Closing arguments in re-trial of ex-football coach accused in pregnant wife's murder
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Closing arguments begin Monday in the re-trial of David Temple, the former Alief Hastings High School football coach accused of killing his pregnant wife Belinda and their unborn baby 20 years ago.
Both sides have rested.
Last month, Temple's soon to be ex-wife, Heather Temple, took the stand. Twenty years ago, when Belinda Temple was pregnant with the couple's second child, David began an affair with Heather, then a young teacher at the school where David was a coach.
David and Heather continued their relationship after Belinda's murder, and eventually married.
Heather Temple remained with David after he was found guilty of murder and spent a decade behind bars.
Then as Temple's re-trial began on July 8, Heather filed for divorce.
"A wife filing for divorce in the middle of her husband's murder trial is never a good look," commented well-known attorney Dan Cogdell, who spent some time watching the testimony.
"That said, she is clearly not trying to hurt David Temple's case. She's going out of her way to include responses not asked in the questions. It's clear she's still trying to help him."
Belinda Temple was eight months pregnant when she was shot in the back of the head in the couple's Katy home. The couple also had a 3-year-old son, Evan.
In 2007, David was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison. However, nine years later, the Court of Criminal Appeals, the highest criminal court in Texas, threw out the conviction, concluding prosecutors hid or delayed revealing hundreds of pages of evidence to his defense team as he was tried for the murder.
Last month, jurors viewed emails from 1999 that showed Heather Temple communicating with David Temple and another teacher at the school.
"(They were) some bad choices," said Heather from the stand. "Emailing seemed fun at the time, I know it's wrong."
Heather and attorneys from both sides then went over details of exactly when her relationship with David became intimate, and whether she was forthcoming enough to detectives at the time.
"It has been a long process but she's holding her head up, she's testifying now, she's doing good today," said Kathy Adibe, Heather's newly hired divorce attorney. Adibe would not comment on the timing of the divorce filings.
TIMELINE: DAVID TEMPLE CASE
Related:
David Temple's soon to be ex-wife takes the stand in his re-trial
Football coach to go back on trial 20 years after wife's murder.
Former coach's re-trial underway 20 years after wife's murder.
Twists and turns of pregnant teachers murder case.
