Stuart Schlazer

Called by the State on trial day 1 and identified on the record by spelling ("S-C-H-L-A-Z-E-R"), Stuart Schlazer testified as a music teacher who had been consulting with Dan Markel about the School of Arts and Sciences. On direct examination, Schlazer described a telephone call with Markel on the morning of July 18, 2014, during which Markel asked him to hold the line because there was an "unfamiliar person" in his driveway. Schlazer held, heard a loud sound, and then heard Markel breathing but never speaking again. He testified that he shouted into the phone asking whether Markel was okay, got no response, hung up, sent a text message, and called 911.

The direct examination was brief and confined to that call sequence. It recorded what Markel said before the loud sound and what Schlazer heard afterward without establishing the exact instant of the shooting.

Cross-examination by Garcia's counsel Saam Zangeneh was limited to three questions on a single point: whether Schlazer's sworn statement to law enforcement had used the singular form, "unfamiliar person," rather than a plural. Schlazer confirmed the prior statement, while stating that five years had passed and he could not independently recall whether the word had been singular or plural; what he retained was the adjective "unfamiliar." Magbanua's counsel declined to cross-examine and the State waived redirect, so the testimony arc closed after direct and cross.

The court then released Schlazer from his subpoena and recessed the jury for lunch. Schlazer's name recurred later in the trial when the State, in argument, cited Markel's call to him about his sons' schooling prospects as the last thing Markel did that morning.