In his written statement read by an interpreter, Pell cited Mike Entezari’s conviction as evidence of his own innocence. He denied any involvement in Effie Entezari’s death.

In his statement, he said that he could not afford a lawyer to assist him in the case and that he did not intend to testify in his own defense for fear that the plaintiff’s lawyers would distort his words.

“The simple truth is that I am innocent of the charges made against me,” Pell said in his statement. “The plaintiff’s legal team will undoubtedly write a detailed and fantastic story.”

Entezaris’ daughter, Pooneh Gray, ran ads online, on social media and on TV earlier this year We urge Clark County Prosecutor Tony Golik to reopen murder case. And he has previously offered a $250,000 reward for information on who else might be responsible.

In his statement, Pell said that the family had previously offered him a reward for any information, but he did not know anything and if he had known, he would have told them.

Golik last month refused to disclose his analysis of the information Gray’s attorneys collected so as not to influence his wrongful death lawsuit. While he said he would follow the outcome of the case, he declined to say whether his office would file criminal charges against Pell if a civil jury finds him responsible for Effie Entezari’s death.

Rothauge said Clark County sheriff’s detectives did not properly consider any other suspects in the woman’s killing other than her husband. Their desire to obtain enough evidence to arrest Mike Entezari meant that they pressured scientists at the Washington State Patrol crime lab to falsely link his gun to the crime.

Lawyers played an animation explaining how the armed attack took place and how the killer escaped. They promised to show this jury new evidence that the jury in the criminal case had ignored decades ago.

Rothauge said they will get information from a DNA expert who will testify that the DNA left on Effie Entezari’s sweater may belong to Pell and not Mike Entezari. He said a firearms expert would tell them Mike Entezari’s gun could not have fired the fatal shot. They will also hear from the couple’s daughter Gray, who has spent her adult life investigating the crime.

“The evidence will show that Mike Entezari did not kill Effie Entezari, and the evidence will show that it was Viktor Pell who did it,” Rothauge said.

Pell said he could understand Gray’s desire to clear his father’s name because “We all have parents and we want to think what’s best for them.”

But he said they caught the wrong man.