The Doctor's Daughter | Full Episode

foreign on the ground in the shower I need to go over there and see if she's okay okay how do you know she's down there my dad my dad's over there he's in the bathtub it's like a house phone [Music] the actual call came out where the victim fell in the shower the supervisor of the scene called and said I think you're going to want to come up here there's quite a bit of blood I'm thinking this had to have been some fall Dr newlander said that he removed his wife from the shower and ultimately took her into the bedroom in order to perform CPR emergency Personnel determined that she was dead shortly after they arrived Leslie was so well known they were both very active in the philanthropic community he's delivered thousands of babies so if you you know you just multiply that out there's literally tens of thousands of people that have some connection to Dr newlander the medical examiner makes a ruling she slipped and fell in the shower accidental death right I thought you know how sad and then went about doing the other things that I'm supposed to do you know this was supposed to be a fall in the shower but we've got blood on this wall some blood spatter up on on an angled wall and then my suspicions began to rise and I'm wondering if if we missed something here do you have any explanation the best explanation to me is an impact event [Music] on or near the South side of the bed impacts better Force impacting liquid blood there was obviously a violent encounter in that bedroom inconsistent with a scenario where she wakes up goes into the shower slips and is discovered by her husband [Music] it's a homicide it's an arrest 18 months in the making it was originally ruled an accident but police have been investigating ever since I don't think people kill people without some reason so why did he do it ma'am one of the absolute major major points of the prosecution's case was the 911 call from the daughter [Music] Jenna newlander was important to the prosecution and the defense because she was the only other person in the house at the time of these events [Music] thank you foreign [Music] [Music] [Music] home on the morning of September 17 2012. a disturbing scene was unfolding as 23 year old Jenna newlander frantically called 911 [Applause] Jenna's father Dr Robert newlander had screamed to her for help he said he just found his wife on the floor of the bathroom shower within minutes paramedics arrived at the house 61-year-old Leslie newlander had suffered a massive head wound she was pronounced dead at the scene you get a call fall in the shower you show up expecting to see the accident victim near the shower that's right the expectations are that she's going to be there in the shower or immediately right outside the shower instead former DeWitt New York police Sergeant Scott caprel found Leslie in the bedroom on the floor close to the bed I walk into the actual bedroom and that's when I catch all the blood caprel noticed blood in different areas of the bedroom pooled on the rug and spattered on the wall next to the bed my radar is going off as far as saying oh we need to answer while this blood is here capral had plenty of questions but Dr newlander seemed to have all the answers telling investigators that after finding Leslie on the shower floor he carried her out of the bathroom some 60 feet into the bedroom where he could more comfortably perform CPR [Applause] [Music] something he did despite Jenna's protests as he's relaying the story about what had occurred and as the medical examiner is digesting it and as we're all digesting it his actual story of step-by-step process fit the pattern of where you saw these different pools of blood the medical examiner on the scene examined Leslie's injuries and ruled they matched up with Dr newlander's account the death a tragic accident Leslie newlander died from hitting her head on the shower bench the whole thing was was uh the whole thing was out of uh character with a fall in the shower you've been a cop 20 years had you ever seen head trauma like that before well not from a fall but as we're listening to the medical examiner explain what what he feels could have happened you know we're not Physicians we're not forensic Pathologists we're police officers we're investigators so we certainly defer to him the account of Jenna newlander an eyewitness actually carrying seemed to back up the medical examiner's ruling that this was an accident when police interviewed her as part of their routine investigation [Music] the death of Leslie newlander shook the community everyone knew the newlanders Mary Jim Bellic was a good friend of the new Landers they seemed like the perfect couple the perfect marriage the perfect family really Leslie was a fabulous woman very vivacious energetic unpretentious she was switched on yes I know people always speak well of the dead but truly this was her personality to be so giving and alive Leslie and Bob gave generously both their time and money they were well known for their philanthropy their social prominence dovetailed with Robert newlander's professional standing one of the most highly regarded gynecologists and Obstetricians in the Syracuse area he delivered a lot of babies around here many many with a lot of good feelings toward the care he gave