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当受人爱戴的家庭族长加里·费里斯失踪后，他的家人在自家财产范围内四处寻找，直到发现了一幕令人毛骨悚然的景象。
When beloved family patriarch Gary Ferris went missing, his family looked everywhere on their property until they came across something horrifying.
这是一起谋杀案。
It's a homicide.
当然。
Absolutely.
这个家庭内部的互相推诿持续了整整一圈又一圈。
The blame game in this family went round and round.
血浓于水，这就是费里斯轮。
This is blood is thicker, the Ferris wheel.
我不明白，任何人看到这个故事，怎么可能认为他们过得幸福。
I would don't see how anyone can look at this story and think they were happy.
请在免费的Audacy应用或其他你收听播客的平台上关注并收听《血浓于水：费里斯轮》。
Follow and listen to blood is thicker, the Ferris wheel on the free Audacy app or wherever you get your podcasts.
我想让人们知道，朗达不仅仅是个美人。
I want people to know that Rhonda wasn't just beautiful.
再见，爸爸。
Bye, Daddy.
人们听到这个总是很惊讶，觉得：不可能又长得像她那么美，又那么聪明。
People always are surprised when they hear this like, No, you can't be super beautiful like her and be intelligent at the same time.
我觉得，她其实聪明得不得了。
I'm like, Actually, she was wicked smart.
非常相爱。
Very in love.
我们计划在夏天结婚。
We planned on getting married in the summer.
那是我的时间表。
That was my timetable.
他们确实看过婚戒。
They did look at wedding rings.
我觉得她想要一枚三万五千美元左右的，而我觉得一万五千美元左右才是我的预算范围。
I think she wanted one that was around 35,000, and I was thinking more 15,000 was my range.
你和罗达喜欢到户外活动吗？
And you and Rhonda, did you like to get outdoors?
经常去。
All the time.
我们喜欢徒步旅行。
We loved hiking.
我们经常玩飞盘高尔夫。
We played a lot of Frisbee golf.
所以，我们大部分时间都在户外。
So yeah, we were outdoors most of the time.
我们早起，她拉开窗帘，看到今天天气真好。
We woke up early, she opened the drapes and we saw, it's a beautiful day.
好吧，我们去徒步吧。
Okay, so we are gonna go hiking.
在开车去的路上，她问我一件事，她说：如果我出了什么事，你答应我照顾好我们的女儿，好好照顾她吗？
One of the things she asked me on the drive over, she said, If anything ever happens to me, do you promise to watch our daughter and take care of her?
我问：你在说什么呢？
And I go, What are you talking about?
她说：我经常做噩梦，梦见自己在25岁之前就死了。
She goes, I have dreams all the time that I am dead before 25.
罗onda有没有告诉过你，她感觉会有坏事发生在她身上？
Did Rhonda ever tell you that she was sensing something bad was going to happen to her?
她说，他要么向我求婚，要么杀了我。
She said that he's either gonna propose to me or kill me.
她并不开心。
She wasn't happy.
她只是不再爱他了，他们总是吵架。
She just fell out of love with him and they were fighting all the time.
她曾提到想带着孩子离开史蒂夫。
She had mentioned wanting to take the baby and leave Steve.
突然下起了大雨，雷声也来了。
Started pouring down rain and thunder came.
于是她突然开始全速奔跑，沿着小径狂奔下去。
And so she just started bolting down, like at a full sprint running down the trail.
你眼前发生了什么？
And what unfolded before your eyes?
我不知道下面有多远，但她离开了小径。
I don't know how far down it was, but she went off the trail.
一名与罗达·卡索一起徒步的男子表示，她昨晚从悬崖上摔了下去。
A man hiking with Rhonda Casto says that she fell off a cliff last night.
她是不是迈了一步，脚就往前滑了？
Did she take a step and her feet went out in front of her?
她是不是向前跌倒了？
Did she tumble forward?
你看到了什么？
What did you see?
下一个问题。
Next question.
我是斯蒂芬·尼科尔斯，2015年2月，我因谋杀我的未婚妻琳达·卡斯托而被指控并逮捕。
I'm Stephen Nichols, and in February 2015, I was charged and arrested for the murder of Rhonda Casto, my fiance.
我们位于俄勒冈州的胡德河。
We're in Hood River, Oregon.
自从琳达从那条小径坠落身亡，已经过去了六年零一个月零二十六天。
It's been six years, one month, and twenty six days since Rhonda fell off that trail to her death.
而这一次，斯蒂芬·尼科尔斯将首次正式提出答辩。
And for the first time, Stephen Nichols will enter a formal plea.
是意外还是谋杀？
Accident or murder?
谋杀。
Murder.
谋杀。
Murder.
从一位母亲的心与思出发，你对此确信无疑。
And from a mother's heart and mind, you are certain of that.
我百分之百确定这一点。
I am 100% certain of that.
他很邪恶。
He's evil.
他完全是个恶魔。
He's totally evil.
我觉得我已经留下了一片破坏的痕迹。
I think I've just left a path of destruction.
我简直就是阿提拉·达汉，一个接一个地伤害女人。
I'm Attila Dahan, basically, going through women.
当你处理一起冤案时，你根本无法把工作和家庭生活分开。
When you have a case where someone's falsely accused, you you can't really separate yourself from work and and home life.
对于辩护律师迈克·阿诺德。
For defense attorney Mike Arnold.
尼科尔斯先生和他的律师在这里。
Mister Nichols is here with his lawyer.
为斯蒂芬·尼科尔斯辩护，让‘全职工作’这个词有了新的含义。
Representing Stephen Nichols gives new meaning to the phrase full time job.
你知道，我本希望回家后干干农活、听听野生动物的声音，但现在我却一直在想着结案陈词，或者案件的下一步该怎么做。
You know, while I prefer to be coming home doing farm chores and listening to wildlife, instead I'll be thinking about my closing argument or what the next step of the case is.
我们正在胡德河县，俄勒冈州诉斯蒂芬·瓦格纳·尼科尔斯案的庭审记录中。
We are on the record in Hood River County, State Of Oregon versus Stephen Wagner Nichols.
尼科尔斯于2015年2月因谋杀罪被捕，被指控六年前在俄勒冈州的一条小径上将女友朗达·卡索推下悬崖。
Nichols was arrested for murder in February 2015, accused of pushing his girlfriend Rhonda Casto off this trail in Oregon six years earlier.
对于这项指控，你的答辩是什么？
To that charge, what's your plea?
无罪。
Not guilty.
保释金定为200万美元，尼科尔斯将在接下来的十四个月里被关押，等待审判。
Bail was set at $2,000,000 Nichols would spend the next fourteen months in jail awaiting trial.
我尽量一天一天地过。
I try to just take it one day at a time.
我读很多书。
I read a lot.
我下象棋。
I play chess.
但说到底，我最想念的是我的女儿。
But really, when it comes down to it, I miss my daughter.
所以这才是最难熬的部分。
So that's the hardest part.
被列为可能的
Suggested as a likely
但在2016年4月，由于审判日期遥遥无期，约翰·奥尔森法官将尼科尔斯的保释金降至25万美元。
But in April 2016, with a trial date nowhere in sight, Judge John Olson reduced Nichols' bail to $250,000.
迈克·阿诺德展开了一场紧急行动，筹集释放客户所需的10%现金。
Mike Arnold set out on a frantic mission to gather the 10% needed in cash to free his client.
所以这位务农的辩护律师
So the farming defense attorney
嘿。
Hey.
你在做什么？
Are doing?
10%。
10%.
