Posted on 08/14/2006 2:29:07 PM PDT by SmithL
NASHVILLE - Accused killer Perry March told a fellow jail inmate that if his in-laws were dead his chances of beating a murder rap for his wife's death would go from 40 to 90 percent.
March hatched a jailhouse plot with inmate Russell Farris in 2005 to kill the parents of his missing wife, Janet March, while he awaited trial for her death. But March did not know that Farris was recording their conversations at the behest of authorities.
On Monday, jurors listened to audio tapes in which March details the plot to kill Larry and Carolyn Levine.
March, 45, is charged with second-degree murder, evidence tampering and abuse of a corpse relating to the death of Janet March, who was last seen on Aug. 15, 1996.
He faces life in prison if convicted.
March told authorities that his 33-year-old wife stormed out of their West Nashville home that evening with her bags packed after an argument. She was never seen again, and her body has not been found.
Prosecutors contend March killed her in a rage and buried her body after she told him she wanted a divorce.
March was convicted in June 2006 of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. His father, Col. Arthur Wayne March, testified against him in exchange for an 18-month sentence in federal court. He originally faced up to 20 years for his role in the scheme.
Farris, 29, told jurors Saturday that as soon as March arrived at the unit in September 2005, he began talking about killing his in-laws, with whom he was battling for custody of his two children, Samson and Tzipora.
In the recordings, which span eight hours over two days, Farris assured March that he would make sure his children were not present when the murders occurred. He also spoke of using wigs, gold teeth and baseball caps to conceal his identity.
In turn, March promised Farris that the two would start a new life in Mexico, where March had lived with his children and his father before he returned to the United States in August 2005 to face the murder charges.
"Perry, all I want is a place for me, for my dog, you know, and I want, I guess, my mom to come down there too," Farris told him.
"You're preaching to the choir, I'm a hundred percent down this road," March said in the tape.
But defense lawyers claim Farris took advantage of March by playing on his emotions.
"The Levines got your kids, and man, I can't imagine how that feels," Farris said. "If my worse enemy had my dog … I would go nuts, Perry."
"You tried to inflame him and pull him into this deal?" defense attorney William Massey asked Farris. "You told him he couldn't beat his murder rap with the Levines here?"
"This was his deal, it wasn't my story," Farris said. "I was playing a role."
The jury will continue listening to the audiotapes Monday afternoon.
Are other Tennessee Freepers as tired of this case as I am? Folks get shot and killed nearly every day in Nashville and this 10 year old case is dominating the headlines.
But, I guess it could be worse. They could bring up the Marsha Trimble case again....
Yep, I'm tired of it, too. I wish he'd gone further than Mexico so they never would have gotten him back here for this "trial event". I'm sure he's probably guilty. I'm just sick of hearing about it.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.