those patients for many many years my interactions with Dr newlander were joyful were these wonderful things that were happening and welcoming their baby becoming a family Julie Crosby who worked with Dr newlander assisting pregnant women says patients were drawn to his supportive demeanor I found Dr new later to be compassionate kind knowledgeable that caring way say those who knew them best was a defining value for this tightly knit family the closeness is plain to see in these birthday tributes for Robert and Leslie made by their children Emily and Brian from Robert's first marriage and Ari and Jenna from Leslie and Robert's 28-year marriage mixed with loving teasing for their mother how did everyone know I'm from New York I don't understand how does everyone know I'm from New York is a deep appreciation thank you for being you I love you the newlander's thoughtfulness was something very Jim Bellic experienced firsthand after becoming Gravely ill with an infection while on vacation in the Czech Republic in the summer of 2012. I was in a coma and then in the hospital for three weeks when she finally returned home the first neighbors to check on her were the newlanders I remember hugging everybody and I remember Leslie saying we're so glad that you made it just two days later Mary received the devastating news Leslie was dead a freak accident she'd slipped in the shower I couldn't believe that she had just been to see me and tell me how grateful she is that I'm alive and she's dead it was shocking it was overwhelming what did you think about that well at the time I thought I guess that can happen even to a 61 year old very healthy athletic person that was the same conclusion Onondaga County district attorney Bill Fitzpatrick reached when he first heard about Leslie's death he believed it was a tragic accident until a few months later when a tip changed everything I'm gonna get to the bottom of this [Music] um three months after Leslie newlander's sudden death Mary Jim bellick began getting some unusual calls from Friends what are they saying we don't think it was an accident and who better to share their concerns with than a forensic scientist for 11 years Dr Mary chumbelic was the County's chief medical examiner until she retired in 2009. my focus for my entire career has been to speak for the dead Dr Jim Bellic listened carefully there were questions about all that blood and whispers about the newlander's personal life are you hearing about a troubled marriage yes are you hearing about financial problems yes in recent years Dr newlander's thriving practice had been derailed by a battle with an insurance company and he was now delivering half the number of babies he did previously Dr Jim Bellic was reluctant to get involved but she finally picked up the phone and called her old colleague D.A Bill Fitzpatrick did you feel in some way you were betraying the newlanders I felt I was responding to gossip as it turns out the D.A had also been hearing things he'd received an anonymous letter just before Jim bellick's call suggesting a different side to Dr newlander that he's not the you know the good guy that that people are making him out to be Leslie was trying to break away from this guy Jim bellick's initial Hope was she could soon put all the speculation to rest and she volunteers you know pro bono to take a look at the case and would I make the file available to her and I said absolutely as you began to look at this file what jumped out at you the severity of the injuries compared to the explanation Leslie had suffered a penetrating wound toward the back of her head so severe the blood pulled in her eye had you seen head wounds like this before of course in what kind of cases car accidents Falls from you know 20-story building beatings what might cause this kind of injury a heavy object of some sort you're talking about getting hit with some object yes what do you tell the district attorney after reviewing the file that this is a homicide blunt had Trauma from an assault half a year after Leslie newlander's death the investigation picked up steam police Revisited the death scene to collect more evidence from the now unoccupied new Lander home which had been sold one of the things we find is blood all over the back of a headboard on the bed we also found blood spatter on the blinds that were behind the bed Dr newlander was living in a new apartment which was also searched by now he had retained one of the best criminal defense lawyers in the city Edward Menken this has been an Open Secret and a subject of gossip and irresponsible rumor now for months Dr newlander has not been charged with any kind of offense men can assured the D.A his client had nothing to hide so much so that 15 months after Leslie's death Dr newlander now retired voluntarily sat for an interview with prosecutors and investigators even acknowledging there had been problems in their marriage but you were sleeping separately okay what was the reason for that uh we had thought about a trial separation yet Robert newlander portrays the home as peaceful and loving despite the issues in their marriage the night before Leslie died the couple along with their son Ari and daughter Jenna had a family dinner at a friend's home after Ari headed back to his college dorm and Jenna went back home