CA - Joey, Summer, Gianni, Joseph Jr McStay Murders - Feb 4th 2010 #8

[katydid23]

So did Joseph McStay..

Links?
[ and that bogus article by the Daily Mail does not count. It is not credible and the 'source' admitted that most of that mail arrived AFTER the family went missing. Of course bill collectors were calling at that point. ]

 

[JMarsh]

Another explanation is his phone pinged that tower on the way there and again on the way back north, I'll have to go back and listen. He did testify that his analysis didn't prove exactly where the phone was so if there was a significant gap in pings between the two it could just mean he traveled by the casino which I believe is right off the highway?

Yes. And Smith also didn't include azimuths, which is ridiculous. Azimuths tell you from which direction a target pinged the tower. Those towers may be near to the casino, but it's doubtful that only persons at the casino ping them. But there's more to it, even than just that. To explain what I mean involves pulling up a lot of evidence--because it is within the totality of the evidence that the prosecution just shot themselves in the foot.

 

[missy1974]

wow... just finished Smith's testimony, I can't believe we are going to miss the "remaining cross exam" of him.

I really don't think that testimony went well for him today JMO

 

[Recidivist]

I was thinking that maybe we should tweet reporters in the San Bernardino area. The local paper or radio there maybe?

I will look some up and link any here, so we can all send out polite requests...

I did send a nice note to Wildabouttrials, and I will contact Dan Abrams on twitter as well. He has the power to make things happen...lol

ETA: And thank you for reaching out to this reporter. I hope she is interested...we need help.

This reporter is very thorough, but gives weekly, not daily reports. Is is okay to post this link?

Fuller Context Undercuts Circumstantial Elements Of Merritt Prosecution | SBCSentinel

 

[katydid23]

I've started waiting until the end of the day and just watching the videos. That's not bad, and it's shorter.

I know. But we aren't even gong to get the videos for awhile.

At first Russon said no coverage for 2 weeks. But then I guess the outrage was loud enough that they began saying it is just for a few days. So we will see...

 

[missy1974]

I was thinking that maybe we should tweet reporters in the San Bernardino area. The local paper or radio there maybe?

I will look some up and link any here, so we can all send out polite requests...

I did send a nice note to Wildabouttrials, and I will contact Dan Abrams on twitter as well. He has the power to make things happen...lol

ETA: And thank you for reaching out to this reporter. I hope she is interested...we need help.

katy... how close are you?

 

[katydid23]

are the casino's there 24 hours?

yes

 

[katydid23]

katy... how close are you?

About 2 hours away--- 3 or 3 1/2 with traffic...

If I had a nice new car I'd be tempted. But my Explorer is old , like me. lol I don't like taking it on long adventures anymore.

 

[Sillybilly]

ADMIN NOTE:

This post lands at random.

This is not a chat room. The thread is dedicated to discussion of this trial. Please keep off topic posts to a bare minimum. Someones makes one innocuous OT post and next thing we have 20 others responding with how much snow they get in Russia in August or how their cousin's gambling addiction led to their divorce back in '86.

Okay, I made that up but you get the idea. Please stay on topic.

Thanks.

 

[katydid23]

Ok... I have to ask this again... why the heck is the prosecution coming up with "new" stuff as the trial is going on?

Just as an example today... why was Smith doing up these charts just this week??? And how does the prosecution get away with this?

This isn't in regards to guilt/innocence or even the information that is being presented specifically. It's in regards to being prepared, handing over discovery, and everyone knowing what the heck is going on... and we have Smith making new reports and testifying like he did today? The State has had 4 + years to prepare. It makes them look sloppy IMO

I don't see anything wrong with him looking deeper into some of the cash withdrawals. Sure, he should have looked into all of that earlier. But the detectives do not have the time and resources that some of the defense experts have. They are doing a lot of cases, all at once.

I think he looked into it in response to some of the things the defense said recently, about Chase using the money from the cash withdrawals to buy business supplies. And they were lumping some of the GPA and APC withdrawals into that list.

That spurred Smith on to look deeper into what these transactions were for. And lo and behold---they were CASINOS.

Why shouldn't the state report that if they just found it now? It is new evidence. Should they ignore it?

 

[geevee]

Early morning Feb 5th. There is something in the warrants about this, a patrol officer out near the site reporting about the rain. There's a lot of contention Chase was there in the rain but it wasn't at least around 11 am when he made his calls.

Force, do you know who CM talked to on his calls while he was near the grave site? We'll probably miss that info without the stream.

 

[Plumeria5]

Force, do you know who CM talked to on his calls while he was near the grave site? We'll probably miss that info without the stream.

Weren't those calls the ones to CJ?

 

[missy1974]

I don't see anything wrong with him looking deeper into some of the cash withdrawals. Sure, he should have looked into all of that earlier. But the detectives do not have the time and resources that some of the defense experts have. They are doing a lot of cases, all at once.

I think he looked into it in response to some of the things the defense said recently, about Chase using the money from the cash withdrawals to buy business supplies. And they were lumping some of the GPA and APC withdrawals into that list.

