Wrongful death trial begins. Trial coverage and discussion #2

Dr. Peterson on Max’s condition:

Update 12 by Mary Zahau-

Day #3 of week #3 trial was all deposition videos. It was a long day. We had Marsha Alison, neighbor, who heard woman scream for help the night Rebecca was murdered and Dr Peterson’s deposition that Max’s condition was not declared worse until the July 14th 2011. So the theory that Rebecca committed suicide on the 13th because Max condition worsened per Jonah’s phone call is a lie. The same phone call that the San Diego Sheriffs department chose not to download and analyze from Rebecca’s cell phone.

https://www..com/rydrn-justice-for-rebecca

Dr. Peterson video deposition snippet-
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6gb8ip

Jonah on Max’s condition:

Snip-

Webb asked if Jonah stayed at the hospital late into the evening on July 12 and he said he did and that Dina was there as well.

Jonah then testified that he and Dina spoke with a Dr. Peterson that night and that he was the co-head of the pediatric intensive care unit at Rady Children's.

The lawyer asked Jonah to describe that conversation and Jonah said that the doctor had been "unusually" and "inappropriately" direct with them. He said the doctor told him that he had been doing his job for 30 years and that Max's injuries were similar to what he would see in a drowning. He said in the best-case scenario, if Max survived, that he would not walk or talk again.

Webb asked if Jonah and Dina were very upset by this news and Jonah described Dina as "hysterical." He said she "sort of yelled" at Dr. Peterson saying he was wrong and it wasn't true.

http://www.cbs8.com/story/37785775/mansion-death-lawsuit-jonah-shacknai-takes-the-stand

Nina on Max’s condition:

Snip from CBS8 interview:

NINA:

Um - it was just shocking for me to see him like that - and
I, you know, I spoke to the nurses that day. This was Tuesday - and
they said - well, this is what we think is going to happen. We think
that he'll probably be in the ICU for about a week. And then we think
he'll go to the - I guess they call it a step down unit? - um and he'll
probably be there a couple of weeks and then he'll have to do a lot of
rehab. So he'll probably miss the soccer season - he might not make it
to first grade right away - but this is what they were saying. Because
we were under the impression that he had CPR within two minutes,
because that's what she said. She said that he had his fall and she
gave him CPR within two minutes of his fall.

---6:50 mark

http://www.cbs8.com/story/15982091/exclusive-max-shacknais-aunt-talks-about-coronado-mansion-deaths

Lash, your archiving skill never ceases to amaze me!

*Lash* said:

Jonah on Max’s condition:

Snip-

Webb asked if Jonah stayed at the hospital late into the evening on July 12 and he said he did and that Dina was there as well.

Jonah then testified that he and Dina spoke with a Dr. Peterson that night and that he was the co-head of the pediatric intensive care unit at Rady Children's.

The lawyer asked Jonah to describe that conversation and Jonah said that the doctor had been "unusually" and "inappropriately" direct with them. He said the doctor told him that he had been doing his job for 30 years and that Max's injuries were similar to what he would see in a drowning. He said in the best-case scenario, if Max survived, that he would not walk or talk again.

Webb asked if Jonah and Dina were very upset by this news and Jonah described Dina as "hysterical." He said she "sort of yelled" at Dr. Peterson saying he was wrong and it wasn't true.

http://www.cbs8.com/story/37785775/mansion-death-lawsuit-jonah-shacknai-takes-the-stand

Click to expand...

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6gb8ip

In that snippet Dr Peterson states his discussion with the family would have been guarded the first few days. Did he ever notify the family of his concerns as outlined on page 9 of the search warrant?

http://ftpcontent.worldnow.com/kfmb/misc/warrant_41290.pdf

Gilgamesh said:

Lash, your archiving skill never ceases to amaze me!

Click to expand...

:tyou: Gilgamesh!

Interestingly, according to the article, Jonah mentions Rebecca’s Asian background not only to Dina, but also to SDSO investigators.

Who is telling the truth? In my opinion, there appears to be more sources to support Dina is the one being truthful.

Again, all this detail IS relevant to the civil suit because the defense is going with the suicide theory. The condition of Max is what allegedly caused Rebecca to commit suicide. There are 2 stories/theories being presented in this wrongful death suit. The defense has theirs and vice versa.

“Asian honor” is certainly helpful to explain a(n) alleged suicide. I, too, noticed that JS brought it up to SDSO.

minorone said:

So Rebecca was not perfect and made mistakes like the rest of us. Every person has an inner struggle and battle to be the best version of themselves that they believe is possible, challenging themselves to exceed beyond expectations and satisfy others. Rebecca was in an abusive marriage which in itself is very difficult to cope with, let alone the expectation of parents and others.

