GUILTY NC - Kathy Taft, 62, Raleigh, 6 March 2010 - #5

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Prancy said:
I thought that Judge Gessner would be presiding in Williford case. I'm not sure.

Anyway, I went by the 3rd floor this morning and asked one of the asst. D.A.'s about it. She said she thought WRAL would live stream it, but was not certain. She said that they have awhile yet, because the jury selection will take several weeks. So, I guess I'm getting too anxious. We will have to wait through all the jury selection, before anything really starts.
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Thanks for the inside scoop, Prancy!

That's correct -- Gessner's got it from what I've seen so far -- he has presided over a couple of Williford preliminaries already -- but JS is in charge of it all since he is Chief Resident.

I think he will be fine -- we've seen him before! It was not he who made things so awful (when they were awful) in Cooper, it was our buddy the 1st DT man, Kurtz (isn't that his name? -- you try to fergit those ba-a-a-ad obstructionist types... "Your Honor, I want to be heard." ):sick:

But I really do want to see it streamed...
 
I hope the media coverage happens but I wonder if the truth will ever be known about this bizarre case. I think most of us are curious as to the actions of KT's sister as well as the murderer. The SBI crime lab results keep nagging at me, I hope they are dismissed as in other cases.
Have it been determined if JW can plead insanity or mentally ill?
 
I have heard that after jury selection is completed, WRAL will live stream the trial. This is not confirmed yet. I hope it's true.
 
sloothseeker said:
I hope the media coverage happens but I wonder if the truth will ever be known about this bizarre case. I think most of us are curious as to the actions of KT's sister as well as the murderer. The SBI crime lab results keep nagging at me, I hope they are dismissed as in other cases.
Have it been determined if JW can plead insanity or mentally ill?
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WRAL reports keep saying that the defendant's mental state will be a part of their case. I'm not sure how a defendant's mental state would be revelant if the defendant is saying he didn't do it. I have never heard any word that he was insane at the time of the crime, so I'm a little confused. It is likely that he will not take the stand though.
 
Defense attorneys said they planned to ask potential jurors about their experiences with mental illness, alcohol abuse, homosexuality and child abuse.

Defense attorneys said they did not plan to use a defense related to mental health issues, but prosecutors had a state psychiatrist test Williford in recent months.

Defense attorneys also persuaded prosecutors to let the judge review medical records in private for Dina Arnold Holton, the sister of Taft who called emergency dispatchers on March 6, 2010, to summon medical help.

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/04...rial-opens-for-man-charged.html#storylink=cpy
 
Just the Fax said:
Defense attorneys said they planned to ask potential jurors about their experiences with mental illness, alcohol abuse, homosexuality and child abuse.

Defense attorneys said they did not plan to use a defense related to mental health issues, but prosecutors had a state psychiatrist test Williford in recent months.

Defense attorneys also persuaded prosecutors to let the judge review medical records in private for Dina Arnold Holton, the sister of Taft who called emergency dispatchers on March 6, 2010, to summon medical help.

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/04...rial-opens-for-man-charged.html#storylink=cpy
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OMG! This makes me NOW wonder if they intend to offer evidence of mental illness, alcohol abuse and child abuse with regard to someone other than the defendant. That is really bizarre. I hope that is not the case. This could really get ugly.
 
Since it's a DP case, they are going to want to introduce anything that can save their client during the penalty phase. Mental health, child abuse, and other issues to try and provide mitigating factors.
 
Just the Fax said:
Defense attorneys said they planned to ask potential jurors about their experiences with mental illness, alcohol abuse, homosexuality and child abuse.

Defense attorneys said they did not plan to use a defense related to mental health issues, but prosecutors had a state psychiatrist test Williford in recent months.

Defense attorneys also persuaded prosecutors to let the judge review medical records in private for Dina Arnold Holton, the sister of Taft who called emergency dispatchers on March 6, 2010, to summon medical help.

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/04...rial-opens-for-man-charged.html#storylink=cpy
Click to expand...

