This is the second time Patton has faced a murder trial over the incident, which occurred at the cou

Ann Maxin Patton, 43, cries as a Costa Rica court delivers a guilty verdict in a high-profile murder trial. Patton was convicted on Tuesday, May 27, 2014 of shooting to death her husband, U.S. financier John Felix Bender.
Update, Wed., May 28: After being taken into custody on Tuesday, sources say Patton was transferred to a hospital in Pérez Zeledón. According to prosecutor Edgar Ramírez, officials are evaluating placing her in a psychiatric care unit of the Justice Ministry to serve her nine-month preventive detention.
After more than a week of testimony, a Costa Rica criminal court on Tuesday convicted U.S. expat Ann Maxin Patton, 43, of shooting to death her husband, U.S. financier cheap car rentals hertz John Felix Bender, 44, in 2010.
The court sentenced Patton to 22 years in prison for the crime. Judges Adolfo Calderón Bogantes, Cristian Calvo and Liner Zúñiga Herrera ordered Patton to be placed cheap car rentals hertz into nine months of preventive detention while the sentence is reviewed.
This is the second time Patton has faced a murder trial over the incident, which occurred at the couple s luxury jungle estate in Florida de Barú, Pérez Zeledón, in southern Costa Rica. A different court had acquitted Patton last year, but an appeals court ordered a new trial . The retrial began on Monday, May 19.
At the start of the retrial last week, Costa Rican prosecutor Edgar Ramírez said, “We will demonstrate that there is convincing evidence, scientific proof that is irrefutable. Patton said she fought with Bender that night in an unsuccessful attempt to wrestle the firearm away from him. Prosecutors, however, say she shot him.
Prosecutors said there were no signs of gunpowder residue on Bender’s hands, while Patton allegedly wiped her hands with napkins after the shooting. Those napkins revealed traces of gunpowder, prosecutors said at trial.
Among the evidence judges cited in delivering a guilty verdict were photos of blood patterns obtained at the scene, and a torn pillow, which according to the court, proved the weapon was found too far from the victim to have been a suicide. Prosecutors had presented the theory that Patton shot Bender, who was wearing earplugs and was found in a fetal position, while he slept.
“The firearm was far from the tear in the pillow [when it was fired], because if [the gun] had come in contact with the pillow, it would have produced a smoke and burn pattern, which leads the court to conclude that the firearm was far away from the victim s head, the sentencing judge stated.
“The fundamental element for which the court has based its opinion is the position of the body at the moment Judicial Investigation Police cheap car rentals hertz officers arrived, at which point the photos we can observe here were taken, Calderón said.
Beyond the fact that there was no blood on the defendant, beyond cheap car rentals hertz the fact that the pistol was found in another place, beyond the tampering of the crime scene, the only reasonable explanation, considering the body s position and the evidence found on the body, is that the bullet wound is homicide, because there was no way the victim could have done it, Calderón said.
A total of six judges weighed in during both trials. Only one judge, during the first murder trial, believed there was enough doubt to find Patton not guilty. Five judges, based on scientific evidence and testimony, found Patton guilty. According to that evidence, the gun was 50 centimeters away from Bender s head when it was fired – too great a distance to have been a suicide.
I visited cheap car rentals hertz there in 1998 and did not like it at all. Then went on holiday to Thailand in 2005, came back to USA sold my house and have live here ever since. But now with the latest coup and junta government taking over it s getting bad here too not sure where I will go next maybe try out the Philippines or back to the USA for a while.
Two Trials, the possibility to hire the best lawyer, and yet everything proves that she did it. No injustice here. The shot was from behind, there was gun powder on her hand and not on his, then all the trafficked gems and her contradicting declarations. She probably thought Costa Rican officials were idiots! Well, bad news arrogant lady. Now let s hope that the investigation about the gems lead the authorities to also convict her for a few more years.
Justice system in Costa Rica is backwards they let drug dealers cheap car rentals hertz go that bring 1 ton of cocaine and they let corupt judges help cartels. Costa Rican justice system helps ex prez to steal from the people. This Lady never stood a chance cheap car rentals hertz once the bad justice system tastes blood they never give up. She should have ran back to Brazil. Never trust Costa Rican Justice system its corupt 100%. Not a proud day to be CR.
