Introduction to the Case
Just days before she died after suffering symptoms that mystified her doctors, Angela Craig confronted her husband, James, in their suburban Denver kitchen over his lack of support. In that 2023 argument captured on home surveillance video, she accused him of suggesting to hospital staff that she was suicidal, court documents show. Prosecutors say James Craig caused the ailments that ultimately killed his wife by poisoning her protein shakes and trying to make it look as if she killed herself. His trial on murder and other charges is set to begin Monday with the questioning of potential jurors.
Background of the Case
Angela Craig, 43, died in March 2023 during her third trip to the hospital that month. Toxicology tests later determined she died of poisoning from cyanide and tetrahydrozoline, an ingredient that is found in over-the-counter eye drops. The couple were married 23 years and had six children. Craig has pleaded not guilty to charges including first-degree murder, solicitation to commit murder and solicitation to commit perjury.
Details of the Alleged Poisoning
The 47-year-old dentist allegedly bought arsenic online around the time his wife began to experience symptoms like dizziness and headaches for which doctors could find no cause, prosecutors say. At the time of his arrest, police said Craig was trying to start a new life amid financial troubles and appeared to be having an affair with a fellow dentist. Prosecutors said he had affairs with two other women, but they have not detailed a motive in his wife’s death.
Police Investigation
Police say Craig tried to fabricate evidence to make it appear his wife killed herself. He tried to get another fellow inmate to plant fraudulent letters at Craig’s home to make it look like his wife was suicidal, prosecutors said. Then, in the weeks before Craig had been set to stand trial in November, prosecutors said he also sent letters to the ex-wife of the inmate he allegedly tried to get to kill the investigator, offering her $20,000 for each person she could find to falsely testify that his wife planned to die by suicide, they said.
Defense Strategy
Craig’s attorneys have argued police were biased against him and claimed testing of his wife’s shake containers did not turn up signs of poison. They’ve questioned the reliability of a jail inmate who said Craig offered him $20,000 to kill the case’s lead investigator, an alleged plot for which Craig is also on trial.
Previous Attorneys Withdraw from the Case
As jury selection was about to begin, his lawyer at the time, Harvey Steinberg, asked to withdraw, citing a rule allowing lawyers to step down if a client persists in actions considered criminal or that they disagree with. Another attorney for Craig, Robert Werking, later argued that investigators did not look into whether Craig wrote the letters or check them against his handwriting. Werking also said that the inmate and his ex-wife were prosecuted for forgery for their roles in an alleged fraud ring in 2005, suggesting they could not be trusted. Werking withdrew from the case himself this month after being charged with arson of his own home, leaving his wife and law partner, Lisa Fine Moses, to defend Craig.
Prosecution Strategy
Prosecutors plan to show the video of the argument in the kitchen to jurors. “It’s your fault they treated me like I was a suicide risk, like I did it to myself, and like nothing I said could be believed,” Angela Craig told her husband after her first trip to the hospital. Prosecutors convinced the judge jurors should see the video because they said it disproves potential claims that Angela Craig poisoned herself — possibly while trying to dissuade him from divorcing her — or to frame him and gain an advantage over him if they did divorce.
Online Search History
Prosecutors say James Craig searched online for answers to questions such as “how to make murder look like a heart attack" and “is arsenic detectable in an autopsy?” After Craig’s initial attempts to kill his wife failed, prosecutors allege, he ordered a rush shipment of potassium cyanide, supposedly for surgery. The shipment was accidentally discovered by an employee at his dental practice in the Denver suburb of Aurora on March 13, 2023. The employee reported it to the office manager two days later when Angela Craig returned to the hospital for a third and final time.
Conclusion
The trial of James Craig, accused of poisoning his wife’s protein shakes, is set to begin with the questioning of potential jurors. The case has drawn attention due to its shocking allegations and the complexity of the investigation. As the trial proceeds, more details about the events leading to Angela Craig’s death are expected to come to light.
FAQs
Q: What are the charges against James Craig?
A: James Craig is charged with first-degree murder, solicitation to commit murder, and solicitation to commit perjury.
Q: How did Angela Craig die?
A: Angela Craig died from poisoning due to cyanide and tetrahydrozoline.
Q: What was the alleged motive behind James Craig’s actions?
A: The alleged motive is not explicitly stated, but prosecutors suggest it could be related to his financial troubles and personal affairs.
Q: What evidence do prosecutors plan to present?
A: Prosecutors plan to show a video of an argument between James and Angela Craig, as well as evidence of James Craig’s online search history and attempts to fabricate evidence.
Q: Who is defending James Craig?
A: James Craig is being defended by Lisa Fine Moses, after his previous attorneys withdrew from the case.
