Defense Lawyer: Tennis Referee's DNA Not Found On Alleged Murder Weapon

VAN NUYS (CBSLA.com) —  The DNA of a tennis umpire accused of fatally bludgeoning her 80-year-old husband with a coffee mug in April was not found on the alleged murder weapon, according to her defense lawyer Robert Sheahen.

KNX 1070's John Brooks reports that her lawyer insists tests did not find Lois Goodman's DNA on the coffee mug, which prosecutors said she allegedly used to kill her husband of 50 years in their Woodland Hills home.

The 70-year-old was arrested on Aug. 21 just before she was scheduled to referee a match at the U.S. Open in New York.

Goodman pleaded not guilty to the murder charge. Her lawyer suggested her husband fell down stairs while holding the mug.

Her lawyer made the case during a preliminary hearing Thursday that there was no DNA found on the alleged murder weapon or Goodman's clothing.

CBS2 and KCAL9 legal analyst Steve Meister, told reporter Juan Fernandez that while DNA evidence is prevalent these days, prosecutors will rely on much more in the case against Goodman.

In cases without a DNA component, he says "the prosecutor will have to weigh that against all other evidence presented in the case."

Sheahen said he is making Goodman's apartment available to prosecutors because she has nothing to hide.

Meister believes, even with that said, prosecutors may have more evidence than they have revealed so far.

Goodman, who has been under house arrest since making bail, is due back in court for a hearing on Dec. 9.

The judge has ruled Goodman can spend 12 hours outside of her apartment on Thanksgiving to spend time with family.

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