Inquisitive Judge Interrupts Closing Arguments in Trial of Ex-Arent Fox Partner
A judge hearing a conspiracy and obstruction of justice case against a former partner of Arent Fox and two other men repeatedly interrupted closing arguments on Thursday in the men’s bench trial.
Judge Lynn Leibovitz of Washington, D.C., appeared focused on one question, the Washington Post reports. Why didn’t the defendants do more to help police solve the slaying of their friend, lawyer Robert Wone, who was stabbed and killed in the defendants’ townhome?
Prosecutors contend former Arent Fox partner Joseph Price, Dylan Ward and Victor Zaborsky delayed calling police as they cleaned up blood from the crime scene to cover up the murderer’s identity.
Leibovitz asked why the defendants didn’t offer more suggestions during police questioning about the possible murderer, the Post says. Prosecutors say the men didn’t speculate on suspects, and didn’t disclose who had keys to the townhouse.
The Post says Leibozitz asked at one point why Zaborsky didn’t “offer more active suggestions, a more specific effort to help, rather than a passive throwing up of the hands?”
Zaborsky’s lawyer, Thomas Connolly, offered a reason. “If you don’t have a universe of people who you think would do this, it wouldn’t be natural to offer someone up,” he said.
