GUILTY GA - Lauren Giddings, 27, Macon, 26 June 2011 #15 *appeals denied*

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IMO, I don't think there is anything nefarious going on with Judge Brown retiring. I still have faith McD will be found guilty.
 
The murder trial for the man accused of killing Mercer University law school graduate Lauren Giddings is scheduled to begin Feb. 3.

The trial of Stephen Mark McDaniel had been set to start Jan. 6 but was delayed last week when the judge in the case announced his retirement.

Bibb County Superior Court Judge Howard Simms has taken over the case for the retiring S. Phillip Brown.

http://www.macon.com/2013/11/20/2787542/new-trial-date-set-in-giddings.html



 
New trial date set in Giddings slaying
By JOE KOVAC JR.
November 20, 2013
The murder trial for the man accused of killing Mercer University law school graduate Lauren Giddings is scheduled to begin Feb. 3.

Read more here: http://www.macon.com/2013/11/20/2787542/new-trial-date-set-in-giddings.html#storylink=cpy
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McDaniel jurors will hear about knives, sword found in his apartment
By JOE KOVAC JR.
December 12, 2013

Thursday’s pretrial hearing in Bibb County Superior Court marked the first time a videotaped police interrogation of McDaniel was made public.

The video offered a glimpse into the investigation in the late-night hours of June 30, 2011, when McDaniel was well on his way to becoming a suspect in the dismemberment murder of Lauren Giddings.
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In other evidentiary concerns Thursday, Judge Howard Simms ruled to exclude talk at the February trial about inconclusive luminol tests for blood conducted on Giddings’ bathtub and bathroom tile.

Simms denied a defense motion that argued the “perfect murder” recollections shouldn’t be allowed at trial.

Simms also denied another defense motion to exclude a search of McDaniel’s body for scratches. Also, the judge will allow word of ponchos and an earring found in McDaniel’s car.

Prosecutors will also get to discuss door keys that police found in the apartment that would have given McDaniel access to Giddings’ apartment, as well as all others in their complex.

The judge will allow testimony that investigators found swords, knives and a stick-like weapon or staff in McDaniel’s apartment, but not guns or a baseball bat that turned up in searches.
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Also from your link, Knox:

...Simms will hear his first arguments in the case when he presides over pretrial-motions hearings slated for Dec. 12....
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http://www.macon.com/2013/11/20/2787542/new-trial-date-set-in-giddings.html

Those hearings, of course, were the ones that had been planned for this week.

After I was so disappointed at the media coverage we got on the first round of the pre-trial hearings, this time I had arranged to be able to be free to attend this week's -- then, wouldn't you know it, the changeover in judges caused a RESCHEDULING! :sigh:
 
More local MSM on the trial-date change:

McDaniel trial pushed back to February

...That's according to Bibb County District Attorney David Cooke. He said lawyers in the case and Judge Howard Simms agreed to push the trial back a month in a conference Wednesday. ...
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http://www.13wmaz.com/story/news/local/macon/2013/11/20/mcdaniel-motions-hearing-postponed/3650263/


One thing that had struck me as odd was how little we heard about HOW Simms ended up the new judge for the trial -- because, remember, back when Judge Brown was first assigned the case, we heard about the assignment procedure, etc., almost ad nauseam. I guess that was partly because the prosecution was challenging the assignment, but still -- we got a whole lot of detail.

This time: "Judge Brown is retiring, Judge Simms will take over."

The one article about Judge Brown's retirement, before the new judge was announced, said Self, Simms, or possibly a specially-appointed judge from outside the circuit would be it. Reflecting on it, I think, what with recusals and likely recusals and retirement, the truth is they were about to run out of judges.
 
Just reading that visitation is changing at the Bibb County Jail, where SM is currently housed:

Bibb jail unveils new online visitation system

...On Wednesday, officials demonstrated the new videoconferencing system installed by Securus Technologies that allows family and friends to speak with inmates via a video system similar to Skype or FaceTime. Visitors can either visit the jail and communicate through one of 16 video terminals now installed there or have a visitation session at home. ...
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read more at: http://www.macon.com/2013/11/20/2787475/bibb-jail-unveils-new-online-visitation.html



Article also mentions that inmates and their attorneys can conference through the system.
 
Wondergirl said:
I can't rid myself of the sense of foreboding in Lauren's case. I don't like it.
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Local word/gossip from inside sources (MPD) says there is no hard core evidence and the prosecution will likely lose the case. Evidence collection/warrants are also likely to be an issue in court.
 
Buford's statement from the macon.com article is also rather errrrrmmmm.....vague and amusing:

“He’s an amazing and unique young man,” Buford said. “I’ve gotten to know him very well.”
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Sonya610 said:
Local word/gossip from inside sources (MPD) says there is no hard core evidence and the prosecution will likely lose the case. Evidence collection/warrants are also likely to be an issue in court.
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That is interesting. Me -- I never hear anything, one way or the other.
 
