about it and I did
something about it Leon new Taz by the code name Zach he says Leon wanted him to kidnap Megan first to talk her into
to taking him back and if that didn't work leaving town but that wasn't all if she doesn't leave what are you going to
do and he was like I want you to kill her I'm not going to comment on any of this it's just
ridiculous Taz says Leon paid him $99,000 which he happily spent to be honest I don't feel bad that I spent
Jacob's money matter of fact I feel really good I spent his money then the man Leon knew as Zach
vanished Leon Jacob was one of the most Unique Individuals I'd ever met Bill bondman Michael kubos this guy was
focused was very intimidating didn't shake my hand just wanted to know one thing I want Zach's number he said I've
paid Zach a lot of money to take care of this I felt like I was talking to the Devil Himself
[Music] tucked away on a side street in Houston is perhaps the most colorful bail
bondsman in all of Texas having hung out a bit with you you are the Elvis of bale
bondsman you have his name is Michael kubos these are people that we're looking for fugitives and he understands
the Criminal Mind I deal with the nicest the kindest and the meanest people on the face of the Earth I've bonded out
judges prostitutes preachers missionaries he's also a larger than life member of the Houston city council
who helped save lives during Hurricane Harvey I can see you really working hard I know all the major law enforcement
people in in the whole County Leon had stormed into kubash his office he said I paid Zach a lot of
money to take care of this said take care of what he said I want her out of the picture and and and I she can't be
testifying against me out of the picture out of the picture I believe that he meant ill toward this woman and that's
why I call the chief the chief of the chief of police in Houston Texas a search for the mysterious sack
was triggered and investigators quickly learned his real name Taz a a name that kubash did recognize as a former
military man who is facing a misdemeanor theft charge for stealing from his roommate he was on bond with me he was
still free it took Houston police about a week to find Taz and that's when things got
really interesting to me Tass seemed genuinely concerned for Megan this man is an
undercover officer with the Houston Police Department who goes by the name detective Javier he didn't want to see
her hurt so Taz agreed to participate in a sting operation to help catch Leon Jacob in the act of soliciting a
murder hello hey what's up man how you doing B Taz told Leon that he felt he had grown too close to him and Valerie
and thought it best to hire another Hitman and he knew just the right guy can you meet me tomorrow yeah I I'll
clear my schedule no problem the next day tazwood introduced Leon to his new Hitman undercover
detective Javier but before Taz could hang up Leon Dropped a Bomb we're taking care of both problems what both problems
both of the the individuals that we're talking about uh okay Valerie McDaniel Leon's new
girlfriend the mild-mannered veterinarian who friends had described as an angel wanted her ex-husband
murdered Valerie wants to talk to you about what he want she wants to do with her ex-husband okay that's good all
right just bring it with you tomorrow the next day Leon and Valerie met with Taz and Detective aier at this Olive
Garden to discuss the fate of both their exes over lunch the entire operation was
recorded the meeting lasted nearly 2 hours and began with Leon's Target Megan I don't want you to Hur her but I want
her to go he told me that he wanted me to run her off the road and threaten her but
then he would say to me if she does not understand that then do what you have to
do those options don't work I got got there was no doubt in my mind that Leon wanted Megan killed the subject
then turned to Valerie's Target her ex-husband Mack say if something would happen to
him car W or it could be a car wreck it could be robbery she was under the Bel that I was
going to carjack him and I was going to put a bullet in his head which is exactly what I told her I was going to
do but you need to me to go ahead you got I take my the next day March 9th 2017 detective Javier called Leon to say
he had good good news that he insisted on delivering in person are you AF he went to their home where he
informed them Mac was dead neither wanted to see this photo which seemed to show Mac with a
gunshot to the head when Valerie got the news that her husband was dead was she emotional about it did she say oh my God
I never wanted to go this far she did not show that what they didn't know is that Mac was
alive and well he' posed for those photos as part of this elaborate sting operation believing Mack was dead Leon
set his sights on Megan so you're going to snatch her and you're going to bring her somewhere and talk to her that's the
plan if I need to show up you call me later that night these staged photograph of Megan
were texted to leyon and he was told she was so out of control she had to be killed she's dead she's
gone I don't want to know anything on that scale of good to evil in your mind what is Leon
Jacob Leon is a very evil person he was willing to do whatever he needed to do to survive
[Music] it was probably around 2: or 3: in the morning on March 10th 2017 Valerie
McDaniel and her living boyfriend Leon Jacob get a wakeup call from Sergeant Frank Quinn that will soon lead to an
Oscar winning performance what's going on she lets them inside but she FS surprise she can't understand why
they're there remember just hours before detective Javier posing as a Hitman had
told her that Mack was dead but now Valerie has to convince police she is hearing it for the first time sorry I to
tell you have you heard from him recently she pretends to be upset she puts her head in her hands uh she sits
down and she acts like she's completely shocked and surprised that her ex-husband is dead uh is your boyfriend
here with you you think you can kind of be a little help [Music] toight this surreal scene caught by the
body cameras of Houston Police is about to reach its climax we were hoping you could help us
with over some bad news to exhb oh my God looks [Music] like might have been a robbery gone WR
just trying if anybody knows anything or no we I'll help are you okay baby we've been here all
