In short
48 Hours Podcast Notes: Inside the Banfield Trial - Guilty Verdict
Podcast Overview
- Title: 48 Hours
- Description: A deep dive into crime and justice narratives, focusing on investigations that impact society. Features evidence and interviews aimed at understanding complex cases.
Episode Details
- Episode Title: Inside the Banfield Trial: Guilty Verdict
- Key Figures:
- Brendan Banfield: Found guilty of murdering his wife Christine and another man, Joseph Ryan.
- Christine Banfield: Victim, Brendan's wife.
- Joseph Ryan: Victim, alleged target of murder.
- Juliana Perez Magalhães: Former au pair, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and testified against Brendan.
Key Events
- Trial Verdict Date: 2023
- Crimes Committed:
- Guilty of two counts of aggravated murder.
- Guilty of child endangerment and use of a firearm.
Trial Highlights Testimonies
- Juliana's Account:
- Alleged affair with Brendan led to a collusion to murder Christine and Joseph.
- Detailed a catfishing scheme to lure Joseph Ryan to their home under false pretenses.
- Brendan's Defense:
- Claimed Juliana fabricated the story to secure a plea deal.
- Described their relationship as a brief affair; insisted there was no conspiracy to kill his wife.
Evidence Presented
- Digital Evidence:
- Testimony included extensive discussions about digital footprint and communications between involved parties.
- Important to establish who was behind the catfishing communications.
- Physical Evidence:
- Prosecution highlighted physical evidence that contradicted Brendan's narrative.
Brendan's Testimony
- Relationship with Juliana:
- Claimed Juliana initiated the affair; characterized it as not serious.
- Admitted to previous affairs, suggesting a complicated marital dynamic.
- Day of the Incident:
- Brendan described a planned outing for his daughter Valerie, which was a cover for the murder plot.
- Reaction to the Incident:
- Claimed he was unaware of the severity of the situation until he arrived home.
- Depicted himself as a concerned husband trying to save Christine.
Prosecution vs. Defense
- Prosecution's Argument:
- Presented a narrative of premeditation and conspiracy between Brendan and Juliana.
- Highlighted the lack of evidence supporting Brendan's claims of innocence.
- Defense's Argument:
- Emphasized Juliana's unreliable testimony and motivations.
- Brendan’s defense aimed to portray him as a victim of circumstance rather than a calculated murderer.
Critical Moments
- Controversial Testimony:
- Brendan's claim that he was unaware of Juliana's plans and that her actions were independent.
- The prosecutor's cross-examination challenged Brendan's narrative about his actions during the incident.
- Impact on Family:
- Christine's background as a dedicated mother and nurse was presented to elicit sympathy and context.
- The tragic consequences for their daughter, Valerie, underscored the emotional weight of the case.
Key Takeaways
- Moral and Ethical Implications:
- The case raises questions about the integrity of personal relationships and the impact of infidelity.
- Highlights the potential for manipulation in criminal conspiracies.
- Legal Dynamics:
- Importance of digital evidence in modern trials.
- Challenges in proving intent and conspiracy in murder cases.
- Human Element:
- The emotional toll on families impacted by violent crime.
- Reflection on the complexities of marriage and relationships leading to tragic outcomes.
Conclusion The episode provides an in-depth look at the Banfield trial, highlighting the dynamics between Brendan and Juliana, the prosecution's strategy, and the heartbreaking implications of the crime on the families involved. It raises profound questions about loyalty, truth, and the tragic outcomes of personal conflicts.
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VOThe Verdict Revealed
0:45 to 1:30
Discussion of the guilty verdict against Brendan Banfield.
“nanny from Brazil, Juliana Perez Magaliz.”
The Au Pair Affair
1:30 to 3:30
Exploration of the relationship between Brendan and the au pair, Juliana.
“the day, it really felt like this was a case of he said, she said.”
The Alleged Conspiracy
3:30 to 6:30
Details of the alleged conspiracy to kill Christine and Joseph.
