Trying to generate enough sympathy to save Christensen's life, Taseff portrayed his client as a victim of depression, sleeplessness, and alcohol and drug abuse that destroyed his once-promising doctoral studies in physics at the University of Illinois and led him down a path of murder and depravity. Poor Brendt. Poor, poor Brendt. That was the gist of defense lawyer George Taseff's opening statement to jurors in the Brendt Christensen murder/kidnapping case that began Wednesday at the U.S.