night we were here all day with and their their daughter and we were watching movies
we haven't been out of the house on then the cops decide to call cut on all this
bad acting right now we're going to read you your rights both of you being arrested
solicitation it is only then that the couple learns that both their intended targets are alive and well I don't know
why I'm being arrested Leon is Led Out can I get a sweatshirt I'm already cold and Valerie has a much bigger
concern her daughter who's been asleep in the apartment this whole time although not caught on camera Mac
arrives to pick up their 8-year-old and what did Valerie say to her you know something along the lines
so I'm just you know taking you to your dad he's outside and he's going to take you and it was very benign and you know
just normal as could be and so all of a sudden on the news media came the arrest
of two doctors and a Houston woman and her boyfriend were charged with trying to have their exes killed and I'm laying
there thinking well that's not Valerie I know and they show the film of her going
up for her arraignment you about fall out of your chair that almost rolled out of the bed because leyon has those other
pending charges related to Megan he doesn't make bail but Valerie does Valerie was rushed out the jail
alongside family after and goes home to wait for the legal process to play out I
remember texting her throughout the week and calling her and constantly sending her I love you you know we can get
through this so happy you're out Valerie's Veterinary license got suspended because of the charges Britney
says Valerie was weighed down by her arrest and the prospect she wouldn't be seeing her daughter for a long long
time she visited Valerie at her high-rise con but I remember giving her a hug goodbye
and I just felt the life in the eyes was not there it's weird things it wasn't like
Bam Bam Bam progression things just gradually happened 2 weeks after the shock and shame of being charged with
solicitation of capital murder Valerie McDaniel used her iPad March 20 it's been a few days to record her side of
the story I didn't wake up one day and just say hey I want to kill my ex-husband for Valerie everything she
loved was slipping away I want to talk to my daughter I want to talk to [Music] Leon this I'm just not strong enough I
wish I were a just can't do it just can't do it 2 days after her final recording on March 27th
2017 Valerie who once seemed Unstoppable did the unthinkable she climbed over this very
railing and jumped seven stories to her death she wanted me to be home with her and we were going to get through this
and it was devastating and shocking I think that she was in a very vulnerable position when she met Leon
Jacob but I think he influenced her and brainwashed her I'm innocent and um as a human being
and as a physician that thought of killing somebody else is just goes against everything in my my nature it really
depends on what they find Leon has hired one of the top defense attorneys in Texas
George parum who says Valerie McDaniel was the one calling all the shots I'm sorry for her demise but I believe that
Valerie uh is and was responsible for this entire scenario that she was the driver she was the finance year of all
of this that that is my understanding the question now what will a jury think on March 20th 2018 a week before
the first anniversary of Valerie's suicide this is a state of Texas versus Leon Philip Jacob Leon alone stands
trial on two counts of solicitation of capital murder one of the things you'll learn
about Leon Jacob is he has to be in control Mack was going to die and Megan was going to die Cameron cigan is
Samantha connect's co-prosecutor he says Leon's motive was clear there was two obstacles to the defendant's new life
with Valerie mcdan it was Mac and it was Megan ma could keep Valerie away from him by making Valerie choose between the
defendant and her daughter and Megan could make him end up in prison George parham's co-counsel
Matthew ppil claims that it was the undercover officer whose identity were protecting by calling detective Javier
who who pushed Ferry and Leon to make a deadly choice if it was not her offic trying to make this into a television
story en Force his own narrative Leon would not be forced here today to tell his story all right thank you all please
be seated let's continue testimony begins with some of the early stops on this long road to Justice starting with
Megan he didn't want her to testify against him and he had paid somebody a lot of money to make sure that she
wouldn't be here to testify against him he actually wanted me to um make her disappear oh basically he wanted their
gun like that call your next witness please before the trial concludes two potential victims will rise from the
dead to take the stand could you please introduce herself to the members of our jury and the jury will hear from Leon
who says he's only guilty of being a Casanova I have no problem sitting here and saying that I slept with Valerie 7
days after making I broke up but I'm not on trial for being a womanizer I'm on trial for solitation of capital murder
so you can assassinate my character all you want up here doesn't make me guilty of what you've charged me
[Music] with one of the prosecution's strongest Witnesses Megan veros Leon's ex-girlfriend who had filed assault
charges against him in January 2017 takes the stand it was a long time coming um I tried to leave several times
she recalls Leon coming to the house where she was staying just after the alleged incident I
obviously didn't want to be near him so I hid in a closet why did you hide in a closet
because I was afraid of Leon he came in and was screaming and yelling and he said I know that that [ __ ] is here
Megan says Leon kept pursuing her when she was at work he was in the bushes outside um on a cell phone um waiting
for me and when she drove to her new home at that point I called 911 to let them know um that you know my
ex-boyfriend who assaulted me was um in a car behind me and then some point Leon had gotten
out of his vehicle in front of mine just yelling and waving his hands saying you
know just talk to me just talk to me I need to talk to you Leon was arrested a second time on stalking charges on
February 16th 2017 less than 10 days after that Megan was contacted by police and warned her
life could be in danger she fled to her hometown of Pittsburgh but police soon called her to return to Houston to be
