Wrongful Death Suit filed Nov. 13, 2013 in California, #3

It really blows me away that everyone here is willing to take the word of some GF who killed herself that some little boy whom she was the last to be with was ACCIDENTALLY killed. And LE says yea he flew across the stairs knocked down a chandelier but yea its an accident GMAB. But when this same woman kills herself and LE says it was suicide, you chose to NOT believe them on that one. HMMM
I used to believe that Rebecca was murdered also..but not anymore.

I wanted to add: I had a co worker who killed herself, who stripped naked first and hung herself. It's unusual, but she was very angry that night..very angry and had been fighting with her newlywed husband, this similarity tells me that Rebecca was very angry when she hung herself and most likely fighting with Jonah ...I do feel she wanted to hurt Jonah with being naked and even try to make it look like he could have done this to her. But hey thats My opinion. I do think she had some anger issues, look at that mug shot. Most people would be just humbled and maybe ashamed of being caught, I dont see that with her.

BBL said:

For both Nina & Dina, I'd ask them about their boating history. I'd ask about their ability to tie nautical knots.

For Nina I'd ask her what Rebecca was wearing when she picked her up at the airport. For Adam, I'd ask him what Rebecca was wearing when he last saw her.
For Nina, I'd ask when she returned the car. Where did she park it? What did she do with the keys?
For Adam, I'd ask about the underwear in the guest room trash
For Dina, I'd ask what she did in the hours away from the hospital
For Nina, I'd ask when she went home. When her son went home. And how.

Uh oh, you got me started

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These are excellent questions, BBL!

I would add:

Nina: Why did you not borrow your own sister Dina's car instead of Jonah's the night Rebecca was murdered?
Nina: Why did you tell the officer you were unable to be interviewed in the station and that your 19-y.o. son was incapable of being left alone?
Nina: Rebecca's car has GPS. Why did you say she asked you to use her cellphone for GPS navigation to the hospital from the airport?
Nina: What time did you text Rebecca on Tuesday? What was her response? What did you do then?
Nina: Show us your phone records and text messages during the week of Rebecca's murder.
Dina: Where were you the entire day of Tuesday?
Dina: Where were you during the night of Tuesday into Wednesday morning 7am?
Dina: At what time did you return to the hospital Wednesday morning?
Dina: What were you wearing on Monday? Tuesday? Wednesday?
Dina: Do you have a big black bag?
Dina: Do you own a striped black and white t-shirt? Were you wearing this t-shirt on Tuesday?
Dina: Can you explain why you were not seen on surveillance video at the hospital on Tuesday into Wednesday during timeframe Rebecca was murdered?
Dina: Show us your phone records and text messages during the week of Rebecca's murder.
Dina: Why did you leave your cellphone at the hospital vicinity? Where was your cellphone found when you returned?
Dina: What happened to your car at the hospital?
Dina: Why did you disappear from the hospital on Tuesday?
Dina: Why did your sister not ask you to lend her your car Tuesday night?
Dina: Why did you sister drive/walk over to Spreckels mansion alone on Tuesday night?
Dina: Why did you not answer the door of the G street when the police knocked during period of Monday from 10am to 4pm? Where were you? Why did your boyfriend not answer the door either? Where was he?
Dina: If you were so concerned about your son's welfare, why did you not pick up your son at the scheduled time on Monday morning at 10am?
Dina: How was your relationship with Rebecca prior to her murder?
Dina: How was your relationship with Rebecca during the week of her murder?
Dina: Why do you have innumerable police reports of domestic violence on record?
Dina: Do you see a psychiatrist/psychologist/counselor?
Dina: Do you have a drinking problem? Have you ever seen a professional for a drinking problem?
Dina: Were you ever diagnosed with personality disorder such as narcissistic or borderline? What about bipolar disorder? Depression? Mania? Schizophrenia?
Dina: Why do you harbor such intense hate for Rebecca?
Dina: Do you believe Rebecca deserved what she got?
Dina: Do you believe Rebecca harmed your child? Intentionally? Why?
Dina: Are you aware we have a public traffic video which captured you in a black and white t-shirt driving your car towards Spreckels mansion?

Gilgamesh said:

Personally I believe that the mug shot is coming. JMO

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So do I Gil... so do I.

coastal said:

If a picture of horribly injured and dying Max is relevant to this thread, which is about Rebecca's wrongful death and the lawsuit brought against Max's mother, his aunt, and his uncle, it can only be because that photo establishes the motive for Rebecca's murder better than any words could do.
IMO

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Exactly! This bears repeating.

A few more questions...

To Dina - Do you trust Jonah? Do you believe his account of what happened the morning of Max's accident?
To Dina - What were your conversations with Jonah like as you sat by Max's bedside? What did you talk about?
To Nina - When did you decide to make arrangements to get to Coronado? What were the arrangements?
To Nina - Why didn't you take a cab from the airport?
To Adam - as a boat operator, do you always take Ambien? Do you have a prescription?
To Dina - How is the foundation going? Share the books? How exactly was the money raised distributed? Did it go to fund your lawsuits?

