Darin and the first week of trial

This subject hasn't gotten a lot of play, at least not that I've seen, but why was Darin absent during the first days of the trial?

I'm pretty certain he already knew or suspected Darlie of the murders, so it couldn't be the shock of a sudden revelation or anything that kept him away. He'd been to the preliminary hearings so he had no expectation he'd be shocked by the evidence presented against her.

So why avoid the trial in its early days?
For that matter....why come back? (Other than the obvious - subpoena)
Where was he?

I think he was running away but I don't know the importance of the timing. I'm fairly sure he wasn't in town or he would've been seen, probably interviewed and asked about his absense.

On a slightly different note, I've always wondered if Barbara Jovell was implying anything anything when she testified about Darin not paying attention to business, being absent. I always wondered, with no evidence to support my suspicion other than instinct, whether Darin was seeing someone else during this time. Maybe Dana, maybe someone else.

Hmmm I guess I never really thought about it. Maybe he was asked not to be there by the defense? Not sure.

He was called as a witness and may have been barred from the courtroom.

I wouldn't think that would only apply to part of the trial, but maybe after his testimony he was allowed back in b/c he's a family member?

I have no idea what EXACTLY was going on in that relationship but a few things I'm pretty sure of:

1. Darin knew Darlie did it. Within seconds.
2. Darin went to great lengths to try and help her get away with it.

The only way this makes sense to me (and of course it's speculation on my part) is if he, in some way, believed that he was at least partly responsible. Darlie comes across as such a manipulator that she could have convinced him of that - either verbally or non-verbally.

I've always felt that he probably believed it was his fault in some way(s). Whether that's b/c he cheated on her, wasn't good to her, "drove her to it," etc - I don't know.

But there's just no way he was stupid enough to believe her dumb *advertiser censored* story. And while it's obvious to anyone who doesn't want to believe otherwise that he accused her off the bat, but the time of the graveside party, they're united. He's taken up for her for sure. My feeling is that he believed he was responsible for her actions - that's what happens in co-dependent relationships.

That, and the thought of losing his trophy wife was more devastating to him than losing his kids.

What I wouldn't give to have a sit down with Darin today!

Val is correct. If you are on the witness list you are typically barred from being in the courtroom until after you testify. That's to keep witnesses from listening to others' testimony before they get on the stand. There are exceptions though: LE can be there. I wouldn't take an absence from trial as being anything other than that.