变成了个人银行家。
Becomes a personal banker.
人们都请假来现场，只为接他们出去，
People have taken off work to be there to get them out,
所以，当我的客户时隔一年首次重获自由时，我能陪在他身边，这代价简直微不足道，祝我们好运。
so it sounds like a small price to pay to be there when my client gets to see freedom for the first time in a year, so wish us luck.
但阿诺德需要的不止是运气。
But Arnold would need more than luck.
我们得等到明天早上才能为客户办理保释。
We can't get the client bailed out until tomorrow morning.
他需要多一天时间来安排尼科尔斯释放所需的脚踝监测器。
He'd need an extra day to arrange for the ankle monitor required for Nichols' release.
所以我们得紧紧抓住这个机会，去吃点晚饭。
So, we're gonna hold on tight to this and go get some supper.
第二天
The next day
在胡德河度过了一夜，这有点出乎意料。
It was a little unexpected overnight trip in Hood River.
我穿着回收来的衣服。
I'm on recycled clothes.
我期待回家见到我的家人。
I'm looking forward to get home to my family.
今天是我儿子的第一个生日。
It's my son's first birthday today.
恢复纯真，女士们先生们。
Resumption of innocence, ladies and gentlemen.
迈克把现金投入保释机。
Mike feeds the cash into the bail machine.
我非常期待第一次在户外、在新鲜空气中见到史蒂夫。
I'm very excited to see Steve for the first time outside in the fresh air.
再等两个小时，是的。
Two more hours Yeah.
阿诺德如愿以偿了。
And Arnold gets his wish.
我其实想哭。
I wanna cry, actually.
我太开心了。
I'm so happy.
但这是一场苦乐参半的胜利。
But it's a bittersweet victory.
我会继续抗争，直到证明我的清白。
We will continue to fight until I've proven my innocence.
前面的路还很长，但现在他们和我站在一起，我们可以团队合作来解决这个问题。
Still a long fight ahead, but now I've got them out with me so we can work on this as a team.
所以这意义重大。
So this is a big deal.
但尼科尔斯和他的律师究竟是如何走到这一步的呢？
But how exactly did Nichols and his attorney end up at this moment?
这一切要从十一年前说起，当时一位令人惊艳的20岁女子敲响了尼科尔斯位于俄勒冈州波特兰郊外家中的卧室门。
It all started eleven years earlier when a stunning 20 year old woman knocked on Nichols' bedroom door at his home just outside Portland, Oregon.
我转过身，看着她，简直惊得说不出话来。
Then I turn around and I look at her and my tongue pretty much hit the floor.
直到那时，她都是我见过的最美丽的女人。
Up until that point, she's the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.
她对我说：‘嗨，我叫朗达。’
And she's like, Hi, my name is Rhonda.
2005年，比朗达大十岁且刚离婚的尼科尔斯是一名日间交易员。
In 2005, Nichols, who is ten years older than Rhonda and recently divorced, was working as a day trader.
我有一套三居室的公寓，另外两个房间都是空着的。
I had a three bedroom condo, and the other two rooms were just empty.
所以他决定找一个合租室友。
So he decided to get a roommate.
我通过互联网第一次认识了斯蒂芬·尼科尔斯。
I first met Stephen Nichols through the Internet.
我当时在找地方租一间房。
I was looking for a place, a room to rent.
结果发现她是雷onda的母亲，朱莉娅·西蒙斯。
Who turned out to be Rhonda's mother, Julia Simmons.
他非常有魅力，而且真的很友善。
He can be very charming and, you know, somebody that's really nice.
雷onda最好的朋友杰西卡·科尔伯恩并不惊讶斯蒂芬会立刻被雷onda吸引，她当时是一位 aspiring 模特。
Rhonda's best friend, Jessica Colburn, wasn't surprised Stephen was instantly attracted to Rhonda, who was an aspiring model.
跟我说说这件事。
Tell me about this.
那是她模特作品集的一部分。
That was part of her modeling portfolio.
我特别喜欢，因为她在这些照片里看起来太棒了。
I just love it because she just looks amazing in all of those pictures.
她的一切都让我印象深刻，我立刻爱上了她。
Everything about her was impressive and I just immediately fell in love with her.
那你从罗nda身上感受到了什么？
And what were you sensing from Rhonda?
我觉得她也对我有好感。
I felt she was into me too.
我能感觉到她看重智慧，而我一直认为这是我的最大优势之一。
I could tell that she valued intelligence and I've always thought that that's one of my strongest assets.
我认为她吸引的不是他的外貌，而是他的东西——他的公寓、他的钱、他的地位。
I think she was attracted not so much to his looks, but to his, what he had, his condo, his money, his status.
不久，罗nda搬进了她母亲朱莉娅的公寓，不是作为室友，而是作为斯蒂芬的女友。
Soon, Rhonda joined her mother Julia in the condo, not as a roommate, but as Stephen's girlfriend.
当时，罗nda的妹妹泰莎只有九岁。
Rhonda's younger sister, Tessa, was just nine years old at the time.
我第一次见到史蒂夫时，他还挺有趣的，因为我那时还是个小女孩。
When I first met Steve, he was really fun because I was a little girl.
他很爱玩，你知道的。
He was playful, you know.
在他们交往三年后，罗nda和尼科尔斯虽然未婚，但一起生活并成为了父母。
Three years into their relationship, Rhonda and Nichols, living together but not married, became parents.
爸爸不帮你一下吗？
Don't daddy help you a little?
我的意思是，这个是他给你买的。
I mean, he got this for you.
你看到她的表情了吗？
Did you see her face?
她一脸惊讶地说：‘当
She's all, When
我们的女儿出生时，对她来说意味着一切。
our daughter was born, it meant everything to her.
她成为了她生活的焦点和中心。
She became the focus and the center of her life.
我非常喜欢有个侄女。
I loved having a niece.
我总是过去找她，她就像蕾onda一样，特别喜欢玩珠宝。
I was always over there, and she loved playing with jewelry just like Rhonda did.
她简直和她妈妈一模一样。
She's just like her mom.
她喜欢珠宝。
She loves jewelry.
蕾onda
Rhonda
她很喜欢当妈妈，但希望重新开始她的模特事业。
loved being a mom, but hoped to restart her modeling career.
生完我们的女儿后，她的体重增加了很多。
She had gained quite a bit of weight from having our daughter.
她达到了有史以来最重的体重，而且觉得自己非常恶心。
She was the heaviest she had ever been, and she felt really disgusting.
所以斯蒂芬说，这对夫妇想出了一个大胆的计划来减肥。
So Stephen says the couple came up with an adventurous plan to lose weight.
我们约定要徒步穿越俄勒冈州最顶尖的二十到二十五条步道。
We made it a pact that we would hike 20 or 25 of the top trails in Oregon.
我们就一个接一个地把它们划掉。
We'll just start crossing them off the list.
但杰西卡说，罗达只跟她提过一次计划中的徒步。
But Jessica says Rhonda told her about only one planned hike.
她非常高兴，因为他终于要为她计划点什么了。
She was so happy that he was finally planning something.
在他们在一起的这些年里，他从未为她花过任何心思去规划什么。
In all the years they had been together, he had never put any effort into planning anything for her.
包括那些结婚的计划。
Including those plans to get married.
求婚从未发生。
The proposal never happened.
孩子出生后，情况变得艰难。
Things were tough after the baby was born.
他不在家的时间更多了。
He wasn't around as much.
我想她为了孩子坚持了更久。
I think she held on for longer for the sake of the baby.
爸爸，我帮你打开。
Daddy, I'm open it for you.
