Arrest

On the day of his wife’s death, Dr. Frasch suffered a 16-hour interview that very quickly turned into an interrogation. It was here that it was confirmed for Dr. Frasch that his wife had died suddenly by an unexpected drowning.

Although Dr. Frasch asked to have his lawyer present at least ten times in the interview, officials insisted they just wanted to clarify a few things. When he asked about his daughters, he was told they were fine, just out in the hallway playing and that he could see them if he answered a few more questions. In court, however, Lieutenant Chad King of the Bay County Sheriff’s office testified that one of the first things they had done that day was to contact the Department of Children and Families to take care of the children. 

The technique used by the Bay Country Sheriff’s office was to have two officers interrogate Dr. Frasch, leave the room and two different men would then come in. They would start off supportive, acting sympathetic. It would then descend into accusations. With dark humor and a vested interest in keeping it from the public that draconian measures are used to question husbands of victims, Lieutenant King informed the court that Dr. Frasch had been questioned for an hour. 

It was stated that investigators from the Leon County Sheriff’s office came down to continue the questioning and that the interview started at 11:38 pm. But when asked how long Dr. Frasch was at the Bay County Sherif’s office, Detective Bill Revell  of the Leon County Sheriff’s office, one of the investigators who was there that night, said he didn’t know. The transcript given to the jury said it concluded at 1:37 am, giving the false impression that the portion they received was the whole interrogation.

In court, Detective Revell was asked, “At any point did he ask for a break or to use the bathroom?”

“Not that I recall.”

Would Dr. Frasch have been allowed to use the bathroom or take a break if he had asked?

“Yes.”

In fact, despite asking, there were no bathroom breaks and not even a drink of water. Dr. Frasch recalls crying, soaking his shirt with tears and yet never being allowed a tissue. In the trial an officer testified that Dr. Frasch sounded like he was crying in the interview but didn’t have any actual tears. It was true that six hours into the interrogation he was ‘accused’ of crying without tears. The explanation that he had been crying for so long that he was out of tears didn’t satisfy. But it is a fact that people can run out of tears, particularly if they are not taking in fluids. In court, Kendall Lindsey, the friend who had called Dr. Frasch to tell him that Samira had been found dead dead in pool, could hear one of his daughters asking, “Daddy, why are you crying?”

One of the things discussed in the interrogation was the amount of alcohol Samira had consumed the night before. Dr. Frasch could only go by what he knew. He had seen a glass of wine in her hand and he had tasted wine on her lips when they were making love. In the morning, he had noticed two Champagne bottles opened and sitting on the kitchen counter.

Yet when the toxicology report came back and there was no alcohol in Samira’s blood, Dr. Frasch was accused of lying. Yet in his prolonged interview he had even said, "I don't think Sam would have been drinking when she got up that morning, but I was not there, so I don't know.” Also,"If you think she may have been drunk, staggered, fell in the pool and drowned, that would be highly unlikely."

In his own words Dr. Frasch described for a journalist what he experienced that night: 

Let me explain, what I was trying to relay to you. 

I have been put through hell the past 6 years, and the media is partially responsible for this travesty. With that said, put yourself in my shoes... You leave your house one day after leaving your husband in bed to let him sleep in, enjoy a day to himself and a break from his stressful daily responsibilities. Then he mysteriously dies and is allegedly found dead in the pool. 

Then, the police nor any neighbors, family or friends call you to let you know he has died, while you are having a wonderful day with your small children at the beach and enjoying precious time with them. Then to your surprise, the police rush you at gun point in front of your beach house, babies, friends and neighhbors. They aggressively handcuff and arrest you. Then take your precious babies away from you, and tow your vehicle away while you're in the squad car wondering what is going on. They refuse to tell you. Your neighbor/dear friend is yelling at them and asking why they are arresting his good friend Dr. Frasch. They threaten to arrest him for interfering with an arrest and investigation. 

Then these vicious, psychologically and mentally exhausting cops interrogate you, question you over and over about your actions and events with your husband that day and the day(s) before. One minute acting like they are supportive and caring, then the next minute they are are asking you ugly, insulting and accusational questions. While using severely vulgar threats and profanity. Just after they inform you that the love of your life has been found drowned in the pool at home. 

Now during this traumatic and unwarranted false arrest, you are emotionally distraught, fatigued, severely depressed, dehydrated and traumatized. Even your hands completely numb, and your wrists bleeding from hand cuffs being on so tight. You have a MRSA infection on your left leg 2 days post surgery. They refuse to give you your antibiotics. even after requesting this. They even refuse your request to elevate your severely painful swollen leg, during this 16 hour interrogation. They refuse to give you a drink of water, refuse your request to use the bathroom. They don't even give you a Kleenex/tissue to wipe your tears and drainage from your nose. You have cried so much that the front of your shirt is completely damp from tears and snot. You are unable to wipe because your hands are cuffed behind your back for 16 hours. Your whole body is aching and hurting with a MRSA infection spreading throughout it. 

Through all of this, you somehow keep it together and ask again for your lawyer to be present? That you don't want to be difficult. But if they are going to be rude and asking you accusational questions. Then, how you think your husband would have drowned in the pool? You say you want a witness and legal counsel to be present. Over 10 times from initial arrest you ask for a lawyer. 

They never tell you why you have been arrested. You do not find out until your lawyer comes 5 days later. They tell you during this on slot of torture, that you don't need a lawyer Mrs. Kantner, we just want to clarify a few things. Once we do that we will let you go, let you have your girls, help you take care of your wife's affairs and escort you/drive you to wherever you need. 

Instead, they arrest you take pictures/mug shot of you in the worst appearance of your life. (Of course this is "The Photo" of you, that the media and the police use over and over and over, the next 6 years, to make you look bad, ugly and GUILTY!!). Now it doesn't stop there, they put you in a cell naked, with no mattress and no blanket for 5 days. No shower, no medical attention for your MRSA infection and leg wound. No required daily change of your bandage. NO PHONE CALL to talk to your family for emotional support. To find out where and how your babies are. To get you a lawyer and bond you out. Hoping, and praying this all a terrible nightmare, and that this just a big mistake and false arrest or false accusation by someone. 

This goes on for 5 days before your lawyer shows up and tells you, that you are on the national news and being accused of your husband's death. Then he informs you that the media is destroying you and it does not look good. Then tells you you haven't been formally charged in his death. You are being charged and held without bond for a false charge of attempted interference with child custody of your girls. Who you tell him you have custody and that you and your husband had reconciled and been getting along. He was the one who had lost custody from being arrested for domestic violence against you 6 months earlier. The charges had been mysteriously dropped. He was getting counselling, back on his meds and doing well. The day before he was upset because he noticed some of his most valuable and prized possessions had been stolen.

Again I implore you to close your eyes, reflect on what and how you would feel if your life had taken this tragic turn.