Dr. Lori Beth Bisbey appears on Court TV’s Vinnie Politan Investigates in a new report focused on the Brendan Banfield murder case, offering psychological context around the alleged relationship between Banfield and the family’s au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhaes.
In the episode, “The Au Pair Affair Murder Trial”, Bisbey speaks with Politan, with additional commentary from reporter Lauren Conlin, as the case moves toward trial in Fairfax County, Virginia. Prosecutors allege Banfield and Magalhaes were involved in an affair and in a plot tied to the 2023 deaths of Banfield’s wife Christine Banfield and Joseph Ryan.
Bisbey frames the alleged relationship through the lens of influence and dependency, saying, “I think he got smitten and then made a long-term plan. I think one of things we also need to be cognizant of is definitely an imbalance of power in their relationship, because he was the one who held the visa, he was the one who held the passport. So there was incentive for her to go along with what he wanted.”
She also points to unanswered questions beneath the surface of the marriage and Banfield’s own thinking: “I think there were things going on in his relationship with his wife before all of this… he had some knowledge of the BDSM world, he had some knowledge of what people did with these sorts of meet-ups, so I really have to wonder what was going on in their marriage prior to Juliana even being there.”
As the au pair prepares to testify, Bisbey notes the emotional weight of that position: “If she truly has no history in courtrooms, yes, she will be intimidated. It’s hard not to be intimidated, especially when you’re giving evidence against somebody that you proclaimed to have loved. So I would expect her to be intimidated when she takes the stand.”
Watch Bisbey’s commentary on Vinnie Politan Investigates “The Au Pair Affair Murder Trial” now on CourtTV.com and streaming platforms.
To learn more about Dr. Lori Beth Bisbey’s work, visit DrLoriBethbisbey.com and her Linktree.
ABOUT DR. LORI BETH BISBEY:
Dr. Lori Beth Bisbey is a clinical psychologist, accredited advanced GSRD therapist, sex/intimacy coach, author, speaker and podcast host based in Edinburgh. With more than 30 years helping people create and sustain meaningful and exciting relationships, Dr. Bisbey specialises in GSRD (gender, sexuality, relationship diversity), is consensual non-monogamy and kink BDSM knowledgable and helps traumatised people to move from victim to survivor and back into life.
On a mission to create an open dialogue about sex, relationships and authenticity, Dr Bisbey is the Specialist Relationship Therapist on Open House: The Great Sex Experiment on Channel 4, and host of the weekly podcast The A to Z of Sex®, as well as a passionate speaker, dynamic workshop facilitator and sought-after expert in the media on the topics of sex, sexuality, intimacy, relationships and sexual trauma.
