Jury sees LaBarre police interview

Video taken soon after victim slain

LaBarre has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. (PHOTOS BY JIM COLE/ASSOCIATED PRESS/POOL)

CONCORD, N.H. - Jurors had already heard hours of audiotape of Sheila LaBarre, but yesterday they also saw a video of her being interviewed by police as she caressed a pet rabbit soon after she killed one of her victims.

In the recording, made in March 2006, LaBarre sits in a small room with State Police Detective Richard Mitchell. Also in the room is State Trooper Jill Rockey, heard off camera questioning LaBarre about the whereabouts of Kenneth Countie, the Massachusetts man LaBarre has since admitted killing in 2006.

She also has admitted killing a second man, Michael Deloge, but is pleading insanity. At one point during the tape, LaBarre took out a rabbit she had brought to the police station and caressed its fur as she answered questions.

Later in the interview, one of the officers noticed the rabbit had urinated on LaBarre's lap. LaBarre appeared unfazed; she calmly took some paper towels and wiped her leg.

In the tape, LaBarre refers to Countie as Adam, saying he had changed his name. Her emotions appear erratic, one moment stoic, the next tearful. LaBarre laughs at one point when questioned about being seen pushing Countie in a wheelchair in the Epping Wal-Mart. LaBarre said that the wheelchair was used as a joke and that cuts people saw on him were caused by an accident at home.

A few moments into the interview, LaBarre says she believed Countie was a pedophile and had raped many children. In hours of audiotapes LaBarre made and that jurors already have heard, LaBarre has accused Countie and a number of other people of molesting children.

The psychologist testifying as a defense witness said the obsession with sexual abuse is a delusion, a sign that LaBarre is mentally ill and was insane when she killed Countie and Deloge.

When questioned in the March 2006 interview about where Countie went or what happened to him, LaBarre often changes the subject. She tells police that Countie left while she was sleeping and that she thought he was contemplating suicide.

The investigators also question LaBarre about large bones police found in a burn pile in her yard days earlier.

LaBarre mentions she had cremated a rabbit, but when pressed says she does not know how the bones got there.

These bones were later identified as human.