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May 13, 2008 5:33 pm US/Eastern
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Horse Farm Murder Suspect Tours Site With Jury
BRENTWOOD, N.H. (WBZ) ―
Sheila LaBarre joined jurors in her insanity trial Tuesday on a visit to her Epping horse farm, where she killed two boyfriends.
She did not wear a stun belt underneath her clothes for the visit, as was initially reported.
The viewing of the horse farm and other sites relevant to the case, included the Wal-Mart in Epping where LaBarre was seen pushing a sallow-looking Kenneth Countie in a wheelchair days before his death in 2006. The tour was completed Tuesday morning.
On Monday, the judge said LaBarre would wear a stun belt controlled by sheriffs accompanying her on the tour. If she tried to escape, the sheriffs would have pressed a button, releasing an electric shock from the belt that will prevent her from running.
She did not speak during the tour, but she did show tears while visiting her farm, which has now been abandoned for two years.
Countie's family was also on the visit.
Attorneys presented opening statements to the 12 jurors and 6 alternates Tuesday afternoon.
LaBarre has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to killing the 24-year-old Countie, formerly of Wilmington, Mass., and Michael Deloge in 2005.
"Does someone who is sane try to cover up a crime by telling police that her victims' remains are in a bag nearby?" said LaBarre's attorney Brad Bailey. "Does someone who is sane cover up her crime and keep her remains of another victim in grain bags in her car for two weeks? Does someone who is insane flee a crime by dying her hair red and purple?"
In an insanity case, the defense is burdened with proving whether LaBarre was insane at the time of the crimes; it will present evidence first.
LaBarre's other attorney, Jeffrey Denner told reporters Tuesday "She's a poster child for insanity."
However, prosecutors say while she may have a mental illness or a personality disorder, Shiela LaBarre knew what she was doing when she killed the men and that she deliberately tried to conceal evidence to prevent herself from getting caught.
LaBarre took notes as prosecutors told jurors about her pattern of preying on weak and intellectually disabled men, abusing them and playing out her violent sexual desires.
"She created this fantasy that Michael and Kenny were pedophiles and even convinced them of that fact as justification of her treatment," said N.H. senior assistant Attorney General Anne Rice. "Her isolating them from her families and dominated them and beating them to satisfy her sadomasochistic desires."
On the stand, LaBarre's sister, Lynn Noogin, told jurors as a child Sheila LaBarre was a victim.
"I think my dad was doing something to her sexually," LaBarre's sister said.
Noogin testified that she never told anyone about the alleged abuse. She also said as a child, LaBarre was teased and called "Crazy Shiela."
Noogin said when LaBarre was about 20 years old, she attempted to kill herself and later claimed she died and went to heaven before coming back to life.
The defense plans to present expert testimony on Wednesday.
Defense attorneys have not said whether LaBarre will take the stand but in the coming days jurors will hear her voice. Attorneys will play some of LaBarre's hundreds of hours of secretly tape recorded conversations.
If the jury decides LaBarre was insane, she will be sent to a psychiatric facility where her status will be reviewed every five years.
If the jury rules LaBarre knew what she was doing, she will be sent to prison for life.
(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)