CA - Chelsea King (17) Rancho Bernardo (north San Diego County) #3

[powayparent]

San Diego is a large county with a large jury pool and I'm confident the prosecutor will be successful in keeping the case here.

 

[cluciano63]

I think change of venue will depend upon how many other cases he is linked to by the time the trial is getting to begin. If there are several cases in areas of S. Cal, they may have to move it as defense may be able to show or persuade judge that the entire region has a stake in seeing him convicted. If the case go to trial with Chelsea as focus and sole victim, I would think it should stay in SD. But who knows, I have seen this decision in other cases go the opposite way from what I expected. We are a long way from that, probably; maybe the end of 2011? At earliest?

 

[TheMentalist]

San Diego is a large county with a large jury pool and I'm confident the prosecutor will be successful in keeping the case here.

I dont think that will be the basis....because it is becoming apparantly obvious that their may additonal bodies not discovered yet of girls who went missing. This case is not going to go to trial for some time...the nature of the crime and the death penalty perhaps being a potential factor may allow for the discovery of more victims or the recovery of more victim bodies. It is highly likely JAG could be a Serial Killer and that since his arrest and public profile he could be connected to more high profile missing person cases. It is not a matter of having a huge jury pool. As much as I dont want to say it...Change of Venue is for the Accused not the Prosecutor.

 

[cluciano63]

Change of Venue is for the Accused not the Prosecutor

yes this is my point too

 

[Momtofour]

Forgive me if this has already been posted......The article below has some information on his past and people who supported him during the child molestation case in 2000.


Old testimonies call John Albert Gardner III ‘kind,’ ‘compassionate’
By Elliot Spagat, Associated Press
Thursday, March 4, 2010
SAN DIEGO (AP) — He shoveled snow and carried groceries for a neighbor. He cared for a sick girlfriend by pressing a cool cloth to her head all afternoon. A former high school girlfriend called him “the one person who has made me feel completely safe in this world.”


John Albert Gardner III looks toward the judge at an arraignment where he pleaded not guilty to murder and other charges in the case involving teenager Chelsea King in a San Diego Superior Courtroom Wednesday March 3, 2010 in San Diego. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)
Testimonies from family and friends in a 2000 child molestation case cast a sympathetic light on 30-year-old John Albert Gardner III, now accused of murdering 17-year-old girl Chelsea King while she was on a run and raping or attempting to rape her.

Gardner, who pleaded not guilty Wednesday to murder and assault with intent to commit rape, was linked to King’s death from semen found in the victim’s clothing, said California Department of Justice of spokesman Christine Gasparac.

A body that authorities believe is Chelsea’s was discovered Tuesday in a shallow grave on the south shore of Lake Hodges in a wilderness area near a park where she was last seen five days earlier in running clothes. Her car was discovered at the park with her belongings inside.

Gardner stood silently in court, wrists shackled to his waist and eyes cast downward during Wednesday’s brief hearing. Brent and Kelly King, Chelsea’s parents, sat several rows back.

“We know that this has rocked San Diego,” said District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis. “It has rocked all of us.”

A court-appointed psychiatrist, Dr. Matthew Carroll, urged the “maximum sentence allowed by law” in 2000 for Gardner for molesting a 13-year-old neighbor at his home, according to court documents. He called him “an extremely poor candidate” for treatment because he refused to admit any responsibility.

Dr. Mark Kalish, who shares an office with Carroll, said his colleague was saddened and angered by the news about Gardner, feeling his advice was ignored.

“He didn’t want there to be any ambiguity or doubt about his assessment,” Kalish said. “How much bigger a red flag could Dr. Carroll have raised?”

A defense sentencing memorandum shows Gardner also had sympathizers.

Dr. Divy Kikani, a psychiatrist who treated Gardner for bipolar disorder, wrote that his patient was “extremely remorseful” for inappropriate sexual relations with two girls, ages 13 and 14. He said Gardner was “highly motivated” to get help.

Kikani didn’t respond to phone messages Wednesday.

