Deceased/Not Found CA - Sierra LaMar, 15, Morgan Hill, 16 March 2012 #22 *A. Garcia-Torres guilty*

[Leader6518]

In all the trials I have kept up with it seems to be the standard terminology used by expert. Consistent with, I mean.

However I do believe they will be able to prove it was Sierra's hair by comparing items they may have taken that belonged to her and had her DNA profile in it. They may have been able to find her own hair from her hairbrush to compare the hair found in his trunk. Hair evidence is really interesting because when the expert puts the hair found up on the big elmo and then has another hair belonging to the victim it is easy for the jurors to see how they match up.

Right, Oceanblueeyes. In court, it is never definitive. It is consistent with, or a variation of that term.

 

[Leader6518]

I think so too, because of the tweets she made

"LOOOOOL only *advertiser censored* yell **** from cars, do you feel lucky your protected by a STEEL ****ING CAR -_____- gotta be kidding me
4:08 PM - 23 Feb 2012"

"AGAIN WITH THE CAR ****. *advertiser censored* drive away."
7:32 AM - 25 Feb 2012


To me those times look like when she would between the bus stop and home. He may have friends that know he was stalking her.

I posted before I read your posts. At least I'm not misremembering. Thanks for confirming I still have some memory left!

 

[Leader6518]

Is there court today? I'm central, so I realize I'm a couple hours ahead. I just thought there would be more people posting. I guess time and all the delays have taken a toll.

 

[Emi]

Is there court today? I'm central, so I realize I'm a couple hours ahead. I just thought there would be more people posting. I guess time and all the delays have taken a toll.

There is court and it starts 9am Pacific or 11am Central or 12 Eastern

 

[Emi]

Azenith Smith ‏@AzenithKTVU 3m3 minutes ago
#SierraLaMar's mother, father and sister are all here today as well as some of Sierra's best friends. #ktvu

Azenith Smith ‏@AzenithKTVU 37m37 minutes ago
Sun out in #SanJose for Day 4 of #SierraLaMar murder trial. Will be live tweeting updates from the courtroom. #ktvu

 

[YESorNO]

Sierra LaMar Murder Trial: Prosecution Presents Teen's Clothing (with clip)

"Jurors in the Sierra LaMar murder trial saw two key pieces of evidence on Wednesday as prosecutors brought out the pants and sweathshirt the Morgan Hill teen was wearing on the morning she disappeared nearly five years ago.

A search volunteer found the clothing inside an abandoned bag near Sierra's home two days after she went missing. The prosecution says DNA from her accused killer, Antolin Garcia Torres, was found on the clothing....

Prosecutors made a point of showing how collecting all the evidence was done methodically, with no possibility of cross contamination.

In cross examination, the defense responded by trying to poke away at that evidence and how it was collected.

"If the jury feels the evidence wasn't handled right, that's going to hurt the prosecution's case," legal analyst Steven Cark said. "So thats why the DA can't take that for granted."

Sierra's mother was in court Monday for opening statements, but she hasn't been in there since. Clark says that means she will likely testify in the case as the last person to see Sierra alive.."

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/loca...cution-Presents-Teens-Clothing-412498243.html
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The "No Body" Murder Case - A Prosecutor's Perspective

"The Corpus Delicti rule mandates that a prosecutor prove that a crime has been committed before a person can be convicted of committing a crime.

A dead body is a critical component and establishes the corpus delicti of a murder case. However, successful prosecutions have occurred where there is no body and sometimes no physical evidence linking a suspect to the crime.

I have successfully prosecuted two "no body" murder cases and sent away five defendants on murder charges where there was no body to substantiate the crime. Having tried over 200 cases to a jury with 97 of those cases being murder trials, I can vouch from experience that the "no body" murder trial is the most difficult and complex prosecution of all. It is a difficult feat to convince jurors of a murder without the body as a key piece of evidence. With careful and tenacious planning it is an obstacle that can be overcome.
The ABC's of a "No Body" Prosecution...

