GUILTY CA - Leila Fowler, 8, murdered, 12yo charged, Valley Springs, 27 Apr 2013 - #3

[Ghostwheel]

I think the parents need to get down to the business of accepting his guilt before they make any more statements .. otherwise they're going to cop a savage backlash, which they could really do without. I feel for them, but denial at this stage is not going to help him or them.

They just want to see the evidence, I don't think that is too much to ask. Michael Crowe goes through my mind every time I see something like this. He's still trying to get his name cleared in the death of his sister.

 

[The Cheese]

An attorney for a 12-year-old California boy arrested in the stabbing death of his sister says the youngster might have lied about seeing a long-haired intruder fleeing the scene but that doesn't make the boy the killer.

Attorney Mark Reichel met Tuesday with the boy in juvenile jail then visited the home where 8-year-old Leila Fowler was found April 27 with knife wounds. Her brother was the only one home.

snipped

Reichel said his client might have made up a "macho" story about scaring away the intruder because he was scared.

http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/69513e1d1df8435890f8ec1fd1f94fe2/US--Sister-Stabbed

 

[winterrose]

How do we know he was alone and that he stabbed her? LE arrested him; might even charge him. But did LE say he did this? Or does LE say it is plausible he did this based on their evaluation of evidence at hand? You are contending that a conviction was rendered? And that LEs solution is a known fact?

The Sheriff said he was arrested for the murder of Leila, he said they have evidence. He said the community can rest easy now and neighbors said after the arrest all the police had left the area where they lived. http://fox40.com/2013/05/11/arrest-made-in-murder-of-leila-fowler/

 

[Dee10]

Well...we knew a lawyer would pop-up! Actually, I can't say I blame the parents for getting someone to represent the son's rights.

ETA - Not necessarily to beat the charge, but to do the best they could in ways of facilities, treatment, etc.

 

[Mrs G Norris]

They just want to see the evidence, I don't think that is too much to ask. Michael Crowe goes through my mind every time I see something like this. He's still trying to get his name cleared in the death of his sister.

No it is not too much to ask .. they need support too of course, it is a very difficult thing for a parent to accept ..

 

[vasportsmom]

An attorney for a 12-year-old California boy arrested in the stabbing death of his sister says the youngster might have lied about seeing a long-haired intruder fleeing the scene but that doesn't make the boy the killer.

Attorney Mark Reichel met Tuesday with the boy in juvenile jail then visited the home where 8-year-old Leila Fowler was found April 27 with knife wounds. Her brother was the only one home.

snipped

Reichel said his client might have made up a "macho" story about scaring away the intruder because he was scared.

http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/69513e1d1df8435890f8ec1fd1f94fe2/US--Sister-Stabbed

I get it, his lawyer has to defend him and proclaim his innocence but ... Really? This is the best he has, IF "may have lied"? What about the neighbor that backed up his "macho story"? How did that come about and what was her reason for perpetrating his lie? And why the hell did he not tell his parents that his sister had been brutally attacked?

 

[cluciano63]

If a lawyer is involved now, that is the reason the family cancelled their press conference, no doubt.

 

[The Cheese]

Mark Reichel was interviewed about the case in this article, but he didn't say he was IF's attorney at the time.

http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2013...s-leila-fowlers-family-to-find-legal-counsel/

 

[jjenny]

So if he told a macho story but didn't see any intruders, but didn't kill his sister, how did sister end up with numerous cuts to her body?
Obviously she didn't do it to herself.

 

[CountryGirl]

An attorney for a 12-year-old California boy arrested in the stabbing death of his sister says the youngster might have lied about seeing a long-haired intruder fleeing the scene but that doesn't make the boy the killer.

Attorney Mark Reichel met Tuesday with the boy in juvenile jail then visited the home where 8-year-old Leila Fowler was found April 27 with knife wounds. Her brother was the only one home.

snipped

Reichel said his client might have made up a "macho" story about scaring away the intruder because he was scared.

http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/69513e1d1df8435890f8ec1fd1f94fe2/US--Sister-Stabbed

After hearing the story on the 911 call, seems he has alot to overcome from what he told his family on the phone that CW relayed to the 911 operator.

Of course he made it up. There was no intruder. I do believe he took a shower. I believe Leila screamed. The rest was fiction, IMO.

