Closing arguments in Andrew case set for Monday

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ The defense rested its case in Oklahoma County District Court Friday in the first-degree murder trial of a woman accused of murdering her estranged husband. <br/><br/>Closing statements

Friday, July 9th 2004, 7:59 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ The defense rested its case in Oklahoma County District Court Friday in the first-degree murder trial of a woman accused of murdering her estranged husband.

Closing statements in the Brenda Andrew trial are set for Monday before the case goes to the jury. Andrew did not testify.

Andrew, 40, is on trial on charges of murder and conspiracy to commit murder for the Nov. 20, 2001 killing of Rob Andrew. Her lover, James Pavatt, was convicted in September of killing Rob Andrew and sentenced to death.

On Friday, a crime scene expert testified there is no evidence that Andrew staged the shotgun slaying of her husband or her own wounding.

But that possibility still exists, 30-year investigator Ross Gardner admitted during cross-examination by prosecutors in the Oklahoma County District Court.

Gardner said he examined blood spatter, bullet holes in a door and the locations of objects at the estranged couple's home to reach his conclusions.

Gardner concluded that the evidence was consistent with what Brenda Andrew told police about the events: Rob Andrew was shot when two masked gunmen approached as he was fixing a pilot light in the garage and she was shot in the arm as she turned to run toward a door.

Prosecutors allege Brenda Andrew and Pavatt conspired to kill Rob Andrew to claim an $800,000 life insurance policy. They also claim Brenda Andrew allowed herself to be shot in the arm to hide her guilt.