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| Defence ends in UK father's trial | Defence ends in UK father's trial |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The defence in the US trial of Briton Neil Entwistle for the murder of his wife and daughter has rested without putting any witnesses on the stand. | The defence in the US trial of Briton Neil Entwistle for the murder of his wife and daughter has rested without putting any witnesses on the stand. |
| Closing arguments in the case are now due to be heard at Middlesex County Superior Court, Woburn, Massachusetts, before the jury considers its verdict. | Closing arguments in the case are now due to be heard at Middlesex County Superior Court, Woburn, Massachusetts, before the jury considers its verdict. |
| Mr Entwistle, from Worksop, Notts, denies murdering his US wife Rachel, 27, and nine-month-old Lillian Rose. | Mr Entwistle, from Worksop, Notts, denies murdering his US wife Rachel, 27, and nine-month-old Lillian Rose. |
| If convicted, the 29-year-old faces life in prison without parole. | If convicted, the 29-year-old faces life in prison without parole. |
| Mother and daughter were found dead at their home in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, on 20 January 2006. | Mother and daughter were found dead at their home in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, on 20 January 2006. |
| Secret life | Secret life |
| Mr Entwistle bought a one-way ticket to England the following day and did not call the emergency services, the court has previously heard. | Mr Entwistle bought a one-way ticket to England the following day and did not call the emergency services, the court has previously heard. |
| It has also heard that Mr Entwistle had a secret life in which he trawled the internet for escorts and looked at websites about bankruptcy and killing. | It has also heard that Mr Entwistle had a secret life in which he trawled the internet for escorts and looked at websites about bankruptcy and killing. |
| The jury panel of eight men and eight women was told that a post-mortem examination found Mrs Entwistle was shot in the forehead at close range and Lillian was killed with a bullet which passed through her abdomen and lodged above her mother's left breast as she cradled her on the bed. | The jury panel of eight men and eight women was told that a post-mortem examination found Mrs Entwistle was shot in the forehead at close range and Lillian was killed with a bullet which passed through her abdomen and lodged above her mother's left breast as she cradled her on the bed. |
| The accused told US authorities he found the bodies after returning from a shopping trip. | The accused told US authorities he found the bodies after returning from a shopping trip. |
| Prosecutors brought a total of 46 witnesses before the court during 12 days of laying out their case. | |
| On Monday, Elliot Weinstein, defending Mr Entwistle, stood up from his chair next to the defendant and indicated there were no defence witnesses. | |
| 'Peace of mind' | |
| Earlier, the jury heard a recording of a phone call between Middlesex state trooper Robert Manning and Mr Entwistle on 26 January 2006, after he fled to England. | |
| Mr Entwistle simply responded "OK" when Mr Manning, the lead investigator in the case, told him the deaths were being treated as the result of "foul play". | |
| Mr Entwistle said when he saw the bodies there was "no question" that they were dead and asked whether the trooper thought his wife and baby had suffered. | |
| When told it was "almost certainly quick", Mr Entwistle said it was "almost like peace of mind" because the "state of Lilly" led him to believe it "looked like there was more" than a gunshot. | |
| Mr Entwistle also said he wanted to know the exact time of their deaths. | |
| "If it was minutes before I walked in, that's going through my mind now. It would just be nice to know. It wouldn't change anything," Mr Entwistle said. | |
| Later, speaking about being told that his wife and baby died from gunshot wounds, Mr Entwistle added: "It's a shock and a relief to hear it. | |
| "You don't want to know what's happened; you don't want to believe what's happened; but once you know what's happened you can at least try to deal with that." |