VERNON, Conn. (AP) — A Connecticut guy used to be convicted Tuesday of homicide within the 2015 killing of his spouse — a case constructed in part on proof supplied by way of her Fitbit workout job tracker.
A jury in Rockville Awesome Courtroom discovered Richard Dabate in charge of all 3 fees — homicide, tampering with proof and creating a false observation to government — following a five-week trial and on the second one day of deliberations. The homicide fee carries as much as 60 years in jail. He’s scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 16.
Courtroom marshals handcuffed Dabate and led him out of the court docket after Pass judgement on Corinne Klatt higher his bond to $5 million. He have been loose after posting $1 million bail following his arrest.
Dabate’s attorney, Trent LaLima, stated an enchantment of the convictions is deliberate.
“I believe we placed on an excessively robust case for why Rick didn’t devote this offense,” he stated outdoor the courthouse after the verdicts have been introduced.
Wayne Rioux, a spokesperson for Connie Dabate’s circle of relatives, stated justice prevailed with the convictions of Richard Dabate.
“The trial used to be no longer about Fitbit,” he stated. “The trial used to be in regards to the cold-blooded, deliberate homicide of Connie Margotta Dabate. … There can be no closure for the Margotta circle of relatives, however there may be in the end justice for Connie.”
Dabate maintained his innocence and testified that a huge masked guy with a voice like actor Vin Diesel and wearing camouflage shot his spouse, Connie Dabate, and tied him up on the couple’s Ellington house in December 2015.
Police stated knowledge on Connie Dabate’s Fitbit contradicted her husband’s tale and confirmed she used to be shifting round an hour after he stated she used to be killed.
Prosecutor Matthew Gedansky stated in his final argument that Dabate hatched a plan to kill his spouse and level a house invasion as his lifestyles used to be about to resolve with the beginning of a kid he used to be having with any other girl.
LaLima wondered the reliability of the knowledge from the Fitbit tracker, pronouncing the gadgets weren’t designed with the accuracy wanted for courtroom testimony.
LaLima additionally pointed to unknown DNA that used to be discovered within the Dabates’ house, together with at the gun that killed Connie, and testimony from a area cleaner, who stated they are going to have noticed a dismal inexperienced determine transfer previous the window across the time of the crime.
A jury used to be picked for the case in early 2020, ahead of state courts close down on account of the coronavirus pandemic. A pass judgement on disregarded that jury final August, pronouncing it have been empaneled too lengthy and a few jurors had moved out of state, and a brand new panel used to be decided on starting in overdue February.