Gardner spent at least part of his childhood in the San Bernardino Mountains community of Running Springs and attended nearby Rim of the World High School, according to the document. He was convicted in 1998 of disturbing the peace in an incident that involved trespassing on campus, his only previous criminal record at the time.

“Never once in the whole time that I have known John have I ever felt threatened or scared,” Jennifer Tripp, who began dating Gardner when she was a sophomore and he was a senior, wrote the judge. She declined to comment Wednesday when reached by The Associated Press.

Vergie Lightfoot, who lived four houses away, said Gardner volunteered to fix a septic tank and carry groceries. They talked over pie and coffee.

Beth Melban, his then-girlfriend, said she began dating Gardner when they worked at Big 5 Sporting Goods in San Diego and that she took the initiative to kiss him on a first date. Her parents were eager to meet him.

“I practically had to force myself on him and he even knew I liked him,” she wrote the judge. “John has never been anything but kind and compassionate towards me.”

Catherine Osborn, Gardner’s mother, wrote the judge in 2000 that her son accepted “full responsibility for his actions.”

A spray-painted message was found on the garage of her home in San Diego’s Rancho Bernardo area early Wednesday that read, “Chelseas blood is on you. Move out.” Police did not know who painted it.

Garner faced a maximum of nearly 11 years in prison in 2000 under a plea agreement, but the judge accepted the prosecution’s recommendation of six years. He was on parole for three years, until September 2008.

The district attorney’s office has declined to comment on the 2000 case.

Gardner is also charged with intent to commit rape was filed in connection with a December attack on another female.

Gardner, who was required under state law to disclose his residence, registered in January to live in Lake Elsinore, north of San Diego, said John Hall, a spokesman for the Riverside County district attorney’s office.

“He was not on our radar for any reason,” Hall said.

Associated Press writers Don Thompson in Sacramento and Raquel Maria Dillon in Los Angeles contributed to this report.



Read more: http://www.sdnn.com/sandiego/2010-0...-gardner-iii-kind-compassionate#ixzz0hEr0vaR9

 

[Priester]

ECK! They should get arrested! They aren't there anymore are they?

No, thank goodness. I'm not talking sexual photos, these were graphic violence, horrible pictures. I understand that this is not the first time memorial pages of crime victims have been hijacked by these sick SOBs.
I think the individuals who post these photos are dangerous sickos.

 

[cluciano63]

that story kind of creeps me out...note than none of these people want to talk now...

 

[coastal]

Am listening to KOGO (AM 600) at 12:00.
Heartbreaking.

Godspeed, Chelsea King.

 

[Voice4theSilent]

In the post-arraignment press conference yesterday, the DA sounded pretty adamant that Gardner could get a fair trial in San Diego. I get the feeling they will fight a change of venue and I would be quite surprised if it happened. If Westerfield didn't get one, I doubt Gardner will.

A DA will ALWAYS state that and will always fight a change of venue. The media has already stated yesterday that the scene at the court yesterday was like nothing that has ever been witnessed in San Diego, even for Westerfield. They might have a fair chance of getting it moved out of San Diego. Like someone stated yesterday, harassing JAG's parents with spray painted messages isn't going to help the DA!

 

[TheMentalist]

Forgive me if this has already been posted......The article below has some information on his past and people who supported him during the child molestation case in 2000.


Old testimonies call John Albert Gardner III ‘kind,’ ‘compassionate’
By Elliot Spagat, Associated Press
Thursday, March 4, 2010
SAN DIEGO (AP) — He shoveled snow and carried groceries for a neighbor. He cared for a sick girlfriend by pressing a cool cloth to her head all afternoon. A former high school girlfriend called him “the one person who has made me feel completely safe in this world.”


John Albert Gardner III looks toward the judge at an arraignment where he pleaded not guilty to murder and other charges in the case involving teenager Chelsea King in a San Diego Superior Courtroom Wednesday March 3, 2010 in San Diego. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)
Testimonies from family and friends in a 2000 child molestation case cast a sympathetic light on 30-year-old John Albert Gardner III, now accused of murdering 17-year-old girl Chelsea King while she was on a run and raping or attempting to rape her.