with her parents said goodnight to each other and we loved each other and everybody went to their prospective bedrooms Dr newlander tells the D.A that early the next morning he went for a jog at a nearby State Park Green Lakes and then brought Leslie her usual cup of morning coffee when he got back shower is on I hear the water running and I place it on the nightstand about an hour later he says he returned to check on Leslie and there she was lying on the shower floor Dr newlander says he started CPR and tried to call 9-1-1 but the bathroom phone wasn't working so he ran toward Jenna's bedroom yelling for her to call 9-1-1 the time 8 25 am my mother's I don't know if she's breathing but she's laying on the ground in the shower he said he then went back to Leslie and began to move her he says he can't see the lighting is not very good in the bathroom he then put Leslie down just outside the bathroom to give her mouth to mouth before moving her again [Applause] I don't know at what age we all learn that you don't move somebody with a serious head or neck injury but we all know it and here's a guy that's been practicing medicine for 30 years finally Dr newlander says he placed his wife next to the bed to continue CPR there's you know more red flags than a bullfight going off in my head when I hear that story for the first time Fitzpatrick develops his own theory that hours before that 9-1-1 call Dr newlander assaulted his wife in the bedroom and then likely chased her into the bathroom I think that he struck her on that shower bench she may have already been in the process of dying at that point Fitzpatrick believes new Lander made up the story of finding Leslie in the shower and called for Jenna so he'd have a witness as he carried his wife back to the bedroom what do you think he was doing when he was moving her I think now he has got to explain the bloodstream well from The Assault that took place in the bedroom that eventually made its way into the bathroom and he's got to do it in reverse he had to move that body himself to explain that blood as for the blood spattered in the bedroom the D.A believes Dr newlander didn't realize some of it was there because the violence took place before the sun was up and don't forget he's committing this crime it's dark he doesn't know where all the blood is but if Leslie newlander was attacked in her bedroom why were the sheets nearly pristine the new Landers longtime housekeeper provided a clue to investigators she looked at the bed and got upset and said those are not the sheets that were on that bed that Friday she was very confident of that the D.A believes that Dr newlander got rid of the sheets and the weapon on that alleged morning run I think the murder weapon is at the bottom of Green Lake somewhere along with the missing sheets with evidence now mounting the medical examiner changed his original report from accidental death to homicide nearly two years after Leslie newlander's death her husband Dr Robert newlander was charged with her murder the defendant moved the body of Leslie newlander after her death to make it appear as if she had died from an accidental fall in the shower but Dr newlander's family says Fitzpatrick has it all wrong Leslie's own children Stand United with the man accused of murdering their mother [Music] what do you think created that trail of blood an expert explains the science of blood spatter on Facebook at 48 hours [Music] in March of 2015 two and a half years after the death of Leslie newlander high drama was about to unfold in the Onondaga County Courthouse it has all the elements the rich defendant a beautiful wife and the Mystery surrounding it was it an accident was it a homicide so it's huge it was huge for this community Not only was a prominent doctor on trial but two of Syracuse's top trial lawyers were squaring off to determine his guilt or innocence people were stopping you on the street you know if it's uh how's it look or go get them or I hope you lose I have never had a client whose innocence I believe in more firmly than him Ed menkin spoke to local reporters but declined our request for an interview if either one of them finds blood in the water they go right for it we asked retired local attorney Jim Stevens to explain the defense's case he's a CBS News consultant who attended the trial it was going to be riveting it was a top-notch trial all the way around each day in court began with the same scene in the hallways free on a hundred thousand dollars bail the doctor would arrive flanked not only by his children but by Leslie's sister and brother he didn't do it that's the message he didn't do it was not a crime the state has bigger hurdles to contend with than just images prosecutors have no weapon and no clear-cut motive is it risky to go to a jury without those things sure sure they I mean the jurors you know they're not any different than you and I they want they want answers Fitzpatrick believes the evidence like the blood spatter in the bedroom will tell the jury that this was no accident and he's Enlisted the help of forensic scientist Karen Greene to make his case blood stains can tell you a lot they can tell you a lot and they're associated with just about every crime scene that we go to there were no cameras in the courtroom so we asked green to take us