Opening Statements 03/05/2012 in MRT's Trial

[Wondergirl]

I can't remember ever seeing him with glasses on in any of the pics before. But maybe he used to wear contacts and he can't anymore because he's in jail.

Are you thinking that it is about projecting an image?

Not sure if it worked exactly the way he intended.

The only one who appeared unperturbed by the Crown’s disturbing, 79-minute opening statement was Rafferty himself, seated in the glassed prisoner’s dock in his Pee Wee Herman slicked hair and ill-fitting grey suit.

http://www.torontosun.com/2012/03/05/tori-staffords-innocence-no-match-for-her-hunters

 

[Alice Ramnit]

http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/raffertytrial/2012/03/05/19463111.html

BBM

If, as many of us hope, Tori was drugged, why would Rafferty's blood be on the gym bag? Sadly, this fact makes me question if poor Tori may have been aware of what was happening at some point and fought him off and hurt him enough that he bled, too.

Could be he hurt himself somehow, I suppose. I hope so.

He may have cut his own hands if he was beating her or if he used an object, like a rock while inflicting those vile injuries on that poor little baby!

 

[nonfictionrocks]

http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/raffertytrial/2012/03/05/19463111.html


Quote:

But jurors don't have to determine which actions Rafferty and McClintic took individually, only that together they killed Tori, said Gowdey as he neared his quietly dramatic ending to an opening delivered in measured, sombre tones.

"Your task will be to decide whether they acted together when they picked up Tori . . ., whether they acted together when they . . . bought the garbage bags and the hammer, whether they acted together when they took to Tori to an isolated location where all of her clothing was removed but her T-shirt, whether they acted together to bring about the sexual assault of Tori, whether they acted together when Tori was killed, when she was placed in garbage bags and when heavy rocks were placed on top of her."

Outside court, Rafferty's lawyer Dirk Derstine called the Crown's dramatic opening statement fair, but incomplete.

"I expect that the picture that will emerge through the course of the trial, there will be things in there that were certainly not covered by that (opening)," he said. "It's not surprising one party paints a picture very much in their favour."


My interpretation of this is:

That TLM may have downplayed her participation in the murder

That the Crown does not want to allocate blame between the two ... their position is that Rafferty is as guilty as TLM as they were in it together - in for a penny in for a pound Makes me wonder if perhaps the defense intends to defend its client by refuting TLMs testimony, and the Crown's case is based on a no matter what the participation, the result was the same, hence a guilty verdict is called for. My personal opinion is that TLM is the more violent of the pair and more likely to be physically abusive to the point of murder given her history.

That TLM's credibility will be called into question makes me wonder if perhaps she was angling for a deal with the devil although she got twice the sentence Holmoka did she may have been hoping for better and possibly the faint hope clause of early parole.

To me, she seems to have been the planner and instigator ... but hey, time will tell. I expect that the defence will be ruthless in questioning her in order to thwart the Crown's position that both are equally liable.

PS please excuse the typos! Broken wrist in a cast means many a mistype!

Ugh a broken wrist Cha? I was there 15 months ago. It takes 4 times as long to type anything. Thanks for your detailed post. Did you start on it this before dinner LOL

 

[Wondergirl]

The Crown is presenting the case methodically, in the form of Chapters:

The Crown's case will proceed in chapters, Gowdey said:

Chapter 1: The day of the kidnapping. The surveillance video showing Rafferty driving up the street outside Tori's school and McClintic walking Tori up the street. Witnesses from and around Oliver Stephens public school will talk about seeing Tori.
An identification officer will use photographs and maps to show the route from Woodstock to Guelph.
Tori's mother, Tara McDonald, will testify about the frantic hours the family spent looking for Tori.

Chapter 2: Terri-Lynne McClintic. "She was an essential part of all that happened," Gowdey said. "I expect her credibility will be a major issue in this case."

Chapter 3: Guelph - video surveillance and bank records detailing the events there.

Chapter 4: the Mount Forest death scene, which the jury will visit. "It will be difficult to go to the very place where this happened, I know that, but understanding the crime scene is crucial to understanding the crime," Gowdey said. Photographs, some of them graphic, will be used to explain "exactly how the killing happened."

"Unfortunately it is only through them that you can fully understand (the) evidence," Gowdey said.

Chapter 5: Police interaction with Rafferty.

Chapter 6: The searches of Rafferty and McClintic's residences and the evidence found.

Chapter 7: The Honda Civic. What was found inside.

Chapter 8: Rafferty's connection to the Mount Forest area.

Chapter 9: Comments Rafferty made to friends after April 8. "He had some interesting things to say to other people about Terri-Lynne McClintic and about the kidnapping itself," Gowdey said.