杰西卡说，罗nda变得不快乐，这段关系也走向了危险的方向。
Jessica says Rhonda had grown unhappy and that the relationship had taken a dangerous turn.
她告诉我，最近几个月，他一直对她施加身体暴力。
She told me that he had, in the recent months, been physically abusive to her.
但尼科尔斯声称事实恰恰相反。
But Nichols claims just the opposite was true.
我们根本不会吵架。
We wouldn't argue at all.
我们花了很多
We were spending a lot
时间在一起。
of time together.
所以我会觉得，那正是我们关系最亲密的时候。
So I would think that would be the closest we ever were.
所以当斯蒂芬告诉我们，他们正在规划共同的未来，一切都很美好，关系非常甜蜜，他是在对我撒谎吗？
So when Stephen is telling us that they were planning their future together and everything was great and it was a lovey dovey relationship, is he lying to me?
他确实在对你撒谎。
He's absolutely lying to you.
我亲眼见过他们的争吵。
I've witnessed their fights.
我曾经好几次在电话里听到他们发生肢体冲突。
I was on the phone a couple of times when they were in a physical fight, actually.
朱莉娅声称，琳达在徒步前对她说了句令人毛骨悚然的话。
And Julia claims Rhonda made a chilling statement to her just before the hike.
她说，他要么给我一枚戒指，要么就把我扔下悬崖。
She said he's either going to give me a ring or he's going to throw me off a cliff.
2009年3月16日，琳达和斯蒂芬开始了那次健身徒步，而琳达再也没有活到那天结束。
On 03/16/2009, Rhonda and Stephen would set out on that fitness hike, and Rhonda would not live to see the end of the day.
这是玛雅。
This is Maya.
再见，爸爸。
Bye, Daddy.
这是哥伦比亚河峡谷中徒步人数最多的区域之一，原因有几点。
This is probably the most hiked area in the Columbia River Gorge for several reasons.
第一，这条徒步路线的美景。
One, the sheer beauty of the hike.
2015年斯蒂芬·尼科尔斯被捕三个月后，他的律师迈克·阿诺德带领自己的调查团队重走了鹰溪小径，他认为琳达·卡斯托就是在这里滑倒坠亡的。
Three months after Stephen Nichols' arrest in 2015, his attorney, Mike Arnold, took his own investigative team up the Eagle Creek Trail, where he believes Rhonda Casto slipped and fell to her death.
恶劣天气来袭，灾难便发生了。
Inclement weather hits and disaster happens.
结合物证和科学分析，这件事几乎可以确定是一场发生在危险小径上的悲剧性意外。
Between the physical evidence and the science, there won't be much dispute about this being a tragic accident on a dangerous trail.
斯蒂芬·尼科尔斯表示，这场悲剧正是这样发生的。
Stephen Nichols says this is how the tragedy unfolded.
他们正沿着小径下行。
They are heading down the trail.
琳达心情很好，开玩笑地把一条毛巾披在肩上，自称为超人。
Rhonda was in a great mood and jokingly, she put a towel around her shoulders and was calling herself Supergirl.
她突然跑了起来。
She broke into a run.
据尼科尔斯说，就在这一刻，她踩上湿滑的小径滑倒，坠落了150多英尺后身亡。
And according to Nichols, at this very point, she slipped on the wet path and fell more than 150 feet to her death.
这就是他在2015年的说法。
That was his story in 2015.
我不会对此发表评论。
I'm not gonna comment on that.
当尼科尔斯的律师禁止他在48小时内讨论琳达致命坠落的细节时。
When Nichols was forbidden by his attorney from discussing details of Rhonda's deadly fall with forty eight hours.
直到现在，他唯一的说法仍然是悲剧当天向警方提供的陈述。
Until now, his only account was the one he gave to police the day of the tragedy.
同样，我不会对此发表评论。
Again, something I'm not going to comment on.
但在2017年，斯蒂芬·尼科尔斯打破了沉默。
But in 2017, Stephen Nichols broke that silence.
要么是我推了她，要么是她自己跳下去，要么是她滑倒了。
Either I pushed her, she jumped of her own accord, or she slipped.
他坐下来，向我们讲述了琳达·卡索去世那天的事情。
He sat down and spoke to us about the day Rhonda Casto died.
让我们坐上时光机，回到1999年3月。
Let's get in that time machine and go back to March '9.
我们早早醒了。
We woke up early.
斯蒂芬说，当他们开车前往鹰溪步道时，隆达似乎对未来充满期待。
Stephen says Rhonda seemed focused on the future as they drove to Eagle Creek Trail.
她说：‘我迫切需要减肥，因为他们想让我扮演玛丽亚·莎拉波娃的仿冒模特。’
She says, I desperately need to lose weight because they want to use me as the Maria Sharapova look alike model.
我当时说：‘是的，你确实长得像她。’
I'm like, yeah, you really do look like her.
但随后，尼科尔斯声称隆达突然问了一个令人震惊的问题。
But then Nichols claims Rhonda asked him a startling question completely out of the blue.
她说：‘如果我出了什么事，你答应过要照顾我们的女儿，照顾好她吗？’
She said, if anything ever happens to me, do you promise to watch our daughter and take care of her?
我说：‘当然。’
And I said, Of course.
斯蒂芬说，这个问题让他感到不安，尤其是因为三个月前，他声称罗达曾要求他购买人寿保险。
Stephen says the question unnerved him, especially since three months earlier, he claims Rhonda had demanded he buy life insurance.
她对此非常坚持。
She was adamant about it.
我问她：‘你为什么要买这份人寿保险？’
I said, Why do you want this life insurance?
她回答：‘因为我希望，万一我去世了，能给女儿留下一些东西。’
And she goes, Because I want to leave our daughter something in case I die.
所以，斯蒂芬和罗达各自为对方购买了100万美元的保单。
So both Stephen and Rhonda had each taken out a $1,000,000 policy on the other.
他从头到尾都策划好了。
He planned the whole thing.
这是有预谋的，整个事情都是。
Was premeditated, the whole thing.
罗达的母亲根本不相信尼科尔斯的说法，她说买保险完全是他的主意，而作为日交易员的尼科尔斯另有企图。
Rhonda's mother doesn't believe a word of Nichols' story, saying the insurance was all his idea and that Nichols, the day trader, had an ulterior motive.
他前一年亏了一大笔钱。
He had lost a bunch of money the year before.
他用保险赔款亏了大约一百万美元的四分之一，四个月后她就死了。
He lost like a quarter of $1,000,000 using insurance, then four months later she's dead.
夫妇俩到达了步道起点，罗nda拍下了这张史蒂夫的照片，后来在她的手机上被发现。
The couple got to the trailhead, where Rhonda snapped this photo of Steve, later found on her cell phone.
实际上，天气非常好。
The weather was excellent, actually.
但史蒂芬说罗nda行为异常。
But Stephen says Rhonda was acting strangely.
我问她：你在这条小径上徒步感觉还好吗？
I asked her, are you okay hiking on this trail?
她说：我以前常带着一瓶伏特加和一袋大麻来这里。
And she goes, I used to come up here with a bottle of vodka and a bag of weed.
她说：我会没事的。
She goes, I'll be fine.
所以我就说，好吧。
So I said, okay.
他们徒步走了几英里。
They hiked up a few miles.
我记得我们吻了一会儿。
I remember we kissed for a little bit.
我记得她想发生性关系。
I remember she wanted to have sex.
我就说，不行。
And I said, no.
因为我一向很保守。
Like, I'm very prim and proper.
我不想去那样做。
I didn't want to do that.