through her blood spatter analysis there was spatter on the headboard there was spatter on items on the nightstand just south of the bed it's better on the blinds above the bed and there were spatter on the south wall that was about seven feet to the south of the bed tell us about the South Wall we've been referencing it what are the two spotters that are marked sbd1 that's an area where we saw over 100 spatter stains the prosecution contends the spatter was primarily something called impact spatter created when Leslie was attacked in the bedroom to better understand the terminology we built a set and supplied Karen green with Stage blood to give us a rudimentary lesson when we talk about impacts better what does that mean impact spatter is force applied to liquid blood so I'm going to pour some of our artificial blood here into my hand and I'm going to punch it and that's Force going into a blood Source the force impacts the blood and the blood spatters yes and then the blood breaks up into smaller drops it's impact that's one way blood gets out you can see how it's it's radiating out we have some smaller stains with some directionality up to the top for the newlander case green conducted various experiments trying to recreate the spatter in the bedroom going so far as placing a rock covered in plastic and a wig on a bed to simulate Leslie's head I had a location that was similar to the new Lander bedroom with the slanted ceiling I used all the measurements that were in the scene the approximate height of the bed I had a nightstand and then I put liquid blood and I impacted it I just had to verify that an impact on or near the South side of the bed could create spatter six to seven feet away in the same distribution and could it I was able to recreate with an impact event an impact scenario all of this batter that I saw in this bedroom but the defense mocked Green's methods and said they amounted to nothing more than whacking a mannequin over the head the defense had their own blood spatter expert he testified it was not possible to determine if Leslie's death had been an accident or a homicide because the investigation had been flawed there were not enough close-up pictures of the blood some of the evidence in question like the headboard and the blinds have been collected months after the incident emergency Personnel had walked all over the scene in fact the defense suggested that EMTs may have been responsible for some of the blood spatter First Responders probably had blood on their hands and that the gloves were just peeled off and in so doing the blood flies from the gloves and you don't have an impact but you have a cast off the defense also argued that the blood could have been cast off by Dr newlander himself the doctor said he'd been wearing a long-sleeve shirt that became so wet and bloody as he tried to frantically save his wife's life that he pulled it off those spatters by the bed were caused by him removing a shirt Fitzpatrick scoffs at those theories pointing out that paramedics are trained to carefully remove their gloves and that no gloves or shirt could account for the amount of blood in that room that doesn't explain any of the blood it's a significant amount of blood the defense insists it was an accident and that there may have been a good reason why Leslie newlander fell that morning she had vertigo a dizziness disorder Leslie's personal trainer told the jury that Leslie's condition had grown worse and her sister Joanne testified that it ran in the family and that she herself suffered from it the idea of her sister testifying is that affecting your view of the case why wouldn't she be matter in hell and why wouldn't she be saying I'm testifying for you what are you crazy you killed my sister to bolster their case of an accidental death the defense hired Dr Daniel Spitz a medical examiner working in Michigan who's seen more than his share of traumatic head injuries his testimony basically is the massive head wound that caused her death was caused as a result of her falling in the shower against the stone bench if Leslie sustained an injury in the shower by her head striking the stone bench what is this do for Dr newlander's defense the home run but the prosecution countered that Leslie suffered at least two blows to her skull and that the wounds were not consistent with their heads striking a straight edge like a stone shower bench it should be like a simple linear fracture with some bleeding underneath of it but you don't get the complex depressed fracture like this Dr Jim Bellic did not testify at trial but consulted with the prosecution Leslie's other injuries they say don't add up to a slip and fall there were abrasions scrapes of the skin on her cheek bruising on her nose more on the left side of the cheek as well bruising and scraping on her neck if she slipped and fell in the shower why aren't there any injuries to her back or her legs her knees her elbows critical to the prosecution's case not just how Leslie newlander died but when Dr Spitz estimated Leslie died around 7 30 A.M but the D.A makes the case that her death could have occurred as early as 4 15 which fits his theory of a pre-dawn assault the time of death is absolutely inconsistent with the defendant story there is now just one more witness left to testify the