“She said she started a relationship with Brendan in August 2022, and he was the one who came up with the plan to kill his wife that October.”
Brendan's Testimony
6:30 to 8:40
Insights into Brendan's testimony and his relationship with Juliana.
“Twelve of those years, they were actually married.”
Claims of Infidelity
8:40 to 9:30
Brendan's claims regarding Christine's alleged affairs come to light.
“But then Brendan seemed to be really downplaying the relationship.”
The Day of the Shooting
9:30 to 12:00
Analysis of events leading up to the shooting on February 24th.
“One letter even mentioned he was obsessed with her happiness.”
The Sequence of Events Leading to the Incident
14:07 to 16:44
Explore the timeline and testimonies surrounding the events leading to the tragedy.
“So the prosecutor said that Brendan and Juliana had arranged this fake outing at the zoo for his daughter Valerie.”
Brendan's Account of the Incident
16:44 to 19:56
Hear Brendan's version of the events during the confrontation and the aftermath.
“She said that she saw him shoot Joe and then stab Christine.”
Prosecutor's Cross-Examination of Brendan
19:56 to 22:26
Delve into the pointed questions from the prosecutor challenging Brendan's narrative.
“Now, this is different than what we heard from Juliana, who said he gave her the gun before leaving the McDonald's that morning and she kept it in her pocket.”
The Role of 911 Calls in the Case
22:26 to 24:58
Understanding the implications of the timing of 911 calls on the prosecution's case.
“It wasn't until I was instructed to by 911 to do that.”
Show all 12 chapters
Reflections on Christine's Life and Impact
24:58 to 27:38
Reflecting on who Christine was and the profound impact of her loss.
“Yeah, why would you want your daughter to hear any of this, to possibly see any of this?”
Exploring Dual Realities
28:24 to 28:53
Discover the emotional struggle of living in two conflicting worlds.
“Disruption on this campus will not be created.”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:00Juliana Peres Magalhães:Just to trigger a warning for you, some of this reporting is disturbing, so please listen and watch with care.
0:10Juliana Peres Magalhães:Welcome to a special episode of the 48 Hours podcast, Inside the Banfield Trial. I'm your host, 48 Hours correspondent Anne-Marie Green. And we have a verdict in the case of Brendan Banfield. He's a man charged with the aggravated murder of his wife, Christine, and another man, Joseph Ryan. on February 24th, 2023. Banfield was found guilty of two counts of aggravated murder. He was also found guilty of child endangerment and the use of a firearm. So this case was dubbed the Au Pair Affair because of Brendan's relationship with the Banfield's live-in nanny from Brazil, Juliana Perez Magaliz. Now, Juliana pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter for the shooting of Joseph Ryan and cooperated with the government, testifying against Brendan.
1:03Juliana Peres Magalhães:So here to discuss this verdict, along with Brendan's own testimony, is 48 Hours producer Michelle Sagona. Michelle, you were in the courtroom as all the events unfolded, and we are so happy to have you here.
1:16Michelle Sigona:Anne-Marie, it's great to see you. Thank you so much for having me.
1:19Juliana Peres Magalhães:So there was a lot of evidence in this case, you know, a lot of digital evidence, a lot of physical evidence, certainly testimony from law enforcement, testimony from experts. But really, at the end of the day, it really felt like this was a case of he said, she said. Brendan versus his former lover, Juliana.
1:40Michelle Sigona:There are only four people who know what really happened, and unfortunately, two have died. This is all about Brendan versus Juliana. Here's Prosecutor Jenna Sands' final argument about what happened.
1:53Brendan Banfield:Brendan Banfield and Juliana Perez Magaliz colluded to kill Joseph Ryan and Christine Banfield. That makes sense. They created accounts. They chatted up potential victims. They got Joe Ryan into the house and then they shot him. Brendan stabbed Christine, let her bleed out on the floor, and then dripped smeared and wiped her blood on Joseph Ryan's body to make it look like he had attacked Christine. Then they called the police. Brendan let Juliana take the fall. And it took a little bit of doing, but here we are, and it's his turn to be held accountable.
