CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The trial of Christopher Palmiter, the stepfather of Madalina Cojocari, continued Wednesday.
Madalina was 11 years old when she was last seen getting off a school bus in November 2022 before going missing.
Tuesday's court session began with jurors watching a 2022 police interrogation video of Palmiter. The day ended with Palmiter taking the stand in his own defense. When court resumed Wednesday, Palmiter continued to answer questions from his defense attorney.
MORE FROM TUESDAY: Christopher Palmiter takes the stand in his own defense, denies hurting Madalina Cojocari
On Tuesday, Palmiter again said he had not hurt Madalina Cojocari and did not know her whereabouts.
After more than a year-and-a-half, the girl is still missing. Palmiter is only charged with failing to report the disappearance of his stepdaughter.
Live streaming of the trial is not permitted. WCNC Charlotte has a reporter in the courtroom. What follows below is a blog of updates from inside the courtroom:
5:00 p.m.
The trial is wrapping up for the day. The court session is expected to resume Thursday with continued cross-examination of Palmiter.
4:55 p.m.
The state prosecutor asked Palmiter if things seemed normal when he returned from Michigan after the Thanksgiving holiday. Palmiter told the prosecutor things did not seem normal.
Palmiter agreed that Madalina would frequently jump on a trundle mattress kept under her bed. After he returned from his trip, Palmiter testified he no longer heard Madalina jumping on the bed. Palmiter said the trundle mattress was on the back porch. When asked by the prosecutor if Diana had tried to burn the mattress, Palmiter testified it was unclear to him if Diana had tried to burn the mattress.
Palmiter testified he does not recall a conversation on Dec. 15 where he told a police official that Diana Cojocari had burned photos of Madalina.
Palmiter agreed he had found several items were burnt while he was away in Michigan.
4:50 p.m.
Palmiter testified in phone calls with his friend Dave, he never told Dave that Madalina had been kidnapped. He also told Dave he did not believe Madalina was in her room, he testified. Palmiter said his friend Dave had messaged saying the police were coming to the house.
Palmiter agreed with evidence that shows he texted Diana after talking to Dave. Palmiter testified, as evidence showed Tuesday, that he advised Diana to tell authorities that they were taking Madalina out of school in order to homeschool her.
4:40 p.m.
Palmiter testified Wednesday he was not aware Diana Cojocari said he could have hurt Madalina.
Diana Cojocari stayed at Palmiter's home as recently as last week, Palmiter testified in court Wednesday. He said he continues to communicate with her.
Palmiter told the prosecutor that in conversations with Diana Cojocari since Madalina's disappearance, each spouse has told the other that they do not know Madalina's whereabouts.
RELATED FROM LAST WEEK: Diana Cojocari pleads guilty to not reporting daughter missing, while Christopher Palmiter's defense argues the state withheld key evidence
Palmiter testified he is no longer employed by General Dynamics, the company he was working for in 2022. He no longer has a security clearance, he said in court. Previous testimony indicated a security clearance may have been needed for some of his professional work in previous years.
4:30 p.m.
In initial questioning from the state prosecutor, Palmiter confirmed he is still married to Diana Cojocari. He also agreed he is still legally Madalina's stepfather. He told the prosecutor that Madalina was still in diapers when he first met the young child.
Palmiter said Madalina lived in his Cornelius home for all six years since the time she arrived and the time she disappeared. Palmiter testified he was financially responsible for the food and clothes that supported Madalina.
Palmiter told the prosecutor he was voluntarily answering questions at the police station on Dec. 15, 2022.
"My intent on being there was to fill any holes between the interviews at the school and the police station," Palmiter said of his willingness to talk with police.
4:12 p.m.
The defense attorney concludes the questioning of Palmiter. Cross-examination is now beginning.
4:10 p.m.
In recounting his experience on Dec. 15, Palmiter testified he did not know about Madalina's disappearance before talking with school or police officials. He said he wanted to help the police find her.
In court Tuesday, jurors watched video recordings of Palmiter talking to police on Dec. 15.
During questioning in court Wednesday, he again testified that he still does not know where Madalina is. He also told his attorney that Diana Cojocari never asked him for help in finding Madalina.
Palmiter testified it was only after his arrest that he learned Diana Cojocari was stealing money from him, he said.
4:00 p.m.
When Palmiter went to Bailey Middle School on Dec. 15, he testified, Diana Cojocari asked him to bring Madalina's laptops. He believed the laptops were needed to review recent school work.
From previous testimony, officials have detailed the Dec. 15 school meeting as this day that officials confirmed for the first time that Madalina was missing.
3:45 p.m.
Court resumes after a short recess
3:30 p.m.
Palmiter said after getting a truancy notification from the school on Dec. 9, 2022, he looked up what truancy was the next day online. He said he started to search for both Madalina and Diana but couldn't find them. He claims he didn't see Diana again until Dec. 11, 2022, and that he didn't know Madalina was missing until he went to her school and found out she hadn't gone to school.
