Esteban back in court again today.
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/east_bay&id=8350457
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/east_bay&id=8350457
GUILTY CA - Michelle Hoang Thi Le, 26, Hayward, 27 May 2011
- Thread starter Blondie in Spokane
- Start date
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DLynn
New Member
GE won't be in court today - she has "waived her right to appear". What does that mean?
"Giselle Esteban, the Union City woman accused of murdering her former friend Michelle Le, has waived her right to appear and won't be in court today to enter a plea.
The case has been delayed and the hearing will be rescheduled.
Esteban, suspected of killing Le, was arraigned on a murder charge Friday but did not enter a plea.
Esteban, who is pregnant, told Judge Michael Gaffey on Friday that she is unsure if she would hire a private attorney and was referred to the public defender for counsel.
Check back for more updates on the story."http://www.insidebayarea.com/news/ci_18877667
"Giselle Esteban, the Union City woman accused of murdering her former friend Michelle Le, has waived her right to appear and won't be in court today to enter a plea.
The case has been delayed and the hearing will be rescheduled.
Esteban, suspected of killing Le, was arraigned on a murder charge Friday but did not enter a plea.
Esteban, who is pregnant, told Judge Michael Gaffey on Friday that she is unsure if she would hire a private attorney and was referred to the public defender for counsel.
Check back for more updates on the story."http://www.insidebayarea.com/news/ci_18877667
DLynn, I don't have a clue what that means. " Her right to appear" sounds like it would be something to her benefit--since it's called a "right" --but I just don't know. Isn't there a section in WS where we can "ask a lawyer" legal questions?
Maybe it's because she doesn't know what kind of legal representation she will have at this point?
Mox, you are right. It would be really helpful if LE released the year, color, model, etc (well we already have the model, I guess) of Esteban's car. It might jog someone's memory--surely someone saw something incriminating--but they just don't realize it w/o this description being made public. I don't see how it could impair the case.
I think, if I understand correctly, on Friday, Estaban appeared and was given today's hearing date in order for her to have time to obtain and be represented and accompanied by an attorney when she enters her plea.
As of today, she still does not have an attorney and I think I read that she may or may not qualify for a public defender.
See here: http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_18877667
"The hearing was rescheduled for Sept. 19, while it is determined whether Esteban is eligible to be represented by the public defender."
and, the KTVU article sort of explains today's hearing:
http://www.ktvu.com/news/29158337/detail.html
As of today, she still does not have an attorney and I think I read that she may or may not qualify for a public defender.
See here: http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_18877667
"The hearing was rescheduled for Sept. 19, while it is determined whether Esteban is eligible to be represented by the public defender."
and, the KTVU article sort of explains today's hearing:
http://www.ktvu.com/news/29158337/detail.html
DLynn
New Member
Good morning everyone. I am writing another article about Michelle but this time focused more on Giselle Esteban and the cars that were involved with Michelle's disappearance. I believe Giselle's car was a silver 2001 Honda crv and Michelle's was a white 2010 Honda crv. I'd like to verify this if anyone here remembers this information and also if you have license plate numbers I'll add that too. Hopefully this will jog someones memory on seeing one of those cars that night Michelle went missing. Now that Esteban has been arrested I think this is entirely appropriate.
PD or the Le family would have released this info if they felt that this info would benefit locating Michelle. They probably have unreleased evidence that may be more accurate as to Michelle's whereabouts.
Giselle's car was already caught on security footage, they know she was there in the garage. They have her car now, which is probably going to be processed for evidence. If Giselle was stupid and strong enough to transfer Michelle into her CRV, then police will find everything they need (body fluids, hair). Giselle probably took Michelle's vehicle to do all the post-abduction work. Then she drove back to Ponderosa, left Michelle's suv there, then walked back to Kaiser to get her CRV and went back home. Plus, Michelle's vehicle is already on many fliers, news, and on the net for some time now...and nobody has come forward with info in 3 months.
Cars seem pretty irrelevant now.
DLynn
New Member
I think a description of the cars has alot to offer the case at this time. Although some of the missing fliers had a photo of Michelle's car, the focus was on the photo of Michelle - and I think people have her photo ingrained in their mind now. But in actuality we are probably not going to find her because of a photo. The cars on the other hand are a visible proof of evidence that could lead to where Michelle was left. And since GE was just arrested there was no focus on thinking about GE's car under suspicious circumstances that night since that information had not been publicly released.
