BY DANNY O'ROURKE
STAFF WRITER

LOS ANGELES -- Attorneys presented opening arguments before Judge Michael Rodriguez in Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday in the second of the two Painseeker Murder Trials.  The two sides not only presented opposing views of the events, but equally contrasting styles of presentation.

Assistant District Attorney Thomas Andrews' argument consisted of a point-by-point explanation on how the prosecution intended to prove that Sharon Wolfe accepted money to murder rising music star Raychel Wagner.

Perhaps believing that the trial of Laura Douglass removed the opportunity to surprise the defense, Andrews stated that he intends to call five witnesses: LAPD Detective Kevin Wakefield, forensics expert Lisa Finnegan, Wolfe's boyfriend Geoffrey MacIntyre, First Trust account manager Larry Rothschild, and Laura Douglass.

The assistance of Laura Douglass was the only surprise from the prosecution.  Not only was Douglass the subject of the first Painseeker Murder Trial, but Sharon Wolfe testified in that trial on Douglass' behalf.  When asked about Douglass' inclusion among the prosecution witnesses, defense attorney Wendy Timmerman was neither shocked nor amused.

"This is the same type of cheap tactic that he claimed the defense would use in the first trial.  He cried foul then and he wound up doing it first.  Now he's doing it again.  At least he didn't bother to claim the high road this time."

During her slow and carefully worded argument, Timmerman told the jury that Andrews' allegations were "groundless", asserting that -- while lying to the police about her whereabouts on the night of the murder -- Sharon Wolfe was no way involved in the crime.

Unlike Andrews, Timmerman gave little indication about her strategy for the trial, choosing instead to pick at the nature of the prosecution's case.

Timmerman stated, "My client is guilty of bad judgment.  Regardless, there is nothing in the prosecution's case that will prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.  All he has are a collection of allegations.  He does not have evidence."

When asked if she about her argument, and whether the jury would view her wording as evasive, Timmerman admitted to being nervous.  However, she maintained that her message rang with the jury.

"I saw their faces, and they were listening to my message, " Timmerman stated.

The prosecution is expected to open its case on Wednesday with Detective Kevin Wakefield.