It's a case played out in an Indio court room for years. Kaushal Niroula and Daniel Garcia each charged with 10 felony counts including murder and conspiracy for the 2008 stabbing death of Palm Springs retiree, Clifford Lambert. Niroula and Garcia addressed the jury Tuesday with their final remarks. Niroula saying the prosecution is wrongfully calling him a killer.

 

"That is an attempt at a scam, not by me, but the prosecution," defendant Kaushal Niroula, said.

 

Niroula also argued a lack of evidence, saying Craig McCarthy's testimony admitting he was in the kitchen when Lambert was killed doesn't prove what happened. He says McCarthy's inability to remember details from that day make his testimony unreliable.  

 

"If you saw something it would haunt you for the rest of your life," Niroula said.

 

"They definitely and with intention killed Clifford Lambert," Deputy District Attorney Lisa Di Maria said Friday.

 

Di Maria called it a cloak and dagger case. Heavy on the daggers.

 

"Intention plus murder equals first degree," Di Maria said.

 

The prosecution argued Lambert lost his life to greed.

 

The defendants finished their closing arguments Tuesday afternoon. The district attorney will be given a chance for rebuttal Wednesday before the case goes to the jury.

 

--Adrianna Weingold

aweingold@kmir6.com