Defense presents case in Bethany McKee murder trial

JOLIET, Ill. (WLS) -- The defense began presenting its case Monday in the double murder trial of Bethany McKee, one four people charged with the murders of Terrance Rankins and Eric Glover in a Joliet home.

One of McKee's co-defendants, Alisa Massaro, has already pleaded guilty and testified against her. The defense tried to discredit that testimony during Monday's trial.

Families of the victims and McKee arrived to the Will County Courthouse as the murder trial goes into its second week.

Prosecutors called a final witness before resting.

A forensic pathologist testified that Rankins and Glover died of strangulation, something that would have taken several minutes of constant pressure.

Massaro, one of the four charged in connection with the murders, is serving a 10-year sentence in return for testifying against the others.

Defense attorneys played the video of Massaro when she was initially questioned by police.

A detective reviews her Miranda rights and asks:

"Do you understand? Do you understand? Just say you understand. Just say correct!"

She eventually responds:

"Yeah I understand."

Later she asks:

"Can I have a lawyer?"

A detective says: What?"

Massaro repeats: "Can I have a lawyer?"

Then she agrees to talk with them without an attorney and says of Rankins and Glover:

"I didn't know who they were. I didn't know they were coming over."

In the video, she contradicts the testimony she gave last week during the trial several times.

She told the officers:

"They were trying to do things we didn't want to do. They were being forceful. And I don't know what happened after that."

On the witness stand, she said all four decided to rob Rankins. But in that initial statement she said:

"I overheard that they wanted to do something to get money."

Closing arguments are expected Tuesday, then it will be up to a Will County judge to decide the fate of McKee.