part part of that sting operation I sat in a chair in a warehouse and um they zip tied my hands and my feet um and put
duct tap around my mouth to make me look as if I had been kidnapped I was crying
and really upset next it was Valerie's ex-husband Mac McDaniel's turn we were married for
17 years and divorced in uh 2016 he recalled finding out his ex-wife was living with Lyon what was your initial
reaction to that my initial reaction was not good and why was that because I was aware of
his history this criminal history did you convey to Valerie that you did not want the defendant around your daughter
on the weeks that she had custody yes ma'am and did she agree to that she did at some point did you learn that she was
not abiding by the agreement I did M tells the jury he too was notified he was the target of a murder plot then the
pro ution shows the jury that photo can you describe for the members of the jury
what you're doing here staging my own death did they pour blood on you Pig's blood 3 days into the 5day long trial
it's the defenses turn they call their star witness I never asked anybody to kill
anybody does the word kill hurt harm in any way shape or form appear any of those recorded conversations not on my
behalf except for to exclude them from things I want done I never asked to have anybody hurt
killed harmed um kidnapped I never asked for anybody to be in any way physically hurt but the
prosecution says that's not true she's dead she's gone I don't want to know anything and
they claim those Undercover tapes back that up did you not want anybody hurt when you said inject her with potassium
chloride stop her heart untraceable I said that was a something you could do I didn't say that for him
to do that did you recall telling the undercover officer if those options don't work I don't give a then you got
to do what you got to do because my survival is more important yes Leon's own words come back to haunt
him regarding Mac as well after the undercover officer proposed a fatal carjacking it could be
robbery Leon offered $10,000 in four weekly installments so you're agreeing to give
him $2,500 just after he tells you I'm going to put a bullet in his head and throw
him on the street if that's what you say well that's in the recording it's not what I
say it's what Javier and you said right I guess Leon and the defense team tried to make their point that the
undercover officer was pressuring them into making deadly decisions I kept on telling them I didn't want anybody hurt
and they kept on going back to the theme of killing people I felt a lot of pressure from them to sort of commit to
this idea of killing people and that was never my intent were you asking them just to threaten
people essentially yes did you actually want any harm to come to anybody no but the prosecution points out that when
leyon thought Megan was tied up and refusing to cooperate he did nothing to stop the lethal final step you'd agree
with me that you never said no no I don't want you to do anything stop this you didn't say anything like that did
you no the jury gets the case has the jury reach unanimous verdict it takes just an
hour and 15 minutes before returning to the courtroom we the jury find the defendant
Leon Philip Jacob guilty of solicitation of capital murder is charged in the indictment Leon is found guilty on both
counts of conspiring to have Megan and Mack kill the trial moves to the sentencing
phase the same jury that found Leon guilty will decide his punishment new testimony begins I have
no sense of trust um just constantly afraid that something else is going to happen the only thing
that might impact Leon's sentence more than the words of his exgirlfriend may end up being the words
of his exwife State calls Annie Morrison Annie Mor has flown in from Chicago to testify yes
there was a time that we got into a fight and he pulled a knife on me there was one time he pushed my head down onto
the counter and and bruised my face near my eye any recounts an incident she says
occurred when she was 7 months pregnant with their second child he threatened to punch me in the
stomach um he kicked my legs I remember I remember bringing my legs up as far as
I could toward my chest to try to protect my stomach he threatened that if I ever left that he would kill
me he said that nobody would ever find my body because he was a doctor and he had access to chemicals that
would that would dissolve my body Annie did leave moving to her parents' home in Chicago that's when
leyon started threatening her parents thank you judge may I publish st's exhibit number 81 to the jury as the
jury heard in this recording Annie made of a phone call with Leon I will torture
them in you the defendant please St the jury took just one hour to decide Leon Jacob's
sentence life in prison on each count solicitation of capital murder for Megan veros and Mac
McDaniel victim M statement please in Texas the victim impact statements come after the sentence Megan
takes the stand one last time you will never see your children grow up you will not be a part of their lives and they
will be F better for it you destroyed me financially and took away my sense of security but you can do that no more
while you sit in jail I hope you think of me the girl that you called poor and uneducated because it's because of me
you will be in prison for life [Music] [Music] where is your emergency okay my mother's
I don't know if she's breathing but she's laying on the ground in the shower I need to go over there see if
she's okay okay how do you know she's down there my dad my dad's over there he's in the bathroom I'm not in
the bathroom okay I need to put you on hold and not it's like a house [Music] pH the actual call came out where the
victim fell in the shower oh just [Music] everywhere supervisor at the scene called and said I think you're going to
want to come up here there's quite a bit of blood I'm thinking this had to have been
some fall Dr newlander said that he removed his wife from the shower and ultimately took her into the bedroom in
order to perform CPR emergency Personnel determined that she was dead shortly after they arrived Leslie was so well
known they were both very active in the philanthropic Community he's delivered thousands of babies so if you you know
you just multiply that out there's literally tens of thousands of people that have some connection to Dr
