Jury deliberations are set to commence on Wednesday in the trial of a man accused of murdering his ex-girlfriend, Amie Harwick, a well-known marriage and sex therapist. The prosecution argues that Gareth Pursehouse, a 45-year-old resident of Playa del Rey, threw Harwick off the third-floor balcony of her Hollywood Hills home in the early hours of February 15, 2020. Pursehouse faces charges of murder and first-degree residential burglary, with the special circumstance allegation of murder while lying in wait. If convicted, he could receive a life prison sentence without the possibility of parole.
The prosecution’s closing arguments claim that Harwick was taken by surprise when Pursehouse broke into her home and waited for hours before attacking her. They argue that she was thrown off the balcony. On the other hand, the defense attorney suggests that Harwick may have fallen accidentally after a confrontation with another man.
Deputy District Attorney Victor Avila contends that Pursehouse made the decision to end Harwick’s life on Valentine’s Day. Avila notes that she was scared of Pursehouse after previously encountering him and rejecting his attempts to stay in contact. The prosecution argues that Pursehouse was angry and felt rejected, leading him to break into Harwick’s home, punch and strangle her, and ultimately throw her off the balcony.
In contrast, the defense attorney Robin Bernstein-Lev claims that Pursehouse lost control of his emotions and impulsively broke into Harwick’s home to talk to her. She argues that the chance encounter with Harwick a month earlier greatly affected Pursehouse’s emotional state. Bernstein-Lev emphasizes that Pursehouse did not intend to kill Harwick.
The defense attorney also contends that the prosecution has not provided evidence that Harwick did not climb over the balcony on her own volition. She points out that Harwick had previously posed on the balcony in a photo. Bernstein-Lev also mentions that a syringe found on the balcony, which allegedly contained a lethal dose of nicotine, was not intended to harm Harwick. She further highlights that Pursehouse was put on suicide watch after his arrest.
In her rebuttal argument, Deputy District Attorney Catherine Mariano asserts that Harwick was afraid of Pursehouse and that he became angry when she shut him out. Mariano argues that Pursehouse intended to punish Harwick by killing her. She disputes the defense’s claim that Harwick fell, pointing to the autopsy results that indicate blunt force injuries and manual strangulation as the cause of death.
Harwick’s death shocked many, including her former fiancé Drew Carey, who expressed his love for her on social media. Pursehouse, who was initially released on a $2 million bond, was later re-arrested and has been held without bail since then.
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