Smooth, the post of mine you snipped is, I'll admit, not one of my best moments in Lauren's threads.
I think I posted that one when I was feeling really frustrated with the progress in this case. I'm not really wanting a whole bunch of leaks to spring forth at this point, certainly not wanting any valid case to be damaged... I'm just wanting this trial, if there's going to be one, to get rolling. Yeah, I'm up on this fence (albeit with a slight lean) but that doesn't mean I wouldn't like to be able to come down off it on one side or the other. But, barring a plea or some other pre-trial resolution, I've pretty much accepted that I won't be coming down until I hear the evidence and arguments from both sides.
>>**Both above posts RSBM for focus**<<
I agree that there is damning DNA evidence linking SM to Lauren's murder, IMO.. IMO it is one of the earliest forensic testing results that came in that very much directly links him, directly to the murder.. I do believe that while "leaks" cannot ever be completely contained, especially in cases that have such a high profile media status..while I understand that it is inevitable that there will be leaks along the way, as a case is working itself thru the process of getting to the actual trial, however I do strongly believe that there can be extremely damaging results from too much being leaked.. And even more so than just the quantity of the leaks, much, much more important is the quality of the leaks..as in it being evidence of importance such as direct linking to a crime via DNA..IMO high quality evidence being leaked can possibly have negative impacts on multiple fronts.. I realize that unfortunately this type of information does get leaked regardless of what ramifications may result from the leak, nonetheless it does still happen.
bbm above: Not sure you're referencing something specific with this -- think you
might be, and IF it's what I'm thinking you might be talking about, from where I sit (and your vantage point may well be different, I know), that one still is a rumor -- and even if I knew it to be a "true" leak, I would still have some questions about it, would like to know a bit more about, um, quantity and whether similar testing was done on, um, others. I have that one filed as "rumor" until I hear it presented as evidence, I guess. (And of course could be we aren't referencing the same thing at all.)
Regarding "the testimony of people 'exclusively involved with LG'" and whether or not it would be impactful or not wrt the jury.. IMO I disagree that short of it being someone who beared witness to the heinous, brutal murder and/or the horrors of desecration that were inflicted on the body post mortem..≤≤--that anything short of this would be of very little, to no importance, meaning, or significance to the jury..I respectfully disagree in I can see there being extremely important and significant testimony that could come from people "exclusively involved with LG"..IMO significant to such a degree that it could be extremely damning to the defense.
Regarding the above: Yes, of course you're right, some valuable testimony COULD come from that direction. I think the phrase "exclusively involved with LG", though, made me think of the kinds of things that could be tricky, could get into hearsay territory and not even be admissible -- although I do know there are certain exceptions to the hearsay "rule". In fact, I think some change to the law in Georgia regarding hearsay evidence is scheduled to go into effect in January ... but I need to study up on what exactly it is, sure not knowledgeable enough about it to try to detail it here. (I think the wrongful death case may get into some trouble with the hearsay rules, too, FWIW.) But you may be thinking of things that don't even come near the hearsay category, for all I know.
IMO there could be significant evidence presented that Stephen McDaniel had become so much more than just a nerdy, introverted neighbor to whom Lauren had been kind to when others were not.. IMO I strongly believe we will see evidence introduced(possibly via testimony) indicating that there had been a turning point where Lauren's sympathetic nature towards a nerdy neighbor changed and evolved into annoyance/irritation..and from there to being somewhat fearful.. and the fear only continuing to grow in the time leading up to her murder..IMO by the time that Lauren was murdered I believe her opinion on who/what her classmate and neighbor truly was had significantly and very drastically changed(and NOT for the better!).. IMO I believe that its quite possible that some of this critical evidence/information will be delivered to the jury via testimony from people close to Lauren Giddings.. All Jmo, tho.
bbm above: You know, I've seen this theory put forward in Lauren's threads before -- and maybe it will prove true, I just don't know. I've considered it myself, when thinking on the "guilty" side of things -- especially back when I was pondering A LOT whether Stephen might, in addition to everything else that may or may not be true about his psyche/character, have had a psychotic break that summer and murdered Lauren in the midst of it.
And also I wondered, at times: If the Thursday night "Macon hoodlums" break-in attempt mentioned in the last email was written by Lauren, did she actually suspect Stephen, and could that have been a reason why she spent the night at friends' on Friday night? (But then why did no one report that she had mentioned such a fear to them?)
I base my own current stance on this, though, on what I've seen
reported through these couple of years since, right now, that's what I have to go on.
We heard very soon about Lauren and family members being at a gathering at a Macon eatery/bar around graduation time, Lauren spotting Stephen and basically saying "Oh, I'm glad he came", having invited him.
Lauren's friend AM, who was so involved in the "night of panic" search for Lauren and its aftermath, told the
Telegraph that she was shocked when she first heard that SM had been arrested on burglary charges. SM was in jail right away, yet AM also related how for several weeks she lived in fear because she thought someone might be stalking Lauren's group of friends. She didn't seem, from what she said, to have immediately thought "Omigosh, Stephen killed Lauren!" (FWIW, I think she will be a very credible witness and I have a feeling she will be a very valuable witness
for the prosecution -- but my point is, she didn't seem to immediately suspect SM, as she might have if Lauren had confided fears.)
When DV, the boyfriend, was interviewed in that series of articles in The Telegraph, he shared some emails from a few years back -- maybe 2009 the most recent, I think...? -- in which Lauren seemed to be pretty creeped out by SM. But no later ones...? And Lauren was inviting SM places, as part of a group, and he was showing up. Somehow I have more gotten the feeling -- from what I know
thus far -- that, as time had passed, Lauren and SM had come to sort of a truce, an acceptance of each other, despite stinkeyes in class and all that.
And at the time of Lauren's funeral, there's this, bbm:
Kaitlyn Giddings Wheeler, the victim's sister, told the newspaper: "If anyone would joke around about him, say something about him being dangerous, then Lauren would nicely tell them, 'Well, if he's dangerous, I'll be the only one who's safe.' Because they did get along, and she was very nice to him. She really did trust him."
http://cnsnews.com/news/article/hundreds-funeral-slain-law-school-graduate
(I do want to say: I
do realize, even if things seemed "just fine" and maybe even smoother than they ever had been before between LG and SM at the time just before her death, that does not mean SM could not have killed Lauren -- in some ways, I know, it might have made it easier for him to do so.)
Evidence about Lauren's coming to fear SM and especially so just before her death may WELL come forward, just as you suggest it may -- I just cannot figure out, from where I sit just now, where it might come from in a form that will be admissible and a manner that will be convincing.
**My continued prayers for Lauren's loved ones(all of them, both family and friends) to find the strength through their faith and the support in each other to endure what is still yet to come in seeking to find Lauren's remains as well as seeking justice for her life being so brutally, hatefully, and heinously ripped from her and all the many who love her..**
And of course I join you, in the above.
I knew that and didn't copy and paste completely, edited some words and left some out and even changed some words, yet I still think it was deleted? Well check out AF's comment under the article I mentioned. Very interesting indeed. 
