Trial Day 8

[gavel banging] Full trial audio. Everything heard in court, no silences to skip.

Please have a seat. [paper rustling] It's Tuesday, September 29th, 2026. We are here on case number 26CR88, State of Ohio versus Caleb C. Flynn. Sir, is that you?

Yes, Your Honor.

All right. This matter comes on for, um, trial. Um, counsel, uh, I believe we're ready to proceed with closing arguments and then the court will instruct the jury. Um, is there any reason, um, uh, that, that we should not proceed in that fashion? Mr. Watkins?

No, Your Honor.

Mr. Mulligan?

No, thank you, Judge.

At this time, Ms. Hosendur, please call in the jury. Ladies and gentlemen, the jury, please have a seat. [paper rustling] Welcome back. Please make sure your, all your phones are turned off completely. Ladies and gentlemen, the jury, we're beginning our ninth day of trial. Uh, we're gonna proceed with, um, [coughing] uh, closing arguments with, by counsel, and then the court will instruct you on the law that applies in this case. Um, closing arguments are not evidence. They are a chance for the lawyers to argue what they believe the evidence was and how the evidence interacts with the law. The court will provide you with legal instructions as to what the law in this case is and how it should be applied. At this time, counsel for the state will present its closing argument. Mr. Joseph, would you like to proceed?

Thank you, Your Honor. [coughing] Thank you, Your Honor. Members of the jury, thank you for your time, for your attention, and for your service. The State began this case with the defendant's own words, words about his wife, Ashley Flynn, words written to his mistress in the hours and days before Ashley's murder. We explained that those words matter because they reveal motive, intent, and the truth behind the lies the defendant told after he shot his wife, Ashley, the mother of his two young daughters, in their home. [clears throat] Because of the defendant's actions, [clears throat] he has been charged with aggravated murder, three counts of murder, two counts of felonious assault, and three counts of tampering with evidence. There are also multiple firearm specifications. The State has proven each element of each crime beyond a reasonable doubt. The purpose of these slides is not for you to memorize the charges or the elements. As the judge just explained, you'll be given a copy of the instructions and the elements. There are just a few things that I would like to draw to your attention. In Ohio, when conduct mul- violates multiple statutes, each violation can be charged separately. You will consider and vote on each count individually, even if the charged conduct overlaps. The defendant, Caleb Flynn, is charged with nine counts. Not only is there some overlap in the conduct being charged, several of these charges are also interconnected. Count one is aggravated murder. For this count, the State must prove that the defendant purposely, and with ca- prior calculation and design, caused the death of Ashley Flynn. Prior calculation and design means more than an instantaneous decision to kill. It means advanced reasoning, a plan to cause death. There is no specific amount of time