Inside Scharf News Today

>> they were so happy at first, sharing a lovers perched high atop a cliff. but romance turned to danger, she fell from the edge. >> i would call this an accidental death. >> but whas it? >> she said that if anything happens to me, youll know who did it. >> a mystery of nearly 20 years heads into court and the husband is on the precipice. >> did you kill your wife, jody? >> i did not. >> what happened on the cliffs edge? ♪ ♪ ♪ >> hello and welcome to dateline. when police got wor...

atop a cliff. but romance turned to danger. she fell from the edge. >> i would call this an accidental death. >> but whas it? >> she said that if anything happens to me, youll know who did it. >> a mystery of nearly 20 years heads into court and the husband is on the precipice. >> did you kill your wife, jody? >> i did not. >> what happened on the cliffs edge? >> hello and welcome to dateline. when police got word that someone had fallen off a cliff, they werent surprised. the place wa...

If treacherous spot, to recommit to each other, stephen said. to kiss and make up. >> the spot where they went is not a spot where you would go to reconcile with anybody. >> detectives were not buying the story for another reason. they had found something suspicious inside scharfs car. a bag filled with items youd expect for a romantic picnic, and one you would not, a hammer. >> you have your wine, cheese, crackers, opener, claw hammer. i mean, red flags are going up. they reached the pole at th...

That way, jurors couldve judged stephen scharfs supposedly a demeanor for himself. >> why didnt you? >> he wasnt in custody, i dont know. >> they also argued that the police in misinterpreted with the clients said in his home just hours later. >> my client never said this wasnt an accident. >> and as for that hammer that police thought was a weapon -- >> the hammer was investigated by the forensic experts. there was nothing found on that hammer. >> and the defense attorney press the medical exam...

Bottom of his fist. and i was just like, begging him to stop doing it. >> he also remember the last day of his mothers life. he was ten and his said his mother told his father that she didnt want to go out with him alone. >> she said, if i wanted to go out with you, i wouldnt be divorcing you. >> but where was the proof that stephen had plans to kill jodi that night? >> well, there was the hammer in the picnic bag. but there was also testimony from this woman, one of stephen s old girlfriends. >...

And sometimes theyd call and hang up on her. in fact, detective lineman learned jody had served her husband divorced papers on september 8th, 1992. less than two weeks later, she was dead at the base of the palisades. the timing made him even more eager to talk to the widdower. >> there is a sit down with mr. scharf. hes consented to talk, right? >> yes. >> two days after his wife staff, stephen was really answering detective questions. yes, he told them, he and his wife were talking divorce as ...

Each other, stephen said. to kiss and make up. >> the spot where they went is not a spot you would go to reconcile with anybody. >> detectives werent buying the story for another reason. they had found something suspicious inside scharfs car. a bag filled with items youd expect for a romantic picnic and one you would not. a hammer. >> you have your wine, cheese, crackers, opener, claw hammer. i mean, red flags are going up. they reached the top of the pole at that point. >> did you think that mi...

>> the spot where they went is not a spot you would go to reconcile with anybody. >> detectives werent buying the story for another reason. they had found something suspicious inside scharfs car. a bag filled with items youd expect for a romantic picnic and one you would not. a hammer. >> you have your wine, cheese, crackers, opener, claw hammer. i mean, red flags are going up. they reached the top of the pole at that point. >> did you think that might be a murder weapon? >> yeah, i thought that...

So they came to this romantic if treacherous spot to recommit to each other, stephen said. to kiss and make up. >> the spot where they went is not a spot you would go to reconcile with anybody. >> detectives werent buying the story for another reason. they had found something suspicious inside scharfs car. a bag filled with items youd expect for a romantic picnic and one you would not. a hammer. >> you have your wine, cheese, crackers, opener, claw hammer. i mean, red flags are going up. they re...

And sometimes theyd call and hang up on her. >> in fact, lineham learned joad qi had served her husband divorce papers on september 8th, 1992. less than two weeks later she was dead at the base of the palisades. the timing made him even more eager to talk to the widower scharf. >> theres a sit-down with mr. scharf. hes consented to talk, right? >> yes. >> two days after his wifes death stephen scharf was freely answering detectives questions. and it was true, there were other women. >> he told u...