Entwistle Case - Prosecutor & Defense Attorney

The Prosecutor:

Assistant District Attorney Michael Fabbri,
a veteran prosecutor with Middlesex
County Distruct Attorney's ofice for more
than 20 years, is the chief of the court trial
team in Framingham.

Fabbri has handled past cases of first-degree
murders and motor vehicle homicides.

The Defense Attorney: The State Public
Defender's office appointed Elliot Weinstein,
a private practice Attorney from Boston,
Massachusetts, with a 32 year career in law
as Neil Entwistle's attorney of record.

Weinstein has handled other high profile
clients charged with spousal murder,
including the Romano and Zagrodny
cases.

In 2000, he represented Joseph Romano
who was convicted of murdering, and
dismembering, his wife, Katherine
Leonard Romano. Romano had accused
Weinstein of being more publicity seeking
thank in defending him. A subsequent
hearing was held, a a Judge stated that
Weinstein had done nothing wrong, but
he was replacing Weinstein due to the
seriousness of the charges.

Weinstein in that case, had put forth the
argument of "tainted grand jury due to
extensive media coverage" "publicity
violated Romano's constitutional rights."

Weinstein is already using that same
argument in Entwistle's case.

einstein also had represented William
Zagrodny, who was convicted and is serving
life without parole for the stomping and
strangling of his wife, Karle in 1992.
Weinstein's defense was that Zagrodny
was insane and not legally responsible.

Weinstein "Criminal cases are not about
a bad person who did a bad deed, but
about the ability of our government to
fairly prove its accusation.

Weinstein:
"I don't know that Mr. Entwistle will ever
be able to get a fair trial on these charges,"
"I am certain that anybody watching this
telecast or reading the reporting of today's
arraignment has already formed an opinion
with respect to Mr. Entwistle's guilt. ... And
that opinion is based on absolutely no facts
and absolutely no evidence, and that is
quite unfortunate."

Weinstein said that he was "going to vigorously
defend Entwistle in the "only arena that counts,
the courtroom."It's a case that has generated so
much publicity" he doubts "an unbiased jury can
be found."

"The climate in which Mr. Entwistle came into
the United States, it will be virtually impossible
to ever get a fair trial."

Weinstein is prepared to ask Judge Robert Greco
to drop the charges against Entwistle because of
the pre-trial publicity he calls gossip and innuendo.

Legal Analysts are saying "nice try."

Weinstein:
"There is no question my first advice will be to
speak no more about anything," "I may be one
of the few people who hasn't been glued to this
case, that is until today." "And that, makes
even starting it all the more difficult."
Right now, everybody listening to me has an
opinion about Entwistle's guilt," he said.

"That opinion is not based on anything or
fact-based presented in a courtroom."

When asked about the 231-page affidavit,
he paused for a long moment and did not answer.