Referee charged in husband's death gives DNA sample

Lois Ann Goodman, 70, who is charged with beating her husband to death with the cup last April, was accompanied by about 25 supporters, including friends and relatives, when she appeared briefly in court for a pretrial hearing.

A judge scheduled Goodman's next hearing for Nov. 8.

In the meantime, defense attorneys say they have a huge amount of evidence and court documents provided by prosecutors to review before a trial is scheduled. They also demanded to see original notes taken at Goodman's home by police officers who initially ruled the case an accidental death. In addition, they are seeking notes and recordings from coroner's investigators and the mortician who examined the body.

Goodman was arrested in August just before she was to referee at match at the U.S. Open.

Her attorneys say her 80-year-old husband was the victim of a freak accident.

Authorities initially believed Alan Goodman fell down stairs at home while she was away but later decided it was homicide. Prosecutors now believe he was struck 10 times on the head and stabbed with the broken cup.

The couple was married nearly 50 years with three grown children.

Defense attorneys Alison Triessl and Robert Sheahen told reporters that they anticipate surprise revelations in the case after all of the discovery materials are reviewed. They had opposed having Goodman provide a DNA sample but relented after losing an appeal on the issue.

"No DNA sample is going to prove anything," said Sheahen. "Proving that her DNA is in her own home is ridiculous."

Goodman came to court wearing an electronic monitoring ankle bracelet. She is free on $500,000 bail but confined to her home. Superior Court Judge Jessica Silver said she would allow Goodman to make visits to her lawyer's office without notifying the court.