GUILTY Australia - Daniel Morcombe, 13, Woombye, QLD, 7 Dec 2003 - #1

[marlywings]

JURORS in the Daniel Morcombe murder trial have been warned to stay off Facebook and not to privately investigate the case themselves.

The Morcombes were allowed to sit in the crowded courtroom with sons Bradley and Dean and supporters as Cowan entered a plea. But they had to leave soon after because they are witnesses.

Supreme Court Justice Roslyn Atkinson discharged six panel members but told four to remain.

It came after Crown prosecutor Glen Cash read the names of 158 potential witnesses who would likely be called to give evidence during the trial

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/...tay-off-facebook/story-fnihsrf2-1226823043012

 

[ozazure]

I wonder what kind of defence he will offer.

Marlywings I could not agree with you any more about the Morcombes. They conduct themselves so well yet their distress and trauma is written plain on their faces. The parents who lie cannot fake that.

Reading the article that says Daniel was likely murdered within the hour and that Cowan confessed to undercover officers. It seems Keisha's killer confessed in a similar way. This seems highly unusual that two high profile Australian cases went like this given all the cases I cast my eye over on Websleuths. Is this somehow an Australian phenomenon? I mean I saw the confession for Keisha and it was very cop-ish to me. I am so curious as to how this is successful.

 

[Humdinger]

I'm late to this thread, though I've been following this case. I'll catch on on thread tonight.

I'm so glad wheels are turning here! May Justice be served!!

 

[Fuskier]

Top news story
abcnews_qld ‏@abcnews_qld 7h
Prosecution to open case against man accused of murdering Qld teen Daniel Morcombe when Brisbane trial resumes today http://ab.co/1ej2i0u

Daniel Morcombe 'dead certanly within an hour' of disappearance
The prosecution in the murder trial of Queensland teenager Daniel Morcombe says the boy was dead almost certainly within an hour of his disappearance in 2003. Prosecutor Michael Byrne QC has opened the case in the Supreme Court trial in Brisbane against the man accused of murdering the 13-year-old. Bruce and Denise Morcombe, and their sons Dean and Bradley, are at court for today's proceedings.

 

[Fuskier]

Ebony Cavallaro ‏@ebonycavallaro 4h
I've counted 20 #journalists here so far for day 2 of the trial for the man accused of Daniel #Morcombe's murder @9NewsBrisbane

 

[Fuskier]

Ebony Cavallaro ‏@ebonycavallaro 2h
Prosecutors allege #cowan admitted to undercover officers he took Daniel to a "secluded spot" where he was strangled @9NewsBrisbane

 

[Fuskier]

Laura Dymock ‏@LauraDymock 1h
Jury told the key issue in the trial is whether Cowan was telling the truth when he confessed to killing Daniel @7localnewssc #morcombe

 

[Fuskier]

Ebony Cavallaro ‏@ebonycavallaro 1h
#cowan trial now hearing from a forensic officer sent to the area Daniel's remains were found #morcombe @9NewsBrisbane

Tessa Scott ‏@TessaScott9 2h
Denise #Morcombe is giving evidence trial of her son's alleged killer now @9NewsBrisbane

Elizabeth Tilley ‏@liztilley84 2h
Bruce #Morcombe is first witness to give evidence in murder trial of his son's accused killer @SkyNewsAust

 

[Fuskier]

Laura Dymock ‏@LauraDymock 46m
Jury has retired for the day in Cowan trial. Hear the incredible details of how police arrested Daniel's alleged killer. @7localnewssc 6pm

 

[gregjrichards]

Thank you for the updates the undercover operation which led to the confession was revealed in court the article below gives the information if you want to read it. The police did an excellent job in this case for getting a confession the way they did.

The details of an elaborate undercover police operation which netted Daniel Morcombe's alleged killer have been heard for the first time in the public arena.
The undercover operation was detailed as the trial of Daniel's accused killer Brett Peter Cowan began in Brisbane's Supreme Court on Tuesday.


Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/que...eged-killer-20140211-32f7l.html#ixzz2szuZx4mf

 

[SapphireSteel]

Wow just....WOW!

Planting a passenger next to him on a plane? Being introduced by the suspect to his regular friends, who were also undercover officers!!!???