Excellent questions, everyone!
Some more:

1. Ms. Romano, why did you initiate contact with the radio station to 'explain' YOUR presence at the mansion that night?
2. Ms. Romano, why did you feel the need to cover for your sister and state the witness was mistaken when he stated he saw dina lurking at the mansion that night?
3. Ms. Romano, did your sister insist you lie for her?
4. Ms Romano, on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being off the rails, what number would you assign to your sister's behavior the evening she left you stranded at Rady?
5. Ms. Romano, why did you go on and on about NOT touching the gate?
6. Ms. Romano, why did you lie about the time-frame of learning MS's prognosis?

Again, almost none of the questions that the Zahau followers are posing have anything to do with the accusations in the eight itteration of the Zahau's wrongful death suit.

The crazy and false accusations that the Zahaus are leveling against innocent people only involve the late night hours of July 12, 2011 and until 7 a.m on July 13th.

The questions also make me believe that most of the posters posing these, IMO, ridiculous questions that have nothing to do with the time in question do not really understand the process of law, and what the lawyers and Judge will allow.

I do not imagine any questions that do not have to do with that time period will be allowed.

JMO

Perhaps AZLawyer can weigh in on the suggested deposition questions and give her opinion on whether they would even be allowed, and give us some insight into how the process works and how and by whom the questions are decided?

I agree the questions will be very limited in scope as far as what they can ask. Most of the above would not be allowed, and yes I have been to depos before.

And I want to remind everyone that Dina was at Rady's with her dying son in the ICU that evening, during the very time that Rebecca was committing her bizarre, angry, naked suicide just 40 hours after she let little Max have a horrific accident on her watch.

Dina Shacknai's witnesses for the time in question:

1. "The sheriff has determined that cell phone evidence and video cameras at the hospital confirmed that Jonah Shacknai was at the hospital standing vigil for Max the entire time when Rebecca Zahau’s suicide occurred. Video cameras at the hospital also showed Dina was there during that time period."

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articl...bysitter-rebecca-zahau-s-death-no-murder.html

2. In the audio interview of Nina Romano, she states that Dina had nurses as witnesses and was also on surveillance footage.

http://www.cbs8.com/story/15145788/sister?clienttype=printable

3. In Ann Rules "Two Strange Deaths in Coronado" (written with the input of Anne Bremner and Mary Zahau), she states on page 214:

"The bicyclist must have been mistaken. Numerous witnesses place Dina in the hospital at Max's bedside throughout Tuesday night.

"She (Ann Rule) did not travel to Coronado or to Arizona, where Shacknai lives, to conduct her research, Rule said, but talked extensively with Zahau's loved ones, who believe she was killed. She also has a long-time friendship with Seattle attorney Anne Bremner, who is representing."

http://patch.com/california/coronado/celebrated-author-ann-rule-turns-her-attention-to-spraecafa7a51

4. From A Boy Interrupted, Phoenix Magazine, Aug. 2012

"Dina says she got the news at the hospital. Jonah was sobbing. he said, Rebecca's killed herself," Dina recalls. As Dina was leaving the hospital, a Coronado police detective paid her a visit. "Are you aware of what happened?" he asked.

The detective would have confirmed at that time with the nurses that Dina had been there all night, IMO.

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/loc...u-Spreckels-Mansion-2011-Death-303178091.html

5. However, regardless of our lack of complete information thus far, I could not comment on Mr. Greer's statement as I was with my son Maxie at Rady’s Hospital in Pediatric Intensive Care, praying for his recovery, and watching him fight for his life, trying to breathe on his own while on a ventilator.”

She adds:

“It would be impossible for me to hear any disturbances at Jonah's home as I was with our son alone at a hospital miles away. As well, my sister, Nina was with her son, and our close friend, none of whom heard a disturbance as they were five blocks from Jonah's house on Ocean Blvd. My sister and I would again publicly like to extend, for the fourth time since 2012, our offer to share all of the information we have with the Zahau’s and ask that they reciprocate. Perhaps an exchange of accurate data could help both families find answers, healing, and resolution.”

Source: http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/loc...nsion-2011-Death-303178091.html#ixzz3fL53Fpju


The fact that Dina has been absolved from any involvement by LE just proves to me how sick, evil, and cruel the Zahaus are to bring these outrageous charges against a Mother that lost her little boy due to the actions of their sister, Rebecca Zahau, whose death was concluded to be a suicide after a long and through investigation.

SweetT said:

It really blows me away that everyone here is willing to take the word of some GF who killed herself that some little boy whom she was the last to be with was ACCIDENTALLY killed. And LE says yea he flew across the stairs knocked down a chandelier but yea its an accident GMAB. But when this same woman kills herself and LE says it was suicide, you chose to NOT believe them on that one. HMMM
I used to believe that Rebecca was murdered also..but not anymore.