If the defense is going to ask potential jurors about their experiences with mental illness, alcohol abuse, homosexuality and child abuse it sounds as though they are already trying to cover ALL the bases. Good grief.
I sat through the painful and terribly long jury selection for the CA trial last year and even though it was difficult, in retrospect I enjoyed it as it was a good, first hand glimpse of just who ended up on that jury. Would love to have this trial's jury selection live streamed too.
Hope everybody is well out there!
 
Just the Fax said:
Defense attorneys said they planned to ask potential jurors about their experiences with mental illness, alcohol abuse, homosexuality and child abuse.

Defense attorneys said they did not plan to use a defense related to mental health issues, but prosecutors had a state psychiatrist test Williford in recent months.

Defense attorneys also persuaded prosecutors to let the judge review medical records in private for Dina Arnold Holton, the sister of Taft who called emergency dispatchers on March 6, 2010, to summon medical help.

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/04...rial-opens-for-man-charged.html#storylink=cpy
Click to expand...


bbm

Early on, on this board, one of our posters posited possible early onset Alzheimer's (sp ??) having to do with DH (Mods, please delete if this is not allowed -- I am referring to a prior post...)... in a very respectful way -- possibly having to do with her memory..... hmmmmm. Is the DT trying to diminish her ability as a witness? Just wonderin'
 
borndem said:
bbm

Early on, on this board, one of our posters posited possible early onset Alzheimer's (sp ??) having to do with DH (Mods, please delete if this is not allowed -- I am referring to a prior post...)... in a very respectful way -- possibly having to do with her memory..... hmmmmm. Is the DT trying to diminish her ability as a witness? Just wonderin'
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I would think they would want to diminish her in any way they could. Perhaps after all, she doesn't have much to offer. She just found KT in the morning, that's all.

Will that be everyone's position? I'm sorry - Mods delete if need be - something's still not right relating to DH's actions....somehow....

imo
 
Does anyone here know if his wife (or probably ex-wife now) could be subpoenaed to testify?
 
Hi, no1 -- Good to hear from you!

Is JF still living in the neighborhood? I haven't seen her car in some time -- unless she has a new one. I wonder if she decided to ditch the whole thing and move "back home" or whatever....

Do you know if she has left?

TIA,
 
Prancy said:
Does anyone have any update from today so far?
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I don't, but I haven't watched any tv news today and nothing has come thru the internet news. Was hoping to get an update here :)
 
The media isn't great on reporting jury selection process. The most we'll likely get is some report maybe tomorrow or by Friday on how many jurors they've selected so far.

However, if someone makes direct contact with Mr. Saacks I bet he'd tell you how it's going. I mean, can't hurt to ask, right? (I'm not volunteering, btw).
 
borndem said:
Hi, no1 -- Good to hear from you!

Is JF still living in the neighborhood? I haven't seen her car in some time -- unless she has a new one. I wonder if she decided to ditch the whole thing and move "back home" or whatever....

Do you know if she has left?

TIA,
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No, she moved out late last summer. Since she asked me not to tell anyone where she was going, I can't tell you where she is. However, I can tell you that I hear from her once in a while and she's doing really well in her new place - sounds like she's moving forward and happy.
On a personal note, I got to know her quite well before she left Raleigh. I want you all to know that she is very much a victim in this whole ordeal and after getting to know her, I got to see that she's a good gal. While she didn't lose her life or her mother, she lost everything and has suffered greatly.
I don't have the heart to ask her if she has been asked to do so or not but if she's asked to testify, what she has to say will be very interesting.
 
Just the Fax said:
no1uknow
Was JW's wife at home that night?
If so, she should know if he had been drinking or doing drugs.
How would he leave the apartment (presumably on foot) after midnight w/o alerting her?
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She was at home and she confronted him when he finally came home. Let's just see how this trial works out. Like I said, if she has to testify, it's going to be very interesting.
 
no1uknow,

Thank you for protecting her privacy regards to her current location. I think it's very important to establish and maintain those boundaries and keep things out of the public domain.

These cases usually involve ordinary people whose lives have been turned upside down due to the actions of someone else. Criminal cases, especially murder cases, are hard enough to get through as it is.
 
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