That spurred Smith on to look deeper into what these transactions were for. And lo and behold---they were CASINOS.

Why shouldn't the state report that if they just found it now? It is new evidence. Should they ignore it?

I didn't watch all the testimony today... I started watching Smith's and then finished, just his. I did catch earlier today though that the State forensic account went back LAST NIGHT, right? And found more cash withdrawals? This is not what I'm talking about.

Smith was looking at pings near the casino's, he said he started on Monday and finished last night, the "new" charts, where he googled pings (which made me laugh, cuz my first thought was, he was just pretending to be WSer LOL). And it's not really "new" information.... But we are over 6 weeks into this trial and they are making up new exhibits like this? Accountant dude ... is looking up things in the middle of his testimony, Smith is making up new charts using google maps... and for good measure, lets add in a disk or checks or whatever it was that was NEVER LOOKED AT!!!! ANDDDD this is only from today!

And on the cheques that were just discovered... do we know what they are? Cheques returned to Merritt's bank? were these cheques that he wrote? to suppliers, etc.?

I am waiting to watch everything tomorrow when I'm less tired lol (Been trying to somewhat keep up with the Berreth case as well )

 

[katydid23]

I am just learning this now ehenson! LOL about the checks on the disk or whatever it is... I'm a little stunned to be honest. How is it that NO ONE posted this early today???? I get that most here think that Merritt is guilty, but this is a something that could have implications on the trial or the outcome of this trial, regardless of his guilt.

I would love a legal opinion of this.

And then everyone wonders why I post the things I do... because no one else does *sigh*

I didnt hear anything about a disc. I had to leave right after the lunch break.

 

[katydid23]

I didn't watch all the testimony today... I started watching Smith's and then finished, just his. I did catch earlier today though that the State forensic account went back LAST NIGHT, right? And found more cash withdrawals? This is not what I'm talking about.

Smith was looking at pings near the casino's, he said he started on Monday and finished last night, the "new" charts, where he googled pings (which made me laugh, cuz my first thought was, he was just pretending to be WSer LOL). And it's not really "new" information.... But we are over 6 weeks into this trial and they are making up new exhibits like this? Accountant dude ... is looking up things in the middle of his testimony, Smith is making up new charts using google maps... and for good measure, lets add in a disk or checks or whatever it was that was NEVER LOOKED AT!!!! ANDDDD this is only from today!

And on the cheques that were just discovered... do we know what they are? Cheques returned to Merritt's bank? were these cheques that he wrote? to suppliers, etc.?

I am waiting to watch everything tomorrow when I'm less tired lol (Been trying to somewhat keep up with the Berreth case as well )

I had to leave before Ryan got started so I missed all that. I will watch the youtube version soon.

 

[missy1974]

I had to leave before Ryan got started so I missed all that. I will watch the youtube version soon.

oh please do katy! Now, don't get me wrong, he has LOTS of pings at casino's for LONG periods of times, but pause it if you have to... look at those charts or whatever they are. Without being able to look at the cell records, because we don't have them, look at Smith's notes. Look at gaps, etc.

 

[missy1974]

I'm a sucker for punishment... I'm listening to the video with discussing the motions...

Which include the stuff from Merritt's phone.

Daugherty says: There were several things discovered in the search of the defendants phone, which include the change of identity, screenshots of McStay's phone records from the Rick Baker blog book site, I believe that as it, and then pictures...

So that settles that... I know there was some question about this when we first heard it mentioned, why would Merritt have those, etc. Looks like he got them from Baker's site.

ETA: after the judge reviews these, we find out that the "screenshot" is actually an article I believe (worldnews.com), web searches for Alaska, us borders, can you get to Alaska without going to Canada, but there are no actual sites visited. JMO.. but if for whatever reason he was looking to go to Alaska, his criminal record may not have allowed him to cross the border into Canada (Canada doesn't want him haha). Another note, I do believe he has some family in Alaska, I will say JMO (because I don't feel like I should put links for that in) but maybe @Force Ten can verify? or someone else? Those are the things the judge specifically mentions.

 

[Hapworth]

I use to like Dan a lot, but recently, I've changed my mind.

It drives me bonkers when the commenters talk, and talk, right in the middle of important testimony.

It's so rude imo.

I dont need them to tell me how I have to think about any testimony being given.

I would love to see Rikki Klieman . She is class act in my opinion. Maybe we’ll see her on the reboot of CourtTV

 

[ehenson88]

Is Smith a cell tower and azimuth analysis expert?

And does the azimuth even matter...does it make a difference which side of the casino he was on? No...lol, Ryan was just testifying to show Chase was at or driving by casinos A LOT. A Lot more than most people I know who are having financial troubles, medical problems, and problems paying rent...

 

[missy1974]

And does the azimuth even matter...does it make a difference which side of the casino he was on? No...lol, Ryan was just testifying to show Chase was at or driving by casinos A LOT. A Lot more than most people I know who are having financial troubles, medical problems, and problems paying rent...

meh, who needs to know how to read cell records when we have Google Maps