a view from the inside: observations from our own court observers #6

[Dmacky]

I'm really curious about the computer forensics expert lined up for rebuttal. I thought at first that it would be someone who could rebut that no *advertiser censored*/pics/virus was found on Travis' computer, but they already had someone to do that in the CIC, IIRC. And the lie is not that the child *advertiser censored* was on the computer now anyway. So, I'm wondering what else they might have found or if they were somehow able to recover something from Jodi's smashed hard drive. It will be interesting. This rebuttal case may seal the deal.

I don't know if this is even possible, but I am hoping that nasty email that was written to Lisa can be traced back to Hodi's computer. Also maybe there's a way to show that Jodi did in fact hack into TA's emails. We all know she did it, but proof would be fantastic!

 

[ljwf22]

She has chambers for this sort of conference.

BBM A couple of weeks ago I was 'sleuthing' about the new south tower which contains this trial. It's only been open for about a year and was thoughtfully planned and built. I thought this graphic I found could possibly be the 'show court' designed for high-profile and multi-defendant cases. As you can see, there are no chambers behind the judge's bench - just a hallway. Of course, I do not know what rooms are just to the bottom of this drawing, other than a victims/victum's family room and wherever they hold the defendant. There are also a couple of Youtube videos about the new building - it's very impressive.

 

[katydid23]

=Liebchenmutti;9178097]KCL:

Do you anticipate there to be a record made in court of AVL breaking the rules by approaching and commenting to a victim family member?

Also--do you think that the judge will tell JW that she doesn't want ALV to request her own schedule for breaks?

BBM

I don't think the judge would say that. I think that the expert witnesses are always allowed to request 'bathroom' breaks or emergency breaks. And it could be an issue down the road if the judge denied them that option. JMO

Of course, now that the judge saw her ask for an emergency break, then walk over the the victim's family, the judge will hopefully keep that in mind. :denied:

 

[DAWN TREADER]

I can see Cheri Oteri playing the part of JW in the movie. I'm reminded of that cheerleader skit she and Will Farrell did on SNL.

Yes, that giggly stuff has no place in the courtroom. It is very off putting and high pitched in person. My husband calls her Mini as in mouse.

When at trial I don't feel the court is running amok. It seems orderly and when something isn't right the judge addresses it.
I take her seriously and feel like it is her courtroom. She said "please refrain from laughing in the courtroom" and I know she meant it.

I'd rather have her than some steamroller of a judge who is ill tempered.

I've seen a stern look on her face, shaking her head in a "no" motion while talking to JW, then she turns to JM and smiles and her head is shaking in the yes motion as if she is agreeing with him. I've seen it a few times.

As I said, it's my personal take on her and some may not agree, that's ok too.

Hi PASA :seeya:

Thank you for sharing your insight and observations about the court room and Judge S. who I feel is clearly mindful of her duty and obligation to keep this trial on track ... Maddening as the slow pace may be ... And the seemingly too generous latitude afforded the defense ... She's doing her job ... Quietly and deliberately ... As it should be instead of the camera posturing and egocentric dramatics we've seen from other judges in high profile trials. Granted I didn't always feel this way about Judge S. but as time goes by I've come to accept and even appreciate those rulings which previously distressed me.

 

[Kattrca]

KCL:

Do you anticipate there to be a record made in court of AVL breaking the rules by approaching and commenting to a victim family member?

Also--do you think that the judge will tell JW that she doesn't want ALV to request her own schedule for breaks?[/QUOTE]

BBM

I don't think the judge would say that. I think that the expert witnesses are always allowed to request 'bathroom' breaks or emergency breaks. And it could be an issue down the road if the judge denied them that option. JMO

Of course, now that the judge saw her ask for an emergency break, then walk over the the victim's family, the judge will hopefully keep that in mind. :denied:

az lawyer expressed that though thoughtless and tasteless, it is not actually illegal for ALV to approach Samantha depending on what she said. Basically if what is rumored to have been said is true. Its not illegal. ;-( However if she said something like "Mr. Nurmi wants to speak to the family about a plea deal" then definitely illegal

 

[katydid23]

I can see Cheri Oteri playing the part of JW in the movie. I'm reminded of that cheerleader skit she and Will Farrell did on SNL.

