Lawyer says Brendan Banfield will take the stand in his own defense in Au Pair Murders

 According to his lawyer, Brendan Banfield will testify in his own behalf in what is being called the "Au Pair" murder trial.  The former IRS special agent is accused of killing his wife and another man and staging the crime scene. 

 

According to the Au Pair Juliana Peres Magalhães , hired to take care of the Banfield's daughter, she helped stage the crime scene and participated in the murder   firing one shot into the body of Joseph Ryan. 

According to the prosecution, Ryan was lured to the Banfield home for a sexual tryst with murder victim Christine Banfield. The role-playing activity that drew Ryan to the residence was to participate in a rape fantasy, according to prosecutors. 

  Magalhaes  testified against Brendan Banfield, saying  she saw him shoot Ryan and stab his wife to death. . In exchange for her testimony she  received a lesser sentence. She pled guilty to a manslaughter charge instead of murder. 

Lawyers generally do all they can to persuade defendants to stay off the witness stand.  One can only guess that Brendan's willingness to do so is a last desperate attempt to save himself.