Legal News

With Trial Approaching, Robert Wone Murder Case Heats Up

By Amir Efrati

It’s been a few months since we told you about the Robert Wone murder case, and recent filings by federal prosecutors in Washington D.C. have, to put it mildly, raised eyebrows.

Wone, pictured, was murdered in 2006 while visiting friends in a tony section of Washington. At the time, he was the general counsel at Radio Free Asia. He was 32.

Two years later criminal charges of conspiracy, obstruction of justice and tampering charges — but not murder charges — were brought against three housemates that Wone was visiting: Joe Price, Victor Zaborsky and Dylan Ward. A trial it set for May. (LB background here.)

Several days ago, according to this WaPo story, federal prosecutors in the case said in filings that they were confident the three men charged with obstruction know who killed Wone. Prosecutors also said they plan to introduce previous crimes associated with the men to bolster their case, as well as evidence of unseemly behavior that we’ll elaborate on later.

Price, according to the Gawker blog, was a prominent attorney and co-founder of a Virginia gay rights group; Zaborsky was one of the marketing executives behind the “Got Milk?” campaign; and Ward was a Georgetown grad.

Prosecutors can’t prove who killed Wone, WaPo said, though they added that the killer’s identity is being “protected” by the defendants. For their part, the three defendants had told authorities that an intruder broke into the home, ascended to the second floor and stabbed Wone.

Authorities said Wone had been drugged, sexually assaulted and stabbed. In the filings, the prosecution said it may try to introduce evidence allegedly found in Ward's bedroom. That evidence includes body harnesses, arm and leg restraints, wrist restraints, black hoods, blindfolds, neck collars and mouth gags, according to the BLT Blog.

Prosecutors also suggested they might introduce evidence of "dominance, degradation, enslavement, electro-torture, etc," BLT said.

For the more, well, graphic and adult aspects of these filings, click to read this Gawker post at your own peril.

Lawyers for the three defendants, who lived together in a rowhouse close to Dupont Circle in Northwest Washington, have argued in court and in filings that the government has no evidence to prove Wone was restrained and sexually assaulted, according to the BLT Blog.

Full post as published by Law Blog - WSJ.com on February 18, 2010 (boomark / email).