BOISE, Idaho — After nearly two months of not hearing a word from Chad Daybell, the defendant spoke in the courtroom on Thursday, but only to confirm that he would not be testifying in the trial.
- The defense rested its case after calling its final witness, Dr. Eric Bartelink, to the stand.
- After the defense rested, the state called several rebuttal witnesses to testify, including an ex-coworker of Garth Daybell who says that Garth told him that his father was not present when he discovered Tammy's body.
- The prosecution is expected to continue with more rebuttal witnesses on Tuesday, May 28.
RECAP | The Trial of Chad Daybell Day 29
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story.)
Judge Boyce asked Daybell if he had decided against testifying. “All right. Mr. Daybell have you in fact discussed that issue with your attorney? Yes. And has he advised you of your right to testify or not in this trial? He has. And it’s your decision not to testify? Is that correct? That is correct.”
The day also saw testimony from Forensic Anthropologist Dr. Eric Bartelink who analyzed Tylee Ryan’s remains. Defense Attorney John Prior asked him this.
“I want to talk to you about whether you can make a determination as to where Tylee Ryan’s body was burned. I cannot make that determination. So in other words you can’t make the determination that her body burned on Chad Daybell’s property is that correct? I cannot make that determination.”
After the defense rested, prosecutors called Fremont County Detective Bruce Mattingly. Mattingly recorded a conversation he had with Chad’s daughter Emma about her mother’s autopsy. Defense Attorney John Prior asked the detective why he felt he had to record the conversation. “So after 14 months, your organization in mass decided that your going to hit all the kids and wear recorders and try to tell the kids what’s going on correct? Objection your honor misstates the testimony argumentative. Overruled. Correct? Yes sir.”
