AZ AZ - Alissa Turney, 17, Phoenix, 17 May 2001 *stepdad ARREST in 2020, acquitted*

[arielilane]

6. Judgment of Acquittal

After the prosecution rests, the defendant’s attorney may ask the court to decide the case in the defendant’s favor because the prosecuting attorney did not present sufficient evidence to prove the case against the defendant. This is called a judgment of acquittal in a criminal case.

If the judge agrees that there is not enough evidence to convict the defendant, the judge rules in favor of the defendant and the case ends.

Criminal Trial Process

www.azcourts.gov

 

[arielilane]

That's pretty disgusting. Is prosecution able to appeal the judge's ruling?

Imo, the judge's ruling is final. There is nothing to appeal because the defendant was not convicted.
Someone correct me if this is incorrect . MOO.

 

[Elliot_Alderson]

Imo, the judge's ruling is final. There is nothing to appeal because the defendant was not convicted.
Someone correct me if this is incorrect . MOO.

Well then I don't know which DA I think is more stupid ... this one, or the one who screwed up Barry Morphew.

 

[NeverPersonal]

Missing Arizona children: Phoenix teen Alissa Turney vanishes, killer confesses, explosives stockpile found

Alissa Turney disappeared from her Paradise Valley home in 2001. Phoenix detectives suspected stepfather Michael Turney.

www.azcentral.com

bringing this back to highlight what a psycho MT is
i hate this guy. there's no doubt to me he did it. i wish there had been a different, more passionate prosecutor. they didn't even bring up a lot of the allegations alissa made about MT, including the things she said about sexual assault to MT's only girlfriend he ever had after alissa's mom died

 

[Noirdame79]

Sarah has talked about bringing a wrongful death suit if the trial failed. I hope she has the support of her family to do so.

 

[Noirdame79]

Missing Arizona children: Phoenix teen Alissa Turney vanishes, killer confesses, explosives stockpile found

Alissa Turney disappeared from her Paradise Valley home in 2001. Phoenix detectives suspected stepfather Michael Turney.

www.azcentral.com

bringing this back to highlight what a psycho MT is
i hate this guy. there's no doubt to me he did it. i wish there had been a different, more passionate prosecutor. they didn't even bring up a lot of the allegations alissa made about MT, including the things she said about sexual assault to MT's only girlfriend he ever had after alissa's mom died

It's my understanding that they weren't permitted to bring up the SA allegations (hearsay) or his criminal history; if they had, it absolutely would have made a difference.

MT did not come out smelling like a rose, and neither did his attorneys, IMO.

 

[oceanverde]

Imo, the judge's ruling is final. There is nothing to appeal because the defendant was not convicted.
Someone correct me if this is incorrect . MOO.

According to this, it doesn't look like the state can appeal because there was no conviction and then judgment of acquittal.

13-4032 - Appeal by state

 

[Noirdame79]

 

[SpicyFruit]

I hope that those that have just learned about this case through news outlets go and listen to Sarah's podcast if they have not already. MT is a manipulator and he just manipulated the system. I don't think it will end here and I feel bad for Sarah and her siblings because I don't think MT is going to just let her walk away from this. I also don't think he is as sick as he is making himself out to be. He has pulled that card in the past as well.

 

[arielilane]

The case should not have even went to trial. There wasn't any evidence allowed in court to substantiate a murder - this started on day one of the trial. The state showed no passion! Opening statement horrible and it never got better from there. Even without a body, there still should have been a much better prepared case. If you don't have anything - don't go to trial. Wait until you have evidence (and I don't mean a body)then go to trial! All imo.

However, enjoyed Det. Anderson's testimony, a class act and a true professional.

Is justice lost forever? All of this is MOO

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

Can't decide whether I am more livid or more saddened right now

 

[Noirdame79]

Can't decide whether I am more livid or more saddened right now

I think many people feel the same way you do. And he stood up just fine in court, and I hated that creepy grin on his face. I'm infuriated and heartbroken at the same time.

 

[housewife]

I hope that those that have just learned about this case through news outlets go and listen to Sarah's podcast if they have not already. MT is a manipulator and he just manipulated the system. I don't think it will end here and I feel bad for Sarah and her siblings because I don't think MT is going to just let her walk away from this. I also don't think he is as sick as he is making himself out to be. He has pulled that card in the past as well.

