Both sides rest!

Defendant Jacob Drotning chose this morning against taking the witness stand.  His side further decided to offer no witnesses.  So, with the prosecution also having rested, the four charges against Drotning are moving toward jury deliberations–once the lawyers make their final arguments and the judge instructs the jury on the applicable law.  Then it will be the jury’s duty to decide whether Drotning is guilty of attempted murder, arson second degree, criminal domestic violence high and aggravated nature, and malicious injury to property.  The final prosecution witness was a state arson investigator, David Vaughan.  He told the jury that Katherine Cook’s injuries were no accident and that, in his eight years with SLED, never has he seen any cases in which people tried to burn themselves, though he is aware of instances in which suicidal people set fire and then shoot themselves.  Drotning’s attorney, Lee Cole, has used the word circumstantial to describe the evidence against his client.  However, assistant solicitor Lindsey Simmons countered that, saying a former cellmate of Drotning quoted the defendant as saying the couple argued and that he admitted he torched his then wife.