My personal experience has proven that the conventional wisdom of "no body, no murder" is a thing of the past. The "no body" murder case makes for a difficult prosecution but more and more frequently these case are being prosecuted and won despite the lack of a body. What used to be the perfect crime for those cunning enough to dispose of their victims has become a little less perfect. For that we can all be grateful."

http://womenincrimeink.blogspot.com/2008/09/no-body-murder-case-prosecutors.html
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[Emi]

Damian Trujillo ‏@newsdamian 3h3 hours ago
(2) Legal analyst Steven Clark says they should have been more careful. What happens today? Follow me as I tweet in real time from courtroom
Damian Trujillo ‏@newsdamian 3h3 hours ago
Weds. Defense got sheriffs sgt to admit a part of his police report was "inaccurate", and he "Improvised" while processing evidence. (more)

 

[Emi]

Damian Trujillo ‏@newsdamian 18s18 seconds ago
The #SierraLaMar murder trial has resumed with prosecutor re-examining Sgt. Randall of @SCCoSheriff

Azenith Smith ‏@AzenithKTVU 4m4 minutes ago
Court now in session. Picks up w/ cross examination of Santa Clara County deputy who collected, handled #SierraLaMar belongings. #ktvu

Azenith Smith ‏@AzenithKTVU 30s31 seconds ago
Prosecutor honing in on #SierraLaMar jeans. Deputy on stand says he folded them properly to avoid DNA cross contamination. #ktvu

@Rob Fladeboe kron4 ‏@KRON4RFladeboe 32s33 seconds ago
#AntolinGarciaTorres Murder trial resumes. He's charged in the 2012 killing of 15 yr old #SierraLaMar. Deputy testifying about evidence.

 

[Emi]

- Al Lopez

- David Boyd

The top photo is Al Lopez defense attorney and bottom is David Boyd -Deputy DA

 

[Emi]

Azenith Smith ‏@AzenithKTVU 6m6 minutes ago
Deputy testifying shoots down idea of DNA transfer w/ other pieces of evidence. Says he wiped down cork board surface every time. #ktvu
Azenith Smith ‏@AzenithKTVU 7m7 minutes ago
Defendent Antolin Garcia-Torres assisting attorney w/ laptop help - they're showing photos of evidence to jurors on screen. #ktvu
Azenith Smith ‏@AzenithKTVU 3m3 minutes ago
Defense looked at timestamps of evidence photos, grilling deputy if he had enough time to clean surface inferring cross contamination #ktvu

 

[Emi]

tracey kaplan ‏@tkaplanreport 18s19 seconds ago
Deputy says he believes that based on his training & experience he cleaned the particleboard each time.
tracey kaplan ‏@tkaplanreport 2m2 minutes ago
...on some photos is shorter than that. Deputy says time varied, depends on size of item. Last pic of jeans was 2:19:03, next pic at 2:20:45
tracey kaplan ‏@tkaplanreport 6m6 minutes ago
Deputy claims 4-5 min btween photographing each 1 of her belongings, says he cleaned particle board with a wipe each time. But time stamp...
tracey kaplan ‏@tkaplanreport 9m9 minutes ago
#SierraLaMar DAY THREE: Did sheriff's deputies take proper care to avoid contaminating S's clothes? Defense lawyer is grilling deputy.

