Holmes Wrongly Depicted as Theranos ‘Villain,’ Lawyer Tells Jury

Theranos Inc. founder Elizabeth Holmes isn’t the “villain” prosecutors have depicted, her lawyer told a jury, while warning that the “reality” behind the most highly anticipated criminal trial in Silicon Valley history is “technical and boring.”

With the benefit of knowing that the blood-testing startup failed, prosecutors have previewed the fraud case against Holmes through a “dirty lens” by “pointing to select facts to portray the company unfavorably,” attorney Lance Wade said during opening arguments Wednesday in federal court in San Jose, California.

“When you view the world through a dirty lens, everything looks dirty,” Wade said. “When you consider ...