WESTMORELAND — Dana Chandler again testified in her own defense on Wednesday, at the trial in which she’s charged with the murder of her ex-husband Michael Sisco, and his fiancèe, Karen Harkness.

This is the third time Chandler is being tried for the crimes; her first conviction was overturned and the second ended in a hung jury. This time she’s chosen to represent herself. Shawnee County Court Judge Cheryl Rios, who moved the proceedings to Pottawatomie County because of concerns about media coverage, is presiding.

The resumption of court proceedings after Wednesday’s lunch recess was delayed twice when Chandler again failed to produce her witness in a timely manner and left the courtroom. The jury was excused for another recess, 30 minutes after coming back from the lunch break, when Chandler did not return to the courtroom.

She eventually came back and received another admonishment from Rios for her conduct. Jurors returned to the court, and Chandler questioned Dustin Sisco, Chandler’s son with Michael Sisco.

Chandler asked Dustin whether he had asked her to come to his father’s funereal events, and he said he had no recollection of that happening.

Following her son’s testimony, Chandler expressed more confusion about the next witness she expected to call, which led to another 20-minute delay of the court and Chandler leaving the room again.

Jurors had their second recess of the afternoon, after which Chandler reappeared and took the witness stand herself.

Chandler’s testimony was rambling but eventually covered her alibi for the double-homicide July 6, 2002. Chandler said she dropped off a computer at her former employer’s office in Denver, Colorado, on the date in question. She also used a copy of her credit card transaction statement to show that she made purchases at a grocery store, Target, and a gas station, all in the Denver area on that day.

Chandler said after returning the computer, she ran some errands and attended an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, then purchased gas cans for herself and a participant of the meeting who’d run out of gas.

She said she then left the Denver area, driving to the Rocky Mountains and stopping for the night in Glenwood Springs. On July 7, Chandler said she continued driving through Rocky Mountain National Park, passing through Steamboat Springs and stopping in Loveland.

Chandler again referred to a copy of her credit card statement, showing the card had been used at a Walmart in Loveland the morning of July 7. She said she received a call at 10:30 p.m. central time from Topeka Police Department Richard Volle, informing her of the death of her ex-husband.

Chandler went on with her testimony, pivoting to address the media coverage of the case by CBS’ “48 Hours” in October 2009 and by NBC’s “Dateline,” which received permission to record during the current trial. According to Chandler, the 2009 coverage of the murders caused her to be “convicted in the court of public opinion” before even being arrested in the matter.

She continued by expressing her disapproval for the current broadcasting presence in the courtroom, saying it was a “character assassination.”

When court resumed Thursday, Chandler questioned the lead detective who investigated the murder of her ex-husband and his fiancée in 2002.

Chandler put forth a motion Thursday morning before the jury entered, to request a four-day recess so she could find a witness to support evidence she hopes to admit, and to ask that assistant counsel be provided to help her do so. Chandler elected to represent herself in this trial, dismissing her counsel before opening statements began Feb. 7.

The state objected to the motion, and while Judge Rios attempted to evaluate both sides’ positions, Chandler spoke over her several times and declined to stop when Rios asked repeatedly.

Chandler received a first warning from Rios and was told if she reached a third she would be held in contempt of court. The judge reminded Chandler that when she chose to represent herself, she agreed to follow the rules of evidence and the court. Chandler was warned of her obligations extensively by the court when choosing to proceed as her own counsel.

Former Topeka Police Department detective Richard Volle then took the witness stand. Volle was the lead detective in the initial investigation of the Sisco-Harkness murders.

Volle said he did not find record of any firearm owned by Chandler in the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms database. Volle said officials also checked pawn shops, classified ads and gun dealers in Lawrence, Denver and Arizona. Volle said there was no record found to indicate Chandler’s ownership of a firearm.

Volle confirmed that officials had obtained Chandler’s phone records and credit report. He said he also subpoenaed Mike Sisco’s and Karen Harkness’ phone records.

Volle was scheduled for further examination by Chandler and cross-examination from the prosecution later Thursday.