"TOXIC RELATIONSHIP MURDER TRIAL, 5-YEAR-OLD'S KILLER APPEALS & DRUNK SKATING COACH"

0:03 Callarogu Shark Media, Good morning, I'm reed Carter, Thursday, October sixteenth, twenty twenty five. Daisy Link is on trial in Miami for second degree murder. June twenty fifth, twenty twenty two. She shot her husband, Pedro Jimenez to death. Prosecutors say Link was the aggressor in their relationship. Pistol whipped him in front of her children, attacked him with a skateboard five days before the shooting. Admitted to police she shot to merely scare him. Link claims self defense. Says Jimenez abused her for years, Pistol whipped her days before his death, and she feared for her life when she pulled the trigger.

0:48 The jury doesn't know. Link got pregnant by another inmate while in jail awaiting trial. Adam Montgomery murdered his five year old daughter, Harmony in December twenty nineteen. Beat her today in their car while traveling to a methadone clinic, hid her body in a duffel bag, froze it, then thought it out to cut up the remains and dissolve them in lie. Her body has never been recovered. Montgomery was convicted in February twenty twenty four, sentenced to fifty six years to life. Today, the New Hampshire Supreme Court hears his appeal. He wants a new trial, claims the judge made three errors. Prosecutors say deny it. And Megan Oaster Schultz, a Kenosha figure skating coach, was sentenced Monday to one hundred days in jail for drunk driving with her two children in the car November twenty twenty four.

1:39 She rolled her vehicle BAC of zero point two pet eight, nearly three times the legal limit, miraculously no injuries. She told the judge she was going through a divorce and lets stress and alcohol get the best of her. I'm reed Carter. Three cases, one self defense claim, one father who dissolved his daughter's bad one coach who endangered her own children. This is Celebrity Trials. Miami, Florida, June twenty fifth, twenty twenty two, early morning, Daisy Link shoots her husband, Pedro Jimenez. He runs, stumbling, falling. Surveillance from a neighbor's camera captures him running through the alley. Link follows. He's bleeding heavily. The bullets severed his femoral artery. Within minutes, he'll bleed to death. Link calls nine to one one, applies a tourniquet to his leg, but it's too late.

2:36 Pedro Jimenez dies at the scene. Now Link is on trial for second degree murder. The prosecution says she was the aggressor. The defense says she acted in self defense, and the truth lies somewhere in nine years of a toxic violent relationship background. Link and Jimenez were together nine years, had a tumultuous relationship marred by long term physical abs abuse and domestic violence, according to court documents. But who was abusing whom That's what the jury must decide the prosecution's case. Five days before the shooting, June twentieth, police respond to a nine to one one call, Link allegedly attacked Jimenez with a skateboard while he was inside his vehicle trying to flee. Text messages between them show Jimenez accusing Link of violence. He claims she pistol whipped him in front of her children. When Link spoke to police after the shooting, she admitted being the aggressor in the argument and said she shot to merely scare the victim.

3:36 That statement is devastating to her defense. Admitting you were the aggressor, admitting you shot to scare, not to protect yourself, that's not self defense language. Detective Joseph Cruz, the lead investigator, testified that ring camera footage showed a five minute gap between the shooting and when gunshots were heard, and a twelve minute gap between the shooting and the nine one one call. What was Link doing during those twelve minutes? Why didn't she call immediately? No firearm or bullet casings found during the initial property search. The gun was later discovered hidden in a palm tree around twelve thirty pm. Link volunteered the location before knowing police had already found it.

4:18 But hiding the gun after a shooting doesn't suggest self defense suggests consciousness of guilt. During her interview with police, which lasted eleven hours, Link said she just wanted to scare him and make him stop hitting me. She described their nine year relationship, said Jimenez had a severe mental disorder, said he controlled her social media, no Facebook, TikTok or Instagram allowed. Link also told police he Meenez threw a chair at a detective. During questioning, she whispered, I killed him. I loved him. I loved him so much. During the interview, that's not the language of someone defending themselves from an attacker.

4:58 That's regret, grief, realization of what she'd done. The forensic evidence doctor Benjamin Mattis, chief medical examiner, testified that Jimenez had two gunshot wounds, a through and through wound on his left foot and his right thigh. A single bullet caused both injuries. His foot had to be in the air when shot, consistent with running. The bullet damaged the femoral artery and vein in his thigh. That injury causes rapid, severe blood loss. Death would take several minutes without medical intervention. Toxicology showed alcohol, cocaine, and THHC in Jimenez's system. Cause of death gunshot wound to right thigh manner homicide. Now the defense case, Link claims years of abuse by Jimenez.

