Wesson Defense Strategy Hinted

Attorneys representing a man accused of killing nine of his children appear to be putting together a defense that one of his daughters killed the children, then turned the gun on herself.

Marcus Wesson emerged with blood on his clothes from his west Fresno home, where police found a pile of bodies inside. Each of the nine victims was shot once in the eye and, according to coroner’s reports, died almost instantaneously.

Wesson, 57, has pleaded not guilty to charges that he murdered his 25-year-old daughter and eight of his other children, ranging in age from 1 to 17, on March 12. He also has pleaded not guilty to 33 charges of sexual abuse.

In an interview with Associated Press on Friday, Wesson’s lead attorney insisted that his client did not pull the trigger.

Police were initially called to Wesson’s home when two women claiming to be the mothers of children inside came to retrieve their youngsters. Authorities have said Wesson devised a plot under which his children would kill each other if there ever was a threat the family would be split apart.

“We’re examining the evidence as it comes in and looking at several possible theories,” said Pete Jones, the Fresno County public defender’s office chief attorney in charge of major crimes.

He would not elaborate, citing an ongoing preliminary hearing which began Thursday and continues today, after which a judge will determine whether Wesson stands trial.

But during the hearing Thursday, Jones aggressively questioned police officers and tipped his hand to a defense theory that Wesson did not shoot the victims himself.

Police testified that officers found a .22-caliber gun and a hunting knife with a 5-inch blade under the oldest victim’s body, Wesson’s 25-year-old daughter, Sebhrenah.

Authorities have conducted gunpowder residue tests on some of the victims’ hands, but no physical evidence against Wesson, who is being held without bail, has yet been made public.

Under questioning by Jones, Officer Michael Harris said the bullet that killed Sebhrenah Wesson entered her eye in an upward direction. Her body was found on top, toward the side, of the stack of other victims, he said. Taken together, Jones’ questions implied that Sebhrenah Wesson may have shot the children, then killed herself.

A spokeswoman for the district attorney’s office said prosecutors would not comment, adding that the charges “speak for themselves.”