然后尼科尔斯说，罗达又一次问他那个令人不安的问题。
Then Nichols says Rhonda once again asked him that unsettling question.
她问我，如果她出了什么事，我是否会答应照顾她的女儿？
She asked me if anything ever happened to her, would I promise to take care of her daughter?
但罗nda可能想的不仅仅是她们的女儿。
But Rhonda may have been thinking about more than their daughter.
你什么意思，斯蒂芬？
What are you saying, Stephen?
我的意思是，任何有点智商的人都能自己推断出来。
I mean, I think anyone with an ounce of intelligence can fill in the blanks.
你得查查她过去有多少次自杀过。
You would have to look into how many times in her past she committed suicide.
自杀未遂。
Attempted suicide.
是的，当然是未遂，我的意思是。
Yeah, of course attempted, I mean.
尼科尔斯说，罗nda一直很抑郁，令人震惊的是，在他认识她之前，她至少尝试过三次自杀。
Nichols says Rhonda was depressed and shockingly that she had tried to take her own life at least three times before he even met her.
她从未自杀未遂过，从来没有。
She's never attempted suicide, never.
他在撒谎。
He's lying.
但你知道吗？
But you know what?
那些不得不编造谎言的人，很明显能看出来他们是 guilty 的。
People that have to make up lies are, you know, you can obviously tell that they're guilty.
还有更多。
And there's more.
尼科尔斯声称，罗达长期深受严重药物滥用问题的困扰。
Nichols claims that Rhonda had long struggled with a serious drug problem.
她从12岁起就从未戒过毒。
She's never been off drugs since the age of 12.
什么毒品？
What kind drugs?
所有毒品。
Everything.
所有毒品。
Everything.
酒精、可卡因。
Alcohol, cocaine.
所有这些。
All of them.
大麻、冰毒？
Marijuana, crystal meth?
所有这些。
All of them.
海洛因。
Heroin.
但罗达的尸检结果显示，她的体内只检测出少量大麻，以及用于治疗焦虑和抑郁的处方药。
But Rhonda's autopsy would show that she only had traces of marijuana, as well as prescription drugs for anxiety and depression in her system.
杰西卡·科尔伯恩说，隆达确实患有产后抑郁。
Jessica Colburn says Rhonda did suffer from postpartum depression.
她一直在接受心理治疗，这就是她服用这些处方药的原因。
She was in therapy, and that's why she was on the prescription medications.
尼科尔斯说，他们并没有在小径上逗留太久。
Nichols says they didn't linger on the trail for long.
那是谁决定的，嘿，我们回去吧？
And who decides, hey, let's head back?
是天气决定的。
It was decided by the weather.
突然下起了大雨，还响起了雷声。
Started pouring down rain and thunder came.
于是她立刻开始全速沿着小径往下冲。
And so she just started bolting down, like at a full sprint running down the trail.
我现在走过那条小径。
Now, I've been on that trail.
这是一条狭窄的小径。
It's a narrow trail.
非常狭窄。
It is very narrow.
你有对她大喊，‘嘿，你在干什么？’吗？
Did you yell at her, Hey, what are you doing?
停下，走慢点，我们慢慢往下走。
Stop, walk, we're walking down.
我不记得自己对她大喊过什么。
I don't think I screamed anything at her.
尼科尔斯说，这条陡峭的小径变得湿滑了。
Nichols says the steep trail became slick.
下山时，我基本上一直贴着右边的岩壁走。
I hugged the right wall pretty much on the way down.
当时是倾盆大雨，你甚至能看见水流顺着小径往下淌。
This was cascading rain, like you can actually just see the water flowing down the trail.
那么，带我回到她跌落的那一刻。
And so take me to the time of the fall.
你记得什么？
What do you remember?
那一部分我不会带你细说，因为她确实跌落了。
That part I'm not going to take you through because she did fall off.
我可以明确说，无论是直接还是间接，我都与她跌落毫无关系。
And I can say I had absolutely nothing to do, either directly or indirectly, with her falling off.
但尼科尔斯似乎向《48小时》暗示，伦达可能是自己选择跳下悬崖的。
But what Nichols seems to be suggesting to forty eight Hours is that Rhonda may have chosen to go off that cliff.
她是向前跌倒的吗？
Did she tumble forward?
你看到了什么？
What did you see?
下一个问题。
Next question.
小路上有没有她滑倒坠落时留下的大块刹车印？
Was there a large skid mark on the path where she had slipped and went off?
没有，只有一个脚印。
No, it's just a footprint.
只有一个脚印。
Just a footprint.
史蒂夫，看着我。
Steve, look at me.
你意思是她是跳下去的。
What you're saying is she jumped.
她几乎是跑着往下冲的。
She was going down at almost a run pace.
你告诉我，悬崖边上只有一个脚印？
There's a single footprint, you're telling me, at the edge of the cliff.
然后她就掉下去了。
And she goes over.
那是一次跳跃。
That's a jump.
我已经把所有情况都摆出来了。
I've laid everything out there.
人们可以得出他们想要的任何结论。
People can reach whatever conclusion they want.
虽然没有明说。
While not saying it in so many words
她确实是掉下去了，我可以肯定地说，无论是直接还是间接，我都与她的坠落毫无关系。
She did fall off, and I can say I had absolutely nothing to do either directly or indirectly with her falling off.
史蒂芬·尼科尔斯的心理游戏。
Stephen Nichols' mind games
这个故事肯定还有更多内幕，但我不会说，所以。
There's definitely a lot more to the story, but I'm not going to say it, so
成功抛出一个重磅炸弹。
manage to drop a bombshell.
你让我相信这是一起自杀事件。
Well, you've led me down a path to believe this was a suicide.
你看着我的眼睛说，‘彼得，你错了’，你能吗？
And I don't think you can look me in the eye and say, Well, Peter, you're wrong, can you?
不能。
No.
暗示琳达·卡索选择从鹰溪小径跳下自杀。
Suggesting that Rhonda Casto chose to jump to her death from Eagle Creek Trail.
她上去那儿的目的是什么？
What was her point in going up there?
该怎么说呢？
How to say this?
她知道自己活不过25岁。
I she knew she wasn't living past the age of 25.
她之所以知道，是有原因的。
She knew that for a reason.
她根本就不是一个快乐的人。
She just wasn't a happy person.
她以为有了我们的女儿就会带来幸福，但并没有。
And she thought that having our daughter would bring her happiness, and it didn't.
她家里有一个九个月大的婴儿，她非常爱孩子，也深爱她的家人。
She had a nine month old baby at home that she loved dearly, and she loved her family.
所以这又是他为了脱罪而编造的另一个谎言。
So that's just another one of his lies to take the heat off of himself.
在罗达离开小径后，斯蒂芬说他沿着深谷徒步下山。
After Rhonda went off the trail, Stephen says he hiked down the deep ravine.
你找到她之后做了什么？
What'd you do when you got to her?
我把她搬了起来。
Well, I hauled her.
我一到那儿就做了这件事。
That's the first thing I did when I got there.
由于没有手机信号求助，尼科尔斯说他返回了步道起点并拨打了911。
With no cell service to call for help, Nichols says he made his way back to the trailhead and dialed 911.
警察从未问过我这是否是自杀。
The police never once asked me it was a suicide.
他们根本没提起过自杀。
They never even brought up suicide.
我只是回答了他们提出的问题。
I just answered the questions that they asked.
你为什么当初不告诉他们，她曾考虑过自杀？
Why didn't you tell them back in the day that suicide was something she was contemplating?
