Over the Edge

He Called It A Tragic Accident.
On a May evening in 1998, the idyllic marriage of wealthy Lake Tahoe couple Peter and Rinette Bergna ended in a crush of metal as their truck plunged 800 feet down a Sierra-Nevada mountainside. Peter was thrown from the vehicle and lived. Rinette, strapped in her seat, died on impact. In time, the grieving widower would meet a new woman, and put the tragic past behind him. Two-and-a-half years later, his life took another fateful turn...

Authorities Called It A Crime.
Bergna, esteemed art appraiser and son of one of California's most prominent attorneys, was indicted for the murder of his wife. Was Rinette's death really an accident-or deliberate homicide to free a controlling killer from a financially and emotionally trying marriage? The contradictory twists and turns of the case resulted in a hung jury. But it was the second trial that would yield even more surprises as a divided community waited for the final stunning verdict.

Michael Fleeman covers show business for People magazine in Los Angeles. Before joining People, he worked for the Associated Press, covering such high-profile stories as the two O.J. Simpson trials and the Oklahoma City bombing trial of Timothy McVeigh. He lives in Altadena, California, with his wife Barbara, and their two children, Katherine and Scott. He is also the author of "If I Die...", The Stranger in My Bed, and Laci.