At this point, Palmiter recounts a conversation previous to the truancy note where he asked to see Madalina and he said Diana tried to change the subject and told him she was not his business. Then, closer to Christmas, he asked about Madalina again, and he claims Diana told him that they were not his family and that he needed to create his own family. He addressed the truancy note with Diana, claiming she didn't seem concerned about it, even after explaining to her they could go to court over it.
He said Diana used to be a teacher in Moldova, and he suggested she homeschool her if she didn't like the schooling she was getting.
The court takes a short recess and WCNC Charlotte's Jesse Pierre spotted Diana Cojocari nearby.
3:15 p.m.
Palmiter admits Diana spent a lot of time on the computer with her family, sometimes Skyping for hours. The defense attorney shows the jury a picture taken on Dec. 9, 2022, of some blue tubs. He said he took the photo so he could remember how many were there to see if some were being removed or added.
He said Tupperware and plates were in one of the bins, so he assumed they were moving out and he was trying to put it all together and was growing concerned. The defense attorney asked if he was worried about Madalina's wellbeing, and he said no, he was focused on if Diana was leaving him.
3 p.m.
The jury hears a recording from Dec. 5, 2022, where Diana is asking Palmiter if he called the police and told them he was worried about her. She claims a police officer approached her car, saying someone called to say they were worried about her. He denies calling the police. Diana doubles down in the recording, saying she doesn't know anyone else in the country, and asks him who else could have done it?
"Did I do anything to physically or psychologically hurt you?" Diana is heard asking.
She goes on to ask if he called because he was angry with her.
"Maybe I did something wrong?" Diana asks.
She accuses him of getting angry with her easily when something happens, which he refutes in the recording, saying he's not getting angry. Diana insists she "would never do anything to hurt anyone."
Diana continues to talk about a time period between March and April of 2022 when she had a feeling her family was in danger and she had asked him to protect them, requesting he take her and Madalina to Michigan.
"And you didn't do anything," she states in the recording.
Palmiter tells his defense attorney he had no clue she was recording the conversation they were having and that he still didn't know Madalina was missing. He did mention he didn't think Diana trusted him.
2:45 p.m.
The defense showed a picture of the computer modem from Dec. 3, 2022, which Palmiter said he took because the internet was not running properly. He doesn't recall having contact with Diana or Madalina that day.
Another picture is shown of a note from Dec. 6, 2022, which Palmiter said he took a picture of it to remember the timeline of when Diana and Madalina would be back. He said there was another note that said, "We've gone hiking." Palmiter said he thought Diana was hiking with Madalina which would happen all the time without him. He said Madalina loved the mountains.
2:35 p.m.
In a recording of Diana Cojocari that's shown to the court, she said her wallet with her green card, her ID went missing on Dec. 2, 2022. Palmiter said he doesn't know where it went. They had a conversation about Madalina, but Palmiter said he didn't get a sense that Madalina was missing.
2:30 p.m.
Palmiter testified he received a text message from a friend on Dec. 1, 2022. This message was in regard to Madalina's attendance.
In conversation with Diana Cojocari about the text message, Palmiter said his wife told him Madalina was sick and was in her room. He testified he did not go into her room to check on her.
2:15 p.m.
The jury sees pictures Palmiter took while on his travels to Michigan over the Thanksgiving holiday in 2022. The pictures were not visible to the court-authorized television camera in the courtroom and cannot be reproduced here.
2 p.m.
Court is set to resume after a lunch break.
12:35 p.m.
Before taking a recess, the judge asked Palmiter's defense attorney how long he anticipated Palmiter's testimony to last. The attorney replied saying he planned to take the jury through each of Palmiter's days from the time period in 2022.
12:30 p.m.
Palmiter testified he returned from Michigan on Sat., Nov. 26. Upon his return home, Palmiter testified Diana Cojocari sent him on a shopping trip that lasted several hours.
Once back inside his home, Palmiter said he noticed Madalina's desk was in a different position. He also observed a dresser near the front door. He testified the placement of the dresser was not unusual because Diana would typically push things in front of the door.
Palmiter said he did not see Madalina on that Saturday. He testified he again thought the girl was sleeping.
The next day, Palmiter claims he was resting. Come Monday, he testified, he believed he worked the entire week from his company's office near Greensboro. He testified on Wednesday that Diana would frequently unplug the Internet. Due to what he believed to be an Internet malfunction, he could not work remotely that week, he said in court.
When his Internet service provider came to the home to repair the Internet on Dec. 1, Palmiter testified that no one was apparently home when the technician arrived. He said he had expected Diana to be home.
When the company returned the next day, he said Wednesday, Diana had texted him to say "they" were out of town. Palmiter testified on Wednesday that he replied back to Diana to ask who "they" was. Diana told him he meant herself and Madalina, Palmiter recalled on Wednesday.
12 p.m.
In ongoing testimony about November 2022, Palmiter said Diana Cojocari was adamant about him taking an unplanned trip to Michigan. Palmiter said he was instructed to go to Michigan on Nov. 23, 2022 to get clothes for Madalina that were kept in Michigan. Before leaving for the trip, Palmiter testified he does not recall seeing Madalina. He would later testify that before he left, Diana Cojocari told him Madalina was sleeping.
