Pat LaLama Reports: Interrogation Video Reveals Lazarus's Anxiety

February 21, 2012

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Stephanie Lazarus Murder Trial
Day 10

Sometimes when I look at Stephanie Lazarus seated at the defendant’s table, I wonder how she got herself into this mess.

Imagine a dedicated female cop with well over two decades of service to the community. She breaks through the glass ceiling of the LAPD, works her way up the ranks, snags a position in an elite detective unit, wins multiple awards and commendations, basks in the praise of fellow law enforcement, gets married to a fellow detective, adopts a baby girl and finishes it all off as a murder suspect herself.

And think of this…if Lazarus did murder the new bride of her ex-boyfriend back in 1986, when Lazarus was just a young patrol officer, then she’s been carrying around a murderous secret all this time.

Back then, DNA was an infant science. The bite mark left on the victim’s arm was unidentifiable. But over time, as genetic testing advanced and cold case units began reopening old cases, one has to wonder if Lazarus (if she’s guilty) was becoming worried. With every case she investigated, with every suspect she arrested during those years, Lazarus, if she did it, had to wonder if or when the jig would be up for her.  If it’s true that she is a murderer, then did she anticipate this day was coming? That day in June of 2009 when fellow detectives walked her into the jail section at police headquarters and let her know she was a murder suspect?

On Tuesday morning, jurors watched the rest of Stephanie Lazarus’ videotaped interrogation.  Detectives press Lazarus on whether she ever violently confronted the victim, Sherri Rasmussen at her townhome in Los Angeles. “Did you ever duke it out with her?” she’s asked. “I don’t think so,” answers Lazarus. “That’s not sounding familiar to me at all.”

On the tape Lazarus becomes increasingly agitated. She can feel the eyes of suspicion on her. “So I fought with her so I must have killed her? That’s insane,” she tells detectives.

It isn’t long before Lazarus knows she’s got to protect herself. “If you guys are claiming I am a suspect, I’ve got a problem with that.” Within minutes, she gets up to leave. What Lazarus doesn’t know is that four other detectives are waiting outside in the hallway to arrest her.  Stephanie Lazarus, the once exemplary cop, is now in cuffs.

 

One last highlight from the morning session; an independent lab tested the DNA from the bite mark. The prosecution’s expert told the jury there was a 1 in 1.7 sextillion chance the DNA came from someone other than Stephanie Lazarus. That’s the population of 240 billion planet earths.

 

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Photo Credit - Former Los Angeles Police Officer Stephanie Lazarus with her attorney Mark Overland at Los Angeles Superior hearing Wednesday, July 29, (AP Photo/Nick Ut)