The defense called its first witnesses Friday, starting with a chemist from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Thomas Hopen testified that he tested rope, string and yarn found at Mann's home, compared it to string found near the bomb that exploded in Dr. Trent Pierce's driveway and found no match.
The chemist also testified that plastic sheeting found at Mann's home didn't match the plastic sheeting found with an ammunition tin filled with grenades, which was buried near the Mann property.
On cross-examination, prosecutors suggested there was no match because Mann finished up a roll of plastic sheeting when he buried the grenades.
The next witness to take the stand was Pria Patel. She is the daughter of Pete Patel, who is in the hotel business. Mann owns a 31 percent portion of Pete Patel's businesses.
Pria Patel was questioned about the spare tire that was in her Nissan Altima. There is no longer a donut spare tire, but a full-sized spare in it. The bomb that injured Pierce was in a donut tire.
Patel told the defense lawyers that she has a full-size tire as a spare instead of a donut because in 2003, she got a flat tire on her way to a concert. She put the donut tire on and drove back home, where she said her dad changed the tire out with a full-size tire, but didn't put the donut back in the car.
She said she doesn't know what happened to the donut tire. The defense moved onto question John Norrell, a licensed firearms dealer and manufacturer, who testified that Mann had no way of knowing that the unregistered firearms he posessed had to be registered.
The defense went on to question Norrell's credibility. Citing his lack of police and military experience along with, what they referred to as, his lack of research on the matter.
Court has adjourned for the weekend and will reconvene on Monday at 9:00 a.m.