Whatever Rebecca may have done wrong in her life does not justify what happened to her because her life was not perfect.

Click to expand...

I agree with you. Rebecca is not on trial here at all. She was murdered. No one should ever blame or shame a victim. Thank goodness she has a family who has been fighting for her with everything in them and then some.

Harmony 2 said:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6gb8ip

In that snippet Dr Peterson states his discussion with the family would have been guarded the first few days. Did he ever notify the family of his concerns as outlined on page 9 of the search warrant?

http://ftpcontent.worldnow.com/kfmb/misc/warrant_41290.pdf

Click to expand...

Good question and Dr. Peterson seemingly supports Dina in the SW with the cardiac arrest statement.

Found this from Town and Counrty article. It does not say what physician. Interesting, it is stated the physician spoke to both Dina and Jonah.

Snip-

Coronado was abuzz with theories—a contract killing! A crime of passion!—and the local media made a circus of the crime scene. Few people outside the heartbroken Shacknai family seemed to notice when Max was pronounced dead on Saturday. His “accident” had not yet been explained; the heart attack theory was dismissed. Days before he died, Dina says, one of the physicians at Rady told her and Jonah, “It’s possible he could have been suffocated.”

https://www.townandcountrymag.com/s...6/shaknai-deaths-mystery-coronado-california/

*Lash* said:

Dina on Max’s condition:

Snip-

Dina Shacknai, in her deposition, said her ex-husband told her the boy had suffered a heart attack and fell over the second-floor banister.

She said doctors were initially hopeful about Max’s prognosis.
“I didn’t realize how serious the injury was,” she said. “I’m thinking he’d be out (of the hospital) next week.”

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/courts/sd-me-zahau-day6-story.html

Click to expand...

Oh no, that is so sad.

*Lash* said:

Dr. Peterson on Max’s condition:

Update 12 by Mary Zahau-

Day #3 of week #3 trial was all deposition videos. It was a long day. We had Marsha Alison, neighbor, who heard woman scream for help the night Rebecca was murdered and Dr Peterson’s deposition that Max’s condition was not declared worse until the July 14th 2011. So the theory that Rebecca committed suicide on the 13th because Max condition worsened per Jonah’s phone call is a lie. The same phone call that the San Diego Sheriffs department chose not to download and analyze from Rebecca’s cell phone.

https://www..com/rydrn-justice-for-rebecca

Dr. Peterson video deposition snippet-
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6gb8ip

Click to expand...

The screaming reminds me of the Oscar Pistorius trial. And it seems that everyone discounted the screams that were made by Reeva that were heard by the neighbor.. and that case, Oscar came up with a story, in my opinion, that it was him screaming.

From Seattle1's terrific transcription for March 22, posted here:

https://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?368024-Wrongful-Death-Lawsuit-Overview

<<<snip

Greer asked if Rebecca told Jonah she gave Max CPR the day of his fall.

"She said that she gave him a few breaths," said Jonah.

Greer then asked if Jonah had thanked Rebecca for being there and for saving Max's life.

"Well, the life wasn't saved," said Jonah. "But I thanked her for being there and doing all that she could."

<<<snip

When I read this last night, it felt like a physical blow. His "well, the life wasn't saved" is the message that was painted on that door.

I think Jonah just proved Mr. Greer's case.

Pi2016 said:

Does anybody know how far the hospital is from the mansion?

I always found it odd that JS stayed at the RMcD House that night as opposed to going home to shower, sleep, change. Did Dina also stay at the RMcD House?

Click to expand...

It is 11.5 miles

coastal said:

From Seattle1's terrific transcription for March 22, posted here:

https://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?368024-Wrongful-Death-Lawsuit-Overview

<<<snip

Greer asked if Rebecca told Jonah she gave Max CPR the day of his fall.

"She said that she gave him a few breaths," said Jonah.

Greer then asked if Jonah had thanked Rebecca for being there and for saving Max's life.

"Well, the life wasn't saved," said Jonah. "But I thanked her for being there and doing all that she could."

<<<snip

When I read this last night, it felt like a physical blow. His "well, the life wasn't saved" is the message that was painted on that door.

I think Jonah just proved Mr. Greer's case.

Click to expand...

YES...I was stunned. It felt like a slip of the tongue, imo, arrogant.

Pi2016 said:

From Mary:



BBM

Why is Jonah lying on the stand?