newlander the medical examiner makes a ruling she slipped and fell in the shower accidental death right I thought
you know how sad and then went about doing the other things that I am supposed to
[Music] do you know this was supposed to be a fall in the shower but we've got blood
on this wall some blood spatter up on uh on an angled wall and then my suspicions began to rise and
I'm wondering if if if we miss something here do you have any explanation as to how that run got on the
wall the best explanation to me is an impact event [Music] on or near the South side of the bed
impacts batter Force impacting liquid blood there was obviously a violent encounter in that bedroom inconsistent
with a scenario where she wakes up goes into the shower slips and is discovered by her
[Music] husband it's a homicide it's an arrest 18 months in the making it was originally ruled an accident but police
have been investigating ever since I don't think people kill people without some reason so why did he do it
maam maam one of the absolute major major points of the prosecution's case was the
911 call from the daughter oh my God my mother my momy Jenna newlander was important to the prosecution and the
defense because she was the only other person in the house at the time of these events
[Music] [Music] inside this Grand Home on the morning of September 17th 2012 is someone
coming a disturbing scene was unfolding my mom my mom my M okay as 23-year-old Jenna newlander frantically called 911
[Music] she Jenna oh my God Jenna's father Dr Robert newlander had screamed to her for help
he said he just found his wife on the floor of the bathroom shower within minutes paramedics arrived
at the house 61-year-old Leslie newlander had suffered a massive head wound she was pronounced dead at the
scene you get a call fall in the shower you show up expecting to see the accident victim near the shower that's
right the expectations are that she's going to be either in the shower or immediately right outside the shower
instead former dwit New York police Sergeant Scott cael found Leslie in the bedroom on the floor close to the bed I
walk into the actual bedroom and that's when I catch all the blood Cil noticed blood in different areas of the bedroom
pulled on the rug and spattered on the wall next to the bed my radar is going off as far as saying uh we need to
answer why why all this blood is here Cil had plenty of questions but Dr newlander seemed to have all the answers
telling investigators that after finding Leslie on the shower floor he carried her out of the bathroom some 60 ft into
the bedroom where he could more comfortably perform CPR something he did despite Jenna's
protests as he's relaying the story about what had occurred and as the medical examiner digesting it and as
we're all digesting it his actual story of step-by-step process fit the pattern of where you saw these different pools
of blood the medical examiner on the scene examined Leslie's injuries and ruled they matched up with Dr newlander
account the death a tragic accident Leslie newlander died from hitting her head on the shower bench the whole thing
was was uh the whole thing was out of uh character with a fall in the shower you've been a cop 20 years had you ever
seen head trauma like that before well not from a fall but as we're listening to the medical examiner explain what
what he feels could have happened you know we're not Physicians we're not forensic Pathologists we're we're police
officers we're investigators so we certainly defer to him the account of Jenna newlander an eyewitness I see
him actually caring her seemed to back up the medical examiner ruling that this was an accident when police interviewed
her as part of their routine investigation he was like putting his face up to her to see if she was
breathing the death of Leslie newlander shook the community everyone knew the newlanders
Mary jellic was a good friend of the newlanders they seemed like the perfect couple the perfect marriage the perfect
family really Leslie was a fabulous woman very vivacious energetic unpretentious she was switched
on yes I know people always speak well of the dead but truly this was her personality to be so giving and
Alive Leslie and Bob gave generously both their time and money they were well known for their philanthropy their
social prominence dovetailed with Robert newlander 's professional standing one of the most highly regarded
gynecologists and Obstetricians in the Syracuse area he delivered a lot of babies around here many many with a lot
of good feelings toward the care he gave those patients for many many years my interactions with Dr nander were joyful
with these wonderful things that were happening and welcoming their baby becoming a family Julie Crosby who
worked with Dr newlander assisting pregnant women says patients were drawn to his supportive demeanor I found Dr
newlander to be compassionate kind knowledgeable that caring way say those who knew them best was a defining value
for this tightly knit family the closeness is plain to see in these birthday tributes for Robert and Leslie
made by their children Emily and Brian from Robert's first marriage and Ari and Jenna from Leslie and Robert's 28-year
marriage mixed with loving teasing for their mother she's like how does everyone know I'm from New York I don't
understand how does everyone know I'm from New York is a deep appreciation thank you for being you I love you the
newlander thoughtfulness was something Mary jellic experienced firsthand after becoming Gravely ill with an infection
while on vacation in the Czech Republic in the summer of 2012 I was in a coma and then in the hospital for 3 weeks
when she finally returned home the first neighbors to check on her were the newlanders I remember hugging everybody
and I remember Leslie saying we're so glad that you made it just 2 Days Later Mary received the devastating news
Leslie was dead a freak accident she'd slipped in the shower I couldn't believe that she had just been to see me and
tell me how grateful she is that I'm alive and she's dead it was shocking it was
overwhelming what did you think about that well at the time I thought I guess that can happen even to a 61-year-old
very healthy athletic person that was the same conclusion onandaga County district
attorney Bill Fitzpatrick reached when he first heard about Leslie's death he believed it was a tragic accident until
