The murder trial of Stan Tribble of Council Bluffs is underway today in Pottawatamie County. Tribble is accused of murdering his wife, Tracy Gostomski-Tribble in May of 2006 and then dumping her body in the Missouri River. Omaha Defense Attorney William Gallup says the evidence of domestic abuse in this case will be a major hurdle for the team.
He says the Tribble case is a pretty strong case for the state as they’ve got evidence that the night she disappeared, that the defendant, and this came out of his own mouth, he said they had a quote-unquote "tiff". The judge’s decision to allow evidence about past domestic abuse will strengthen the case against Tribble. Gallup says it is a victory for the prosecution.
Gallup says, "Usually, prior bad acts aren’t admissible but you can admit evidence of prior similar acts to prove motive, intent or design so the fact that that evidence is coming in is very damaging to the defendant." Gallup says when the prosecution’s evidence is weighed against a defendant, a plea bargain is often the option attorneys choose.