2:42Michelle Sigona:Whereas Brendan's attorney, John Carroll, said this.
2:47Joseph Ryan:Juliana made it up. She told the Commonwealth what they wanted to hear. And without question, they just took it as their story. She told this lie to secure herself a deal that benefited her.
3:04Juliana Peres Magalhães:So we talked the other week about Juliana's testimony. Everyone was really surprised that she was amongst the first people, first witnesses to testify. Can you remind our listeners, though, of this kind of elaborate, alleged plot?
3:22Michelle Sigona:Absolutely. The Banfields hired Juliana to care for their daughter, Valerie. This was in 2021. Juliana was in her early 20s at the time, and as part of the au pair arrangement, Juliana lived in their Northern Virginia home. She said she started a relationship with Brendan in August 2022, and he was the one who came up with the plan to kill his wife that October. She says they created a fake email account for Christine along with a fake account on a fetish app called FetLife. The idea was to lure someone to the house under the pretense of aggressive sex with a knife, but then frame him for the stabbing murder of Christine.
4:06Michelle Sigona:Joseph Ryan was the man prosecutors say they targeted. Now, prosecutors also said that Brendan planned to then enter the bedroom and kill the, quote, intruder with a gun.
4:18Juliana Peres Magalhães:And so a big part of proving or disproving this whole thing, depending on whether you're on defense of prosecution, was about this catfishing component of it. Right. Because part of the argument was, well, it was Christine online making all this these arrangements or was it? You're right.
4:39Michelle Sigona:There were days and days of testimony highlighting just about every login to the account and every message that was sent on FetLife. Also clear, it was hard to prove who was using those devices. So even if it was Christine's phone or laptop, the prosecution made the point that you couldn't prove it was her behind the device.
5:04Juliana Peres Magalhães:So to my surprise, Brendan took the stand. I say to my surprise because often defendants in murder trials don't, but you never know.
5:15Michelle Sigona:And the prosecutor emphasized that this is the first time anyone has heard from Brendan, from his story, basically from start to finish. He did not give a full statement at the scene, at the hospital, in the days and weeks and months after his wife and Joseph Ryan died inside of his own bedroom. And you hear portions from him in a 911 call or maybe, you know, some clips from a police body cam. But that's it. This is the first time from start to finish we're hearing this. And Brendan said he wanted to tell his story earlier at Juliana's trial, but then she took a plea and he really didn't have an opportunity.
5:53Juliana Peres Magalhães:So let's dig into what he said when he was testifying. I want to talk about the relationship he had with Juliana. How does he say it began? Who was responsible for starting this affair, according to him?
6:07Michelle Sigona:According to Brendan, he says Juliana is the one who started making advances towards him. He went into great detail about how they started this physical relationship with one another inside the home. He also said Juliana, basically, what he told her was, this is just an affair and that he had had previous affairs. And this would not change his relationship with Christine. Christine was his partner for 19 years. Twelve of those years, they were actually married. And right now you can hear from his lawyer, John Carroll.
6:39Anne-Marie Green:Now, was Christine aware of your affair? I don't believe she was aware of the affair between me and Juliana. Was she aware of your previous affairs?
6:50Joseph Ryan:She was aware of at least two previous affairs. Okay. And likewise, were you aware of her affairs? Yes, I was also aware that she had affairs.
7:02Juliana Peres Magalhães:So this is the first time we're hearing this. Brandon says that Christine had affairs as well.
7:07Michelle Sigona:It felt like that part about Christine having affairs was just sort of slipped in, mentioned in passing very quickly. And that is the real unfortunate part in these types of cases, Anne-Marie. You know this. The defense can make any kind of claim about a victim. And unfortunately, Christine is not here to be a voice and to defend herself. Brendan testified she had a previous BDSM affair when they lived in New York, was interested in sexual violence. Again, his claims. And that she was a sexual assault nurse examiner. Setting her up that if she had some sort of possible history in engaging in violent sex relations.
