I have been very careful not to say, "Michael Northrup did not commit the crime." I said, "'They can't prove that he did it,' and they can't."

Defense attorney for Michael Northrup at a pre-trial hearing, May 8, 2001, Niagara Falls, New York

The story of John Montstream's murder has two parts. The first part concerns the circumstances surrounding the murder, the murder itself, and what happened in private: the relationships among family and associates, everyday activities, work, church, and secrets that were never meant to be told.

In the aftermath of most murders, private lives became public -- as is often the case when a serious crime has been committed. The duplicity beneath a wife's seemingly ordinary life was shocking to those who thought they knew her. If the police and prosecutors were not especially shocked by what their investigations uncovered, they were somewhat surprised at the sheer scope of Annette's betrayals.

But the second part of this story is the public part of the story: the criminal justice system's response to John Montstream's murder. The impact of the criminal justice outcome was nearly as upsetting to the criminal justice professionals as it was to John Montstream's family and friends.

This collection of interviews focuses primarily on the aftermath of the criminal proceedings related to the killing of John F. Montstream.