Dark Side Of The Mesa

Did Michael Blagg Murder His Wife And Daughter?

(CBS) 
"Michael hurt her in Corpus. He hurt her in Corpus, yes, he did," said Marilyn Conway on the stand, referring to an alleged incident in Corpus Christi, Texas. "She called home one night and said that Mike had cornered her in the bedroom and was obviously drunk. I understood that he was trying to choke her."

Conway said it happened 10 years ago, and it was an incident that was forgotten until now. "I wasn't even aware it was gonna come out of my mouth," she says. "It just came out."

But Eisner said she got on the stand and lied. "I think she saw the D.A.'s case faltering and having serious problems. And I think she felt she would do whatever she could to help that case out. ... She made it up."

With his murder trial coming to its close, Michael was sticking to what had become a morning ritual - a friendly nod and smile for the jurors, day after day.

"While they hold incredible power, they're interested in seeing me as a person, too," Michael explained. "And I think it's important to make the eye contact when possible."

His sister, Clare, waited and worried. "My family is not prepared for a guilty verdict," she said. "We're looking forward to this being over. And at the same time, it's very frightening because 'over' may not be the outcome that we know should happen."

Since Michael didn't taking the stand, Eisner used Jennifer's words from a letter found in Michael's desk just days after her disappearance, to show that Michael would never have harmed her.

Eisner then tries to convince the jury that Michael loved Jennifer. "Is he a cold-blooded murderer, or a loving family man and husband? You decide," he said to the jurors.

The prosecution tried to bring the jury back. "Your job is to bring justice," said District Attorney Daniels. "The evidence is overwhelming."