Former Theranos President Ramesh ‘Sunny’ Balwani Begins His Defense

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Ramesh “Sunny” Balwani was not in charge at Theranos Inc., and the blood-testing company was neither his idea nor its creation, his attorney told a jury Tuesday as the second criminal-fraud trial involving the defunct Silicon Valley startup got under way.

The responsibility for the rise and fall of Theranos rests on founder and Chief Executive Elizabeth Holmesattorney Stephen Cazares said in opening statements as he outlined the main points of Mr. Balwani’s defense.