Vampire Strategy Fails in Woman’s Murder Trial

A prosecutor who tried--but failed--to persuade a jury that a murder defendant believed herself to be a vampire said he has no regrets over the unusual trial strategy.

Assistant Dist. Atty. George Kovacevich had sought a first-degree murder conviction against Deborah Finch, 20. But Finch was convicted only of assault with a deadly weapon in the stabbing death of her neighbor.

The prosecutor called a former roommate of Finch who testified that the defendant admitted drinking the victim’s blood. A juror who wished to remain anonymous said after the trial that the panel “didn’t buy into” the vampire strategy.

“I thought, hey, if it was going to fly anywhere, it would fly in Santa Cruz,” Kovacevich said.