GUILTY GA - Lauren Giddings, 27, Macon, 26 June 2011 #14

[AgentFrankLundy]

Hello Sleuthers, at least we now have a trial date set, and the death penalty off the table . Given that Bibb County has not out anyone to death in a long time this was a smart move. Early headlines indicated this was the Giddings' decision, and I think that is partly true. Cooke knew he could get things moving quicker and is much more likely to get a conviction this way. He came under some criticism for abiding by the wishes of the family instead of the wishes of "the state" . That is hogwash . The family has a lot more skin in the game than "the state" (I just realized that's probably an awful pun). Anyway, I do know that McD was repeatedly given the chance to get the DP removed if he would confess and reveal where the rest of LG's body was. Hogue knows he holds all the cards and said, "uh-uh, nice try" I have said all along unless they have McD on video chopping her up there was no way they would get the DP. Given what we can reasonably presume from the rumors regarding the forensics, not sure a guilty verdict is a certainty any more.

 

[Backwoods]

Hello all -- I'm still not back to posting very much, though I have been checking in on the WS cases I have most followed, including Lauren's of course.

Just wanted to bump the thread with a reminder that Lauren's birthday is coming up, on April 18, I believe.

Also: Back before the death penalty was dropped in this pending case, the date for additional defense motions was set for some time late in April. I wonder if all of the additional ones were to do with the death penalty status or whether there will still be motions filed at that time? Just thinking, if that date (I think it might be the 30th, haven't checked back though) is still pertinent, we may get some bit of news around that time, and it's coming up.

OT: Reported earlier that the family member I'm caregiver for and I both had a bad bout with respiratory illness, with my family member hospitalized. She had home health services for several weeks after coming home, kept me pretty busy while still recuperating myself -- then we both had a minor relapse, too! (Both better now.) Also, I have been extremely busy (and stressed!) in the midst of all that with also caring for a litter of 10 rescue pups, now really seeking homes for them -- I hope to post about them (with pics) within a few days in Pet Corner, if anyone is interested.

ETA: Please overlook my very unseasonal avatar -- will try to get that changed soon, LOL! ETA again: OK, never mind -- got that done; I put up one of the pups.

 

[Backwoods]

Thinking of Lauren on her birthday...
:rose: :rose: :rose: :rose: :rose: :rose: :rose: :rose:


:balloons::cupcake:

 

[Backwoods]

Lauren's case is referenced in this recent MSM report about another murder case, same judicial circuit and DA, in which the death penalty has just been dropped:

DA Won't Seek Death Penalty for Ft. Valley Murders

A Fort Valley woman won't face the death penalty in the alleged stabbing deaths of her aunt and cousin. ...

...Since taking office in January, the Walker case marks the second time that Cooke has removed the death sentence from a pending murder case.

He removed it last month in the Stephen McDaniels case. McDaniels, a Mercer Law School graduate, is accused of murdering and dismembering the body of Lauren Giddings, also a Mercer law graduate.

When he took that action, Cooke said the Giddens family asked him to remove the death penalty from the case. ...

(The misspellings of Lauren's and SM's last names are in the source.)

more at: http://www.13wmaz.com/news/topstories/article/228761/175/DA-Wont-Seek-Death-In-Stabbing-Deaths

 

[tomkat]

Lauren's case is referenced in this recent MSM report about another murder case, same judicial circuit and DA, in which the death penalty has just been dropped:

(The misspellings of Lauren's and SM's last names are in the source.)

more at: http://www.13wmaz.com/news/topstories/article/228761/175/DA-Wont-Seek-Death-In-Stabbing-Deaths

hmm, interesting, is it possible this DA is anti death penalty, would that be pro life or pro murder.......

 

[pearl]

There is an article about Lauren's case in the current issue of Middle Georgia Magazine. It is a quarterly, and I don't know when it came out. I just bought it today.

 

[tomkat]

just a piece of interesting info..we saw him alot during the early investigation of LG murder

http://www.13wmaz.com/news/article/230222/175/Burns-Retires-as-Macon-Police-Chief

 

[Backwoods]

just a piece of interesting info..we saw him alot during the early investigation of LG murder

http://www.13wmaz.com/news/article/230222/175/Burns-Retires-as-Macon-Police-Chief

tomkat, I had just seen that and was stopping in here to post it.

From your link:

Mike Burns Retires as Macon Police Chief

...In recent years, Burns' department has faced a controversial fatal shooting by a police officer, Clayton Sutton; the high-profile murder, of Mercer law student Lauren Giddings, and several waves of youth and gang violence.


But the city's crime rate has also dropped steadily during the Burns years. ...

more at: http://www.13wmaz.com/news/article/230222/175/Burns-Retires-as-Macon-Police-Chief

 

[Backwoods]

Everything sure seems very quiet at present with this case.

I did check back, and yes, the date mentioned in this Jan. report (before the death penalty possibility was removed) for the filing of the rest of the defense motions was April 30 (tomorrow):

...The original deadline for the defense team’s pretrial motions was Aug. 31. McDaniel’s lawyers later requested an extension to Dec. 15.


The defense filed 31 motions Dec. 14, and has asked for a new deadline of April 30...."

from: http://www.macon.com/2013/01/07/2308282/mcdaniel-defense-team-says-its.html



I wonder if this still goes and if the defense will indeed file additional motions -- will we get some news?

AgentFrank, what are you hearing?

