Defense Attorney Bob Motta: Nick Reiner's Only Path AND How To Destroy The Banfield Prosecution

Two cases. Two murder trials. One defense attorney who knows exactly where they bleed.
Defense attorney Bob Motta joins us for a comprehensive breakdown of Nick Reiner's insanity defense AND the prosecution's crumbling case against Brendan Banfield. If you want to understand how defense attorneys see these cases — and what's coming in both courtrooms — this is the interview.

In the Nick Reiner case, high-profile attorney Alan Jackson walked out with 10 outstanding subpoenas, citing disagreements with his client. Nick is now represented by a public defender and reportedly isn't competent to stand trial — sources say he's still delusional, believing his incarceration is a conspiracy. Bob explains the critical distinction between competency and insanity, what California's "nature and quality" standard actually requires, and how the medication change one month before the murders could become the centerpiece of the defense.

TMZ's documentary cited David Carmichael, a father who methodically planned a killing while psychotic and was found not criminally responsible. Could that precedent apply here? Bob also breaks down Nick's post-offense behavior — checking into a hotel, navigating LA for 24 hours — and why that creates serious problems for any insanity claim.
Then we pivot to Brendan Banfield, where Bob dismantles the prosecution's case piece by piece. Their own digital forensics expert concluded Christine Banfield controlled the FetLife account — not her husband. Officer Brendan Miller's findings were peer-reviewed by the University of Alabama and confirmed.

Then he was transferred out of the unit and allegedly told he'd never work another digital forensics case. The lead detective was reassigned. The original prosecutor was removed. Twelve homicide detectives had 24 different theories until Juliana gave her proffer after a year in jail.
Bob explains how you weave all of that into a narrative of investigative failure that makes jurors question everything. He breaks down how to neutralize the framed photo evidence, how to flip Banfield's law enforcement background from liability to asset, and what it means that Judge Azcarate excluded the child's forensic interview.

Then we get to the star witness. Juliana Peres Magalhaes is the prosecution's entire case — and Bob explains exactly how to destroy her. She spent a year telling police the same story Brendan did. Then she got a deal: plead to manslaughter, time served, go home to Brazil. Her sentencing is scheduled after Banfield's trial to ensure she keeps cooperating. From jail, she wrote that she was "heartbroken" for what she was doing to Brendan. Bob explains how to weaponize that letter on cross-examination and what happens to the prosecution if she falls apart on the stand.

#BobMotta #NickReiner #BrendanBanfield #DefenseAttorney #InsanityDefense #ReasonableDoubt #TrueCrime #HiddenKillers #StarWitness #JulianaPeresMagalhaes


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