I wanted to add: I had a co worker who killed herself, who stripped naked first and hung herself. It's unusual, but she was very angry that night..very angry and had been fighting with her newlywed husband, this similarity tells me that Rebecca was very angry when she hung herself and most likely fighting with Jonah ...I do feel she wanted to hurt Jonah with being naked and even try to make it look like he could have done this to her. But hey thats My opinion. I do think she had some anger issues, look at that mug shot. Most people would be just humbled and maybe ashamed of being caught, I dont see that with her.

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I am sorry to hear of your co-worker's suicide, SweetT. I know from personal experience how shocking that is. I also had a co-worker that committed suicide. She was a stunningly beautiful woman in her late 30's with a husband and two young boys. She hung herself, naked, in the closet one night. She left no note.

This is a link to both the criminal and wrongful death proceedings in the OJ Simpson trials. All of the Wrongful death depositions are included. It seems to be a relevant case to look at as it was in California and pertained to the plaintiff pursuing the same allegation of murder.



http://simpson.walraven.org

^ This is not the OJ Simpson trial.

JMO

Having only started reviewing the Simpson depositions, they seem to have a very broad scope of relevance allowed - to say the least. I can't imagine that the Zahau depositions will differ much if at all for the objective is the same: Pursuing the allegation that the defendants murdered Rebecca which opens up a large path in learning details both over years, months, hours and days to that July four years ago.

LuckyLucy2 said:

^ This is not the OJ Simpson trial.

JMO

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Asking for AZLawyer to provide relevance is great. Reading on a similar civil trial provides relevance as well. the allegations are the same BTW like it or not.

^ No, the allegations are not the same. The victims in the OJ Simpson case were determined by law enforcement to have been murdered.

The woman at the center of this WDS was determined by LE to have committed suicide.

<modsnip>

JMO

kittychi said:

What do you all think...will Jonah Shacknai and Howard Lubber be deposed?

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They were both with Rebecca the days in question. I can't imagine they will be able to wiggle out of their depositions. If they do, that would present larger implications IMO - and not good ones at that.

LuckyLucy2 said:

^ No, the allegations are not the same. The victims in the OJ Simpson case were determined by law enforcement to have been murdered.

The woman at the center of this WDS was determined by LE to have committed suicide.

<modsnip>

JMO

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The victims in the OJ Simpson trial were murdered and the defendant was found not guilty. So are you suggesting that the jury got it right and OJ was innocent?

It IS the same only a flawed investigation was done in The Zahau case and no one was found guilty because it was not investigated as a murder.

I posted the Simpson depositions simply as an example of scope and relevance -- I am NOT saying it is an identical case. The questions are far reaching and the court allowed very expansive questions as IMO they will in this case.

SweetT said:

I think HIPAA laws might come into play on some of that line of questioning.

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HIPAA laws don't apply to a patient being asked about his or her own medical history, but there is likely some medical privacy law at the state level in California that would limit questions in this regard, or at least keep the responses sealed from the public.

LuckyLucy2 said:

Again, almost none of the questions that the Zahau followers are posing have anything to do with the accusations in the eight itteration of the Zahau's wrongful death suit.

The crazy and false accusations that the Zahaus are leveling against innocent people only involve the late night hours of July 12, 2011 and until 7 a.m on July 13th.

The questions also make me believe that most of the posters posing these, IMO, ridiculous questions that have nothing to do with the time in question do not really understand the process of law, and what the lawyers and Judge will allow.

I do not imagine any questions that do not have to do with that time period will be allowed.

JMO

Perhaps AZLawyer can weigh in on the suggested deposition questions and give her opinion on whether they would even be allowed, and give us some insight into how the process works and how and by whom the questions are decided?

Click to expand...

In depositions, questions are allowed that would never, ever be allowed at trial. Basically if you can think of any possible answer that could impact the issues in the case, the question is allowed. And, of course, there is normally no judge in attendance, so many times lawyers will allow even clearly improper questions to be asked (subject to an objection stated for the record) to avoid wasting time getting the judge on the phone.

ETA: That said, often clients will submit lists of questions intended to embarrass the deponent or make him or her "look bad." When ethical lawyers get a list like that, they say, "I'm the lawyer here and I'm not going to ask those questions." After all, the answers won't be admissible at trial anyway unless they're relevant.

LuckyLucy2 said:

I am sorry to hear of your co-worker's suicide, SweetT. I know from personal experience how shocking that is. I also had a co-worker that committed suicide. She was a stunningly beautiful woman in her late 30's with a husband and two young boys. She hung herself, naked, in the closet one night. She left no note.

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How sad- and what a remarkable coincidence- that two posters on this thread have known women who hanged themselves while naked.
I'm sorry for those of you who have been exposed to this rare and traumatic sort of event.

Another question,

Ms. Ex-Shacknai #2, why did you file a WDS against JS, claiming he caused the death of his child, when, in fact, it is on public record you believe two other people are solely responsible for the death of the child?