你觉得这会有区别吗？
Would it have made a difference, do you really think?
尼科尔斯可能有一千个理由将自杀保密。
Nichols may have had a million reasons to keep suicide a secret.
如果是自杀，人寿保险是不会赔付的。
If it's a suicide, life insurance doesn't pay out.
所以我们的女儿将一无所有。
So our daughter would have gotten nothing.
斯蒂芬直到现在都对自杀闭口不谈，即使他被指控谋杀，这是在自我牺牲吗？
Is Stephen being self sacrificing, having said nothing about suicide until now, even as he stands charged with murder?
你愿意为此代人受过。
You were willing to essentially take a bullet for that.
还是他只是自私自利？
Or is he self serving?
我认为史蒂夫只是抛出这些说法，想让人忽略他推了她的事实。
I think Steve is just throwing all these ideas out to throw people off the fact that he pushed her.
哦，好吧，她自杀是因为她想为女儿创造更好的生活。
Oh, well, she killed herself because her she wanted to make a better life for her daughter.
对隆达之死的调查立即展开，并举行了追悼会。
An investigation into Rhonda's death was immediately launched, and a memorial was held.
隆达的家人声称你并没有哀悼，你对隆达的死显得无动于衷。
Rhonda's family claims that you were not grieving, that you seemed unmoved by Rhonda's death.
完全相反。
The exact opposite.
我一直在不停地哭。
I was crying nonstop.
当我真的、真的很难过时，我就把自己封闭起来。
When I'm really, really sad, I just I close down.
这就是我应对痛苦的方式。
That's just the way I deal with pain.
不久之后，斯蒂芬带着女儿搬到了州外，与家人同住。
Shortly afterward, Stephen moved across the state with his daughter to live with family.
在罗达去世后的大约三个月里，我完全封闭了自己。
For about three months after Rhonda died, I completely shut down.
到2013年，四年过去了，尼科尔斯仍未被起诉。
By 2013, four years had gone by and no charges had been filed against Nichols.
他决定在一个新的地方开启新生活。
He decided to start a new life in a new land.
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那么，一个来自俄勒冈的孩子是怎么来到中国的呢？
So how does a kid from Oregon end up in China?
我以前来过这里，很喜欢中国。
I had been there before, and I liked China.
斯蒂芬收拾了行李。
Stephen packed up.
我告诉女儿：这是我们新生活。
I was telling my daughter, This is our new life.
让我们好好过下去。
Let's make it work.
然后他们前往无锡，距离上海约75英里。
And headed here to Wuxi, about 75 miles from Shanghai.
我到中国后决定，这是一次全新的开始。
I decided when I got to China, this was a whole fresh start.
我心里想：美国，一切都成为过去。
I was like, America, all the past.
斯蒂芬找到了一份教中国商人英语的工作。
Stephen got a job teaching English to Chinese businessmen.
我女儿表现得非常好。
My daughter was absolutely thriving.
仅仅两个多月，她就流利地说起了普通话。
A little over two months, and she was fluent in Mandarin.
她上了舞蹈课。
She had dance lessons.
她还在练跆拳道。
She was taking taekwondo.
她正在学习弹钢琴。
She was learning how to play the piano.
斯蒂芬也开始茁壮成长，爱上了兰迪阴阳。
And Stephen began to thrive too, falling in love with Landy Yin Yang.
她当然很漂亮，但她是我想过最深刻、最有趣的人。
She's beautiful, of course, but she's the deepest, funniest person I've ever met.
斯蒂芬说，兰迪就像他女儿的母亲一样。
Stephen says Landy became like a mother to his daughter.
我可以这么说，因为我接触过这么多美国女性。
And I can say this with being with so many American women.
包括所有中国女性在内，她们是更好的伴侣。
Chinese women, all inclusive, are better partners.
听起来对美国女性很不敬，但她们确实更适合做伴侣。
Sounds so insulting to American women, but they just, they make better partners.
她们是更好的妻子。
They make better wives.
于是，斯蒂芬在约会一年后决定娶兰迪为妻。
And so Stephen decided to make Landy his wife after a year of dating.
我其实是在回美国之前就向她求婚了。
I had actually proposed to her right before I came back to America.
斯蒂芬飞回了美国。
Stephen flew back to The U.
S.
S.
带着他的女儿于2015年2月回国结婚。
With his daughter in February 2015 to get married.
兰迪几天后也会跟进。
Landy would follow a few days later.
我们计划在美国和中国都举行婚礼，以正式确认婚姻。
We were planning on getting married both in America and China to make it official.
斯蒂芬不知道的是，在他出国期间，调查人员一直跟进朗达的案件，朱莉娅也继续跟进自己的案件。
What Stephen didn't know is that the entire time he was out of the country, investigators stayed on Rhonda's case, and Julia stayed on theirs.
我不断打电话，问为什么什么事都没发生。
I kept calling and asking why nothing was happening.
但确实发生了点事。
But something did happen.
2014年4月，一个秘密大陪审团听取了证据，并对尼科尔斯涉嫌谋杀朗达·卡斯托提起指控。
In April 2014, a secret grand jury heard evidence and indicted Nichols for the murder of Rhonda Casto.
所以十个月后，当斯蒂芬和他女儿抵达旧金山时
So ten months later, when Stephen and his daughter arrived in San Francisco
他们说我的行李有问题。
They said something was wrong with my bags.
这感觉挺奇怪的。
It was like, it's interesting.
斯蒂芬没有搭上前往俄勒冈的转机，而是说当局把他和女儿分开了。
Instead of catching his connecting flight to Oregon, Stephen says authorities separated him from his daughter.
我当时就想，这到底怎么回事？
I'm like, what is going on here?
事情有点不对劲。
Something's fishy.
然后，是的，他们就在那时逮捕了我。
And then, yeah, that's when they arrested me.
我能听到女儿在另一个房间哭，她说：‘我想回爸爸身边。’
And I could hear my daughter in the other room crying, and she goes, I wanna be back with my dad.
斯蒂芬将被引渡到俄勒冈州，而他的女儿则被送去与罗达的家庭一起生活。
Stephen would be extradited to Oregon, and his daughter would be sent to live with Rhonda's family.
所以我感到非常震惊。
So I was shocked.
这是一种你觉得自己在做梦，随时会醒来的经历。
It's one of those things where you think you're in a dream and you're gonna wake up at any time.
我想，好吧，我会在中国醒过来。
I'm like, okay, I'm gonna wake up in China.
你知道，我女儿会推醒我。
You know, my daughter will be nudging me.
我会回到正常状态。
I'll be back to normal.
但那从未发生。
But that never happens.
回到俄勒冈后，一切都像一场梦。
Back in Oregon, it was like a dream.
40岁的斯蒂芬·尼科尔斯被逮捕了
40 year old Stephen Nichols was arrested
昨晚。
last night.
这对罗达的亲人来说终于成真了。
One that had come true for Rhonda's loved ones.
我一下子就哭了出来。
And I just I was busted out crying.
太不可思议了。
It was amazing.
我简直不敢相信。
I couldn't believe it.
我就想，经过这么长时间，终于等到了。
I was just like, after all this time, finally.
多年来，《Gone South》一直是一档关于美国南部犯罪的播客。
For years, Gone South has been a podcast about crime in the American South.
但对于我们新的季度，我们将扩大视角。
But for our new season, we're widening the lens.
通过深入调查的叙事性故事，我们深入挖掘那些至今仍塑造着南方乃至在许多方面塑造着整个国家的神话、丑闻和权力结构。
Through deeply reported narrative driven stories, we're digging into the myths, scandals, and power structures that still shape the South and, in a lot of ways, the country itself.