Yes, that giggly stuff has no place in the courtroom. It is very off putting and high pitched in person. My husband calls her Mini as in mouse.

When at trial I don't feel the court is running amok. It seems orderly and when something isn't right the judge addresses it.
I take her seriously and feel like it is her courtroom. She said "please refrain from laughing in the courtroom" and I know she meant it.

I'd rather have her than some steamroller of a judge who is ill tempered.

I've seen a stern look on her face, shaking her head in a "no" motion while talking to JW, then she turns to JM and smiles and her head is shaking in the yes motion as if she is agreeing with him. I've seen it a few times.

As I said, it's my personal take on her and some may not agree, that's ok too.

That is interesting because over on the pro-Jodi site, some are complaining because they say that Juan and Judge Stevens are old friends and good friends.

I can see that. It does seem like she respects him. I don't have any problems with her at this point.

 

[prima.facie]

Ok I just taped this off my tv with my iphone and let's see if it works here.

Katiecoolady abc15 - YouTube

Awww. Fabulous interview. You look amazing and are such an amazing support of strength for the family. Im happy they have you nearby in the courtroom and you are able to be a middle man between other supporters and them.

Bless you!

 

[katiecoolady]

az lawyer expressed that though thoughtless and tasteless, it is not actually illegal for ALV to approach Samantha depending on what she said. Basically if what is rumored to have been said is true. Its not illegal. ;-( However if she said something like "Mr. Nurmi wants to speak to the family about a plea deal" then definitely illegal

This is the first article in the AZ Victim's Bill of Rights http://www.azleg.state.az.us/const/2/2_1.htm:

1. To be treated with fairness, respect, and dignity, and to be free from intimidation, harassment, or abuse, throughout the criminal justice process.

So I guess you'd have to ask Sam how she felt if this was harassment or abuse being confronted unwarranted like that in the courtroom by this defense witness.

I know my attorney told me that Victims have the right to not be contacted by agents of the defense.

5. To refuse an interview, deposition, or other discovery request by the defendant, the defendant's attorney, or other person acting on behalf of the defendant.

This one speaks to more what happened to me. They can't ambush you, you have the right to be contacted then refuse.

I guess it's how you interpret this law. But again, my attorney Keli Luther as well as our prosecutor both told me "as a victim you have the right to not be contacted".

So...I do take this unwarranted and uninvited contact seriously. No matter what was said.

 

[katiecoolady]

BBM

I don't think the judge would say that. I think that the expert witnesses are always allowed to request 'bathroom' breaks or emergency breaks. And it could be an issue down the road if the judge denied them that option. JMO

Of course, now that the judge saw her ask for an emergency break, then walk over the the victim's family, the judge will hopefully keep that in mind. :denied:

Exactly. To ask for an urgent break 5 min. before the scheduled break anyway suggests, well, an urgency. Which is belied by the fact that she took a pitstop en route to the bathroom to speak to Samantha.

This Judge needs to keep a tighter rein on this witness now. She's held up the trial for half a day, then this. She appears, to me, to be game playing and trying to alpha her way around the courtroom at this point.

By the way, Janine Driver has had contact with me now on this issue and is very disturbed by it. And she is asking me questions about it so...we'll see.

 

[My3Sons]

Hey Kcl, Pasa, My3Sons, wser's etal :loveyou: Happy Sunday everyone! I have a question for the Observers.
Judge Stephens sometimes appears via TV to be confused about certain objections as well as ruling on them. A bit timid maybe is what I am trying to say. I noticed Thursday she overuled many if not most of JW objections when Jaun was questioning, I have also heard that she sort of yuks it up with JW during sidebars. Could you give us some insight as to her true demeanor in the courtroom, as we don't get to see much of her, usuall split screen of the killer and witness or JW spilt with the killer. Thanks in Advance:doorhide:

When I was there I saw her sort of lecturing JW a couple times...sort of stern look on her face as she talked to her. It seems to me, from time to time, she's trying to coach JW on how to ask a question in a way that is not objectionable. Just my perception.

