Bigger witness cites 'odd' things

First, Bigger said he'd worn some borrowed medical scrubs to ride a horse earlier that day.

Second, Bigger, 41, kept reciting Hail Marys as she, Bigger and Dr. Bradley Schwartz drove around looking for a hotel room for Bigger.

Goldberg, Schwartz's girlfriend at the time and a Phoenix real estate agent, was the first witness to take the stand in Bigger's trial on a first-degree murder charge in the stabbing death of Dr. David Brian Stidham.

According to the state's theory, Bigger stabbed Stidham to death between 7:26 p.m., when Stidham set his office burglary alarm, and 7:46 p.m., when Bigger made a phone call to Schwartz from a local Denny's restaurant.

Goldberg testified she was dining with Schwartz at a Thai restaurant around 8 p.m. Oct. 5 when he received three cell-phone calls.

After the calls, Schwartz told her that a friend of his was having car problems and would be joining them. After dinner, Schwartz explained, he'd be giving his friend a ride.

A short time later, Bigger arrived at the restaurant in a taxi, Goldberg said.

Shortly after he arrived, Schwartz asked Bigger, "How did the scrubs work out?" Goldberg said.

Bigger said they worked fine and explained to her that Schwartz had loaned him scrubs to go horseback riding earlier that evening.

Goldberg, who rides horses herself, thought that was odd.

According to prosecutor Sylvia Lafferty, Bigger stabbed Stidham to death outside Stidham's office at Schwartz's behest.

Lafferty contends Schwartz came to hate Stidham after Schwartz was forced into drug rehabilitation by the Arizona Board of Medical Examiners in the fall of 2002.

Schwartz expected Stidham, 37, to keep his practice going while he was gone. Instead, Stidham started his own practice. Schwartz then lost his hospital privileges, patients, staff members and hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Schwartz was convicted of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder last May and is now serving a life sentence.

Jurors in Bigger's trial are expected to hear from several witnesses who will testify they saw an unknown man wearing scrubs hanging around the medical complex in the hours before Stidham was killed.

In addition, convenience store clerk Jennifer Dainty says Bigger was at her store shortly before the slaying wearing scrubs. Her store is within walking distance of the slaying scene.

After the three left the restaurant, Goldberg said, they went to Schwartz's office, an ATM and three hotels.

At Schwartz's office, Goldberg said, Schwartz and Bigger tried but failed to put Bigger's bicycle into Schwartz's sport utility vehicle.

When Schwartz got back into the SUV, Goldberg said, Schwartz asked her if she'd seen the knife on the front of Bigger's bike, which she hadn't.

Goldberg testified she thought it was a "very weird question." She also found it odd that Bigger repeatedly prayed as they were driving around looking for hotels.

The horseback riding, the knife and the Hail Mary prayers did not come up during the Schwartz trial.

Earlier Wednesday, defense attorney Jill Thorpe told jurors there is no way Bigger could have killed Stidham.

She said an outside medical expert will testify Stidham actually died sometime after 9 p.m., not earlier in the evening as the Pima County medical examiner contends. And other witnesses will testify Bigger was elsewhere at all the times the killing could have been committed.

Thorpe said jurors will also be shown that such a violent stabbing would have left the killer covered in blood, but not a single witness saw Bigger with blood or injuries that night.

The defense attorney also told jurors to question whether it is more likely Stidham died as a result of a "hit" or the result of a deep-seated hatred, given the brutal way he died.

Thorpe explained to jurors Bigger was a former patient of Schwartz's and they "hit it off" talking about investments.

Lafferty told jurors when Bigger and Schwartz met, Bigger had nothing going for him. He was homeless, getting around town on bikes and in taxis and living on funds sent to him by his mother.

Schwartz's first choice for a hit man had died and he needed someone else to do the job, Lafferty said. "Dr. Schwartz found his substitute killer, and Bruce Bigger found his bankroll," Lafferty said.

Lafferty said the evidence will show Schwartz withdrew $10,000 from the bank the day after the slaying and Bigger was seen with large amounts of cash around the same time, and even took friends on a trip to Las Vegas. Although it's "subtle," Lafferty also said there is DNA evidence linking Bigger to Stidham's car.

The trial is taking place before Judge Nanette Warner of Pima County Superior Court.