a few months later when a tip changed everything I'm going to get to the bottom of
this 3 months after Leslie newlander sudden death Mary jellic began getting some unusual calls from friends what are
they saying we don't think it was an accident and who better to share their concerns with
than a forensic scientist for 11 years Dr Mary jelik was the County's chief medical examiner until she retired in
2009 my focus for my entire career has been to speak for the dead Dr jellic listened carefully there were questions
about all that blood and whispers about the newlander personal life are you hearing about a troubled marriage yes
are you hearing about financial problems yes in recent years Dr newlander thriving practice had been derailed by a
battle with an insurance company and he was now delivering half the number of babies he did
previously Dr jelik was reluctant to get involved but she finally picked up the phone and called her old colleague da
Bill Fitzpatrick did you feel in some way you were betraying the newlanders I felt I was responding
to gossip as it turns out the da had also been hearing things he'd received an anonymous letter just before Jim
bellic's call suggesting a different side to Dr newlander that he's not the you know the good guy that that people
are making him out to be Leslie was trying to break away from this guy jamel's initial Hope was she could soon
put all the speculation to arrest and she volunteers you know pro bono to take a look at the case and would I make the
file available to her and I said absolutely is you began to look at this file what jumped out at you the severity
of the injuries compared to the explanation Leslie had suffered a penetrating wound toward the back of her
head so severe the blood pulled in her eye had you seen head wounds like this before of course in what kind of
cases uh car accidents Falls from uh you know 20 story building um beatings what
might cause this kind of injury a heavy object of some sort you're talking about
getting hit with some object yes what do you tell the district attorney after reviewing the file that this is a
homicide blun head trauma from an assault half a year after Leslie newlander death the investigation picked
up steam police Revisited the death scene to collect more evidence from the now unoccupied newlander home which had
been sold one of the things we find is blood all over the back of a headboard on the bed we also found blood spatter
on the blinds that were behind the bed Dr newlander was living in a new apartment which was also searched by now
he had retained one of the best criminal defense lawyers in the city Edward Menin
this has been an Open Secret and a subject of uh Gossip and irresponsible rumor now for months Dr newlander has
not been charged with any kind of offense M assured the da his client had nothing to hide so much so that 15
months after Leslie's death Dr newlander now retired voluntarily sat for an interview with prosecutors and
investigators even acknowledging there had been problems in their marriage but you were sleeping separately okay what
was the reason for that uh we had uh the thought about a trial separation yet Robert newlander portrays the home as
peaceful and loving despite the issues in their marriage the night before lesli died the couple along with their son Ari
and daughter Jenna had a family dinner at a friend's home after Ari headed back to his college dorm and Jenna went back
home with her parents we said good night to each other we loved each other and everybody kissed and went to their
perspective bedrooms Dr newlander tells the da that early the next morning he went for a jog
at a nearby State Park Green Lakes and then brought Leslie her usual cup of morning coffee when he got back the
shower is on I hear the water running and I place it on the nightstand about an hour later he says
he returned to check on Leslie and there she was lying on the shower floor Dr newlander says he started CPR
and tried to call 911 but the bathroom phone wasn't working so he ran toward Jenna's bedroom yelling for her to call
911 the time 8:25 a.m. my mother's I don't know if she's breathing but she's laying on the ground in the shower he
said he then went back to Leslie and began to move her he says he can't see the lighting is not uh very good in the
bathroom he then put Leslie down just outside the bathroom to give her mouth to mouth before moving her
again I don't know at what age we all learn that you don't move somebody with a serious head or neck injury but we we
all know it and here's a guy that's been practicing medicine for 30 years finally
Dr newlander says he placed his wife next to the bed to continue CPR there's you know more red flags than a bull
fight going off in my head when I hear that story for the first time Fitzpatrick develops his own theory that
hours before that 911 call Dr newlander assaulted his wife in the bedroom and then likely chased her into the bathroom
I think that he struck her on that shower bench she may have already been in the process of dying at that point
Fitzpatrick believes newlander made up the story of finding Leslie in the shower and called for Jenna so he'd have
a witness as he carried his wife back to the bedroom what do you think he was doing when he was moving her I think now
he has got to explain the blood trail from The Assault that took place in the bedroom that eventually made its way
into the bathroom and he's got to do it in reverse he had to move that body himself to explain that blood as for the
blood spattered in the bedroom the da believes Dr newlander didn't realize some of it was there because the
violence took place before the sun was up and don't forget he's committing this crime it's dark he doesn't know where
all the blood is but if Leslie newlander was attacked in her bedroom why were the
sheets nearly pristine the newlanders longtime housekeeper provided a clue to to investigators she looked at the bed
and got upset and said those are not the sheets that were on that bed that Friday
um she was very confident of that the da believes that Dr newlander got rid of the sheets and the weapon on that
alleged morning run I think the murder weapon is at the bottom of Green Lake somewhere along with the the missing
sheets with evidence now mounting the medical examiner changed his original report from accidental death to homicide
