Jurors weigh case of Colorado man in wife’s death in Africa

By COLLEEN SLEVIN
Associated Press

DENVER (AP) — Jurors will pick up deliberations next week after a lawyer for a wealthy dentist accused of shooting his wife at the end of an African safari urged them Friday to acquit his client in what he said was a government case built on gossip and innuendo. Prosecutors say Larry Rudolph killed Bianca Rudolph with a shotgun to be with his longtime girlfriend. Defense attorney David Markus told jurors that federal prosecutors failed to prove that she didn’t shoot herself accidentally while packing quickly to return home. U.S. Assistant Attorney Bryan Fields told jurors the fatal shot could not have been caused by her accidentally dropping the gun.