Just think about how many crimes have been solved because of someones car being identified at the scene of a crime? I am sure there are many cases.
Just sayin.....
Sure people can say they saw GE's silver CRV, but that doesn't prove anything. Police already know she was at Kaiser. And they probably know that Michelle wasn't even in the CRV (based on lack of forensic evidence?), which is why they aren't saying much about Giselle's car. So beyond proving Giselle was at Kaiser, her car is irrelevant IF she took Michelle's body in Michelle's car. Which she probably did since PD already said the two vehicles left at different times from the garage.
Police know what they are doing. It's apparent now, especially after all the bashing and criticism they received in the months prior to the arrest when people were THINKING they had no leads. They know more than we do. They know what to do next.
Take no offense, but I'm just saying that at this point PD has much more valuable evidence than a car description. And by putting out "Silver CRV" will only generate tons of false leads from tons of people who are eager to help but don't have the slightest clue as to the more revealing info/evidence HPD has in their possession.
sarx
Verified Expert/Professional in SAR and K9SAR
I don't think the cars are irrelevant at all. We don't know how many trips she made, in what car, etc. With whatever info is public, what can it hurt?
I don't think it would hurt, but it won't be beneficial. Only cause more misleading phone calls.
Police already have evidence that Giselle was inside of Michelle's car. They took Esteban's CRV last wednesday. It's been almost a week now and nothing has been brought up by PD. Either they could still be processing, they found evidence of Michelle in there and are holding the info, or haven't found any evidence of Michelle in there at all.
If they found evidence of Michelle in the car, they would have said something by now and would be pushing hard to get Giselle's CRV image out to the public.
If you want to print a bunch of fliers showing the CRV, go for it.
Again...I think the police know what they're doing. If they find evidence that supports that Giselle took her CRV to transport Michelle and info about her car's location would lead to Michelle, then great..there's justification in making Giselle's car and plate# public. If no evidence supports it, then what's the point?
Also, why would a lady working alone, with 2 vehicles at her disposal, want to transfer a heavy leaking body (blood, urine, and other post-mortem leakage substances) from vehicle to vehicle? It's time consuming, it's messy, it's hard work. Possible, but unlikely.
I guess you are right, Loyalty. If she transported Michelle's body using Michelle's car as the vehicle, when she was finished with all aspects of the horrific crime, she parked Michelle's car on Ponderosa Ct. She must have walked back to the Kaiser garage and driven out in her own car. So her car is really not important at this point --there must be video of her leaving the garage in it, too. Someone might have seen her driving out of the garage in her own car. I guess an eyewitness wouldn't be too important if they have video proof.
If she had Michelle's blood on her shoe then it seems like it would have been on the floormats of her own car also, but who knows.
I agree, the Hayward PD knows what they are doing.
The reason her car is important is if she did it on her own, it is hard to drag a body through the woods, stream whatever especially if you are pregnant. So there is a good
chance she returned to finish the job. That is why it is important to know what time Michele's car was found. Was that the vehicle that was used for a dump over the side of a hill or was Michele transported to another vehicle and then dumped. (I know that sounds harsh not sure what word to use.) Now this is going on the assumption that she was left in the Nile or one of the adjoining roads. Again that is where the cell phone ping and direction are important.
chance she returned to finish the job. That is why it is important to know what time Michele's car was found. Was that the vehicle that was used for a dump over the side of a hill or was Michele transported to another vehicle and then dumped. (I know that sounds harsh not sure what word to use.) Now this is going on the assumption that she was left in the Nile or one of the adjoining roads. Again that is where the cell phone ping and direction are important.
DLynn
New Member
I understand your reasoning, but am loathe to not consider the cars. I hate to assume that Giselle's car was not involved and this is why: What if GE returned to the where she left Michelle to cover up her tracks? The next day, or even days later? We do not know that she didn't do this. Someone may have seen something suspicious.
I have published the article anyway. If Michael or the family thinks that jeopardizes the investigation they would tell me. I think they are pleased to get as much publicity as possible. Not saying the LE does not know what they are doing but I'm sure they cannot reach as many people on the internet as the media does.