7:48Michelle Sigona:But it was something he said he had not had any interest in pursuing. Again, this is his version of events. I will tell you that prosecutor Jenna Sands said, and this was during closings when I was in the courtroom, that there was no digital history of Christine using dating websites, fetish sites, or talking to other men prior to this alleged plot. She said there was zero evidence of Christine engaging in rough sex. And in addition, we learned Christine has a blood disorder and her father testified to what she went through as a child all the way up to an adult. So the prosecution is like, why would Christine invite someone into her home, her family home, with a knife, knowing that if she were to be cut, it could be a serious situation?
8:38Juliana Peres Magalhães:So the last time we spoke about this case for the last episode, you know, we talked about Brendan and Juliana being in love like this, you know, like that was part of kind of the motivation for this plot. But then Brendan seemed to be really downplaying the relationship. I mean, what what's that about?
8:58Michelle Sigona:And the prosecutor challenged him. You better believe that on that cross-examination. Did you love her?
9:07Anne-Marie Green:There was points that I told her that I loved her.
9:09Brendan Banfield:You told her that you loved her, but you didn't actually love her.
9:13Anne-Marie Green:I would say that I had feelings for her, but they weren't nearly as strong as feelings for my wife.
9:22Michelle Sigona:The Commonwealth even admitted multiple lengthy love letters for the jury to see. This was after Juliana was arrested, professing his love for her. One letter even mentioned he was obsessed with her happiness.
9:38Juliana Peres Magalhães:So in regards to this alleged plot, Brendan's attorney just flat out asked him if he created a plan with Juliana to kill his wife, Christine. Here's his response. No, there was no plan.
9:52Anne-Marie Green:At this point, our relationship is maybe six to eight weeks old. I think that it's an absurd line of questioning for something that is not serious, that a plan was made to get rid of my wife. That is absolutely crazy.
10:17Juliana Peres Magalhães:So six to eight weeks. First off, I did not know it was just six to eight weeks. But what is he inferring that that's just too short of a time to plot with your lover to kill your wife? If they need, you know, maybe if the relationship had been six months longer, that would be a reasonable argument?
10:35Michelle Sigona:I think that's exactly what he's trying to say, is that this relationship is too short. They were just scratching the surface and that, you know, it wasn't serious. So why would he concoct this plan and move forward with it and get rid of his wife of 19 years for someone he's not serious with?
10:53Juliana Peres Magalhães:That's not the strongest argument. I mean, when is there ever a reason to kill your wife? I mean, if it's a bad relationship, get out of it. Divorce. It's sort of the normal stuff. Yeah.
11:05Michelle Sigona:That's right. Exactly. And I was also struck by Brendan's description of Juliana choosing to be with him whenever she could. This is what he says. And the reason why I bring this up is because it comes up when Brendan is going to the shooting range to practice for his job as an IRS agent. He has a gun as part of his job, and prosecutors allege Giuliana went to the range to practice shooting as part of the murder plot. Brendan says she was just tagging along.
11:36Joseph Ryan:In having her come to the range, was there any plan that she was going to back you up on some plan?
11:45Anne-Marie Green:I mean, there was no plan at this point when we had gone to the range. There was no, there was no, none of the suspect email account. There was no FetLife account. There was no Telegram messages. None of that existed at the point that, at the point that we went to the range. Okay.
12:08Joseph Ryan:Now, did FetLife or Gmail or Telegram ever exist for you?
12:15Anne-Marie Green:I did not know about them until, I did not know about them until after Christine died. I didn't get to see them until after Juliana's arrest.