敬请收听《Gone South》第五季，这是一档Audacy出品的播客，现已在Apple Podcasts、Spotify或您常用的任何平台上线。
Follow and listen to Gone South season five, an Audacy podcast, available now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your shows.
我们正在俄勒冈州诉斯蒂芬·尼科尔斯案的庭审记录中。
We are on the record in the state of Oregon versus Stephen Nichols.
在他2015年2月因谋杀被捕后的数月里
For months following his February 2015 arrest for murder
当你准备好了，尼科尔斯先生。
When you're ready, Mr.
阿诺德。
Arnold.
斯蒂芬·尼科尔斯就一系列问题接受了审前听证，包括证据和动机。
Stephen Nichols faced pretrial hearings on a slew of issues, from evidence to motive.
州方出庭，由卡莉·拉姆森代表。
The state is present, represented by Carrie Rasmussen.
包括是否应当举行审判，因为辩护方认为伦达·卡斯托的死亡是一起意外。
Including whether there should even be a trial, since the defense considers Rhonda Casto's death an accident.
双方都传唤了证人。
Both sides called witnesses.
这起事件是否立即被作为谋杀案调查？
Was this immediately investigated as a murder?
没有。
No.
它是什么时候从意外坠落转变为凶杀案调查的？
And when did it become a homicide investigation as opposed to an accidental fall?
基本上是第二天早上。
Pretty much the next morning.
根据她身上的伤势，我可以判断，她主要落在腿部和骨盆区域。
I can tell that, based on the injuries that she has, landed, predominantly on her legs and her pelvis.
法医和法医病理学家，杨博士。
Medical examiner and forensic pathologist, Doctor.
克里斯托弗·杨表示，琳达的伤势主要集中在腰部以下。
Christopher Young, says Rhonda's injuries were mostly below the waist.
骨盆基本上被震碎了。
The pelvis was essentially shattered.
辩护方认为，她的伤势位置表明琳达是脚先着地离开小径，而不是被推下后头朝下翻滚。
The defense argues the location of her injuries indicate Rhonda left the trail feet first, not tumbling head over heels from a push.
这一理论可能支持尼科尔斯提出的自杀新说法。
It's a theory that could support Nichols' new suggestion of suicide.
当你观察被告当时与琳达·卡斯托的关系时
When you look at the relationship that the defendant then had with Rhonda Casto at
从治疗师的记录中可以看出，琳达曾因与斯蒂芬的关系感到抑郁，但她并不想自杀，她形容这段关系毫无爱意。
the scene Notes from a therapist Rhonda had been seen reveal she was depressed but not suicidal from her relationship with Stephen, which she described as loveless.
检方在这起案件中必须证明被告实施了犯罪行为。
What the state has to prove in this case is that the defendant did a criminal act.
检察官希望法官允许他们在史蒂芬·尼科尔斯即将举行的谋杀案审判中，向陪审团披露他在过去的一些不良行为。
Prosecutors hope the judge will allow them to tell jurors about some bad acts in Stephen Nichols' troubled past at his upcoming murder trial.
这显然是令人兴奋且引人注目的事情。
It is something that obviously is titillating and interesting.
第一件事是一个令人震惊的三角恋，涉及兰达的另一个年幼的妹妹梅兰妮，这可能构成了谋杀的动机。
The first one, a shocking love triangle involving another of Rhonda's younger sisters, Melanie, that may have provided a motive for murder.
你认为史蒂芬爱着梅兰妮吗？
Do you believe that Stephen was in love with Melanie?
是的。
Yes.
我相信是的。
I do.
杰西卡说，兰达得知史蒂芬与梅兰妮发生了性关系。
Jessica says Rhonda learned that Stephen was having sex with Melanie.
兰达有没有告诉过你，她妹妹第一次和史蒂芬发生性关系时有多大？
And did Rhonda ever tell you how young her sister was when she first had sex with Stephen?
她当时15岁。
She was 15.
15岁？
15 years old?
是的。
Yes.
事实上，在他因谋杀案被捕后不久，斯蒂芬就被指控两项三级强奸罪和三项三级鸡奸罪，据称他早在2005年就与未成年梅兰妮发生了性关系。
In fact, just after his arrest for murder, Stephen was indicted on two counts of third degree rape and three counts of third degree sodomy for allegedly having sexual relations with an underage Melanie back in 2005.
他强奸了我的女儿，我不愿相信这件事。
He did rape my daughter, and I didn't want to believe it.
2016年10月，在等待谋杀案审判期间，你同意承认与梅兰妮·卡索犯有两项性虐待罪。
In October 2016, while awaiting his murder trial, you agreed to plead guilty to two counts of sexual abuse with Melanie Casto.
你在这份声明下签了名：我与梅兰妮·卡索发生了两次性关系。
And you signed your name under this statement: I had sexual intercourse with Melanie Casto twice.
斯蒂芬坚称他的供述是虚假的。
Stephen insists his admission was false.
你和她发生过性关系吗？
Did you have sex with her?
没有。
No.
我当时想，那我能不能先认罪，然后说显然这事根本没发生过？
I'm like, Well, can I take a plea and then just say, Obviously, it never happened?
后来有人告诉我，不行。
And I was told later, Nope.
为了通过性犯罪者治疗项目，你必须承认
In order to pass the sex offender treatment, you have to admit
即使他成为注册性犯罪者，法律仍允许斯蒂芬继续争取并夺回女儿的监护权，而女儿目前由国家监护。
that Even though he'd be a registered sex offender, the law would allow Stephen to still fight and regain custody of his daughter who is in the care of the state.
我变得绝望了。
I became desperate.
我想把女儿要回来。
I wanted my daughter back.
你会惊讶于为了不进监狱，你愿意签署什么样的文件。
You'll be amazed at what you're willing to sign to stay out of prison.
但调查人员认为，斯蒂芬和梅兰妮之间确实存在一段关系，这段关系断断续续持续了四年，直到那次致命的远足为止。
But investigators believe there really was a relationship between Stephen and Melanie, one that continued on and off for four years, right up to that fateful last hike.
就在她去世前几个小时，伦达——已经得知了这段婚外情——给她的妹妹发了这条短信。
Just a few hours before her death, Rhonda, who had learned of the affair, sent this text to her sister.
除了说他是个混蛋，我不知道还能说什么。
I don't know what to say besides he's a piece of.
他利用你来伤害我。
He used you to hurt me.
我不会让他再毁掉我们。
I won't let him screw us up again.
你需要我的时候，我就在这里等着。
When you need me, I am waiting.
这个伦达听起来根本一点都不在乎你。
This Rhonda sounds like somebody that doesn't care much at all about you.
她对你很生气。
She's angry with you.
听起来她确实很生气。
It does sound like she's angry.
我不知道她为什么发那些消息。
I have no idea why she sent those.
但朱莉娅说她知道原因。
But Julia says she knows why.
她深爱着姐姐，也知道史蒂夫试图在她们之间制造隔阂。
She loved her sister and she knew that Steve was trying to drive a wedge between them.
我想，她最终弄清楚了一切，明白了他所做的一切。
And she, I guess, she figured it all out and realized what he was doing.
在隆达·卡索死亡当晚，被告没有跑向他的女儿，也没有跑向他的父母。
On the night of Rhonda Casto's death, the defendant didn't run to where his daughter was, didn't run to his parents.
他第一个去找的人是梅兰妮。
The first person to whom he went was Melanie.
梅兰妮·卡斯托。
Melanie Casto.