An added interesting note : I have received an email from People Magazine after they read Michelle's article I wrote (the first one) So maybe they are going to do a piece on Michelle's disappearance. This would be good news for the family. Keeping Michelle's case in the media is a great thing. So many other cases fall by the wayside, sadly.
Good point. It is possible she returned to the scene and moved something. You wouldn't really find much evidence in the car if all she did was get out and do some better covering up. At that point the car would be important if somebody saw her car if she did return to cover up.
She's got to be crazy to do something like that. She knows PD searched her home on may 29th (less than 48 hours after Michelle's abduction), she knows she's a person of interest, she knows she was involved. Logically, she had to be paranoid that somebody was keeping an eye on her at all times. Returning to the body would be VERY risky.
p.s. I apologize if I sounded like I was putting your idea down. After re-reading it did seem to come off like that. We're all in this together for Michelle. That's the main goal! I'm not here to shoot ideas down or hurt feelings.
bolded by me.
Great point, DLynn, you are so right.
I also apologize, if in agreeing with Loyalty it sounded like I was putting you down-no way! It's just that I hadn't considered what Loyalty said and it sounded logical. Not putting anyone down.
DLynn
New Member
Oh no problem you guys. No offense taken. It just seems that if this was a crime of passion, even though it may have been premeditated, that GE would not have fully thought this out. That she killed/injured Michelle, then left her somewhere in a panic. I'm just speculating. To leave Michelle's car nearby makes me think this was not well planned. Why didn't she just get rid of Michelle's car? That would have put a whole new twist on the case?
I am thinking she may have returned to make sure her tracks were covered. And that she may have used her car, maybe within that 2 day time frame when she did not think anyone was looking at her yet.
I am going to try to go on the search party this Sat. but I was getting a queasy thought. What happens if I/someone else finds her? I am getting the chills thinking about it. I know it needs to be done but I had not really thought this out. I am going to have put it into my brain that I may see something that day that could be a life changer. I imagine though that the head of the search party explains all this. The effects.....etc.
The more I think about it the madder I get at GE. To put the family and other people through this. I have no doubt she is guilty. I know innocent until proven guilty but there is just so much evidence of past behavior, in my mind anyway.
I wish she would just crack and spill the beans on where she left Michelle, as I know all of us wish for.
I am thinking she may have returned to make sure her tracks were covered. And that she may have used her car, maybe within that 2 day time frame when she did not think anyone was looking at her yet.
I am going to try to go on the search party this Sat. but I was getting a queasy thought. What happens if I/someone else finds her? I am getting the chills thinking about it. I know it needs to be done but I had not really thought this out. I am going to have put it into my brain that I may see something that day that could be a life changer. I imagine though that the head of the search party explains all this. The effects.....etc.
The more I think about it the madder I get at GE. To put the family and other people through this. I have no doubt she is guilty. I know innocent until proven guilty but there is just so much evidence of past behavior, in my mind anyway.
I wish she would just crack and spill the beans on where she left Michelle, as I know all of us wish for.
Glad you didn't take offense! :loser:
I agree with everything you say here.
It couldn't have been well-planned; she's "non compos mentis" to begin with,and operating totally on rage. Apparently she didn't even try to clean up the crime scene.
There's that expression "the criminal always returns to the scene of the crime" and I think she must have. Possibly to the garage to see the traces of what she did, and then to wherever she left Michelle's body.
I hope she cracks, too. I wonder if legal counsel, when someone finally steps in, would try to get her to spill the beans? I know that isn't what a "dream team" type lawyer would do, but we can hope.
It is frightening to think of finding Michelle. As you say, it would really be a life-changing event. Keep us posted. I'd like to know if they need donations for food for the searchers.
DLynn
New Member
You are so right Columbo. I did not think of that but this could very well be true in this case.
And here's my latest article on Esteban and the cars: if anyone has more specific car year and type on Esteban's car it would be helpful:
http://dorsi.hubpages.com/hub/Who-is-Giselle-Esteban-And-where-is-Michelle-Le
Great article!
I see the poll shows almost 100% wanting to publicize pictures of GE's car.