Gardner, who pleaded not guilty Wednesday to murder and assault with intent to commit rape, was linked to King’s death from semen found in the victim’s clothing, said California Department of Justice of spokesman Christine Gasparac.

A body that authorities believe is Chelsea’s was discovered Tuesday in a shallow grave on the south shore of Lake Hodges in a wilderness area near a park where she was last seen five days earlier in running clothes. Her car was discovered at the park with her belongings inside.

Gardner stood silently in court, wrists shackled to his waist and eyes cast downward during Wednesday’s brief hearing. Brent and Kelly King, Chelsea’s parents, sat several rows back.

“We know that this has rocked San Diego,” said District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis. “It has rocked all of us.”

A court-appointed psychiatrist, Dr. Matthew Carroll, urged the “maximum sentence allowed by law” in 2000 for Gardner for molesting a 13-year-old neighbor at his home, according to court documents. He called him “an extremely poor candidate” for treatment because he refused to admit any responsibility.

Dr. Mark Kalish, who shares an office with Carroll, said his colleague was saddened and angered by the news about Gardner, feeling his advice was ignored.

“He didn’t want there to be any ambiguity or doubt about his assessment,” Kalish said. “How much bigger a red flag could Dr. Carroll have raised?”

A defense sentencing memorandum shows Gardner also had sympathizers.

Dr. Divy Kikani, a psychiatrist who treated Gardner for bipolar disorder, wrote that his patient was “extremely remorseful” for inappropriate sexual relations with two girls, ages 13 and 14. He said Gardner was “highly motivated” to get help.

Kikani didn’t respond to phone messages Wednesday.

Gardner spent at least part of his childhood in the San Bernardino Mountains community of Running Springs and attended nearby Rim of the World High School, according to the document. He was convicted in 1998 of disturbing the peace in an incident that involved trespassing on campus, his only previous criminal record at the time.

“Never once in the whole time that I have known John have I ever felt threatened or scared,” Jennifer Tripp, who began dating Gardner when she was a sophomore and he was a senior, wrote the judge. She declined to comment Wednesday when reached by The Associated Press.

Vergie Lightfoot, who lived four houses away, said Gardner volunteered to fix a septic tank and carry groceries. They talked over pie and coffee.

Beth Melban, his then-girlfriend, said she began dating Gardner when they worked at Big 5 Sporting Goods in San Diego and that she took the initiative to kiss him on a first date. Her parents were eager to meet him.

“I practically had to force myself on him and he even knew I liked him,” she wrote the judge. “John has never been anything but kind and compassionate towards me.”

Catherine Osborn, Gardner’s mother, wrote the judge in 2000 that her son accepted “full responsibility for his actions.”

A spray-painted message was found on the garage of her home in San Diego’s Rancho Bernardo area early Wednesday that read, “Chelseas blood is on you. Move out.” Police did not know who painted it.

Garner faced a maximum of nearly 11 years in prison in 2000 under a plea agreement, but the judge accepted the prosecution’s recommendation of six years. He was on parole for three years, until September 2008.

The district attorney’s office has declined to comment on the 2000 case.

Gardner is also charged with intent to commit rape was filed in connection with a December attack on another female.

Gardner, who was required under state law to disclose his residence, registered in January to live in Lake Elsinore, north of San Diego, said John Hall, a spokesman for the Riverside County district attorney’s office.

“He was not on our radar for any reason,” Hall said.

Associated Press writers Don Thompson in Sacramento and Raquel Maria Dillon in Los Angeles contributed to this report.



Read more: http://www.sdnn.com/sandiego/2010-0...-gardner-iii-kind-compassionate#ixzz0hEr0vaR9

Thank you very much for this post...it ties up alot of loose ends and answers alot of unknown questions.

Gardner's diagnosis was bipolar disorder...this appears to be interesting because in Micks vision (psychic) he states the person is tormented when burying the body. This was posted long before Chelseas body was found buried.

Also interesting is that the mother saying that John had taken full responsibility...in other words mother did fully know what John was capable of in regards to what he did to the young underage girl perhaps John confessed to his mother.

Also the comment on the intimacy with his girlfriend and her indicating she had to force herself on him...this shows emotional difficulty with intimacy.

