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Tarzana woman found guilty of setting dancer on fire
The jury of five men and seven women deliberated for three days, at times asking that testimony be read back or video be played to them. Thursday morning they requested to see a portion of surveillance video taken outside the club, but by the time the footage was delivered to the jury room, they canceled the request, announcing they had reached a verdict.

A sentencing hearing before Superior Court Judge Susan M. Speer has been scheduled for March 4, and the prosecutor is seeking a life sentence.

Theriault-Odom testified that "I felt offended - I felt she was trying to punk me. I had to stand up for myself. That's the way it is on the streets."
During the trial, witnesses said that Theriault-Odom, who had been rejected for a job at the Babes N'Beer Bar in Tarzana, had feuded with Busby and felt disrespected by her. Theriault-Odom testified that "I felt offended - I felt she was trying to punk me. I had to stand up for myself. That's the way it is on the streets."
Oh, I think she'll do just fine in prison. Probably be running the place in a few weeks...
I've seen this movie! It was at a drive-in ...
She also testified to being "very drunk" on the evening before the 1:45 a.m. attack, saying she had consumed two double shots of Russian vodka, half a fifth of Patron tequila and five shots of Hennessey cognac.

She denied, however, setting the dancer on fire.

Instead, she testified that while she scuffled with Busby outside the club, she was not the one who doused her with gasoline and set on fire.

But witnesses identified Theriault-Odom as the assailant, saying they saw her douse Busby with gasoline from a bottle, pull out a
"There isn't any doubt in my mind that my daughter didn't do this, knowing how she was raised," said Elizabeth Odom of Van Nuys. I think she was just at the wrong place at the wrong time."
lighter and try three times before setting her on fire.

Surveillance video was shown of Busby running into the bar on fire - "like a human torch," Musante said - as frantic club workers tried several times to put out the flames.

The defendant's mother was not in the courtroom Thursday, but said in an interview Wednesday that she did not believe her daughter committed the attack.

"There isn't any doubt in my mind that my daughter didn't do this, knowing how she was raised," said Elizabeth Odom of Van Nuys.

"I think she was just at the wrong place at the wrong time. She's a sweet girl. Never in my mind would I think that she would be somebody who could do anything like this."
Posted by: Fred 2010-02-13
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=290352