I am livid. I watched some of the recordings he made of his own stepdaughter, from his car in the parking lot of her job. He wanted to make this child feel frightened, intimidated, and paranoid so that no one would believe her if she disclosed his abuse.

He is a predator. He is very comfortable lying to the police and manipulating officials to believe this poor girl was an unreliable witness to her own abuse. He was able to gaslight other family members, too.

This predator craves control and he will do anything to lie and manipulate people/the system to get back at Sarah. I fear for her safety, and I want to help advertise her podcast for justice. The more eyeballs on this case, the better.

On another note… Why is previously disclosed SA considered heresay? Who would actually believe that a child created her own letter specifically denying sexual abuse from her stepfather, unprompted??

If more evidence is discovered, can he be brought to trial again?

Sarah, you have my support.

Edited: regarding retrying case

 

[retrometro]

I understand why people are livid. I'm more disappointed in a sad sort of way.

Mods, feel free to delete this if this is off-limits, but I strongly suspect the dysfunction in the Maricopa County Attorney's office contributed to this outcome. Allister Adel (the County Attorney who originally approved charges against MT in 2020) was an alcoholic who was forced to resign last year after botching several cases, and she died about month after that. I haven't paid attention to how the office has functioned after her departure, but I wonder if details got lost in the shuffle or people weren't talking to each other.

 

[arielilane]

The sister who fought so valiantly for answers in her sister’s disappearance left court with friends and family after the acquittal of her father, the defendant. Sarah, through her attorney, declined to speak today after the disappointing outcome #MissingSisterMurderTrial

https://twitter.com/x/status/1681035925600751616

https://twitter.com/JuliaCourtTV

 

[arielilane]

Statement from prosecutors on today’s murder case ruling:

County Attorney Rachel Mitchell: On May 17, 2001, Paradise Valley High School Junior Alissa Turney poked her head into her boyfriend's woodshop class and said that her stepfather was taking her out of school early. This was the last time Alissa was heard from or seen by anyone. For more than 20 years, her family fought for justice and their perseverance is a testament to the love they had for Alissa. I am proud of the hard work by prosecutors and law enforcement on this case. While our office doesn't agree with the Judge's ruling today, we respect the decision of the court.


The Maricopa Co. Jail isn’t showing Michael Turney as released yet in their system following today’s acquittal of all charges. We’re told it could take up to 24 hours to process the paperwork.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1681094112399994882

https://twitter.com/JuliaCourtTV

 

[boomburger]

I think Michael was obsessed with her as she strongly resembled her mother (his then wife) and was likely sexually abusing her up until she was a teenager, she starts telling her friends about the abuse and becomes sexually active with other teens as well, and in a mixture of jealousy and fear he takes her out of school early, kills her and hides her body, imo.

He is horrible and arrogant, imo he will 100% confess to killing her in the coming years (knowing he cannot be changed again) and will put the blame on her for it too ("she spoke back to me in the car so I taught her a lesson" etc).

 

[CelticSummer]

Poor Sarah and Alissa. I wish the outcome of this case was different.

 

[Bbgiraffe]

I just saw the news about his acquittal and even though I had a feeling this would happen, just because there is not much evidence in this case, I am still extremely sad and disappointed about this because I think most of us believe we *know* who is responsible for her disappearance.

Also, the defense saying there is no proof she's even dead is ridiculous. I suppose she's in Ecuador with Suzanne Morphew then?? Ridiculous.

 

[SpicyFruit]

I am livid. I watched some of the recordings he made of his own stepdaughter, from his car in the parking lot of her job. He wanted to make this child feel frightened, intimidated, and paranoid so that no one would believe her if she disclosed his abuse.

He is a predator. He is very comfortable lying to the police and manipulating officials to believe this poor girl was an unreliable witness to her own abuse. He was able to gaslight other family members, too.

This predator craves control and he will do anything to lie and manipulate people/the system to get back at Sarah. I fear for her safety, and I want to help advertise her podcast for justice. The more eyeballs on this case, the better.

On another note… Why is previously disclosed SA considered heresay? Who would actually believe that a child created her own letter specifically denying sexual abuse from her stepfather, unprompted??

If more evidence is discovered, can he be brought to trial again?

Sarah, you have my support.

Edited: regarding retrying case

What parent calls CPS ahead of time and says she might call and say xyz? Or calls relatives and says she is going to claim xyz happened to her? He is so manipulative and knows how to wiggle his way around the system.