Terror At The Morgue

Did A Medical Examiner Strap A Bomb To His Own Neck?

(CBS) 
The defense dismissed the factitious disorder theory as nonsense. But prosecutors say there's one other key issue: When they were interrogating Smith, he didn't act like an innocent man. To them, he was too calm.

For four hours, Smith was interrogated and talked to agents – even after he was read his rights. "He talked to them under the mistaken belief that, "They just don't understand. 'Let me explain it to you. Your science is wrong. Let me explain,'" says Easter. "What kind of attention did he get? He's in a room with two cops and a prosecutor. What kind of attention is that? There wasn't any news media there."

If convicted, Smith could face up to 20 years in prison. "I know the truth and I just believe that he will be found innocent," says Marge. "I believe that."

After three weeks of testimony, by nearly 60 witnesses, a jury deliberates on Smith's case. For the first time, Smith admits he's worried: "When I listened to the closing arguments of the prosecution, I'd have voted myself guilty."

Inside the jury room, a heated debate is raging. Reaching a unanimous verdict is not going to be easy because it was such a complex case.

As they wait on the jury's decision, the defense team hopes that they created enough reasonable doubt that Smith had injured himself.

Jurors are unable to agree on several issues, and just four hours after deliberations began, they are hopelessly deadlocked. The judge orders them to continue deliberating.

The jury tries for two more days. Finally, on that third day, the judge has no choice but to declare a mistrial, an unusual end to an unusual case. Smith is free, but still faces the possibility of a retrial.

Only three of the 12 jurors had voted guilty. "How did they know he wouldn't fight back," says one juror, Steve Matthews, who voted guilty. "There are too many coincidences that to me leads back to Dr. Smith."