Would like to know more about the trespassing violation ...at school? What was the nature of his visit to the school resulting in that charge?

For those who dont know what bi-polar disorder is:

Bipolar disorder — sometimes called manic-depressive disorder — causes mood swings that range from of the lows of depression to the highs of mania. When you become depressed, you may feel sad or hopeless and lose interest or pleasure in most activities. When your mood shifts in the other direction, you may feel euphoric and full of energy. Mood shifts may only occur only a few times a year, or as often as several times a day. In some cases, bipolar disorder causes symptoms of depression and mania at the same time.

Although bipolar disorder is a disruptive, long-term condition, you can keep your moods in check by following a treatment plan. In most cases, bipolar disorder can be controlled with medications and psychological counseling (psychotherapy).

****With this diagnosis from Johns past a defense attorney will argue that John was not responsible for his actions as a result of bi-polar disorder. It will be interesting to find out if John was taking his meds to control this disorder or if he was not on medication at the time of these crimes. The manic cycle of bi- polar is quite disturbing for individuals.

 

[Voice4theSilent]

I doubt it would be Riverside due to the recent news of a girl in Lake Elsinore indicating her attack and the resemblance to JAG in her sketch. They will take it to a county with no ties or connections to attacks. Just my thought.

I think he would get a fair trial in either Orange or Riverside counties. His Defense might prefer Riverside county over Orange for this type of crime, however.

 

[powayparent]

I dont think that will be the basis....because it is becoming apparantly obvious that their may additonal bodies not discovered yet of girls who went missing. This case is not going to go to trial for some time...the nature of the crime and the death penalty perhaps being a potential factor may allow for the discovery of more victims or the recovery of more victim bodies. It is highly likely JAG could be a Serial Killer and that since his arrest and public profile he could be connected to more high profile missing person cases. It is not a matter of having a huge jury pool. As much as I dont want to say it...Change of Venue is for the Accused not the Prosecutor.

Time will tell. I understand why a change of venue will almost certainly be requested, and as I stated, it's my opinion the prosecutor will be successful in keeping the case in San Diego.

 

[fran]

They very well may be able to get a change of venue on this case. But it's going to be difficult to find one area that this case hasn't been blasted all over the media.

This morning, John Walsh was on FOX news national, talking about this case and the need for tougher laws. He mentioned that yesterday he was at the White House speaking to President Obama and they discussed this crime. FOX news has also been repeating reports about Chelsea all day.

Unfortunately, there may end up being a law named after Chelsea. Let's hope it's the LAST law that we have to attach a victim's name too. This is just too much!

JMHO
fran

PS.....You can't go anywhere in this county without someone bringing up Chelsea King and the crime committed against her. The next breath they talk about Amber Dubois. Finally, Amber is getting the publicity she should have had over a year ago. Too bad it took the loss of another precious child to remind them there's ANOTHER child that has NEVER returned..... fran

 

[Voice4theSilent]

Forgive me if this has already been posted......The article below has some information on his past and people who supported him during the child molestation case in 2000.


Old testimonies call John Albert Gardner III ‘kind,’ ‘compassionate’
By Elliot Spagat, Associated Press
Thursday, March 4, 2010
SAN DIEGO (AP) — He shoveled snow and carried groceries for a neighbor. He cared for a sick girlfriend by pressing a cool cloth to her head all afternoon. A former high school girlfriend called him “the one person who has made me feel completely safe in this world.”


John Albert Gardner III looks toward the judge at an arraignment where he pleaded not guilty to murder and other charges in the case involving teenager Chelsea King in a San Diego Superior Courtroom Wednesday March 3, 2010 in San Diego. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)
Testimonies from family and friends in a 2000 child molestation case cast a sympathetic light on 30-year-old John Albert Gardner III, now accused of murdering 17-year-old girl Chelsea King while she was on a run and raping or attempting to rape her.

Gardner, who pleaded not guilty Wednesday to murder and assault with intent to commit rape, was linked to King’s death from semen found in the victim’s clothing, said California Department of Justice of spokesman Christine Gasparac.