12:33Juliana Peres Magalhães:So there's no plan at this point? It's a weird way to say it. It is weird. So if Brendan is suggesting that this thing with Juliana is an affair, it hasn't really been going on that long, just what was kind of the status of their relationship at the time of the killings?
Read the full transcript
12:50Michelle Sigona:Well, this is very interesting. Brendan says Juliana had broken up with him several times, and on February 24th, they weren't together. He claims she was upset when he would spend time with Christine, and she ended their relationship in the days leading up to this deadly incident. That is really fascinating.
13:45Brendan Banfield:We'll see you next time.
13:54Juliana Peres Magalhães:So the last time we spoke, we played some sound from the prosecutor. And the prosecutor really laid out kind of the elaborate choreography that unfolded on February 24th, the day of the killing. I think it's worth it, Michelle, to kind of like go over how all these things unfolded.
14:12Michelle Sigona:Absolutely. So the prosecutor said that Brendan and Juliana had arranged this fake outing at the zoo for his daughter Valerie. Juliana would be the one supposedly taking her there. And around 6 a.m., Brendan allegedly messaged Joe Ryan, posing as Christine, to confirm a 7.20 a.m. arrival. They say Christine was asleep. Now, Brendan said he woke up early. He got ready. He saw Christine awake with her phone. He said he never touched her devices. And as for the zoo outing, he says Christine was the one who would arrange for Juliana and their daughter to go. And this was not the other way around. He said he had a big day at work, meeting about a case, and his manager would be there.
14:59Juliana Peres Magalhães:So that brings us to a surprise witness who testified after Brendan. It was his acting supervisor at the time of the killings.
15:08Brendan Banfield:When Mr. Banfield testified that he had a scheduled meeting with his manager, that would have been yourself or Juliet Jones. Is that correct?
15:19Joseph Ryan:Those are the only two people that have been his manager.
15:23Brendan Banfield:Okay. And she was out of the country and you were in Baltimore and not planning on meeting him, correct? Correct.
15:29Michelle Sigona:This surprise witness also confirmed on the stand. He was not interviewed by police on the week that the investigators were out at his office interviewing co-workers. I think he may have been away or out of town. So he was not able to interview with police at the time. So he did not give them a formal statement. But after hearing Brendan Banfield testify on the stand, that's when this co-worker who was the supervisor at the time came forward and wanted to let everyone know that he did not have a meeting that morning and he was in Maryland. Mm-hmm.
16:08Juliana Peres Magalhães:Okay, so let's talk about the leaving of the house because Juliana testified. And she said that she left the house with Valerie and she parked nearby so that she could have a clear view of the house. Brendan goes to a nearby McDonald's. Juliana says that when she sees Joe Ryan arrive at the house, she calls Brendan at the McDonald's. And all three of them, Brendan, Juliana, and Valerie, return to the house, and they all enter through the basement. And this is when Juliana testified that Brendan went upstairs to the bedroom, and she followed. She said that she saw him shoot Joe and then stab Christine.
16:53Juliana Peres Magalhães:Then she shot Joe a second time. This is all according to her testimony. What did Brendan say? How did he describe this?
17:03Michelle Sigona:He said he went to the McDonald's. He picked up breakfast on the way to work. He was in the restroom for seven minutes. And also he sat in the parking lot and apparently ate his food, then went inside. when he got a panicked call from Juliana. He tried calling Christine, but it went straight to voicemail. Brendan said when he came home, he took a direct route home. When he got there, he went inside. He heard what he believed to be sexual noises and assumed Christine was having another affair. This is, again, according to Brendan. But then sounds from Christine sounded painful, and that's when he decided to go upstairs.
17:45Michelle Sigona:He had his gun from work, as well as his handcuffs. This is when he said he encountered Joseph Ryan with his wife.
17:53Joseph Ryan:You saw a knife there. What were you thinking in terms of Joe Ryan with a knife to Christine's neck? I was extremely terrified.
18:12I don't know that I've ever been more panicked in my life.
