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| Briton's wife 'killed herself' | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The wife of Briton Neil Entwistle killed their daughter before turning the gun on herself, his defence lawyer has told his murder trial in the US. | |
| The 29-year-old from Worksop, Notts, denies murdering his US wife Rachel, 27, and nine-month-old Lillian Rose. | |
| His lawyer told how his client had hidden a revolver he found lying next to their bodies after returning from a shopping trip to find the pair dead. | |
| 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 in the bedroom of their home in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, on 20 January 2006. | |
| She struck herself in the forehead. Death was instantaneous Elliot WeinsteinDefence lawyer | |
| Elliot Weinstein told Middlesex County Superior Court in Woburn, Massachusetts that Mr Entwistle had "panicked" after finding his father-in-law's .22 calibre Colt revolver lying next to them on the bed, and tried to cover up his wife's suicide to save her reputation. | |
| "First Rachel put Lillian over where she thought her heart was and shot her," Mr Weinstein said. | |
| "The bullet travelled through Lillian and into Rachel's left breast. We know the breast was the first wound because of the bruising." | |
| He went on: "Then she pointed the gun towards her head, steadied it with both hands and fired. She struck herself in the forehead. Death was instantaneous." | |
| The defence rested without putting any witnesses on the stand. | |
| Secret life | Secret life |
| The court has previously heard that Mr Entwistle bought a one-way ticket to England day after the deaths and did not call the emergency services. | |
| 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. | Prosecutors brought a total of 46 witnesses before the court during 12 days of laying out their case. |
| 'Peace of mind' | '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. | 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 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | "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. | 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." | "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." |