OAKLAND, California – Linux programmer Hans Reiser put the pedal to the metal on his geek defense at his murder trial here Monday, explaining to jurors that, as nonscientists, they may not understand his social ineptness.

"Scientists communicate by reference to data. I cannot communicate effectively. That's not how scientists talk. We cannot throw out assertions that cannot be supportive without data points," the 44-year-old defendant testified on his 10th day on the stand.

"I have a compulsive tendency to say things that I know are true that people don't want to be true. I do this by reference to the data," the developer of the ReiserFS filesystem testified.

All the while, some of the jurors were smiling while others appeared exhausted as the defendant explained again that he is a misunderstood scientist who did not kill his wife who was divorcing him. Nina Reiser, 31, was last seen at her estranged husband's house in the Oakland hills, when she dropped off their young children for the Labor Day weekend Sept. 3, 2006. The authorities claim she never left the house alive.

Scientists, the defendant testified, "we're all kind of comfortable with each other but when we go out into society, we tend to have some problems," he said.

Some of his strangeness included him hosing down the inside of his tiny 1988 Honda CRX his mother loaned him after his wife vanished.

"It gets the car clean, and it's cheaper than renting a shampoo device," he testified.

Moments before, his mother was on the stand, agreeing that her son was an "inconsiderate slob." Beverly Palmer added, "I also told him he made a mess out of my car, and he should clean it up."

Defense attorney William DuBois asked his 44-year-old client whether he is "dysfunctional in every social setting?"

"Except for being a scientist, yes," Hans Reiser replied.

During his days on the stand, he also testified he tried to hide the car from the police and that he removed the passenger seat so he could sleep inside the two-seater vehicle. When police discovered the vehicle two weeks after Nina vanished, there were two books about murder inside and a sleeping-bag cover with Nina Reiser's blood on it.

Reiser added that "I have a compulsive tendency to say things that I know are true that people don't want to be true."

"In most of society, that practice works disastrously," he added. "If you prove it, they hate you even more."

Moments later, he added: "I found a little niche in society where I can get away." That niche, he said, "is working as a scientist."

His testimony Monday, as during his duration on the stand, was filled with objections from prosecutor Paul Hora. Superior Court Judge Larry Goodman largely sustained them.

DuBois asked Hans Reiser why he thought he was under attack by society at large.

"Listen carefully. Can you hear me?" DuBois continued. "Why do you believe you tend to attract such attacks?"

"Actually, this is a perfect example. He doesn’t want to hear the data," Reiser said, noting prosecutor Hora.

"Your honor, this is becoming nonresponsive," Hora chimed.

"Mr. Reiser, enough. I've had it with all of your answers," the judge said.

The defendant claims his wife abandoned her children after he accused her of bilking his software company, Namesys, while they were discussing their divorce that Sept. 3, 2006, day.

Testimony is recessing for lunch. The defendant is expected to resume the witness stand soon.

THREAT LEVEL is providing gavel-to-gavelcoverage.

Sketches by Wired.com's Norman Quebedeau.

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