11:30 a.m.
Palmiter testified Wednesday he and Diana Cojocari had a big argument on Nov. 22, 2022, about a coffee mug. He explained to the court the mug had a snowflake on it and expressed Diana Cojocari felt there should not be any symbols, such as snowflakes in the home. He said the argument escalated to Diana taking the mug and other plates and bowls and smashing them in the trash can.
Palmiter said he was told the next day to replace the snowflake mug. Palmiter testified he went to Walmart to buy a new mug. He testified he also went to work that day. He testified he worked from his office, which is located outside Greensboro, North Carolina. He testified he did not recall seeing Madalina on that day. That day, Nov 21, 2022, was the last time Madalina Cojocari was publicly seen. As previously explained in the trial, Madalina was seen getting off her school bus that afternoon.
11:20 a.m.
Court is resuming with testimony from Palmiter.
11 a.m.
Court is taking a break.
10:50 a.m.
In speaking further about their marriage, Palmiter made mention again Wednesday about silver investments he had made. He said Diana Cojocari took issue with being named a "custodial guardian" of the investments because she feared it meant someone would control her. Palmiter expressed this was a way for her to access the investment if something happened to him.
Palmiter said the arguments about the silver investment "came up quite a bit." His wife accused him of "selling my soul to the devil."
Palmiter said he worked to get his wife's name removed from the investments. He said removing her name would result in a financial loss.
10:30 a.m.
Palmiter, who grew up in Michigan, testified to the court Wednesday that he and Diana Cojocari visited his family in Michigan. The purpose of the trip was to arrange a place to hide Diana and Madalina Cojocari away with his family until Diana felt things had died down with the Russian entities tracking them, he said. Palmiter said that while his family agreed to help his wife and stepdaughter, Diana Cojocari declined the arrangement and accused Palmiter's sister-in-law of recording them.
Palmiter expressed it was his duty to find a place for Madalina and Daian to stay undetected but he felt he had failed. He said this conflict caused issues in his marriage.
10:15 a.m.
Palmiter said he does not recall him ever responding to messages from Bailey Middle School officials.
He described Diana Cojocari as being paranoid about Madalina's public school. Palmiter testified that Diana Cojocari thought her daughter was being watched in an effort to be trafficked. She felt the public school was indoctrinating children, Palmiter testified.
In a similar experience, Palmiter testified that in 2022 Diana Cojocari felt that Russian entities were monitoring their cell phones. Palmiter recalled to the court Diana Cojocari fearing they were being monitored by Russian President Vladimir Putin and late pop star Michael Jackson.
10:10 a.m.
Palmiter said Diana and Madalina Cojocari would take trips together. He specifically mentioned they would sometimes go to the mountains.
In an effort to describe everyday life in his home, Palmiter's attorney asked him about their daily routine. Palmiter said he would typically return from work around 7:30 p.m. While he said he would interact with Madalina, he acknowledged it was often close to bedtime. He said Madalina would typically eat dinner in her bedroom.
Palmiter said Diana and Madalina would typically still be asleep when he left for work around 6:30 a.m. each weekday morning.
10 a.m.
While on the stand, Palmiter spoke about Diana Cojocari's role in the household. He said he believes she speaks four languages: Russian, Romanian, French and English.
He said she made many of the household decisions, such as how to go about fixing things in the house. Palmiter said arguments from her typically started when she would tell him how he should act.
He specifically referenced arguments with Diana Cojocari over spirituality, saying she would get mad at him for trying to send messages if he did something like wiggle his nose when it itched. He added she would dismiss him if he asked for explanations on her spirituality, claiming he thought she was afraid of him knowing too much. He also said Diana Cojocari believed she had past lives.
He noted that by 2022, he and Diana Cojocari were not communicating well, and Madalina would spend more time with Diana Cojocari than Palmiter. Sometimes Madalina and Diana Cojocari would take trips together, like to the mountains, Palmiter said.
9:30 a.m.
The trial resumed with Palmiter taking the stand once again. The defense asked Palmiter to talk about how life was the three and how it changed through the years. Palmiter was visibly emotional when describing photos shared of the three.
The defense said things changed in 2022, and Palmiter said they took fewer trips and didn't travel as a family. Palmiter claimed Diana Cojocari did not work, but would tell people she "saved souls."
Background information on the case
Cojocari was last seen getting off a school bus in Cornelius in November 2022. Palmiter pleaded not guilty to failing to report Madalina missing and has been out of jail since his release in August 2023. Palmiter is the husband of Diana Cojocari, Madalina's mother, who was released from jail last week after pleading guilty to failing to report the girl's disappearance.
Records appear to show an expert witness — a computer forensics expert with the FBI — is set to testify.
A total of 12 jurors and two alternates were selected. The 12-member jury is made up of 11 men and one woman. The two alternates are women.
Contact Destiny Richards at drichards5@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
Contact Jesse Pierre at jpierrepet@wcnc.com or follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
Contact Tradesha Woodard at twoodard1@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.