nearly 2 years after Leslie new Lander's death her husband Dr Robert newlander was charged with her
murder the defendant moved the body of Leslie newlander after her death to make it appear as if she had died from an
accidental fall in the shower but Dr newlander family says Fitzpatrick has it all wrong Leslie's
own children Stand United with the man accused of murdering their mother [Music]
[Music] in March of 2015 2 and 1/2 years after the death of Leslie newlander high drama
was about to unfold in the onandaga county courthouse has all the elements the rich
defendant a beautiful wife and the Mystery surrounding it was it an accident was it a homicide so it was
huge it was huge for this community Not only was a prominent doctor on trial but
two of Syracuse's top trial lawyers were squaring off to determine his guilt or innocence people were stopping you on
the street you know hey Fitz uh how's it look or go get him or I hope you lose I
have never had a client whose innocence I believe in more firmly than him Ed Menin spoke to local reporters but
declined find our request for an interview if either one of them finds blood in the water they go right for it
we asked retired local attorney Jim Stevens to explain the defense's case he's a CBS News consultant who attended
the trial it was going to be riveting it was a top-notch trial all the way around each day in court began with the
same scene in the hallways free on a $100,000 bail the doctor would arrive flanked not only by his children but by
Leslie's sister and brother he didn't do it that's the message he didn't do it it
was not a crime the state has bigger hurdles to contend with than just images prosecutors have no weapon and no
clear-cut motive is it risky to go to a jury without those things sure sure they
I mean the jurors you know they're not any different than you and I they want they want answers Fitzpatrick believes
the evidence like the blood spatter in the bedroom will tell the jury that this was no accident and he's Enlisted the
help of forensic scientist Karen green to make his case blood stains can tell you a lot they can tell you a lot and
they're associated with just about every crime scene that we go to there were no
cameras in the courtroom so we asked green to take us through her blood spatter analysis there was spatter on
the headboard there was spatter on items on the nightstand just south of the bed
spatter on the blinds above the bed and there were spatter on the south wall that was about seven feet to the south
of the bed tell us about the South Wall we've been referencing it what are the two spatters that are marked sbd1 that's
an area where we saw over 100 spatter stains the prosecution contends the spatter was primarily something called
impact spatter created when Leslie was attacked in the bedroom to better understand the terminology we built a
set and supplied Karen green with Stage blood to give us a rudimentary lesson when we talk about impact spatter what
does that mean impact spatter is force supplied to liquid blood so I'm going to pour some of our artificial blood here
into my hand and I'm going to punch it and that's Force going into a blood Source the force impacts the blood and
the blood spatters yes and then the blood breaks up into smaller drops it's impact that's one way blood gets
out you can see how it's it's radiating out we have some smaller stains with some directionality up to the top for
the newlander case green conducted various experiments trying to recreate the spatter in the bedroom going so far
as placing a rock covered in plastic and a wig on a bed to simulate Leslie's head
I had a location that that was similar to the newlander bedroom with the slanted ceiling I used all the
measurements that were in the scene the approximate height of the bed I had a nightstand and then I put liquid blood
and I impacted it I just had to verify that an impact on or near the South side of the bed could create spatter six to
7even feet away in the same distribution and could it I was able to recreate with
an impact event an impact scenario all of the spatter that I saw in this bedroom but the defense mocked
Green's methods and said they amounted to nothing more than whacking a mannequin over the head the defense had
their own blood spatter expert he testified it was not possible to determine if lesli's death had been an
accident or a homicide because the investigation had been flawed there were not enough closeup pictures of the blood
some of the evidence in question like the headboard and the blinds had been collected months after after the
incident emergency Personnel had walked all over the scene in fact the defense suggested that EMTs may have been
responsible for some of the blood spatter First Responders probably had blood on their hands and that the gloves
were just peeled off and in so doing the blood flies from the gloves and you don't have an impact but you have a cast
off the defense also argued that the blood could have been cast off by Dr newlander himself the doctor doctor said
he'd been wearing a longsleeve shirt that became so wet and bloody as he tried to frantically save his wife's
life that he pulled it off those spatters by the bed were caused by him removing a shirt Fitzpatrick scoffs at
those theories pointing out that paramedics are trained to carefully remove their gloves and that no gloves
or shirt could account for the amount of blood in that room that doesn't explain
any of the blood it's a significant amount of blood the defense insists it was an accident and that there may have
been a good reason why Leslie newlander fell that morning she had vertigo a dizziness disorder Leslie's personal
trainer told the jury that Leslie's condition had grown worse and her sister Joanne testified that it ran in the
family and that she herself suffered from it the idea of her sister testifying is
that affecting your view of the case sure why wouldn't she be mad in hell and why wouldn't she be saying I'm not
testifying for you what are you crazy you killed my sister to bolster their case of an accidental death the defense
hired Dr Daniel Spitz a medical examiner working in Michigan who's seen more than
a share of traumatic head injuries his testimony basically is the massive head wound that caused her death was caused
as a result of her falling in the shower show against the stone bench if Leslie sustained an injury in the shower by her