doctor's daughter what did she see that terrible morning [Applause] she was there she was there [Music] [Music] thank you the day that Jenna was to testify The Spectators were lined up in anticipation of what she was going to say two and a half years after Jenna newlander's beloved mother Leslie died thank you for being you I love you the now 25 year old devoted daughter is about to take the stand to defend her father there was no doubt there was pain in that courtroom when she testified she's trying to secure her father's freedom and she's dealing with the death of her mother right I don't know how she got on the stand to do it she's the only other eyewitness she was very very important to the outcome of this case on her fully describes the mother she lost she was genuinely upset and mournful about testifying the testimony forced her to bring some memories to the surface of her mother who she clearly loved very very much Jenna then tells the jury what happened in the newlander's home in the hours before her mother died she says she was with her mom in Leslie's bedroom until 2 am and Jenna clearly remembers the sheets on her mother's bed that night she says they're the same ones in the death scene photos sheets the housekeeper said had been changed the changing of the sheets was a significant issue and why would you change the sheets change the sheets because there was blood on it no bloody sheets there's no impact event right on the bed it's perhaps the most critically important piece of evidence I would not I it's like a house phone the later part of the 9-1-1 call Jenna put the call on hold in her mother's office to get closer to the bathroom where Leslie was both sides argue Jenna's cry there's blood everywhere is key and supports their case to demonstrate the arguments we made an animation of parts of the newlander home based on evidence the prosecution presented at trial the prosecution believes as Jenna was running into the bathroom she passes blood here and here a trail of blood that could not yet exist unless Robert newlander attacked Leslie earlier in the bedroom and then left her in the shower she has passed the entrance to the bathroom where there's a significant amount of Blood on the wall that only could have come from Leslie's head perhaps by being pushed against that wall or perhaps being chased the D.A says Jenna then grabbed the landline phone in the water closet to reconnect with 9-1-1 and yells there's blood everywhere he was born you're saying it's a big deal how she even phrased oh my God there's blood everywhere that her mother's not part of that sentence exactly her initial response would have been oh my God my mother's bleeding my mother's on the ground she would have referenced what she was seeing Fitzpatrick believes Jenna drops the phone and the call captures seconds later the exact moment when she first sees her mom as Dr newlander starts to carry Leslie's body around the corner out of the shower and into Jenna's View it is then she lets loose a cry of pure anguish [Music] as painful as it is to listen to it is inconceivable that that call is anything other than a declaration of guilt against her father but the defense says the same call proves Dr newlander's innocence that when Jenna runs into the bathroom there is no blood on the walls yet Jenna testifies she picks up the phone by the toilet drops it because it isn't working while rushing to help her father they carry her mother to this area right outside the bathroom and Jenna says it is at that point she takes a cordless phone from her mother's dressing room and reconnects with the 9-1-1 operator in the defense view this is when Jenna sees blood on and around her mother this is when she yells there's blood everywhere the defenses take on that is that her mother is present in front of her and she's reacting to her mother the blood that's on her mother and maybe Blood on the wall and on on the floor as well Jenna was asked on the stand did you see blood on your way to the water closet correct she answered what she said no that supports the notion that the first time she saw blood she was looking at her mother correct the D.A though doesn't believe Jenna could do everything she claims to have done during the 13 seconds the 9-1-1 call was on hold Fitzpatrick tried it himself and says it took him about 50 seconds it is not physically possible to do that in 13 seconds it's not even a close question there is one other part of Jenna's testimony that may be crucial Jenna tells the jury that as her father was tending to her mother in the bedroom she saw him take off a blood-soaked shirt and throw it to the side now remember the defense suggested that tossing this bloody shirt may have caused some of the blood spatter in the bedroom but the shirt has never been found [Music] there is a single witness that saw him with a long sleeve shirt on other than Jenna if we injected Jenna new Lander with truth serum and said did your father kill your mother she would say no I don't think in her mind Jenna believes that her father did this I think she is created a protective World in her mind where Mom slipped and fell in the shower [Music] foreign but the question now isn't what Jenna believes it's what the jury believes I'm worried that they're having an emotional reaction to the agony of this