5:44 Days before the shooting, she says he pistol whipped her, causing severe head injuries. Her family testified about seeing those injuries. Leileen Gonzalez, Link's nie, traveled from Texas to Florida with her grandmother in June twenty twenty two to bring Lincoln her children back to Texas. Before traveling, she saw photos showing injuries to Link's head and bruises. When she arrived, she observed wounds consistent with the photos. The family was planning to help Link escape the relationship. Crystal Burreto, Link's sister, received text pictures from Link showing severe injuries. One showed blood all over Link's shoulder. Another showed a gash on Link's head with blood in her hair. Crystal testified she could see what appeared to be a skull through the open wound, severe injuries, lots of blood and swelling. Cristel believed the injuries were potentially life threatening and immediately contacted their mother to come to Florida. Josphina Perez, Link's mother, testified she traveled from Texas after seeing photos of her daughter's injuries. There was a pre existing plan to help Link in her children escape from Jimenez on July fourth, but they moved it up due to the severity of the injuries. Perez witnessed Jimenez choke Link during a conversation that made him angry. She threatened to call police, but Jimenez said not to because he'd lose his career. Pedro left, then returned fifteen minutes later, knocking things over, grabbing Link's perse and cell phone, taking whiskey, and running out. He returned a third time and clothes lined Link when she

7:15 looked for her purse. That testimony paints a picture of an abusive, controlling man. But here's the problem. Perez was questioned about watching the trial's live stream during a break, which she denied. Prosecutors also accused Crystal Baretto of lying about watching the trial and sharing Facebook posts. Both were confronted about their credibility. If the defense witnesses are lying about small things like watching the trial, are they lying about the abuse? That's what prosecutors want the jury to question. The physical evidence contradicts some of Link's claims. Neighbor Robertsis Narrows testified about surveillance video showing Jimenez running, stumbling and falling and Link approaching him. Says Narrow said, Link appeared emotionally distraught, but the video shows Jimenez fleeing, not attacking.

8:03 DNA analysis revealed Link's DNA as the major profile on the firearm. The statistical probability it belongs to someone else is one in twenty eight point seven Septilian, it's her gun, she shot him. A seven minute video was recorded on Link's phone minutes before the nine to one to one call. What's on that video we don't know yet, but it was captured during the critical time between shooting and calling for help. Ring camera audio captured Link telling the dying Himenez you'll be fine and asking if he wanted to go to the hospital. Defense played additional audio where Jimenez appears to say I want to die. Is that a man expressing regret for abusing someone or a man dying from blood loss saying he wants the pain to end.

8:47 Here's what makes this case complex. Both things can be true. Link can have been abused by Jimenez for years and not been acting in self defense when she shot him. Abuse victims sometimes become abuse users themselves. Violence begets violence. A toxic relationship can have two aggressors. The pistol whipping incident cuts both ways. Link claims Jimenez pistol whipped her. Text messages show Jimenez claiming Link pistol whipped him in front of her children. Who's telling the truth. Maybe both? Maybe they both used weapons against each other. The skateboard attack five days before the shooting. Link attacking Jimenez while he tried to flee in his vehicle. That's not defensive violence.

9:29 That's aggressive violence, attacking someone who's trying to escape. But Link's family documented severe injuries days before the shooting. Head wounds severe enough that Crystal thought she could see skull. That level of injury doesn't happen from nothing. Someone beat Link badly enough to cause significant trauma. The question for the jury when Link shot Jimenez on June twenty fifth, twenty twenty two, was she defending herself from imminent harm? Or was she the aggressor in yet a another fight In a mutually violent relationship. Self defense requires reasonable fear of imminent harm, proportional response, no safe alternatives. Did Link reasonably believe Jimenez was about to seriously harm or kill her?

10:15 The surveillance shows him running away. That's not imminent threat, that's retreat. Did Link use proportional force? Shooting someone who's fleeing isn't proportional that's escalation beyond what's necessary for defense. Did Link have safe alternatives? Her family was there to help her escape. They'd traveled from Texas specifically to get her out of the relationship. She had options beyond shooting him. The prosecution wants the jury to see Link as the primary aggressor who killed her husband during a fight. The defense wants the jury to see Link as an abuse victim who finally defended herself after years of torture. One more detail the jury doesn't know. After her arrest, Link became pregnant by another inmate. That fact is excluded from trial as prejudicial, but it raises questions about Link's judgment and character that the jury won't hear. The trial continues, the state rested its case, defense presented family members testifying about abuse. Closing arguments coming soon, and twelve jurors will decide whether Daisy Link murdered her husband or defended herself from an abuser. We'll be right back with Adam Montgomery's appeal, the father who dissolved his daughter's body and lie. By