head striking the stone bench what does this do for Dr newlander defense the home run but the prosecution countered
that Leslie suffered at least two blows to her skull and that the wounds were not consistent with her head striking a
straight edge like a stone shower bench it should be like a simple linear fracture uh with some bleeding
underneath of it but you don't get the complex depressed fracture like this Dr jimell did not testify a trial but
consulted with the prosecution Leslie's other injuries they say don't add up to a slip and fall there were abrasions
scrapes of the skin on her cheek bruising on her nose more on the left side of the cheek as well bruising and
scraping on her neck if she slipped and fell in the shower why aren't there any injuries to her back neck or her legs
her knees her elbows critical to the prosecution's case not just how Leslie newlander died but when Dr Spitz
estimated Leslie died around 7:30 a.m. but the da makes the case that her death could have occurred as early as
4:15 which fits his theory of a pre-dawn assault the time of death is absolutely
inconsistent with the defendant story there is now now just one more witness left to testify the doctor's daughter
what did she see that terrible morning oh my God she was there she was there [Music]
the day that Jenna was to testify The Spectators were lined up in anticipation of what she was going to say 2 and a
half years after Jenna newlander beloved mother Leslie died thank you for being you I love you the now 25-year-old
devoted daughter is about to take the stand to defend her father there was no doubt there was pain in that courtroom
when she testified she's trying to secure her father's freedom and she's dealing with the death of her mother
right I don't know how she got on the stand to do it she's the only other eyewitness she was very very important
to the outcome of this case with all eyes on her Jenna tearfully describes the mother she lost
she was genuinely upset and mournful about testifying the testimony forced her to bring some memories to the
surface of her mother who she clearly loved very very much Jenna then tells the jury what happened in the newlanders
home in the hours before her mother died she says she was with her mom in Leslie's bedroom until 2 a.m. and Jenna
clearly remembers the sheets on her mother's bed that night she says they're the same ones in the death scene photos
sheets the housekeeper said had been changed the changing of the sheets was a significant issue and why would you
change the sheets change the sheets because there was blood on it no bloody sheets there's no impact event right on
the bed I need to go over there and see if she's okay okay then there's perhaps the most critically important piece of
evidence I need to be on hold I'm not it's like a house pH the later part of the 911 call Jenna
put the call on hold in her mother's office to get closer to the bathroom room where Leslie
was oh my God everywhere you both sides argue Jenna's cry there's blood everywhere is key and supports their
case to demonstrate the arguments we made an animation of parts of the newlander home based on evidence the
prosecution presented at trial the prosecution believes as Jenna was running into the bathroom she passes
blood here and here a trail of blood that could not yet exist unless Robert newlander attacked
Leslie earlier in the bedroom and then left her in the shower she has passed the entrance to the bathroom where uh
there's a significant amount of Blood on the wall that only could have come from
Leslie's head perhaps uh by being pushed against that wall or perhaps being chased the da says Jenna then grabbed
the landline phone in the water closet to reconnect with 911 and yells there's blood everywhere oh god there blood
everywhere you you're saying it's a big deal how she even phrased oh my God there's blood
everywhere that her mother's not part of that sentence exactly her initial response would have been oh my God my
mother's bleeding my mother's on the ground she would have referenced what she was seeing Fitzpatrick believes
Jenna drops the phone and the call captures seconds later the exact moment when she first sees her mom as Dr
newlander starts to carry Leslie's body around the corner out of the shower and into Jenna's view it is then she lets
loose a cry of pure anguish oh my God oh my God my my m as painful as it is to listen through it
is inconceivable that that call is anything other than a declaration of guilt against her father but the defense
says the same call proves Dr newlander innocence that when Jenna runs into the bathroom there is no blood on the walls
yet Jenna testifies she picks up the phone by the toilet drops it because it isn't working while rushing to help her
father they carry her mother to this area right outside the bathroom and Jenna says it is at that point she takes
a cordless phone from her mother's dressing room and reconnects with the 911 operator in the defense view this is
when Jenna sees blood on and around her mother this is when she yells there's blood everywhere oh my god there blood
everywhere you the defenses take on that is that her mother is present in front of her and she's reacting to her mother
the blood that's on her mother and maybe Blood on the wall and on the on the floor as well Jen was asked on the stand
did you see blood on your way to the water closet correct she answered what she said no that supports the notion
that the first time she saw blood she was looking at her mother correct the da though doesn't believe
Jenna could do everything she claims to have done during the 13 seconds the 911 call was on hold Fitzpatrick tried it
himself and says it took him about 50 seconds it is not physically possible to do that in 13 seconds it's not even a
close question there is one other part of Jenna's testimony that may be crucial Jenna tells the jury that as her father
was tending to her mother in the bedroom she saw him take off a blood soaked shirt and throw it to the side now
remember the defense suggested that tossing this bloody shirt may have caused some of the
blood spatter in the bedroom but the shirt has never been found there isn't a single witness that
saw him with a long sleeve shirt on other than Jenna if we injected Jenna newlander
with truth serum and said did your father kill your mother she would say no I don't think in her mind