girl [Music] they know that this girl wants them to vote not guilty and they know that this 60 plus year old defendant is unlikely to reoffend and all of those emotions can play to the detriment of a case that has to be proven Beyond A Reasonable Doubt [Music] after eight grueling days of testimony district attorney Bill Fitzpatrick addressed the jury one last time for closing arguments asking them to pay close attention to the physical evidence specifically the blood spatter on the walls and the injuries to Leslie newlander's body as I said many times in a trial Leslie will speak to you ladies and gentlemen you have to listen to her and also to listen carefully to the words of Jenna newlander in that critical 9-1-1 call everybody it proves his guilt Beyond any shot of the doubt but there's one thing the D.A could not share with the jury what he suspects was the motive that sent Robert newlander into a murderous rage that morning investigators learned from a friend of the newlander family that Leslie was planning on signing a lease for a new apartment on the day she died Leslie was on her way out and this is not a guy that can deal with that but this was not presented at trial Fitzpatrick says because the memory of that witness changed she later said the apartment was for both Leslie and Robert Ed menkin strongly denies these accusations and insists there was no motive in the summation he didn't just say not guilty he said innocent innocent he said innocent throughout the jury would deliberate for three days before alerting the judge they had reached a verdict Robert newlander returned to the courthouse once again armed in arm with his family the pain etched on his children's faces two and a half years after Leslie newlander's death the jury found Robert newlander guilty of her murder a heartbroken Jenna newlander broke the Silence of the hushed courtroom crying out loud to her father I was there you didn't do it let me know when everybody said I'm only saying outside the courtroom a visibly shaken Ed menkin addressed the media Bob newlander is the most honorable person I have ever met this case has been a travesty from start to finish it is not finished and so the newlander children turned to attorney Gerald chargell legendary for his defense of mob boss John Gotti to handle their father's appeal chargell wasted little time calling for a hearing to throw out new Landers conviction alleging there was serious juror misconduct in the spotlight a juror named Jonah Lorraine according to an alternate juror Lorraine had received texts and other Communications about the case during trial against judge Miller's orders not to discuss the case a search of the accused juror's phone revealed she had received some potentially prejudicial texts including one from her father which read make sure he's guilty but Weeks Later the judge upheld Dr newlander's conviction pointing out the juror had been undecided in early stages of deliberations and in the end the judge ruled she had taken her role seriously almost four months after the verdict sentencing would finally commence [Music] with family photos on display the newlander children returned to the courthouse for the first time all right cameras are allowed in court facing a maximum sentence of 25 years to Life newlander's Family begged the judge for the minimum sentence of 15 years Leslie's sister Joanne spoke on the Family's behalf had any of us even slightly suspected Foul Play of any sort we would not be here today and then it was time for Robert newlander to address the court my head is Unbound by the verdict of this chord for an innocent man has been wrongfully convicted I would not it did not take a life I love my wife Leslie very much and I mourn her every day now and forever the judge sentenced Robert newlander to 20 years to life in a New York state prison in the jury's lives Dr newlander you intentionally murdered your wife and then attempted to use your own daughter to cover it up a daughter who most clearly adores you which is as diabolical as a guess as Dr newlander is escorted out of the courtroom to begin his sentence Jenna calls out the newlander children have now lost not only their mother but their father as well I I hate what this has done to Jenna that's probably the most painful thing of all he brought Jen into that process he made her a witness for his own purposes and that is cruel but Dr Mary Jim bellick knows she has also played a role in their suffering do you have any regret about your involvement in this case no this is probably the hardest thing I've ever done in my whole career however it was the right thing to do and I hold on to that we are finally giving Leslie the acknowledgment of what happened to her [Music] a popular dentist and his wife on an African hunting Safari the shotgun blast killed her almost instantly he said she was packing her gun it boggles the mind of two experienced hunters for this to have been an accident was there a motive what happened on the Safari 48 Hours next on CBS

Channel: 48 Hours

Views: 2,264,673

Keywords: 48 hours, cbs news, true crime, leslie neulander, dr robert neulander, jenna neulander, 911 call, DeWitt, syracuse new york, blunt force trauma, onongdaga county, murder

Id: xFx_NLFqNK8

Length: 42min 58sec (2578 seconds)

Published: Tue Dec 26 2023