Hinging on Intent
Little about Ms. Holmes’s trial has been typical. Silicon Valley executives are rarely indicted on charges of fraud, especially those with Ms. Holmes’s level of fame. Not many take the stand in their defense, as Ms. Holmes did for seven days. And allegations of abuse like the ones Ms. Holmes made against Ramesh Balwani, her former business partner, ex-boyfriend and alleged co-conspirator, are extremely rare in white-collar cases.
The fraud allegations cover nearly a decade of business dealings and span the complexities of blood test science and financial arcana. To convict, the jury must conclude, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Ms. Holmes intended to deceive.
Despite mounds of evidence, Christopher Slobogin, a professor of criminal law at Vanderbilt University, said the entire case could come down to Ms. Holmes’s testimony.
“My guess is her testimony, more than any other evidence presented at the trial, is causing the jury to struggle over whether…