I have never heard if such an extreme covert op in my entire life. LE fabricated an entire gang to trap this perp.

Someone said it seems Australian, maybe so. We have fewer law enforcement agencies - ours are state based thus well funded and cohesive.

This op possibly required the cooperation of every force in the country.

What amazing commitment!

 

[Aberline_1979]

Wow just....WOW!

Planting a passenger next to him on a plane? Being introduced by the suspect to his regular friends, who were also undercover officers!!!???

I have never heard if such an extreme covert op in my entire life. LE fabricated an entire gang to trap this perp.

Someone said it seems Australian, maybe so. We have fewer law enforcement agencies - ours are state based thus well funded and cohesive.

This op possibly required the cooperation of every force in the country.

What amazing commitment!

Agreed!

I've NEVER heard of the police arranging a setup as sophisticated as this in order to acquire a confession. They must have REALLY suspected that Cowan was their man way before the inquest in 2011, but I guess they couldn't do much until his "alibi" fell apart.

I'm a bit surprised Cowan didn't suspect/realise that the man he just happened to meet on the flight back to WA following the inquest was an undercover officer. Chatting him up....introducing him to this "secret organisation" with access to corrupt police, etc. But then again he doesn't seem to come across as the most intelligent of people.

I just wonder, have the police (undercover, etc) ever done something like this before? Or is this a new / rarely used kind of tactic? It just sounds so...."unbelievable", LoL. Don't get me wrong, I think it's FANTASTIC, and I'm so glad it worked. But......wow!

I wonder if they've tried anything like this in the hunt for the Claremont Serial killer in Perth, WA? The police have had a couple of very KEY suspects under surveillance over there for a long time.

 

[knowledgethirsty]

Day three

http://www.news.com.au/national/dan.../story-fncynjr2-1226824436182?from=public_rss

 

[SapphireSteel]

Agreed!

I've NEVER heard of the police arranging a setup as sophisticated as this in order to acquire a confession. They must have REALLY suspected that Cowan was their man way before the inquest in 2011, but I guess they couldn't do much until his "alibi" fell apart.

I'm a bit surprised Cowan didn't suspect/realise that the man he just happened to meet on the flight back to WA following the inquest was an undercover officer. Chatting him up....introducing him to this "secret organisation" with access to corrupt police, etc. But then again he doesn't seem to come across as the most intelligent of people.

I just wonder, have the police (undercover, etc) ever done something like this before? Or is this a new / rarely used kind of tactic? It just sounds so...."unbelievable", LoL. Don't get me wrong, I think it's FANTASTIC, and I'm so glad it worked. But......wow!

I wonder if they've tried anything like this in the hunt for the Claremont Serial killer in Perth, WA? The police have had a couple of very KEY suspects under surveillance over there for a long time.

I dont know much about Keisha Weippart but up thread someone says it happened in her case too.

We've all seen Underbelly, nothing should surprise us!

I do know that the guy suspected of the Claremont murders still cannot leave his house without a tail, nearly 20 years later. No further killings seems the result. They know who he is but just cannot prove it.

Australian LE do seem to be a separate breed....they just don't quit.

There are relatively few " unsolved" cases on the books.

 

[Salem]

What are the stats, SapphireSteel? You state that as fact, can you give us a link?

Thanks,

Salem

 

[Crimson clover]

I wonder what kind of defence he will offer.
Marlywings I could not agree with you any more about the Morcombes. They conduct themselves so well yet their distress and trauma is written plain on their faces. The parents who lie cannot fake that.

Reading the article that says Daniel was likely murdered within the hour and that Cowan confessed to undercover officers. It seems Keisha's killer confessed in a similar way. This seems highly unusual that two high profile Australian cases went like this given all the cases I cast my eye over on Websleuths. Is this somehow an Australian phenomenon? I mean I saw the confession for Keisha and it was very cop-ish to me. I am so curious as to how this is successful.

BBM ~
But, of course...here lies the defence...
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-02-...-an-hour-of-disappearance-prosecution/5251148

Defence says Cowan may have lied to get money from fake 'gang'

Cowan's defence lawyer Angus Edwards told the court the confession does not mean Cowan killed the teenager.

He pointed out the undercover police had promised the defendant $100,000 for a "big job" if he could prove he was part of the gang, and Cowan might have lied about the crime to cash in on that.

