SAN JOSE, Calif. Lawyers for Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes on Friday began to present witnesses in her defense against fraud charges, but it remained unclear whether the former Silicon Valley executive who once set out to revolutionize the blood testing industry. Promised, will testify.
During the two-month trial, jurors in San Jose, Calif., have heard the testimony of more than two dozen witnesses for the prosecution, including patients and investors, whom prosecutors say Holmes defrauded. At the conclusion of his case, prosecutors moved to dismiss a case of fraud in relation to a patient.
Holmes’ defense attorneys began by calling on the stand to offer paralegal Trent Middleton a summary of the Theranos documents.
They have said they plan to also call on Fabrizio Bonani, who joined Theranos in 2016 as a director. Bonani will testify about the company’s technology, he said in court.
Defense attorney Lance Wade told jurors during initial arguments in September that Holmes was a hardworking young entrepreneur who had underestimated the odds he faced before Theranos failed.
Holmes is accused of making false claims about Theranos, including that its devices can run multiple tests more quickly and accurately than traditional laboratory tools, from a drop of blood to the prick of a finger.
Once known as the biotech’s Steve Jobs for his company’s alleged innovative technology, Holmes faced nine counts of wire fraud and two counts of conspiracy. He has pleaded not guilty.
Founded by Holmes in 2003 at the age of 19, Theranos attracted the attention of private investors and was once valued at $9 billion.
Its fortunes ran short after the Wall Street Journal published a series of articles starting in 2015 that suggested Theranos devices were flawed and inaccurate.
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