The trial of a woman charged in connection with the 2014 murder, dismemberment, and dumping of 53-year-old Michigan resident Christopher Regan in Iron County, MI continued on Friday morning. The prosecution rested on Thursday after calling its final witnesses. Now, the it’s the defense’s turn to argue it’s case to the jurors and Cochran’s lawyer took to rather unusual step of calling his own client, the defendant, to the stand to testify.
Kelly Marie Cochran, 34, faces multiple charges related to the death of Regan, who police have said they believe was shot and killed by Cochran’s late husband after he came home to “find” Regan with her. Police say the entire “caught in the act” thing was simply a ruse and Regan was lured to the home where he was murdered. Cochran in accused of then helping chop up Regan’s body and dumping it in the deep woods in northern Michigan.
She faces a life sentence in the charge of homicide-open murder; up to a 10-year sentence on charges of conspiracy to commit dead bodies-dismemberment and mutilation; five years for concealing the death of an individual; five-years for accessory after the fact to a felony; four-years for larceny in a building; and four years for lying to a peace officer-violent crime investigation.
On the stand, Cochran is expected to testify that she was in extreme fear that her former husband was going to kill her unless she participated in luring Regan to her home and then helping dismember and dispose of the body.
Nearly 16 months after Regan’s death, police in Indiana accused Cochran of killing her then-husband (Jason, the man police say shot Regan), and of attempting to cover up the death as though it was a heroin overdose. She faces separate charges in Indiana related to that death and while in jail she has reportedly claimed responsibility for additional deaths, though police have been unable to verify any additional claims at this time.
The trial was originally expected to last three weeks, but no looks like it may end much sooner. Stick with LawNewz for all the latest developments throughout the day and view the trial on our livestream that carries. all the courtroom action each day.
[image via screengrab]