Mr Edwards said the "central issue" of the trial was whether Mr Cowan's confession was truthful or whether he was making it up.

He posed the question: "How did the defendant know where the bones and clothes were, had he not been the killer?"

He said there could be another explanation, that someone else abducted and killed Daniel Morcombe, and "somehow Cowan came to know in the eight years following the abduction where those locations were."

 

[ozazure]

Thanks crimson clover! I did read that this morning with a bit of a sinking heart. False confessions are a very real thing, and while I don't think this is one, I don't want Daniel's case jeopardised in anyway. However I know it is a long bow to draw that you a) know from the murderer where Daniel is and keep that confidence and then b) find it acceptable to have people think you are a murdering rapist pedophile when you are not, in order to commit crimes with them. Basically makes him look like even more of a weasel that he thinks that is a suitable defence.

I do think Australia has an advantage with the level of training/education and resources our police have at a minimum. It seems a lot more adhoc in some countries. It is far from perfect though, look at Liesl Smith's case and her family's concerns with how police have conducted the investigation. They seem to be investigating now but who knows what crucial info is lost when there is a delay.

 

[Fuskier]

Followed by ABC TV Australia
Jessica Hinchliffe ‏@JessHinchy 1h
.@JoshBavas tells @abcsunshine that forensic evidence was the focus of day 3 of the trial in #Brisbane today #morcombe

Sunshine Coast Daily ‏@the_daily 3h
Scientist has no doubt bone belongs to #danielmorcombe http://ow.ly/txfuO #morcombe

Followed by Matthew Snelson
Kate Kyriacou ‏@KateKyriacou 4h
The Daniel Morcombe trial is resuming with testimony from Dr Dadna Hartman. A molecular biologist, DNA expert. #morcombe

Elizabeth Tilley ‏@liztilley84 6h
Jury in trial of Daniel Morcombe's accused killer shown photos of 17 bones/bone fragments found at crime scene @SkyNewsAust #morcombe

Ebony Cavallaro ‏@ebonycavallaro 6h
#morcombe trial hearing from an SES volunteer who assisted in search for Daniel's remains @9NewsBrisbane

 

[Fuskier]

Kate Kyriacou ‏@KateKyriacou 4h
Dr Hartman also used mitochondrial DNA testing. Compared bone from scene with sample from Daniel's mum and brother. It matched. #morcombe

 

[Fuskier]

Kate Kyriacou ‏@KateKyriacou 2h
That's day three of the Daniel Morcombe story over. Resumes tomorrow at 10am. #morcombe

Kate Kyriacou ‏@KateKyriacou 3h
The judge has given the jury a five minute break. They're being shown photographs of bones and there are many more to go. #morcombe

Kate Kyriacou ‏@KateKyriacou 3h
The jury is being shown photographs of the second shoe, partially dug out of the dirt where it was discovered among trees. #morcombe

Kate Kyriacou ‏@KateKyriacou 3h
Sen Const Lyons said the second shoe was found on August 20 by a police officer. #morcombe

Kate Kyriacou ‏@KateKyriacou 3h
Sen Const Lyons said they were looking for a wallet, a fob watch and other personal items. #morcombe

Kate Kyriacou ‏@KateKyriacou 3h
Next is Sen Const Murray Lyons, who supervised part of the search. He worked with SES and police cadets with metal detectors. #morcombe

Kate Kyriacou ‏@KateKyriacou 4h
SES volunteer Robert Barkle is now on the stand. He is telling the court how he found a piece of bone during the search on Sept 3. #morcombe

Kate Kyriacou ‏@KateKyriacou 4h
The jury is being shown a photograph of the demountable home that was at the Glass House Mountains site in 2003. #morcombe

Kate Kyriacou ‏@KateKyriacou 4h
It was moved in 2007 to a property in Landsborough but first he ripped out the carpet and buried it with some other rubbish. #morcombe

Kate Kyriacou ‏@KateKyriacou 4h
Mr Gowen said there used to be a demountable home on the property. It was used about 15 years ago and was still there in 2003. #morcombe

Kate Kyriacou ‏@KateKyriacou 4h
We're now hearing from Drewe Gowen, a Sunshine Coast macadamia farmer whose property also formed part of the crime scene. #morcombe