Speaking Before Sentencing, Bob Bashara Tells Judge His Trial Was Unfair
DETROIT (WWJ) - Convicted murdered Bob Bashara claims he didn't get a fair trial.
Speaking in court on Thursday, the former Grosse Pointe Park businessman accused of ordering his wife's murder said not being allowed to read a pre-sentencing report prior to his sentencing, scheduled for Thursday, was unfair and prejudicial.
Wayne County Judge Vonda Evans ruled that Bashara he could take some time to read the report, but said there's no reason to allow a change of venue or declare a mistrial.
When Evans allowed Bashara to address the court, he rattled off a list of complaints. Among them, he said his attorneys failed to call witnesses he wanted to call and didn't investigate people and places he told them about.
Bashara wanted Joe Gentz, the handyman who claims Bashara ordered him to kill his wife, to testify.
Bashara also said live streaming of the trial allowed witnesses to listen in, and that the media influenced witnesses — mentioning, specifically, WWJ's Charlie Langton.
"Even, I hate to use his name, Charlie Langton — a legal analyst — made a comment saying, and I quote, they made a monster of me; so it was easy for the jury to find me guilty."
Speaking live on WWJ, Langton admitted he was a little shocked to hear Bashara mention him by name.
He explained the "monster" remark.
"I did make those comments, and made those comments (pertaining to) a strategy for the prosecution," Langton said. "It always is good if you can make the defendant hated by the jury."
"But Bob Bashara gave the jury a lot of ammunition," Langon added. "I mean, S&M, sex dungeons, giving away Jane's jewelry, lies, lies, lies, manipulating his family — and I could go on and on ... When you, you know, add that up, it really makes it easy for the jury to think that Bob Bashara is a monster."
Langon said the defense could've countered that testimony, however, with cross-examination about Bashara's good character; for example, that he was a Rotary Club president.
Bashara complained that a list of his community service wasn't in the pre-sentencing report, and Judge Evans agreed that it should and would be added.
Bashara was convicted last month of first degree murder in the death Jane Bashara. Prosecutors said Bob Bashara ordered a handyman to carry out the killing, wanting his wife out of the way so he could lead an alternative lifestyle including bondage and domination with other women who called him "Master Bob."
Bashara already in prison for trying to have the handyman, Joe Gentz, killed in jail in 2012.
The first degree murder charge carries a mandatory penalty of life in prison without parole.
