Cal Harris Murder Bench Trial Begins

Bob Joseph/WNBF News [March 5, 2014][/caption]A judge in a Schoharie County Court begins hearing testimony in the 4^th murder trial for former Tioga County car dealer, Calvin Harris in proceedings that, unlike the previous trials, will not be argued in front of a jury.

The bench trial is underway for Harris, who is accused of murdering his estranged wife, Michele in 2001 although neither her body nor a murder weapon has been found.

The Spencer man has been convicted twice, with both of those convictions overturned on appeal and the third trial last year in Schoharie County ended in a hung jury after ten days of testimony.

Having a judge alone decide the case is widely seen by legal experts as a risky move, but one that could work to Harris’ advantage if the past juries were swayed by emotional reaction to testimony in the case.