Sonya610 said:
Buford's statement from the macon.com article is also rather errrrrmmmm.....vague and amusing:
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Well, I will say that, when I first read that, I thought it seemed a bit ... open-ended, maybe?
 
Sonya610 said:
Local word/gossip from inside sources (MPD) says there is no hard core evidence and the prosecution will likely lose the case. Evidence collection/warrants are also likely to be an issue in court.
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I prefer to wait for the trial and see the evidence for myself. That inside source at MPD may just be on the fringe, MOO.
icon7.gif
 
Bumping with a reminder that pre-trial hearings are supposed to be held this week, with new-to-the-case Judge Simms presiding. This Thursday, Dec. 12.

We'll see if they really happen this time!

Don't think I am gonna be able to make arrangements to attend, so really hope media coverage is decent.
 
A little flurry of news before the pre-trial hearings that begin tomorrow:

I believe a longer version of this may be posted later. This one includes two PDF documents at the link, relating to motions -- I'm putting the direct links to those under the main link. Thanks, WMAZ! :seeya:

Judge to hear motions in McDaniel murder case Thursday
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http://www.13wmaz.com/story/news/cr.../12/11/mcdaniel-murder-motions-macon/3991061/

Links to pdfs:

http://archive.13wmaz.com/news/pdf/Reply%20to%20States%20Response%20to%20Motion%20to%20Suppress%20Keys.pdf

http://archive.13wmaz.com/news/pdf/318MotiontoExcludeLuminol.pdf


Blood tests, confession under attack in McDaniel hearing

...In a motion filed earlier this week, the attorneys note that investigators used luminol spray, which under special lighting gives off a glow that can help detect blood. The luminol test indicated there may have been blood in Giddings’ bathtub.


One investigator wrote in a report that there were “substantial results,” that Giddings’ tub “glowed to a point two inches from the top rim of the tub.”


McDaniel’s lawyers, however, say there were no photographs taken of that “glow,” and that, more importantly, no actual blood was ever found.
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more at: http://www.macon.com/2013/12/11/2827725/blood-tests-confession-under-attack.html


I note that The Telegraph/macon.com again has not included any document pdfs in its coverage. :(
 
I keep checking the WMAZ site to see if the longer version of today's story -- with video, an audio comment by DA Cooke, etc. -- has been posted, but so far, no luck. I think the link I posted is to a story that aired earlier in the day, while the coverage I am checking the site for aired at 6 p.m. (I actually watched that one on TV). Appears the WMAZ web site has undergone some changes recently; they seem to be doing things a little differently. Ah, well -- maybe they will post it after the late news tonight.

One reason I want to post the longer story is that I THINK I heard while watching that a decision has been reached about whether to allow the HRD dog testimony. Don't want to say more until I have a link.
 
It looks to me as though 13WMAZ has changed its web site format so that many of the "on air" stories are no longer posted in video format. Not sure -- if anybody else wants to go to www.13wmaz.com and try your luck at finding the coverage from today (Wednesday), please do, because I can only find the "short version" print story.

I did watch the late news -- well, I tried to, amidst distractions -- and I can report, though I still can't link, that the coverage did seem to indicate no HRD dog-related testimony will be introduced into the trial. Whether this is from a judge's ruling or what, I'm not sure. They had an audio clip from DA Cooke for this part; basically, his spin was, I think, that it would not go in because it might be challenged on appeal and they would not want to risk a conviction being overturned for that.

There was also a brief mention at the end of the report about an internet posting -- apparently NOT the "Mickey Flynn" post, because they said something like (paraphrasing) "not the post discussed earlier that was judged not to have been written by McDaniel". I'm really sorry I did not catch what was said about this "new" post.

ETA: Forgot to say -- WMAZ was promising coverage of the hearings tomorrow, also. We'll just have to wait to see how extensive/balanced it is, this time.


ETA again: Ah -- this link might help for anyone trying to figure out how the WMAZ site works these days. (Hasn't helped me much yet, though, LOL.)

http://www.13wmaz.com/story/news/20...find-exactly-what-theyre-looking-for/3459377/
 
Judge excludes part of McDaniel police questioning

Superior Court Judge Howard Simms threw out parts of the police questioning of Stephen McDaniel hours after Lauren Giddings' body was found in a trash bin.


The defense contends that McDaniel was effectively in custody during the questioning but was not read his rights to remain silent. ...

...The judge denied several defense motions challenging searches of McDaniel's apartment....

...Check back for updates and watch our live video stream of the hearing.
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more at: http://www.13wmaz.com/story/news/local/macon/2013/12/12/stephen-mcdaniel-court-hearing/3997269/
 
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