18:16Michelle Sigona:At the same time, he admitted he really couldn't see Christine's neck due to her hair being thick and curly, but he said he believed she had blood in her hair. He also said he tried to de-escalate the situation, telling Joe to drop the knife. He says then he saw Joe forcefully stab Christine, causing Christine to fall to the ground, and that's when Brendan said he shot the gun at Joe. Brendan says he saw a bloody wound on Christine's neck and started applying pressure at this point. But by this time, Brendan says he noticed Juliana in the room. He claims he asked her to call 911 and to watch Joe as he tended to Christine.
19:00Michelle Sigona:He said Juliana stepped away to the master bathroom. Christine told me that she was bleeding out and that she was sorry and that she loved me.
19:18Anne-Marie Green:And what did you tell her?
19:24It was at this point that there was another shot.
19:35Anne-Marie Green:And I looked up and I saw that Juliana had my other firearm.
19:43and I was stunned that Juliana had shot.
19:49Michelle Sigona:And Brendan said he was initially unaware that Juliana got the gun from the safe in the bedroom closet. Now, this is different than what we heard from Juliana, who said he gave her the gun before leaving the McDonald's that morning and she kept it in her pocket.
20:06Juliana Peres Magalhães:Okay, so then how does the prosecution handle cross-examination with Brendan?
20:12Michelle Sigona:Prosecutor Jenna Sands did not hold back Emory. She challenged him on his version of the stabbing and of the shooting.
20:21Brendan Banfield:So how long do you think passed between your instructions to Joe Ryan to put down the knife, let her go, let her go, let her go, and your wife is bleeding before you shot him?
20:40Anne-Marie Green:Not that long. Under a minute.
20:43Brendan Banfield:Under a minute. Okay, so if we were to count out 60 seconds, one, two, three, so on and so forth, that would be a minute. And in that time, you did not shoot him.
20:58Anne-Marie Green:I did not shoot him. I did not shoot him prior to Christine going to the floor. Okay.
21:04Brendan Banfield:And at that point in time that she's going to the floor, we're at least six stab wounds in, right? To the best of my knowledge, it's hard to see.
21:19Anne-Marie Green:Also, I'm aiming down my sight at Joe. And so I'm not focused exactly on Christine. You have a narrowed view when you're aiming down a firearm.
21:32Brendan Banfield:And you just couldn't pull the trigger, could you?
21:36Anne-Marie Green:I was afraid.
21:37Brendan Banfield:Okay. And you are a trained law enforcement officer, correct?
21:42Anne-Marie Green:I am, but I have... My shooting record is on the lower end for the qualification.
21:52Michelle Sigona:He repeated that he was worried about hitting Christine by mistake. The prosecutor then asked, well, why didn't he use his handcuffs on Joe after he did shoot him? And Brendan said he probably should have done that. That's what he admits to.
22:09Juliana Peres Magalhães:And the prosecutor really also went after him about how he tended to Christine's wounds.
22:18Brendan Banfield:You did not, at that point in time, use the towel, the blanket, the sheet, or the other blanket to staunch the flow of blood from her neck? It wasn't until I was instructed to by 911 to do that.
22:37Anne-Marie Green:pressure is a different form of treatment that we were taught. And that is also what Christine was doing. I believe that that was the best course of action at the time.
22:52Brendan Banfield:To put pressure on the wound that was so large that your finger went inside of it. Is that correct? Yes. Okay. And when first responders arrived, you agree you're on video holding her neck with your bare hand, correct?
23:11Anne-Marie Green:I think so.
23:13Juliana Peres Magalhães:So speaking of first responders, I know that the timing of the 911 calls was really sort of crucial to the prosecution's case. And Juliana testified that after Brendan shot Joe, Christine said Juliana called 911. At that point, Juliana says that she called 911 for the first time, but then Brendan gestured to her to hang up. So she hangs up really quickly. This is kind of crucial. But 911 had already made contact at that point. She calls back several minutes later after Brendan gave her the go ahead to call 911. This is probably where the plot kind of falls apart. She called 911 too early. This is important testimony because it directly contradicts what Brendan said at trial.