Once that day, they had just come back from sidebar after Juan objected to something. She got two or three questions in and Juan objected again. JSS sustained the objection while smiling and kinda nodding her head at Willmott, as if to say "you should have known better than to ask it like that" or something. JW said "may we approach?" and JSS answered "ask another question." It was interesting.

I did not see her look at or speak to JM that way.

I do think JSS tries to give the DT as much leeway as possible, being that this is a DP case. I'm sure she wants to preserve the verdict on appeals.

IMO.

 

[My3Sons]

Sorry if this has come up before. I would like to know who the woman is who is talking to Juror#5 after everyone had left. She is kneeling beside her and they r talking to each other I think while the judge is still there. I saw her (the kneeling woman) come back from the DT's table area, I think. Also, why didn't the judge who was still in the chamber not have the bailiff say "Please clear the courtroom." ?

I don't know if you got an answer to this yet or not--that woman is Valerie, the bailiff. She is the voice you hear on the feed saying "Please stand for the jury". She escorts them in and out of court all day...so she has probably developed a bond with them, including Tri-color.

 

[Kattrca]

This is the first article in the AZ Victim's Bill of Rights http://www.azleg.state.az.us/const/2/2_1.htm:

1. To be treated with fairness, respect, and dignity, and to be free from intimidation, harassment, or abuse, throughout the criminal justice process.

So I guess you'd have to ask Sam how she felt if this was harassment or abuse being confronted unwarranted like that in the courtroom by this defense witness.

I know my attorney told me that Victims have the right to not be contacted by agents of the defense.

5. To refuse an interview, deposition, or other discovery request by the defendant, the defendant's attorney, or other person acting on behalf of the defendant.

This one speaks to more what happened to me. They can't ambush you, you have the right to be contacted then refuse.

I guess it's how you interpret this law. But again, my attorney Keli Luther as well as our prosecutor both told me "as a victim you have the right to not be contacted".

So...I do take this unwarranted and uninvited contact seriously. No matter what was said.

I AGREE 100% with everything you said, I was simply quoting AZlawyers response to the same question in the legal question thread.. the whole situation is deplorable and hopefully gets rectified. Who would handle questioning Samantha? Judge? or a VRA?

 

[ljwf22]

AZ Lawyer rocks. She is a sweetheart in person, just love her.

In my mind, I had pictured tricolor (juror #5) as looking like AZ Lawyer's avitar.

 

[Madeleine74]

What is the 3rd color in Tricolor's hair? When the camera went to her in the courtroom I could only discern 2 colors: the blonde on top and a dark reddish color underneath.

 

[prima.facie]

I don't know about jurors, but the talking heads on TV have blasted JM over the SNow White junk and have been very hard on him regarding the style he used with this witness. Really, really negative.

ALV treatment is IMO similar to affirmative action.....in this case, she is a woman, an older woman; therefore she is less than capable of holding her own as a man or younger woman is and must be treated special because she is [the un-politically correct way to say it] inferior to all other humans (men, younger women). The big bad meanie Juan clearly does not see her older woman weakness and isn't treating her as she should be with kid gloves.

Flat out, its a total insult and put down to said human masked as "fairness". When the right way to see it is: she is a human and just as capable as any other human. So treat her just like you would treat anyone else including a man).

JMO.

 

[My3Sons]

I think she's made up her mind, and tired of sitting there. She was more attentive once Juan took over.

If I had to worry about any of them it may be her.

Really? I got the "mind already made up" vibe from her...and not in the DT's favor, but you see her way more than I do, so I would defer to you.