 

[Backwoods]

Looks like the defense has asked for a little additional time -- and article also indicates there may be more news tomorrow:

McDaniel attorneys request more time to file pre-trial motions

Attorneys for Stephen McDaniel have requested that a judge grant them a 30-day extension on Tuesday’s deadline to complete pre-trial motions. ...


...Check back at macon.com and read Wednesday’s Telegraph for more on this story.

read more at: http://www.macon.com/2013/04/30/2459855/mcdaniel-attorneys-request-more.html

 

[bessie]

Looks like the defense has asked for a little additional time -- and article also indicates there may be more news tomorrow:



read more at: http://www.macon.com/2013/04/30/2459855/mcdaniel-attorneys-request-more.html

Oh well, I don't think any of us are surprised. I only hope the judge isn't overly generous granting extenstions.

So Burns is retiring. I wish him well. I know nothing about him outside of Lauren's case, but I liked what I saw of him.

ETA: BW, that's a mighty fine looking pup there.

Puddin'? Awww... with that face, finding a home should be a cinch.

 

[Backwoods]

For any who read the above article at the link I posted soon after I posted it, note that it has just recently been updated, so you might want to have another look.

With just a quick look, I think this is the main thing added:

Bibb District Attorney David Cooke said Tuesday he is still waiting for results of FBI lab tests on potential trace evidence and DNA gathered in the case. He said he expects an estimate soon on when he will get the results.


“They’re still testing some DNA,” Cooke said.

more at: http://www.macon.com/2013/04/30/2459855/mcdaniel-attorneys-request-more.html

I'm glad they added that info -- 'cause that was my next question!

http://www.macon.com/2013/04/30/2459855/mcdaniel-attorneys-request-more.html#storylink=cpy​

 

[Knox]

That's a serious backlog, we're coming up on the two year anniversary of Lauren's death!

Karen has precious pictures of her first grandchild on her page, Lauren would have been a incredibly doting Aunt

 

[Backwoods]

I checked online several times and The Telegraph/macon.com didn't produce the Wednesday follow-up to Tuesday's story that was hinted at -- unless something may have come out in the print edition of The Telegraph only and not on macon.com?

Maybe that little bit about "still waiting on test results" that they updated Tuesday's article with was the only other news they could get and just updated rather than doing a whole new item.

 

[Backwoods]

hmm, interesting, is it possible this DA is anti death penalty, would that be pro life or pro murder.......

Well, he's just announced in the past few days that the death penalty will be sought in one case -- maybe he read your comment, tomkat!

For info, see:

Bibb prosecutors seeking death penalty in manager’s slaying

http://www.macon.com/2013/05/08/2470948/bibb-da-seeking-death-penalty.html
​

DA Will Seek Death Penalty for Macon Murder Suspect

...Macon district attorney says he will seek the death penalty against Tracy Jones, one of four people accused of killing Gail Spencer in October 2012....

http://www.13wmaz.com/news/local/ar...l-Seek-Death-Penalty-for-Macon-Murder-Suspect


Not seeing anything new on Lauren's case ...

 

[tomkat]

angry with these DA's....I know it's a different case but apparently cooke gave HOLT a spanking for the murder of Jessica Wolfe who WORKED for the Houston County DA! Disgraceful!!

Well, he's just announced in the past few days that the death penalty will be sought in one case -- maybe he read your comment, tomkat!

For info, see:

http://www.macon.com/2013/05/08/2470948/bibb-da-seeking-death-penalty.html
​

http://www.13wmaz.com/news/local/ar...l-Seek-Death-Penalty-for-Macon-Murder-Suspect


Not seeing anything new on Lauren's case ...

 

[Backwoods]

If the judge granted the defense's request for an extension to file the rest of its pre-trial motions as the 30-day period mentioned here ...

http://www.macon.com/2013/04/30/2459855/mcdaniel-attorneys-request-more.html

... then I would think we are likely to hear "something" in the coming week. But what? I don't know.

 

[Backwoods]

And here it is:

McDaniel lawyers want knives, rope, bleach excluded as evidence

​

...Detectives have video footage, which McDaniel’s attorneys hope to suppress, of their prime suspect in the slaying shopping at a Macon Wal-Mart on June 23, 2011, two days before Giddings was last seen alive.

“According to the police,” McDaniel’s lawyers write in one of their 17 motions, “Mr. McDaniel ‘appears’ to be looking at flashlights and boating supplies, including boat anchors, in the footage.” ...

...Thursday was the deadline for pretrial motions in the case, which is scheduled for a September trial, but observers don’t expect one until sometime next year. There was no change-of-venue motion in Thursday’s filings, and Hogue said there won’t be one.

“We would have filed it by now,” he said. ...

​

read more at: http://www.macon.com/2013/05/31/2499027/mcdaniel-lawyers-want-store-bought.html​

 

[Backwoods]

Sure hope The Telegraph/macon.com will follow its own example from earlier and post the documents.

 

[bessie]

So how do we define "appears"? And why would a guy about to sit for the bar, a guy who doesn't own a boat, suddenly get a hankering to try out "boating supplies" and "anchors" at Walmart? And please spare me the rationalizations. (That's not directed at anyone in particular.)

Sorry, but when your next door neighbor has just been murdered and dismembered, her torso found at the foot of your apartment, in which her panties have "accidentally" made their way, and in which resides the packaging for a precise model of hacksaw, the blade from which said neighbor's DNA was extracted...BLAH! Gimme a break!

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