When news of Yeardley Love’s murder stunned UVA’s Campus last May, the guilt of her boyfriend, 23 year old George Huguely, seemed all but certain. He had refused his Miranda rights and admitted to police that he had repeatedly hit her head against a wall in a fit of rage. The autopsy found the cause of death to be blunt force trauma. Huguely’s defense attorney said her death was “an accident with a tragic outcome.”

But at a court hearing this week, the defense startegy became clearer.

A former Medical Examiner, Jack Daniel, hired by the defense asked presiding judge, Robert H.Downer, Jr. to release Yeardley Love’s medical records. They believe that a combination of the Attention Deficit Disorder drug, Adderall, and a point 14 blood alcohol level content in Yeardley Love’s blood stream may have led, in part, to cardiac arrest and that the frantic 24 minutes of resuscitation by paramedics may have caused the internal bleeding that was attributed to the beating.

The defense maintains that the injuries to Love’s skull and face were not sufficient to cause death. Criminal defense attorney Bernie Grim suggests it may be a risky strategy.

It could backfire on the defense because essentially you’re trying to sully the character of the victim who, based on what we know right now, essentially got her head bashed in .

Some experts suggest this may all be part of an overall strategy to seek a plea deal – -some thing that could be advantageous to both sides, they say. If the case does go to trial a lot of potentially damaging, compromising or embarrasing information could surface. Sources close to the case say that both of the young students were partying heavily the night of the beating. Students who were with the two might be called to testify.

“From the prosecutions perspective, a plea deal would certainly save tremendous expense and time. Something other than a first degree murder plea is fair in this case because they’re worried about the expense of a death penalty case which can be tremendous for a small county prosecutor’s office,” says former U.S. Attorney, Joe di Genova.

It may also be that neither family wants to re-live this tragedy in a courtroom. The judge is now reviewing the defense request to release Love’s medical records. They remain in Judge Downer’s possession.

A preliminary hearing is set for late January.