11:50 the way, we have a poll going in our Facebook group's page. Do you want to hear more classic celebrity trials, more current murder cases or is the mix just right us know? Search celebrity trials in Facebook groups or follow the link in the show notes we'd love to hear from you. Today. The New Hampshire Supreme Court hears arguments in Adam Montgomery's appeal. He wants a new trial for murdering his five year old daughter, Harmony. He was convicted in February twenty twenty four, sentenced to fifty six years to life. Now he's claiming the trial court made errors that warrant overturning his conviction. Quick background. Harmony Montgomery was born June seventh, twenty fourteen, to Crystal Sorry and Adam Montgomery, parents not together. Harmony, partially blind in her left eye, had special needs. Crystal originally had custody, but lost it due to DCF involvement over neglect allegations. Harmony went into foster care at two months old. Twenty nineteen, a Massachusetts judge awarded Adam full custody, despite him being incarcerated most of Harmony's early life and having spent only twenty hours with her on supervised visits. DCF failed to adequately assess Adam or present a strong legal case against placing Harmony with him. Adam lived in New Hampshire with his wife, Kayla, and their two sons. Both had substance abuse issues, paid their drug dealer with snap food stamps, leaving the family

13:21 without adequate food. Harmony was subjected to beatings and abuse by Adam. When Adam's uncle noticed Harmony had a black eye, Adam allegedly said he bashed her around. The uncle contacted child protective agencies, nothing came of it. Late twenty nineteen, the family was evicted and began living in their car before moving to a homeless shelter. Adam and Kayla abused drugs in the car while three young children were in the back seat. Harmony, struggling with bathroom accidents that started during homelessness, was repeatedly beaten by Adam. December twenty nineteen, while the family traveled to a meta the Done clinic, Adam went into a rage over Harmony's bathroom accidents, beat her to death, hid her body in a duffel bag.

14:08 Then he and Kayla concealed her remains for months, initially froze the body, later thought it out to cut up the remains and dissolve them in lie. The body has never been recovered. Harmony's mother, Cristel, became concerned when Adam didn't bring Harmony for Thanksgiving, she questioned him on Facebook, he blocked her. She filed a missing person report. Adam claimed Harmony was living with Crystel, but Cristel hadn't seen her in over two years. August twenty twenty two, Manchester Police Chief and New Hampshire Attorney General stated they believed Harmony was dead and Adam murdered her. February twenty twenty four, trial begins. Adam was already in prison serving thirty years for an unrelated gun crime. He refused to attend court.

14:56 Prosecutor Christopher Knowles presented the case. Adam was represent entered by Caroline Smith and James Brooks. Kayla Montgomery, Adam's ex wife, was serving time for perjury lying to a grand jury about Harmony's death. She testified against Adam, said he'd been physically and emotionally abusive to her in Harmony, that he beat Harmony to death in December twenty nineteen, that she didn't speak up because she still cared for him. February twenty second, twenty twenty four, Adam Montgomery found guilty of second degree murder and falsifying physical evidence. May ninth, twenty twenty four, sentenced to forty five years to life in prison consecutive to his weapons sentence, total fifty six years to life now. Adam appeals, citing three errors. First, the court's failure to sever assault and murder charges. Adam argues that trying the assault charges together with the murder charge prejudiced the jury. They heard evidence of his violent abuse of Harmony before hearing about her death. That evidence prejudiced them against him on the murder charge. The prosecution argues the assault evidence was relevant to show Adam's pattern of violence toward Harmony, that it established motive and intent, that separating the charges would have required two trials covering substantially the same evidence that's inefficient and traumatizing for witnesses. Second, evidence of past abuse that was admitted. Adam argues that

16:26 testimony about his prior abuse of Harmony was improperly admitted and inflamed the jury. The prosecution argues it was essential to proving the murder, showed Adam's escalating violence, showed why Harmony ended up dead in the backseat of a car. Pattern evidence is admissible when it proves motive, intent or absence of mistake. Third, video evidence of Adam's interaction with police in twenty twenty one was shown to the jury. Adam argues this video prejudiced the jury by showing him in a negative light before the murder. Prosecution argues the video was relevant to show Adam's knowledge of Harmony's disappearance and his attempts to mislead investigators. Adam's appeal faces long odds.

17:11 Trial courts have wide discretion and evidentiary rulings. Appellate courts defer to those decisions unless they constitute clear error that affected the verdict's outcome. Adam must show the trial court abused its discretion and that the errors changed the jury's verdict. That's a high bar. The evidence against Adam was overwhelming. Kayla testified he beat Harmony to death, testified about concealing the body, testified about dissolving her remains. Physical evidence supported her testimony, blood stained celing, drywall where remains were hidden, Adam's own statements to police showing consciousness of guilt. Even if the appellate court finds one or more errors, they must determine those errors were harmful that they affected the outcome.

