Thanks guys. I'm up for awhile while my brother is still up and smoking on my patio so I won't go to bed until he comes in and goes up. So...I may as well share some of my experiences from today.
If people don't dig my Janine Driver obsession then feel free to scroll on because that's what I feel like focusing on right now vs. attempting to read my horrible handwriting and I want to put some thoughts to paper that I didn't already document.
So I got there pretty early and C (another courtwatcher friend) was waiting up there..she had also been tweeting with JD (I don't do twitter) about her trip here. Apparently there was a TON of twitter action about JD coming to the trial.
It was shocking how many people were over at the public area. I'd say at least 3 times what I've been seeing over there. Many familiar faces, many totally new faces. I got a text back from JD saying she was walking over so I knew I had a little time so went over and talked with Katie DDJ and Stacey who were full of questions about my RL trip and kind of filling me in on the goings on in the public area. Let me sum it up to "Mo People, Mo Drama".
So....the family was quite late getting in ...I had prearranged JD being in the fam section so I knew that would be ok. We had a small piece of drama I won't post about but I didn't appreciate getting JD a good seat in there (nothing to do with the family at all) but ended up getting her a just fine seat and I sat to her left (did you guys see us?). Although her jacket appeared white in photos, it was really a pretty shade of mint green.
When she walked out of the elevator (with Beth) she came right over and gave me a huge bear hug (ok maybe I gave it to her but anyway). She's much taller than I anticipated (5'9) and 5 mths pregnant. She looked great. I felt instantly comfortable with her.
So we took our seats and court started a little late (shocker) so we chatted and chatted. I gave her a copy of Anita's juror list (she prefer to use numbers but she is in possession of a copy! lol). I asked her to look out for certain specific jurors I was curious about (CEO, Maureen).
She is a very natural person and exactly as you see her on TV. She's also a very accomplished person...has worked for ATF, was a cop, her book is a best seller and makes most of her living being a keynote speaker for corporations. (at least for now).
Once in the am session she poked me hard on the leg (this makes my heart melt as my sis and I used to do that all the time ...like "GIRL...!") later she told me what it was about...in one second she saw SIX jurors on the back cover their mouths at once. I will refer back to my notes to tell you the moment that was about.
She studied the jury intensely. We talked about how JM seems SO much more different in person than on TV...she thinks it's because his stature isn't so obvious on TV. He's quite short...like 5'5 ish. But on TV he seems huge. She thinks that's why he is less aggressive seeming in person.
I look over and JD has her shoes off..at one point she kicks one leg underneath her. I'm telling you she's a natural gal...just my kind.
Like most people I've met, she's prettier in person and ballsier.
She's a gal who asks for what she needs!h
She thought Jodi was smaller than she expected.
She leaned over and said "they are with Juan". Meaning they are on his side. Yay...I've said that for weeks.
She was making all of these diagram type notes..like circles with extensions to other circiles. She did express frustration at one point that Juan wasn't finishing trains of thought...then later on further reflection, she remembered he does this then ties up those loose ends later. She said "he just wanted to make her say the words".
She was astounded at how bi***y Jodi was today.
I'm sure I have more details in my notes so those will come later.
She met Beth and Jean in the courtroom and ran in to aproducer friend from Dateline who she introduced me to. So many of these producers are quite young!
I was ready to let her off the hook to go have lunch with Beth or anyone else from the media but I did invite her and was thrilled to hear her say "I'm going with these gals" to lunch. We went to anew place to me..Chloe's kitchen that was AWESOME. Julie, Travis' friend, friend she normall comes with JL was there (love her--sorry that may not have made sense..she is the friend of Travis friend Julie). She paid for all our lunch! Noticed she got a glass of wine so I was like "hey girl!" and got one for myself and C (not posting her full name cuz she's not on here...yet..she signed up today). So all of us but JD had a glass of wine. woohoo! Great lunch and we asked JD a ton of questions.
She told us the ENTIRE story of that abuse situation start to finish with details...more tears all the way around. It's clearly something up in her mind today. I can relate to how these things unearth and raise their heads and their emotions sometimes when you're not expecting it.
Ok...gonna take a break and reignite my memory..then post second part in a bit..............
Just noticed I wrote in my notes at the very beginning of court "she's asking ME so many questions.." (JD)
