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| Pregnant victim 'was still alive' | Pregnant victim 'was still alive' |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| A woman was probably still alive when a stranger started removing her unborn baby, a trial in Missouri has heard. | |
| Bobbi Jo Stinnett, who was eight months pregnant, fought for her life, and that of her child, after being attacked by Lisa Montgomery, the trial heard. | Bobbi Jo Stinnett, who was eight months pregnant, fought for her life, and that of her child, after being attacked by Lisa Montgomery, the trial heard. |
| Mrs Montgomery denies strangling Mrs Stinnett and kidnapping her daughter, Victoria Jo, in December 2004. | Mrs Montgomery denies strangling Mrs Stinnett and kidnapping her daughter, Victoria Jo, in December 2004. |
| Prosecutors said a doctor would testify that Stinnett was probably alive "when the baby was being cut from her womb". | Prosecutors said a doctor would testify that Stinnett was probably alive "when the baby was being cut from her womb". |
| Internet research | Internet research |
| Prosecutor Matt Whitworth said searches of Mrs Montgomery's computer showed she had researched how to perform caesarean sections and he added: "This defendant spent a great deal of time planning this crime." | Prosecutor Matt Whitworth said searches of Mrs Montgomery's computer showed she had researched how to perform caesarean sections and he added: "This defendant spent a great deal of time planning this crime." |
| Mrs Montgomery, 39, allegedly used a kitchen knife to cut the baby from the womb and used a home birthing kit she had downloaded from the internet. She has pleaded not guilty. | Mrs Montgomery, 39, allegedly used a kitchen knife to cut the baby from the womb and used a home birthing kit she had downloaded from the internet. She has pleaded not guilty. |
| Mrs Stinnett's body was discovered by her mother, Becky Harper, who told the court: "There was blood everywhere." | Mrs Stinnett's body was discovered by her mother, Becky Harper, who told the court: "There was blood everywhere." |
| Lisa Montgomery's lawyers say she was mentally ill | Lisa Montgomery's lawyers say she was mentally ill |
| The little girl survived and was traced to Mrs Montgomery's home in Melvern, Kansas. She was later reunited with her father and is now almost three years old. | The little girl survived and was traced to Mrs Montgomery's home in Melvern, Kansas. She was later reunited with her father and is now almost three years old. |
| The court heard how police tracked the mother-of-four down through e-mails she had sent the victim in which she purported to be interested in buying a dog from her. | The court heard how police tracked the mother-of-four down through e-mails she had sent the victim in which she purported to be interested in buying a dog from her. |
| The trial is due to last three weeks and prosecutors have said they will seek the death penalty if Mrs Montgomery is convicted. | The trial is due to last three weeks and prosecutors have said they will seek the death penalty if Mrs Montgomery is convicted. |
| Mrs Montgomery's lawyer, Fred Duchardt, said the defence would not deny Mrs Montgomery's involvement in Mrs Stinnett's death but would seek to prove she was suffering from mental illness. | Mrs Montgomery's lawyer, Fred Duchardt, said the defence would not deny Mrs Montgomery's involvement in Mrs Stinnett's death but would seek to prove she was suffering from mental illness. |
| Pseudocyesis | Pseudocyesis |
| He said she had suffered for years after being raped by her stepfather as a child. | He said she had suffered for years after being raped by her stepfather as a child. |
| Mr Duchardt said Mrs Montgomery had been suffering from a condition called pseudocyesis, which caused her to falsely believe she was pregnant. | Mr Duchardt said Mrs Montgomery had been suffering from a condition called pseudocyesis, which caused her to falsely believe she was pregnant. |
| He said she had been pushed over the edge by an impending custody battle with her former husband. | He said she had been pushed over the edge by an impending custody battle with her former husband. |
| The first witness to be called was Nodaway County Sheriff Ben Espey, who was the first law enforcement officer to arrive at the Stinnetts' home in Skidmore, Missouri, after a 911 call by Mrs Harper. | The first witness to be called was Nodaway County Sheriff Ben Espey, who was the first law enforcement officer to arrive at the Stinnetts' home in Skidmore, Missouri, after a 911 call by Mrs Harper. |
| "You could see swirls in the floor in the blood, showing there was a struggle," said Mr Espey. | "You could see swirls in the floor in the blood, showing there was a struggle," said Mr Espey. |