I'm glad Mr. Greer pointed it out to the jury.

I wonder if the jury also noticed the discrepancy between Dina and Jonah's testimony? Did Dina tell the jury about the stabbing motion and Asian honor remark?

I don't care how rehearsed or polished one can appear while testifying, if they lie and the jury sees it, that's a problem.

Click to expand...

A truth is never changed or forgotten. Huge red flag when it is, IMO.

coastal said:

From Seattle1's terrific transcription for March 22, posted here:

https://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?368024-Wrongful-Death-Lawsuit-Overview

<<<snip

Greer asked if Rebecca told Jonah she gave Max CPR the day of his fall.

"She said that she gave him a few breaths," said Jonah.

Greer then asked if Jonah had thanked Rebecca for being there and for saving Max's life.

"Well, the life wasn't saved," said Jonah. "But I thanked her for being there and doing all that she could."

<<<snip

When I read this last night, it felt like a physical blow. His "well, the life wasn't saved" is the message that was painted on that door.

I think Jonah just proved Mr. Greer's case.

Click to expand...

This jumped out at me as well.

in response to a question regarding how religious Rebecca was JS stated that if she was very religious “it wouldn’t have worked for me”. This statement proves to me that perhaps he had made this clear to her early on and so perhaps to make him happy she kept that aspect of her life separate from him.
It was also stated that she had gone to church a couple of times during their relationship. Which proves to me that she had not given up on her religion, just maybe didn’t flaunt it in front of him.

This was only a two year relationship with only about a year of living together. In my own personal experience with my partner, in the first few years subjects like religion, politics, etc were not a real matter that was ever a real issue. The first few years were more of a time of going out, traveling, socializing.....all of the fun things you do in a new relationship. The real nitty gritty conversations were dealt with once the relationship was more progressed. It seems like RZ and JS relationship had JS working a great deal running his company, RZ quitting her job and moving in for the year before she died so she can manage his personal life, like child care, household everyday stuff. And that their time together was mostly weekend time. It doesn’t seem to me that their time was really spent dealing with the more serious issues with their own relationship.....only the drama revolving the teenage daughter. The fact that JS admits in testimony that RZ was close to her family yet he really didn’t have any relationship with her family besides meeting them 2 times shows me that they hadn’t gotten into that next stage of their relationship. It just shows me that JS is not a reliable source regarding RZ religious beliefs. Also the fact that he admitted in testimony that they had planned a talk at the end of summer regarding their future is further evidence of that.

stmarysmead said:

<snipped to address>

Since only Rebecca and her sister were in the house with Max, to question whether he really DID falll, would inflame the RZ supporters. “We are not discussing Max.” Why not? If we can discuss the probability of RZ being murdered, why not Max?

<snipped>

I’m not sure RZ was murdered. I’m not sure Max fell by accident. I do believe, at this point, that AS is innocent.

Click to expand...

Given the scene of Max's fall, I find the probability that a 6-year-old with a scooter and no one's eyeballs on him for a few minutes, deciding with his 6-year-old mind to do something with the scooter on the stairs/banister he knew he shouldn't be doing, to be pretty high. To insinuate that's not what happened is to accuse either RZ or XZ of deliberately sending over him the banister - a very low probability but fits right in with all the Rebecca-bashing that has taken place since her death.

I find the probability that a woman, any woman, and especially a woman who was obviously very concerned about her appearance, would kill herself in the manner RZ was found, to be almost nil. I also find the probability that it's even physically possible she did that to herself very close to zero.

Further, there's a clear motive for killing RZ, and no motive for killing Max. According to JS, who several people here now feel is impeccably honest, RZ and Max had a close relationship, and he was not the Shacknai child RZ had issues with. XZ was a young teen at the time, so shall we accuse her of harboring the desire and physical capacity to toss the boy over the banister?

Imo, Max dying as the result of a homicide has a very low probability, while Rebecca dying as the result of a homicide has a very high probability. It's a false equivalence to compare the two deaths. They are intertwined, but in no way similar.

It’s been mentioned that Adam’s home owners insurance might cover some of his defense costs.

He was not a home owner at the time of Rebecca’s death, even though he was almost 50 years old.

He bought a house fairly soon after the death. Could there be some connection?

No disrespect intended but it doesn&#8217;t seem right to post his address and home details.

Gilgamesh said:

No disrespect intended but it doesn&#8217;t seem right to post his address and home details.

Click to expand...

Ok, i&#8217;ll Remove it. However, it is public record. Thank you for the heads up! I had notified a mod hoping they would direct me.