 

[The Cheese]

KRON 4 News ‏@kron4news 10m
2nd degree murder charges filed in Calaveras County against 12 year old boy accused of stabbing his 8 year old... http://fb.me/IDSJFbBe

with special allegation that he used a deadly and dangerous weapon in the commission of the offense.

 

[SilkySifaka]

Anne Perry killed her friend's mother at the age of 17, and went on to become an award winning, best selling author. Pauline Parker, the daughter of the victim, similarly went on to live a good life filled with charitable works.

Underage killers do not fit into any mold.

She has been one of my favorite authors for many years and treats societal issues of the time (Victorian) with an empathy that imo comes from her having stood in the shoes of someone driven to kill and getting to know other juvenile offenders.

If she had been given the death penalty as so many wanted at the time the world would have lost an amazing writer.They may be mysteries but they put you right there in that world.

 

[MsFacetious]

The 911 call, for those getting to the thread now:

http://www.news10.net/news/article/245118/2/911-call-released-in-Leila-Fowler-murder-audio

 

[eileenhawkeye]

The Sausalito businessman convicted of setting fire to an upscale Mare Island wine warehouse in 2005 causing millions in losses, was sentenced Tuesday to 27 years in prison.

Mark C. Anderson, 63, also was ordered to pay $70.3 million in restitution by U.S. District Judge Lawrence K. Karlton in Sacramento.

Mark Reichel , Anderson's former lawyer who negotiated a 15-year plea bargain for him about two years ago which Anderson later withdrew after firing Reichel, said Tuesday that the punishment, "couldn't happen to a nicer guy" and that the sentencing "puts an end to one of the most fascinating cases, ever."

http://www.thereporter.com/crimebeat/ci_19917780

 

[CountryGirl]

The Fowler murder case will be real interesting. Seems no motive, no weapon no real evidence. 12 year olds can't commit a perfect crime.
22 hours ago

Family coming in tonight to hire us for defense of 12 year old charged with murder of 8 year old sister.
yesterday

http://www.reichelplesser.com/

 

[MsFacetious]

They just want to see the evidence, I don't think that is too much to ask. Michael Crowe goes through my mind every time I see something like this. He's still trying to get his name cleared in the death of his sister.

There isn't much more that can be done to clear his name.

Michael was arrested and charged but never convicted.
A year after his arrest the other guy was identified.
The other guy has been convicted and sentenced.

He has been declared factually innocent.
All records of his arrest and prosecution are being destroyed.

http://www.kpbs.org/news/2012/may/22/michael-crowe-found-factually-innocent-sisters-mur/

It doesn't get much better than that. :seeya:

 

[eileenhawkeye]

This is from a 2008 article when he gave his opinion on the Roger Clemens case:

Yet one prominent Sacramento defense attorney countered. "If it's a reputable and skilled technician using modern equipment, passing a polygraph speaks volumes," said Mark Reichel, who handled several high-profile cases during his 13 years with the federal defender's office. "The justice department utilizes them. We use it in intelligence. And I use it like a battleaxe when I go speak with the prosecution about dismissing a case. I think that's what you will hear these days within the (legal) community."

http://www.eagletribune.com/sports/...ials-often-followed-by-humble-apologies/print

 

[MsFacetious]

:thud: Gitana or any other lawyer... help me out here??!!! :thud:
For real? Professional lawyers do this? Announce their 12 year old clients on twitter?

https://twitter.com/reichellaw

Mark J. Reichel Mark J. Reichel ‏@reichellaw 13 May

Family coming in tonight to hire us for defense of 12 year old charged with murder of 8 year old sister.

Mark J. Reichel ‏@reichellaw 22h

The Fowler murder case will be real interesting. Seems no motive, no weapon no real evidence. 12 year olds can't commit a perfect crime.


I see he gave an opinion on that one verdict.
I'm not watching it.

http://www.reichelplesser.com/

 

[CountryGirl]

I would imagine the fee is hefty unless they can get the court to foot the bill. I don't see juvenile defense experience and it is my understanding that you want someone with that expertise.

 

[winterrose]

California Penal Code 189 defines second degree murder as “all other kinds of murders” that are not first degree murder. Second-degree murder is also willful but is not deliberate and premeditated. In other words, there may not have been a conscious intent to cause death.