这并不是尼科尔斯涉及未成年人的唯一指控。
And it's not the only allegation Nichols has faced involving a minor.
在罗达去世不到六个月后，他被指控五项性虐待罪，据称他触摸了一名13岁女孩的臀部。
Less than six months after Rhonda's death, he was charged with five counts of sex abuse for allegedly touching a 13 year old girl on the buttocks.
他声称那件事没有发生，但另一件事确实发生了。
He claims that didn't happen, but something else did.
你给她发送了带有性暗示的短信，还发了一张赤裸上身的自拍照，并且你在该案中同意了认罪协议。
You sent sexually suggestive texts to her and a selfie with your shirt off, and you agreed to a plea deal in this case.
是的，我确实在发送那张照片这件事上错了。
Yeah, that was definitely I was in the wrong on that one, in terms of sending the photo.
这可不是开玩笑。
That was No kidding.
这太糟糕了。
That's terrible.
这太恶心了。
It's disgusting.
确实如此。
It is.
尼科尔斯对一项性骚扰罪认罪。
Nichols pleaded guilty to one count of sexual harassment.
我有时会对人进行情感虐待，但我从未身体伤害过任何人。
I have been emotionally abusive at times to people, but I've never physically hurt anyone.
检察官不同意，并希望陪审团看到这张由罗达拍摄的照片，照片显示了据称与尼科尔斯发生身体冲突后留下的红印。
Prosecutors don't agree and want a jury to see this picture taken by Rhonda showing red marks left from an alleged physical encounter with Nichols.
在他们去远足之前，他们在楼梯上发生了一点争执，他让她背上留下了淤青，她对着镜子拍下了这些痕迹。
Right before they went on their hike, they had they had a little scuffle on the stairs and he put some bruises on her back and she took pictures of them in the mirror.
还有其他关于另一名女性遭受身体攻击的指控，与尼科尔斯目前被指控的事件惊人地相似，这些指控来自他的前妻。
And there are allegations of another physical assault of a woman with eerie similarities to what Nichols stands accused of now, allegations made by his ex wife.
他曾试图在中国把妻子推下阳台。
He did try to push his wife over a balcony in China.
2003年11月，斯蒂芬仍与他的前妻——一位美国女性——保持婚姻关系，当时他们首次在中国生活，他的配偶指控他试图窒息她并将她从八楼公寓的栏杆上推下去。
In November 2003, Stephen was still married to his ex, an American woman and living in China for the first time when his spouse accused him of trying to suffocate her and throw her over the railing of their 8th Floor apartment.
我们当时
We were
我们都紧紧抓着对方的衣服，同时大喊大叫。
both holding onto each other's clothing and we were both yelling.
尼科尔斯否认了这一指控，也未在中国被起诉，但俄勒冈州的法院文件显示，有证人证实了尼科尔斯前妻的说法。
Nichols denies the claim and was not charged with the crime in China, but Oregon court documents show a witness confirmed Nichols' ex wife's account.
在等待罗达·卡斯托死亡案审判期间，尼科尔斯有一些愉快的消遣。
As Nichols awaits trial in the death of Rhonda Casto, he has some pleasant distraction.
我的中国未婚妻兰迪大约一小时后到达这里。
My Chinese fiancee, Landy, is arriving here in about an hour.
我很紧张。
I'm nervous.
我很兴奋。
I'm excited.
他未婚妻的探望。
Visits from his fiancee.
你好。
Hello.
今天我第一次出庭。
Today I had my first court appearance.
这个案子涉及我的女儿。
The case was involving my daughter.
应我们的要求，斯蒂芬·尼科尔斯在保释期间拍摄了视频日记。
At our request, Stephen Nichols has kept a video diary while out on bail.
蓝天。
Blue sky.
非常多、非常大的树。
Many, many bigger trees.
包括兰迪徒步前往鹰溪小径那个命运之地。
Including Landy hiking to that fateful spot on Eagle Creek Trail.
非常美丽，但有点危险。
Very beautiful, but a little dangerous.
在
On the
他审判的前夕。
eve of his trial.
我们位于尤金的斯宾塞山山顶。
We're at the top of Spencer Butte in Eugene.
喜欢这次徒步。
Love the hike.
这是我生命中最幸福的一天之一。
It's one of the happiest days of my life.
defiant的尼科尔斯坚信，未来还会有更多幸福的日子。
A defiant Nichols is convinced there will be many more happy days ahead.
我和罗达·卡索的死没有任何关系。
I had nothing to do with Rhonda Casto's death.
我和琳达·卡斯托的死没有任何关系。
I had nothing to do with Rhonda Casto's death.
你推她了吗？
You didn't push her?
没有。
No.
那是什么？
What is it?
那是什么？
What is it?
那是什么？
What is it?
所以你是说你对这些指控完全无辜？
So you you're telling us you're completely innocent of these charges?
是的。
Yes.
在
In
2017年5月，经过数场关于可用于指控斯蒂芬·尼科尔斯证据的听证会后——这些证据包括他承认与梅兰妮发生性关系——人们似乎终于看到了他真正受审的日子。
May 2017, following several hearings about what evidence could be used against Stephen Nichols, which would include his plea to having sex with Melanie, it looked like his true day in court was finally on the horizon.
然后我接到了检察官卡丽·拉斯穆森的电话，她慢慢告诉我他认罪的消息。
And then I got a call from Carrie Rasmussen, the prosecutor, and she slowly told me the news about him taking a plea.
令朱莉娅震惊和恐惧的是，检方和辩护方已举行和解会议，同意让尼科尔斯对较轻的指控认罪。
To Julia's shock and horror, there had been a settlement conference with the prosecution and the defense agreeing to allow Nichols to plead guilty to lesser charges.
我开始哭泣。
I started to cry.
我非常难过。
I got really upset.
我只是在电话里对卡丽大喊：不行。
I just said I was screaming on the phone to Carrie, no.
不行。
No.
你不能这么做。
You can't do this.
求你了，别这样。
Please don't.
别认罪协商了。
Don't plead out.
但检察官知道他们对尼科尔斯的案件可能会败诉。
But prosecutors knew their case against Nichols could fail.
多年来，地区检察官办公室一直认为尼科尔斯先生对琳达·卡索的死亡负有责任。
For years, the district attorney's office has believed that mister Nichols is responsible for the death of Rhonda Casto.
但这个案件不是关于信念。
But this case is not about belief.
而是关于能在庭审中向陪审团呈现的事实。
It's about the facts that can be presented to a jury at trial.
你对过失致人死亡罪的指控有何答辩？
What is your plea to the charge of criminally negligent homicide?
有罪。
Guilty.
至于胁迫罪呢？
And to the charge of coercion?
有罪。
Guilty.
人们认罪的原因多种多样。
People take pleas for all sorts of reasons.
大多数情况下，无辜的人认罪是为了获得优势或实现某个目标。
Most of the time, innocent people plead guilty in order to gain an advantage or meet a goal.
在本案中，这是尼科尔斯先生购买保险。
In this case, this is Mr.
尼科尔斯先生购买保险。
Nichols purchasing insurance.
现在，史蒂夫因谋杀罪入狱的可能性为0%，陪审团也不会判错。
There's now a 0% chance that Steve goes to prison for murder, that a jury gets it wrong.
尼科尔斯因审判前的羁押时间获得了刑期抵扣。
Nichols was given credit for time served while awaiting trial.
他仍需接受三年的假释监督。
He remains on parole for three years.
他的脚踝监控器已被拆除，服刑的日子已经结束。
His ankle monitor was removed, and his days behind bars are over.