24:01Michelle Sigona:Brendan said he brought Juliana and Valerie and their dog to the basement while he moved upstairs to the master bedroom to investigate. He believes Juliana made that first quick 911 call while she was downstairs in the basement and he was upstairs. and the defense introduced an expert who testified they identified the dog's whining in a portion of that call. But he said he did tell Juliana to call 911 later after she came up to the bedroom, and this was after he had shot Joe Ryan.
24:34Juliana Peres Magalhães:And then we should remind everyone that Valerie, their young daughter, is in the basement this entire time.
24:42Michelle Sigona:It's really hard to think about. And the prosecutor asked if Brendan was thinking of his daughter. Why didn't he tell Juliana to leave the house with Valerie or use the lock on the outside of the basement door to make sure that they wouldn't be able to go upstairs? He claimed that at the moment, he was just focused on Christine and that Valerie, from what he thought, was safe in the basement.
25:04Juliana Peres Magalhães:Yeah, why would you want your daughter to hear any of this, to possibly see any of this?
25:10Michelle Sigona:And the prosecutor did say this. You have a gun. You're going up. Obviously, you're afraid for your safety in some sort of sense or regard to all of this. And why would you not get your child out of that situation? Why would you? And four-year-olds are curious. Look, I have a two-year-old, a six-year-old, and a 10-year-old. And let me tell you, kids are curious. They want to know what's happened. If they hear something, they're going to the noises. They're going to figure out whatever is happening. And I mean, at any point, she could have walked up the stairs at any point.
25:44Juliana Peres Magalhães:It's absolutely it's absolutely terrifying. I mean, you've you've sat through you've sat through a number of very interesting trials. We talked about what Brendan testified to. But how was he on the stand?
26:00Michelle Sigona:I will tell you that it was a little distracting because he would answer the defense, his defense attorney and glance at him and then kind of glance over to the right of the jury and then kind of look back. His, you know, his eyes were shifting all over the place. And it seemed like he was trying to keep, you know, his sense of thoughts going. But, you know, it was hard for him, I think, at times, to be quite honest. And again, this is the first time we're hearing of anything in full totality. So there's nothing to compare it to.
26:38Juliana Peres Magalhães:And then my other question was about Christine. Could you get a sense of who Christine was? I mean, she has a courtroom filled with her supporters as well. Who was Christine?
26:51Michelle Sigona:Christine, from everything I've been able to learn, was a nurse. she was a mom, you know, a dedicated mother. She was a friend. She was a daughter. She was someone who seemed to enjoy life. And this is such a tragedy. And I think about Valerie. I think about this little girl growing up without her mom. And it is, I mean, it is heartbreaking. And it's hard to think about what her parents and all of her loved ones are going through. and now reliving this again, really three years later.
27:26Juliana Peres Magalhães:Absolutely. They must be thinking, how can this be our lives? How can this be the story that our family has to tell? Sad story. Really sad. Michelle, it's always great to have someone who's following the case from beginning to end, who's been in the courtroom. So yeah, I really appreciate your time. Thank you so much.
27:53Christine Banfield:Pluto TV has thousands of free movies and TV shows. You swear?
27:58Anne-Marie Green:If I'm mine, I'm dying.
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From the publisher
Brendan Banfield has been found guilty of the murder of his wife Christine Banfield and another man Joseph Ryan inside the Banfield's northern Virginia home in 2023. 48 Hours correspondent Anne-Marie Green speaks with 48 Hours producer Michelle Sigona about Banfield’s decision to take the stand after his former lover and family au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhães, detailed an elaborate catfishing scheme meant to lure Joseph Ryan to the Banfield home and make it look like he stabbed Christine. Banfield was also found guilty of child endangerment and use of a firearm.
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