Chapter 10: The May 15 weekend and Rafferty's actions.

Chapter 11: The BlackBerry. The BlackBerry allowed police to track his movements April 8 and after.

Chapter 12: A recap of the surveillance video.


http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/raffertytrial/2012/03/05/19463111.html

 

[daisy.faithfull]

The Crown is presenting the case methodically, in the form of Chapters:

To me it looks like he did a good job.

 

[mareseatoats]

Opening statements - no closer to the truth than 3 yrs. ago

 

[flipflop]

Opening statements - no closer to the truth than 3 yrs. ago

Sounds like they have alot of evidence and we have not heard the majority...give it time!!!!

 

[mareseatoats]

absolutely! Takes time to hear ALL the evidence.

 

[Wondergirl]

Another interpretation of MTR's appearance and demeanor:

As his trial began, Mr. Rafferty appeared unfazed by the proceedings.

He walked into court from the holding cells with a faint smile. A pale, pudgy figure dressed in a grey suit and striped tie, with short, gel-slicked hair and wire-rimmed spectacles, he appeared alert and relaxed as he chatted briefly with lead defence lawyer Dirk Derstine.

And although court protocol does not demand it, he politely stood as the jurors arrived and left, watching them intently.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...ended-in-her-death-jury-hears/article2358818/

 

[flipflop]

Where is JG these days?

Tori vanished on her way home from the Oliver Stephens Public School, a few minutes walk from the rented house she shared in Woodstock with her mother, Tara McDonald, and older brother, Daryn Stafford

Did JG not live with them? I have not seen his name mentioned for awhile now?????

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...ended-in-her-death-jury-hears/article2358818/

In another article that I read today it stated that TM was walking into court with 2 girlfriends?!?

 

[antiquegirl]

Mares and Cha!

 

[Wondergirl]

More info on what happened today:

I'm told that, after the in-camera session tomorrow morning, we may finally be told what it's all about. #ToriStafford

5:45 PM - 5 Mar 12 via web · Details
https://twitter.com/#!/AdrianMorrow

Judge and lawyers will return at 9:30 am tomorrow to speak behind closed doors again. Public trial resumes at 10 #ToriStafford

https://twitter.com/#!/AdrianMorrow

 

[Wondergirl]

Crown says police never found the hammer or the rest of the clothes, but did find Terri-Lynn's discarded shoes.

https://twitter.com/#!/AdrianMorrow

 

[swedie]

I'm not liking the "could be's". He could be the killer and it could be Tori's blood? How could they not know that?

MR's and Tori's blood were found inside the door frame, along the molding on the back of the passenger side of MR's car, and both their blood was found on his Good Life Fitness bag. Probability is 1 out of 28 billion this is MR's and Tori's blood. Will be VERY interesting to see what tactic the defense will use to explain that evidence. :waitasec: I noticed Derstine did some more chatting with the media today, but once again his talks aren't standing up very well in my honest opinion.

Christine Blatchford
http://www2.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=6254606

 

[margaret_diane]

This is what I was wondering.

If is Tori and MTR's blood that is "mixed", and is on the bag, it is likely in a very small amount, otherwise MTR would have disposed of the bag.

I was wondering if there is a scientific method to determine if a blood is post-mortem or not?

http://writersforensicsblog.wordpress.com/category/blood-analysis/
Before anyone runs off to read the link - pls note the info is from about 2010 so might already be a bit outdated. Not sure how relevant it would have possibly been to their investigation at the time either (perhaps then it was too advanced).

 

[daisy.faithfull]

Opening statements - no closer to the truth than 3 yrs. ago

Respectfully I disagree. We are one day into the process that is all about judging what the truth is. To me that is progress, a step taken towards the goal.

ETA: IMO Looking at each piece is all apart of looking at the whole.

 

[matou]

Crown says police never found the hammer or the rest of the clothes, but did find Terri-Lynn's discarded shoes.

https://twitter.com/#!/AdrianMorrow

WTH? She got rid of her shoes? Are you sure this isn't supposed to be Tori's shoes?

 

[flipflop]

Crown says police never found the hammer or the rest of the clothes, but did find Terri-Lynn's discarded shoes.

https://twitter.com/#!/AdrianMorrow

TLM's shoes? I thought TLM lead LE to where they dumped VS's shoes????

 

[matou]

I wonder what was in the dumpster that LE took? I thought the hammer would be in there. I'm surprised they didn't find it but Rafferty likely dumped it somewhere that weekend like he dumped the carseat. JMO

 

[Wondergirl]

TLM's shoes? I thought TLM lead LE to where they dumped VS's shoes????

Was that in the news? I don't remember that. I don't remember anything about any shoes, to be honest. That's why I posted that tweet.