Elizabeth Holmes tried to convince jurors that she didn't defraud Theranos investors. But, were they to disagree, then she argued coercion by former business partner and boyfriend Sunny Balwani.
- The jury disagreed, in January finding Holmes guilty. Now a different San Jose, California, jury is getting a crack at Balwani.
Driving the news: Balwani's trial began this week, with just a sliver of the attention as was afforded to the more public-facing Holmes.
- He's accused of the same crimes as was Holmes, which is why prosecutors originally wanted to try them together (Balwani's attorneys successfully got the cases separated).
- And, like the earlier trial, the defense strategy is finger-pointing. To sum up the opening argument from Balwani's attorney: Holmes was the founder and CEO, so all the bad bucks stop with her.
Thought bubble: Holmes tried to thread an incredibly narrow rhetorical needle, denying the existence of fraud while also redirecting blame. Balwani seems to be attempting something similar; claiming he was a savvy executive with lots of past success, but also a naif who was bamboozled by Holmes.
Why it matters: Accountability. Not just for the woman in front of the camera, but also for the man behind the curtain.
