Chapter 15 - ADRIAN’S DEFENSE
Adrian’s defense had several layers.
First:
He pushed Lucia, but not intending a fall.
He claimed she was turning toward him, unstable, and he extended a hand too forcefully.
Video contradicted much of that.
His palm contacted her upper back while she faced away.
Second:
The medication.
He denied giving it to her.
He said Lucia could have taken one of his old pills accidentally.
How?
No explanation.
Then he suggested household staff might have mixed medications.
No supporting evidence.
Then:
Lucia may have self-administered.
Why would she?
Defense pointed to no history of misuse.
Third:
The recordings.
Adrian said he documented Lucia because he genuinely feared she was becoming medically unstable.
That part could have been plausible.
Except for:
The draft plan.
The detection searches.
The unsent note about blood.
The staged questions on video.
The staircase placeholder.
Then the proxy.
He claimed he never intended to seize Lucia’s shares.
Technically, he had no power to do so unilaterally.
He had asked lawyers about temporary decision structures.
The prosecution avoided overstating that into financial theft.
Good.
The corporate motive explained pressure.
It was not charged as some giant fraud scheme.
Then Adrian’s strongest point:
Salvatore Morelli hated him and had used business power to punish Costa Maritime after the incident.
True.
My $74,000 mistake became a defense exhibit.
Adrian’s lawyer wanted the jury to believe the criminal case was part of a Morelli campaign.
The prosecutor’s answer:
The blood came from a hospital lab.
The video came from Adrian’s phone.
The housekeeper worked for the Costas.
The digital files were created on Adrian’s device.
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My behavior could be wrong without making that evidence disappear.
Exactly.