这个认罪协议，在你看来是正义吗？
This plea deal, is it justice to you?
不，这不算正义。
No, it's not justice.
我觉得这件事突然就发生了。
I felt like it happened out of nowhere.
我对这个案件做出的决定仍然感到无比震惊。
I'm still completely blown away by the decision that was made in this.
你毁掉了我的整个家庭。
You destroyed my whole family.
尽管仍坚信尼科尔斯是凶手，朗达的母亲朱莉娅被允许在法庭上发言。
Still firmly believing Nichols is a murderer, Rhonda's mother, Julia, was allowed to address the court.
我不明白你怎么能这么做，怎么能够通过杀人把一个母亲从孩子身边夺走。
I don't see how you could do that, how you could take a mother away from her child like that by killing her.
这太可怕了，史蒂夫。
That's just horrible, Steve.
我会耐心等待，直到你犯错或者你死去，因为我知道你因为所做的一切终将下地狱。
I'll just bide my time and wait until you screw up or when you die because I know you're gonna go to hell for what you did.
尼科尔斯声称，他接受这项认罪协议只有一个原因。
Nichols claims he took the deal for just one reason.
他争取女儿监护权的时间所剩无几。
Time was running out to regain custody of his daughter.
如果我等超过一年才去审判，我几乎完全没有胜算。
If I waited over a year to go to trial, I probably had a 0% chance.
少年法庭系统存在一些问题，你等待的时间越长，让孩子重返父母身边的难度就越大。
There's some problems with the juvenile court system that the longer you wait, the harder it is to get a child returned to parent.
但既然他已经承认与一名13岁女孩有不当行为，认罪与琳达的未成年妹妹发生性关系，并参与了琳达的死亡，他重新获得女儿监护权的机会岌岌可危。
But having now admitted to inappropriate behavior with a 13 year old girl, pleading to having sex with Rhonda's underage sister and playing a role in Rhonda's death, Nichols' chances of regaining custody of his daughter are in jeopardy.
我觉得我已经留下了一片废墟。
I think I've just left a path of destruction.
我基本上就是玛蒂尔达·德·洪，一个不断更换女性的人。
I'm Matilda de Haun basically, going through women.
由于直到2020年假释期满前都不能离开俄勒冈州，斯蒂芬与已返回中国的未婚妻分手了。
Unable to leave Oregon until his parole expires in 2020, Stephen broke up with his fiancee who had returned to China.
我99%的时间都是独自一人。
I'm alone about 99% of the time.
我从不出门。
I never go out.
我孤身一人。
I have nobody.
于是，在我们48小时的采访中，尼科尔斯第二次提到了自杀这个话题。
Then for the second time in our forty eight hours interview, Nichols brings up the topic of suicide.
但这次，他谈的不是罗nda。
But this time, he's not speaking about Rhonda.
如果我得不到女儿，那对我来说就彻底完了。
If I don't have my daughter, then it's pretty much game over for me.
我要退出了，就这样。
I'm checking out, so.
你是说你会结束自己的生命吗？
You're saying you'll take your own life?
我讨厌所有关于自杀的问题。
I hate all the suicide questions.
我不打算回答这个问题，但正如我所说，如果我拿不回女儿，我就完了。
I'm not gonna answer that, but like I said, if I don't get my daughter back, I'm done.
我就说这么多。
I'll just say that.
是的。
Yeah.
没错。
Right.
我对此表示怀疑。
I doubt that.
他太自恋、自大、反社会了。
He's too narcissistic, egotistical, sociopath.
他不可能会自杀。
There's no way he would take his own life.
他只是这么说来博取同情。
He's just said that to get sympathy.
如果你孙女被交还给他抚养，你认为会发生什么？
And if your granddaughter were to be placed back into his custody, what do you think would happen?
她将不再是正常的孩子。
She would not be a normal child.
她会遭受情感和心理上的虐待，甚至可能遭受身体上的虐待。
She would be emotionally and mentally abused and possibly physical.
就在我们以为这个故事已经结束时，我们对尼科尔斯的采访却转向了超现实的境地。
And then, just when we thought this story had come to an end, our interview with Nichols took a turn into the surreal.
我正试着想想该怎么理解这件事。
I'm trying to think of a way to think of this.
他第一次谈到了2009年那天罗达生命最后时刻可能发生的事，将她比作一名受伤的士兵。
For the first time, he talks about what may have happened in Rhonda's last moments of life that day in 2009, comparing her to a wounded soldier.
假设你身处战场，和你的战友在一起。
Let's say you're in a war situation and you're with your buddy.
我不知道，他踩中了地雷或者手榴弹之类的东西。
And I don't know, he takes a landmine or a grenade or something.
你百分百确定这个人必死无疑。
You're 100% certain this guy's going to die.
请记住，尼科尔斯爬下了150英尺，来到罗达破碎的身体旁。
Remember, Nichols climbed down 150 feet to where Rhonda's broken body lay.
你赶到她身边时，她还活着吗？
Was she alive when you got to her?
一个小时。
An hour.
那部分我不会深入谈。
And that's the part I'm not going into.
斯蒂芬·尼科尔斯要承认什么了吗？
Is Stephen Nichols about to admit something?
你那天是让罗达解脱痛苦了吗？
Did you put Rhonda out of misery that day?
让我问你一个问题。
Let me ask you.
如果你因为看到战友痛苦不堪而开枪杀了他，那是谋杀吗？
If you shoot your war buddy because you see how much pain he's in, is that murder?
你怎么说？
What do you say?
我说不是。
I say no.
当然不是。
Of course not.
所以对我来说，这是合理的，我不想说它是杀人，技术上它确实是杀人，但在那一刻是正当的。
So to me that's a justified, I don't want to say homicide, technically it is homicide, it's justified as of that point.
你是在让一个几乎毫无生存希望的人摆脱痛苦。
You are putting someone out of their misery that essentially has zero chance of survival.
那你当时就是这么做的吗？
And is that what you did?
当然不是，我不是这个意思。
That's of course, that's not what I'm saying.
我只是想说
I'm just saying
但你提起了这个话题。
Well, you brought this up.
你提出了整个这件事，这似乎是个危险的文字游戏。
You brought up this whole It seems a dangerous word game.
尼科尔斯站在悬崖边缘，然后退后一步，这是场悲剧中的最后转折，而真正的结局只有尼科尔斯知道。
Nichols stood on the cliff's edge, then took a step back, a final twist in a tragedy where only Nichols knows the real ending.
这一切都是假设性的，因为我只是在告诉人们，你知道的，要跳出思维定式。
It's all hypothetical because I'm telling people, you know, think outside the box.
比如，总还有其他选择。
Like, there's always other options there.
当深受爱戴的家族族长加里·费里斯失踪后，他的家人在自家财产范围内四处寻找，直到发现了一幕令人毛骨悚然的景象。
When beloved family patriarch Gary Ferris went missing, his family looked everywhere on their property until they came across something horrifying.
这是一起谋杀案。
It's a homicide.
当然。
Absolutely.
这个家族中的推卸责任游戏不断循环。
The blame game in this family went round and round.
这是《血浓于水》，费里斯轮盘。
This is Blood is Thicker, the Ferris wheel.
我看不出任何人看到这个故事后还会觉得他们过得幸福。
I would don't see how anyone can look at this story and think they were happy.
请在免费的Audacy应用上关注并收听《血浓于水：费里斯轮》，或在您收听播客的任何平台收听。
Follow and listen to blood is thicker, the Ferris wheel on the free Audacy app or wherever you get your podcasts.
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