 

[Emi]

Damian Trujillo ‏@newsdamian 3m3 minutes ago
Sgt. testified he laid out evidence items on board in 5-7 minute intervals to clean board. Defense says metadata shows less than 2 minutes
Damian Trujillo ‏@newsdamian 6m6 minutes ago
Defense now questions Sgt. testimony about how long it takes to clean board surface in between evidence items. Pointing to camera's metadata
tracey kaplan ‏@tkaplanreport 4m4 minutes ago
Def Atty Al Lopez: should we trust that? DA David Boyd objects, judge sustains as argumentative.
Damian Trujillo ‏@newsdamian 17s17 seconds ago
Prosecution says: "Your honor, I think we're ready for a break." Court in recess. #SierraLaMar

 

[Emi]

Minute order from yesterday

 

[Emi]

tracey kaplan ‏@tkaplanreport 2m2 minutes ago
#SierraLaMar Def lawyer points to what looks like footprint on particleboard. Again, point is to show surface was dirty, DNA contaminated.

tracey kaplan ‏@tkaplanreport 36s36 seconds ago
Deputy says he did not scrub the particle board, just wiped it.

 

[Emi]

@Rob Fladeboe kron4 ‏@KRON4RFladeboe 2m2 minutes ago
#AntolinGarciaTorres thru the years. No cameras at trial. Hair combed over, close-cropped on sides now. Wearing sweaters at murder trial.

Damian Trujillo ‏@newsdamian 30s30 seconds ago
#SierraLaMar seating arrangement: Defense and prosecutor sit so close together, they can hug each other

 

[Emi]

@Rob Fladeboe kron4 ‏@KRON4RFladeboe 8m8 minutes ago
Jury see's makeup, books, snacks, other stuff in SierraLaMar's bag as deputy testifies how he handled/photographed those items

 

[Emi]

Damian Trujillo ‏@newsdamian 2m2 minutes ago
Next witness: Karissa Pugh, high school schoolmate of #SierraLaMar at Sobrato High School in Morgan Hill
Damian Trujillo ‏@newsdamian 5m5 minutes ago
AGT pours water for his attorney, works the laptop that demo's evidence pictures on big screen for jurors.Very active in court #SierraLaMar
Damian Trujillo ‏@newsdamian 2m2 minutes ago
Pugh getting emotional on the stand when asked about #SierraLaMar . Judge offers her tissue

 

[Emi]

Damian Trujillo ‏@newsdamian 5m5 minutes ago
Pugh rode school bus home with #SierraLaMar "mostly every day"

 

[Emi]

Azenith Smith ‏@AzenithKTVU 1m1 minute ago
#SierraLaMar classmate says last time she saw Sierra March 15-took bus home together. That's one day before she vanished. #ktvu
Azenith Smith ‏@AzenithKTVU 3m3 minutes ago
#SierraLaMar classmate says she and Sierra talked about everything-music, family, boy problems-normal 15 y/o stuff. #ktvu
Azenith Smith ‏@AzenithKTVU 5m5 minutes ago
#SierraLaMar classmate says Sierra had Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr accounts. No MySpace. #ktvu
Azenith Smith ‏@AzenithKTVU 8m8 minutes ago
#SierraLaMar classmate says Sierra was active on social media, including Twitter. Both rode school bus together. #ktvu
Azenith Smith ‏@AzenithKTVU 9m9 minutes ago
#SierraLaMar classmate says they were close friends. Could relate to Sierra since she was new. Sierra moved fr. Fremont to Morgan Hill.#ktvu
Azenith Smith ‏@AzenithKTVU 13m13 minutes ago
Prosecution calling next witness-19 y/o Evergreen College student. She's #SierraLaMar's classmate at Ann Sobrato High in #MorganHill. #ktvu

 

[katydid23]

Damian Trujillo ‏@newsdamian 2m2 minutes ago
Next witness: Karissa Pugh, high school schoolmate of #SierraLaMar at Sobrato High School in Morgan Hill
Damian Trujillo ‏@newsdamian 5m5 minutes ago
AGT pours water for his attorney, works the laptop that demo's evidence pictures on big screen for jurors.Very active in court #SierraLaMar
Damian Trujillo ‏@newsdamian 2m2 minutes ago
Pugh getting emotional on the stand when asked about #SierraLaMar . Judge offers her tissue

Oh, isn't that nice. He is a helpful type---just like Casey Anthony? A special snowflake...