Jenna believes that her father did this I think she is created a protective World in her mind where Mom slipped and
fell in the [Music] shower but the question now isn't what Jenna believes it's what the jury
believes I'm worried that they're having an emotional reaction to the agony of this
girl they know that this girl wants them to vote not guilty and they know that this 60 plusy old defendant is unlikely
to reoffend and all of those emotions can play to the detriment of a case that has
to be proven Beyond A Reasonable Doubt [Music] [Music] after eight grueling days of testimony
district attorney Bill Fitzpatrick addressed the jury one last time for closing arguments asking them to pay
close attention to the physical evidence specifically the blood spatter on the walls and the injuries to Leslie
newlander body as I said many in a trial Leslie will speak to you ladies and gentlemen
you have to listen to her and also to listen carefully to the words of Jenna nander in that critical 911 call oh
everywhere it proves his guilt Beyond any shout of a doubt but there's one thing the da could not share with the
jury what he suspects was the motive that sent Robert newlander into a murderous rage that morning
investigators learned from a friend of the newlander family that Leslie was planning on signing a lease for a new
apartment on the day she died Leslie was on her way out and this is not a guy that can deal with that but this was not
presented at trial Fitzpatrick says because the memory of that witness changed she later said the apartment was
for both Leslie and Robert Ed M strongly denies these accusations and insists there was no motive in the summation he
didn't just say not guilty he said innocent innocent he said innocent throughout the jury would deliberate for
3 days before alerting the judge they had reached a verdict Robert newlander returned to the
courthouse once again arm in-arm with his family the pain etched on his children's
Faces 2 and 1/2 years after Leslie newlander death the jury found Robert newlander guilty of her
murder a heartbroken Jenna newlander broke the Silence of the hushed courtroom crying out loud to her father
I was there you didn't do it let me know when everybody said I'm only saying it once outside the
courtroom of visibly shaken Ed Menin addressed the media Bob nolander is the most honorable person I have ever met
this case this has been a travesty from start to finish it is not finished and so the newlander children
turned to attorney Gerald charel legendary for his defense of my boss John Gotti to handle their father's
appeal charel wasted little time calling for a hearing to throw out newlander conviction alleging there was serious
juror misconduct in the spotlight a juror named Jonna Lorraine according to an alternate juror Lorraine had received
texts and other Communications about the case during trial against judge Miller's
orders not to discuss the case a search of the accused juror's phone revealed she had received some potentially
prejudicial texts including one from her father which read make sure he's guilty
but Weeks Later the judge upheld Dr new Lander's conviction pointing out the jur
had been undecided in early stages of deliberations and in the end the judge ruled she had taken her role
seriously almost 4 months after the verdict sentencing would finely commence with family photos on display
the newlander children return to the courthouse for the first time all right cameras are allowed in court
facing a maximum sentence of 25 years to Life newlander Family begged the judge for the minimum sentence of 15 years
Leslie's sister Joanne spoke on the Family's behalf had any of us even slightly suspected Foul Play of any sort
we would not be here today on B's behalf and then it was time for Robert newlander to address the court my head
is unbowed by the verdict of this court for an innocent man has been wrongfully convicted I would not it did not take a
life I love my wife Leslie very much and I mourn her every day now and forever the judge sentenced Robert newlander to
20 years to life in a New York state prison in the jury's eyes Dr newlander you intentionally murdered your wife and
then attempted to use your own daughter to cover a daughter who most clearly Ador you
which is as diabolical as a against as drct newlander is escorted out of the courtroom to begin his sentence Jenna
calls out love you Dad the newlander children have now lost not only their mother but their father
as well I I I hate what this is done to Jenna that's probably the most painful thing of all he brought Jenna into that
process he made her a witness for his own purposes and that is cruel but Dr Mary jellic knows she has
also played a role in their suffering do you have any regret about your involvement in this
case no this is probably the hardest thing I've ever done in my whole career however it was the right thing to
do and I hold on to that we are finally giving Leslie the acknowledgment of what
happened to her [Music] [Music] he [Music]

“48 Hours" reports on cases involving people in the medical profession. Watch the YouTube mini-marathon, which includes "The Psychiatrist and the Selfie," "Operation Murder" and "The Doctor's Daughter."

00:00 The Psychiatrist and the Selfie 43:57 Operation Murder 1:25:56 The Doctor's Daughter

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Brief Summary

Jake Nolan attempted to murder Dr. Michael Weiss, claiming manipulation by his cousin, psychiatrist Dr. Pamela Bookbinder, amid a custody battle.

Key points

The Attack. On November 12, 2012, Jake attacked Dr. Weiss with a sledgehammer and a knife.
The Aftermath. Jake reflects on his actions and the consequences following the attack.
Jake's Suicide Attempt. Jake reveals the harrowing moment he tried to take his own life, ending up in a coma.
Bookbinder's Plea Deal. Pamela accepts a plea deal to serve 11 years in prison, but later wants to withdraw it.
Final Sentencing. Pamela Bookbinder is sentenced to 11 years in prison after a dramatic courtroom scene.
The Sting Operation. A sting operation is set up to catch Leon soliciting murder, revealing his sinister intentions.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

I intend to kill him.

Jake Nolan's chilling admission about his intentions.

0:58WatchJan 11, 2025

Tension

75/ 100High tension

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