The prosecution's case burned train tracks
Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2025 6:20 am
The arrest
On Dec. 7, 1998, two days after the murder, 14-year-old Michael Politte was arrested for his mother's murder.
"I always believed that I was gonna be found innocent because I didn't have anything to do with what happened to my mother. Boy, was I in for a rude awakening," Michael told "48 Hours."
The trial
courthouse for Politte trial
CBS News
In January 2002, Michael Politte, then 17-years-old, went on trial.
Prosecutors told the jury that an accelerant had been used to set Rita on fire and that lab testing confirmed the presence of gasoline on the shoes that Michael was wearing the morning of the murder.
But Michael told police that the gasoline found on his shoes meant nothing -- and that he and his friends would often set fires for fun.
Michael had told police that he and Josh had set a fire on the local train tracks the night before the murder. But the prosecution used that admission to their advantage. They told the jury that the burn pattern on the tracks matched the burn pattern on Rita.
The "confession"
Politte statements
CBS News
The prosecution also claimed that Michael had actually confessed to the buy phone number list crime during a suicide attempt in a juvenile detention center, exactly one month after the murder.
Three witnesses who worked at the juvenile detention center wrote in reports that Michael said, "I haven't cared since… I killed my mom."
Michael claims he actually said, "I haven't cared since they killed my mom," alluding to whoever the real killer(s) might be.
The jury never heard from Michael because when it was the defense's turn, he didn't take the stand.
Michael's defense lawyer based his case on the lack of direct evidence tying Michael to the crime. There was no murder weapon found and Michael had no injuries or blood on his clothing, despite the violence of the attack.
On Dec. 7, 1998, two days after the murder, 14-year-old Michael Politte was arrested for his mother's murder.
"I always believed that I was gonna be found innocent because I didn't have anything to do with what happened to my mother. Boy, was I in for a rude awakening," Michael told "48 Hours."
The trial
courthouse for Politte trial
CBS News
In January 2002, Michael Politte, then 17-years-old, went on trial.
Prosecutors told the jury that an accelerant had been used to set Rita on fire and that lab testing confirmed the presence of gasoline on the shoes that Michael was wearing the morning of the murder.
But Michael told police that the gasoline found on his shoes meant nothing -- and that he and his friends would often set fires for fun.
Michael had told police that he and Josh had set a fire on the local train tracks the night before the murder. But the prosecution used that admission to their advantage. They told the jury that the burn pattern on the tracks matched the burn pattern on Rita.
The "confession"
Politte statements
CBS News
The prosecution also claimed that Michael had actually confessed to the buy phone number list crime during a suicide attempt in a juvenile detention center, exactly one month after the murder.
Three witnesses who worked at the juvenile detention center wrote in reports that Michael said, "I haven't cared since… I killed my mom."
Michael claims he actually said, "I haven't cared since they killed my mom," alluding to whoever the real killer(s) might be.
The jury never heard from Michael because when it was the defense's turn, he didn't take the stand.
Michael's defense lawyer based his case on the lack of direct evidence tying Michael to the crime. There was no murder weapon found and Michael had no injuries or blood on his clothing, despite the violence of the attack.