Tiffany Stevens' defense and prosecutors gave closing arguments Wednesday in the murder-for-hire trial for charges of attempting to pay someone to kill her ex-husband, Eric Stevens.
Now her fate is in the hands of the jury.
Stevens declined to testify Wednesday, but her attorneys spoke on her behalf. They moved for "judgment of acquittal," but the judge denied that request.
Both sides were granted an hour to present their closing arguments.
State prosecutors based their final arguments predominantly on the testimony of maintenance man John McDaid, the man Stevens is accused of paying thousands of dollars to kill her ex-husband. While McDaid said he took the money, he didn't go through with the deed and instead recorded conversations at the intended victim's request, according to his testimony. The prosecution also referenced the recordings played in court as key evidence in their case against Stevens.
"What else could she possibly be attempting when you look at the evidence of this case?" the prosecution said.
But the defense for Stevens argued in closing that even though it probably looked like Stevens committed the crime, "probably" was not enough to convict someone and that there was evident reasonable doubt. While her attorney admitted his client has not lived a perfect life and that she has made bad judgments, the defense said "let he who is without sin cast the first stone."
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"You want to hire a hit man and give him $5,000.... that's a discount," the defense said. "....If he (McDaid) really believes this was an attempt to kill Eric Stevens, he would have gone to the police."
Her attorney called McDaid and Eric Stevens liars.
"Eric Stevens degraded, mocked and threatened Tiffany. All of this impacted her mind," Tiffany Stevens' attorney said. "....Eric Stevens and John McDaid should be sitting where my client is."
But the state said it's Tiffany Stevens who has used men and money to accomplish everything in her life and this time the money was for murder.
"Whether she followed up well or hired the right person or she paid him enough isn’t the question the question is did she intend to have him killed," state prosecutors said.
Now that the jury has heard the closing arguments, jurors will deliberate the case and determine whether or not they believe Stevens is guilty.
The jury will return to court on Thursday to discuss the case behind closed doors. It is unknown when a verdict will be reached.