A body that authorities believe is Chelsea’s was discovered Tuesday in a shallow grave on the south shore of Lake Hodges in a wilderness area near a park where she was last seen five days earlier in running clothes. Her car was discovered at the park with her belongings inside.

Gardner stood silently in court, wrists shackled to his waist and eyes cast downward during Wednesday’s brief hearing. Brent and Kelly King, Chelsea’s parents, sat several rows back.

“We know that this has rocked San Diego,” said District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis. “It has rocked all of us.”

A court-appointed psychiatrist, Dr. Matthew Carroll, urged the “maximum sentence allowed by law” in 2000 for Gardner for molesting a 13-year-old neighbor at his home, according to court documents. He called him “an extremely poor candidate” for treatment because he refused to admit any responsibility.

Dr. Mark Kalish, who shares an office with Carroll, said his colleague was saddened and angered by the news about Gardner, feeling his advice was ignored.

“He didn’t want there to be any ambiguity or doubt about his assessment,” Kalish said. “How much bigger a red flag could Dr. Carroll have raised?”

A defense sentencing memorandum shows Gardner also had sympathizers.

Dr. Divy Kikani, a psychiatrist who treated Gardner for bipolar disorder, wrote that his patient was “extremely remorseful” for inappropriate sexual relations with two girls, ages 13 and 14. He said Gardner was “highly motivated” to get help.[/B]
Kikani didn’t respond to phone messages Wednesday.

Gardner spent at least part of his childhood in the San Bernardino Mountains community of Running Springs and attended nearby Rim of the World High School, according to the document. He was convicted in 1998 of disturbing the peace in an incident that involved trespassing on campus, his only previous criminal record at the time.

“Never once in the whole time that I have known John have I ever felt threatened or scared,” Jennifer Tripp, who began dating Gardner when she was a sophomore and he was a senior, wrote the judge. She declined to comment Wednesday when reached by The Associated Press.

Vergie Lightfoot, who lived four houses away, said Gardner volunteered to fix a septic tank and carry groceries. They talked over pie and coffee.

Beth Melban, his then-girlfriend, said she began dating Gardner when they worked at Big 5 Sporting Goods in San Diego and that she took the initiative to kiss him on a first date. Her parents were eager to meet him.

“I practically had to force myself on him and he even knew I liked him,” she wrote the judge. “John has never been anything but kind and compassionate towards me.”

Catherine Osborn, Gardner’s mother, wrote the judge in 2000 that her son accepted “full responsibility for his actions.”

A spray-painted message was found on the garage of her home in San Diego’s Rancho Bernardo area early Wednesday that read, “Chelseas blood is on you. Move out.” Police did not know who painted it.

Garner faced a maximum of nearly 11 years in prison in 2000 under a plea agreement, but the judge accepted the prosecution’s recommendation of six years. He was on parole for three years, until September 2008.

The district attorney’s office has declined to comment on the 2000 case.

Gardner is also charged with intent to commit rape was filed in connection with a December attack on another female.

Gardner, who was required under state law to disclose his residence, registered in January to live in Lake Elsinore, north of San Diego, said John Hall, a spokesman for the Riverside County district attorney’s office.

“He was not on our radar for any reason,” Hall said.

Associated Press writers Don Thompson in Sacramento and Raquel Maria Dillon in Los Angeles contributed to this report.



Read more: http://www.sdnn.com/sandiego/2010-0...-gardner-iii-kind-compassionate#ixzz0hEr0vaR9

(Bolded by me) Thank you so much for posting this article!

Dr. Divy Kikani isn't answering his phone? I wouldn't be answering my phone either if I were him! WOW!!!

It doesn't surprise me that his girlfriend at the time had to make the first move.....of course she had to! She wasn't a 13 year old girl so he wasn't interested in her!

Who in their right mind would give a character statement for someone pleading GUILTY to such horrible things! :banghead:

 

[italianangel2411]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hZxpBuPrX2vIYnBuZtCVLuNvBN6gD9E7U5CG0

 

[Leila]

what were they writing on FB? I just can't believe people posted sick stuff, really? Just like the comment pages on newspapers have gotten out of hand. I know its the internet and people think they can hide behind a computer, but why do people say crazy stuff just cause its the internet?

