Triple murder defendant Christian “Kit” Martin took the stand in his own protection Tuesday and denied killing his neighbors and having any awareness about who did.

Right after Martin’s testimony, the defense rested its circumstance with jury deliberations possible to start out in Hardin County Circuit Court on Wednesday.

Martin is accused of the November 2015 murders of Calvin and Pamela Phillips and their neighbor Ed Dansereau in Pembroke. Calvin Phillips was discovered shot in his property, whilst Pamela Phillips and Dansereau were being identified a number of miles away in the charred continues to be of a car or truck.

Martin was asked level-blank by his legal professional Tom Griffiths if he killed his neighbors.

simply click to download audioThe Army had billed Martin with sexual and bodily abuse of three kids as properly as mishandling labeled information. He was exonerated on the much more serious costs but convicted of mishandling categorised info and easy assault and was sentenced to 90 times in jail.

Phillips was scheduled to be a witness in Martin’s courtroom-martial scheduled for two weeks immediately after the murders. Nonetheless, for the duration of questioning, Martin stated Phillips was likely to be identified as as a defense witness for his side.

click on to obtain audioTwo vital items of evidence in the circumstance – a shell casing and an Military pet tag with Martin’s identify on it – were being reportedly observed following the murder by Phillips’ son and sister in the Phillips’ residence. Both ended up turned about to investigators. Martin was requested if the pet dog tag was his.

click to obtain audioThe defense has recommended that Martin’s ex-wife Joan Harmon may have been concerned in the setting up and execution of the murders. Martin testified that Harmon produced threats to him through an argument a 12 months prior to the murders.

click on to down load audioThe two the defense and Commonwealth subpoenaed Harmon, and her son to testify in the case. Both of those invoked their Fifth Amendment proper towards prospective self-incrimination and have not testified.

Closing arguments should begin Wednesday with Senior Circuit Judge John Atkins predicted to give the jury its instructions right before deliberations start out.