I'm starting to worry a teeny bit about HW and all those notes she's taking during LV's testilying. Of course, she was the consistent notetaker when I was there, too, so maybe that's just her style?

 

[katiecoolady]

I AGREE 100% with everything you said, I was simply quoting AZlawyers response to the same question in the legal question thread.. the whole situation is deplorable and hopefully gets rectified. Who would handle questioning Samantha? Judge? or a VRA?

I think the Judge would and did admonish/instruct the witness to not behave in such deplorable ways in the courtroom.

I adore AZ Lawyer and respect her knowledge completely and I'm just speaking as a lay person who has been on the receiving end of something like this. But she knows what she's talking about. I just know I was instructed that I had the legal right to not be contacted and when that (horrible, lying) investigator for the Legal Defender's office ambushed me in my home I said to her "isn't it illegal for you to be approaching me like this?" (once I came to and realized what was going on...how disorienting, I assumed of course she was representing OUR side when she showed up unannounced on my doorstep 2 weeks before the anniversary of Cindy's death). She immediately responded with some law, some loophole she knew and had calculated that she was slipping through.

She lied to my face saying if I helped with this "retardation" argument (um why WOULD I?) that he would get Life without Parole. That was never, not once on the table as it wasn't an option when he was convicted so not an option now. She had been working on the case for years so of course knew this important FACT. We were talking life WITH parole which would have had him go from Death Row to eligibility for parole in 5 years...FIVE YEARS.

I knew she was lying or at best uninformed. Then I interrupted her and said "really what has happened to you in your life that youv'e become a person who would walk in to my house, right before Christmas which is the anniversary of my sister's murder and stir all this up for me thinking I'd cooperate with you? What is wrong with you?" (obviously I was pissed)

She started crying and said "I'm sorry I'm tearing up, I don't know why I'm reacting this way" and I said "you are reacting this way because you are having a normal human emotion to a true victim, ME, not the man you are championing. ME who was going to decorate my house for Christmas today, can you imagine what this is doing to me? In fact you need to get out of my house". Then I walked out of the room and in to my kitchen, shaking, and said "you can let yourself out the door you came in". Then she left her card saying "well here's my card, you can contact me anytime" to which I said "oh I will use that card to contact someone about you, you can be sure of that" and kicked her out of my house.

I immediately called Cathy Hughes our prosecutor who put me in touch with Keli Luther who was then with the AZ Crime Victims Legal Assistance Project and represented me in this and got that loop hole at the legislative level changed. She wrote me back that very day and said she'd been waiting for a case to take to argue this and she used this incident.

My friend then came over to go to brunch with me and said I was shaking hours later. And I"m a very strong person. 18 years later this got me shaking for hours. That's what these people do to victims.

You can see why i feel so strongly about this.

 

[My3Sons]

What is the 3rd color in Tricolor's hair? When the camera went to her in the courtroom I could only discern 2 colors: the blonde on top and a dark reddish color underneath.

You know what? From the moment I saw her, I wondered the same thing! It seemed to me that she only had two colors (and I've heard that some call her two-tone). However, I was studying the juror names before I went to court so that I'd be able to jot down quickly what they were doing in my notes, and she is stuck as Tri-color to me :rocker:

Does she really have a third color?

 

[katiecoolady]

You know what? From the moment I saw her, I wondered the same thing! It seemed to me that she only had two colors (and I've heard that some call her two-tone). However, I was studying the juror names before I went to court so that I'd be able to jot down quickly what they were doing in my notes, and she is stuck as Tri-color to me :rocker:

Does she really have a third color?

I coined that phrase right at the beginning of the trial, when I do believe, she had some roots going on (apparently I thought they were on purpose lol). :blushing:

 

[ChattyWoman]

This from The State vs Jodi Arias FB page:

CONFIRMED : Chris and Sky Hughes will not be testifying during rebuttal, nor will Matt McCartney [as reported here previously]
Rebuttal witnesses include: Cancun PPL, Dr Demarte, Gas Station in SLC, Walmart, Det Brown