This is why both foreign business and people will continue to depart from Costa Rica. Criminals are in control. And I say this fully understanding that the government could care less what the people think, including their own citizens, just as you Ben. I repeatedly hear how CR people don t like gringos. This is yet again living proof. President Solis doesn t have the help to change this from within. When government criminals are allowed to operate with impunity, they will continue to arrogantly cheap car rentals hertz defy the laws. This is what corrupt GOP leadership has done to the world, it has implanted these type of corrupt 3rd world governments. People who just do not give a shit, they will do whatever they can to steal, just as the corrupt cheap car rentals hertz GOP has done in the USA. for decades. Eventually revolution will succumb to this madness, cheap car rentals hertz and I predict government criminals everywhere will one day be incarcerated in their own prisons. But first it will become extremely ugly. Ultimately it is the peoples choice of what type of world we live in. The status quo will not go quietly Solis needs to immediately put some powerful people cheap car rentals hertz in the judiciary and from elsewhere cheap car rentals hertz in government, or else it will be too late. Just last night the Colombian Narco traffic leader who was tied into the Euro Band was released, with no conditions .A narco government is at the root.
Facts on Justice ministry in Costa Rica. Cartels has control of Judges and most of the Lawyers in Costa Rica. Even when the police arrest the cartel the very next day they are back out on the streets. Cartels also have control of some people cheap car rentals hertz in Congress. Cartels can get surport from all types in goverment. The system of Justice is full of Narco protectors every Costa Rican says it. President Solis needs to fire most of the Judges and lawyers that work for Goverment. Change the culture and you watch Cartels cheap car rentals hertz will run. Your right also about GOP planting and controling goverments. Your also right revolution is stiring in the streets in Costa Rica you can see it with the teacher on strike and with young people starting to see the coruption of past goverments like PLN. Most of my Costa Rican family are pissed off at what has happen and tried of nothing ever changing. I am glad to have 2 passports and 3 residences just incase thing get really bad in Costa Rica.
Unfortunately I do not see this as uniquely a CR problem. Governments all over are screwing cheap car rentals hertz their citizens. It is small groups in government who are controlling this world, and they are all using their citizens. What is happening in the USA is no different. Obama can t control what the seeds the GOP has planted. This is why I predicted Solis would have the same problems as Obama. MEP was a fixed disaster, there will be other areas where political disasters surface. In the USA corporations have the power. In Central America the Narcos have the power. The common denominator is $$$, people are easily corrupted by big money. The corporations and cartels have lots of it hidden all over the world. There needs to be a concerted effort by citizens all over this globe to take back governments from the ruthless ciminals that have co-opted cheap car rentals hertz the inner workings. There needs to be many government officials all over this globe jailed. And as soon as it starts happening, you are exactly right Ben they will run like hell. But ultimately they can t escape, because I know that the good people of this planet have them far outnumbered. They know that too, that is why they are building up these military style police cheap car rentals hertz forces. The media must get on board, and have a voice in bettering this world. cheap car rentals hertz I realize many people are scared, but the power ultimately lies with the people. Multi-national corporations/cartels need to be globally regulated. The ending of the drug war would take billions out of their pockets. Governments are only locking up poor minorities for drugs, and acting like they are being tough on crime. This is a crock of shit!!! The real criminals have been working with impunity, moving tons of cocaine, cheap car rentals hertz under the guise of government. And then law enforcement demands more taxes for more police/military people and equipment. This only empowers the villains, and they use the poor as their scapegoats, like they are really being tough on crime. It s totally an inside job!
Mike, eventually the honest folks need to take charge. Electing Solis is a start, but corruption is so deep seated that it will take a lot of time and effort cheap car rentals hertz to pull the weeds that have grown all over. If Solis does not put his foot down and make some real examples of how corruption will no longer be institutionalized, then it simply will not be countered, and the criminals in gov will become more emboldened. In my 10 years of living full-time in Costa Rica, I have experienced first hand how institutionalized corruption is within cheap car rentals hertz all regions of Costa Rica. Some may remember the wiki-links cables that were released over the last few years, about the apparent arrogance and corruption within CR Government. These people have a plan, and they are putting it into effect. Their crime should be taught with very harshly. There is nothing worse than a corrupt public servant who uses the institution of government to steal from their people. The citizens here need to stand up, and demand that this behav