I dont get it. Are they just bored trolls or sickos? I just dont understand. Someone help me understand??? Just cause i'm online I dont feel the need to call people racist names or say disgustinig things about people's deaths. I have little faith in humanity if this is what people are thinking. People say, "oh it's just a website or just people acting crazy". But for what purpose? Attention? my god they need to get a life!

On one news site they were saying its chelsea's parents were at fault for letting her go jogginig and that she deserved it, I was like what!?

It's a sad state of affairs, as nothing is sacred anymore..........

It seems some people do or say outrageous things just for attention, to be outside the main stream........if everyone else is saying it's cold outside, they'll say something like "are you kidding - it's HOT out!" This is just to draw attention to themselves and make them appear to be outside conventional thought - set apart from everyone else. There's nothing they won't say or do to draw attention. They're more than just outspoken, they're cruel.

 

[cluciano63]

Nothing against San Diego, as I am sure it was a fluke, but hope the prosecutor is not the same one as in the Cindy Sommers case...
and she did not really get a fair trial...

 

[Voice4theSilent]

Thank you very much for this post...it ties up alot of loose ends and answers alot of unknown questions.

Gardner's diagnosis was bipolar disorder...this appears to be interesting because in Micks vision (psychic) he states the person is tormented when burying the body. This was posted long before Chelseas body was found buried.

Also interesting is that the mother saying that John had taken full responsibility...in other words mother did fully know what John was capable of in regards to what he did to the young underage girl perhaps John confessed to his mother.

Also the comment on the intimacy with his girlfriend and her indicating she had to force herself on him...this shows emotional difficulty with intimacy.

Would like to know more about the trespassing violation ...at school? What was the nature of his visit to the school resulting in that charge?

For those who dont know what bi-polar disorder is:

Bipolar disorder — sometimes called manic-depressive disorder — causes mood swings that range from of the lows of depression to the highs of mania. When you become depressed, you may feel sad or hopeless and lose interest or pleasure in most activities. When your mood shifts in the other direction, you may feel euphoric and full of energy. Mood shifts may only occur only a few times a year, or as often as several times a day. In some cases, bipolar disorder causes symptoms of depression and mania at the same time.

Although bipolar disorder is a disruptive, long-term condition, you can keep your moods in check by following a treatment plan. In most cases, bipolar disorder can be controlled with medications and psychological counseling (psychotherapy).

****With this diagnosis from Johns past a defense attorney will argue that John was not responsible for his actions as a result of bi-polar disorder. It will be interesting to find out if John was taking his meds to control this disorder or if he was not on medication at the time of these crimes. The manic cycle of bio polar is quite disturbing for individuals.

I think since we now have two psychologists stating the complete opposite opinions of this monster (and one was obviously correct while one was not) the bi-polar angle won't matter a bit. The defense might try but no one is going to buy it. People are mis-diagnosed all the time. You think they are going to claim insanity? Having a mood disorder won't excuse murder with special circumstances and possibly lying in wait, especially under these circumstances.

 

[Momtofour]

(Bolded by me) Thank you so much for posting this article!

Dr. Divy Kikani isn't answering his phone? I wouldn't be answering my phone either if I were him! WOW!!!

It doesn't surprise me that his girlfriend at the time had to make the first move.....of course she had to! She wasn't a 13 year old girl so he wasn't interested in her!

Who in their right mind would give a character statement for someone pleading GUILTY to such horrible things! :banghead:

I would be curious to hear what his former girlfriend and mother of his twins has to say about him. As well as the girlfriend he was living with in Escondido (who has two children). I think anyone associated with him is in hiding and not speaking out. I guess it's a good thing....the focus should be on Chelsea and her family.

 

[passionflower]

IMO, yes JG could be kind and sweet............and a monster!
Remember John Wayne Kasey? Ted Bundy? 2 personalities!

so in the above post Catherine Osborn is the mothers name.........we may be able to sleuth the family dynamics now. Stepfather must be the Osborn.
Real father must be John Albert Gardner Jr.