17:58 With Kayla's testimony alone, the jury had sufficient evidence to convict. The assault charges, pasted abuse evidence and police interaction video added context but weren't essential to proving Adam killed Harmony. Prosecutors filed a response in August, asking the court to deny the appeal. They argue Adam received a fair trial, that the evidence was properly admitted that the jury's verdict was supported by overwhelming proof that Adam's conviction should stand separate from the murder appeal. Adam also appealed his weapons convictions. August twenty seventh, twenty twenty five, the New Hampshire Supreme Court denied that appeal ruling viewed in the totality of the circumstances, we conclude beyond a reasonable doubt that the challenged testimony did not affect the verdict. That's not a good sign for Adam's murder appeal. The same court that denied his weapons appeal will hear his murder appeal today if they follow similar reasoning the any evidentiary issues didn't affect the verdict. Adam's murder conviction stands. March twelfth, twenty twenty four, a judge declared Harmony legally dead at Crystal Sourri's request due to Adam's confession to abusing her corpse.

19:15 Harmony was five years old when she died. Her body has never been found, dissolved in lie and disposed of by the man who was supposed to protect her. Today, Adam Montgomery asks for a new trial. The court will decide if he gets one. But no ruling today will bring Harmony back. No appeal will undo what Adam did to his daughter. The best outcome is that his conviction stands and he spends the rest of his life in prison. More in a moment quick sentencing update. Monday, Megan Oster Schultz, a thirty six year old Kenosha figure skating coach, was sentenced to one hundred days in jail for drunk driving with her two children in the car. November seventeenth, twenty twenty four, Oster Schultz crashed her vehicle in a rollover accident.

20:11 Her two children were in the car bac of point two one eight, nearly three times Wisconsin's legal limit of point zero eight, Miraculously no injuries. Prosecutor Daniel Tombasco told the court it was only by the grace of God the situation didn't turn out worse. Defense attorney Frank Perice described Oayster Schultz as a lifelong Kenosha resident from great Stock, Her parents present in court as community pillars. She continues coaching young figure skaters and is highly regarded, as evidenced by character letters submitted to court. Perie explained she was going through a divorce at the time and let stress and alcohol get the best of her. Emphasized it wasn't an excuse, just an explanation. She'd been pliant with bond conditions for nearly a year, completed treatment and counseling, no prior criminal record. Oster Schultz gave an emotional apology, expressed remorse for her poor decision and its impact on everyone in her life, particularly those she loves most. Said the incident helped her grow over the past eleven months, committed to continuing to be the best mother she could be.

21:24 Judge Heather Iverson noted the severity of actively drinking and driving with children in the vehicle. Emphasized Oster Schultz was supposed to protect the two most precious people in her life, but instead put them in danger. Sentence one hundred days in jail with credit for one day already served. Twelve month driver's license revocation, ignition interlock device for twelve months, one thousand, nineteen dollars and fifty cents fine, work release privileges after seven days served. Report to jail October twenty fifth. That's the standard dui with minor sentence, jail time, license, suspension, interlock device fine. But the fact that she rolled the vehicle with her children inside and nobody was hurt is extraordinary luck bac of point two one eight means profoundly impaired, can't walk straight, slurred speech, impaired judgment and motor skills, and she got behind the wheel with her kids and drove until she rolled the car. The divorce explanation doesn't justify in endangering children. Lots of people go through divorce without driving drunk with their kids in the car, but it provides context for why someone with no criminal history and a successful career made such catastrophic choices. She reports to jail in nine days, will serve one hundred days minus credit, likely out in three months with good behavior.

22:49 Work release after seven days means she can continue coaching figure skating while serving her sentence. That's generous considering she endangered children. Auster Schultz got a second chance her children survived, nobody was hurt, She completed treatment, has support from family and community. But those kids will remember the night their mother drove drunk and rolled the car. That trauma doesn't disappear with a jail sentence. That celebrity trials for Thursday, October sixteenth, twenty twenty five. Daisy Link's trial continues in Miami. She shot her husband, Pedro Jimenez, after nine years of what both sides agree was a violent relationship. Prosecution says she was the aggressor, pistol whipped him, attacked him with a skateboard, admitted shooting to scare him. Defense says he abused her for years, gave her head injury so severe her sister thought she saw skull. Jury must decide self defense or murder. State rested, Defense presented family testimony. Verdict coming soon. Adam Montgomery's appeal heard today. Beat his five year old daughter Harmony to death in December twenty nineteen, dissolved her body in lie body never recovered. Convicted February twenty twenty four, sentenced to fifty six years to life.

24:13 Claims trial court made three errors. Prosecutors say, deny it. The New Hampshire Supreme Court will decide. Megan o'ster Schultz, sentenced to one hundred days for drunk driving with her children, rolled her vehicle BAC nearly three times legal limit, miraculously no injuries. Going through divorce, let stress and alcohol get the best of her. Reports to jail, October twenty fifth. I'm reed, Carter. One toxic relationship murder trial. One father who dissolved his daughter. One coach who endangered her own kids. See you tomorrow,