VERDICT WATCH Closing Arguments- Chase Merritt Charged W/Murder of Joseph, Summer, Gianni and Joe Jr McStay

[mrjitty]

Thank You I have been saying the same thing

When he wrote that cheque it was a *advertiser censored** you to Joey. Whether it be in 2 hours or 2 days Joey would find out about that cheque so something happened that tipped Chase over the edge. Once he does the that cheque there is no going back, he can’t exlpain it away to Joey.

ETA - Maybe I have been looking at this wrong and something happened between Summer and him at the house again which we just are not aware of.

I had this experience with a sociopath - they went behind my back on something, because I wouldn't agree to it, and i found out weeks later. But I was always bound to find out.

When I first confronted them, they were all crestfallen and made excuses about how it was all really not their fault. Actually it was my fault.

A month later in a similar discussion, they denied they ever did it and claimed to be fully transparent.

My jaw was on the floor at the audacity of their lying.

 

[mrjitty]

Yes.

Do you think it's possible he fooled Joe into thinking he wanted to pay off the debt and requested the numbers, just to get the spreadsheet from him?

I think you are on the right track all along.

Something financially catastrophic happened in late 2009. At the same time, he saw Joey getting everything he didn't have. As a classic abuser, his behaviour is cyclical. IMO we see that in the last phase, there was a lot of "grappling" behaviours, where he was embedding himself in the middle of their lives against Summer's wishes.

(incidentally i've had this exact experience. The sociopath is always ringing up and coming over. You can't ever have 5 mins peace. anything you do, they will try to get in the middle of it).

Gradually his entitlement and sense of victimhood grow - and he engineers a crisis. The first deleted cheques, and the hanging around fallbrook are part of it.

The point was always to punish Joe. Maybe in his deluded way he thought Joe would reward the behaviour, as had happened before. Sadly this time Joe and his family didn't survive.

.02 pence

 

[Mony Mony]

My top line thoughts:

Imes did a great job of telling the story with a day to day flow as the defendant did the murders, dumped the bodies, forged cheques, dumped the trooper, cleaned up etc.

This is powerful because as explained its not just the 4th where Chase lacks an alibi. He lacks an alibi for all of the key times over 5 days. Context context.

Second, i think the photo of the cell towers commanding the gravesites nailed it for me. I know he probably was on the road and not at the graves but it just felt like a big moment.

Third - the cheques business. When you talk through it blow by blow, now that we know the detail, there can be no explanation other than fraud. We've talked about it forever, but it was nevertheless impressive to hear someone walk thru it.

I find it significant that neither the defence nor any poster here has an explanation for the backdating.

Imes was laser sharp - there can be only one reason Chase did it.

Yes! Those cell towers overlooking the graves! That was a powerful image.

 

[mrjitty]

Yes! Those cell towers overlooking the graves! That was a powerful image.

I think he made a classic guilty mistake there.

He had his phone off at the graves, so as not to reveal the grave site. but then when he was on the road, he turned his phone on (because the road is just the road right?)

he never considered the consequences if the bodies were found.

 

[asyousay]

I think this is why I find the case so frustrating as Chase wasn’t that clever. He made a ton of mistakes that unfortunately only came to
Light when the bodies were found.

But if the police had treated this case seriously from the get go Chase would of been arrested years ago.

IMO

 

[Elliot_Alderson]

You think so?? So many disagree with you! Are we ALL wrong?

Amen.

 

[Tortoise]

Part 3 of prosecution's closing and Part 1 of defense closing now on YT.

 

[Elliot_Alderson]

It would be difficult to fly back and forth from HI undetected AND get a former girlfriend to alibi him AND have proof his bank card was used numerous while in HI.

Don't forget he also was able to convince law enforcement of his alibi. I'm sure they didn't check it and just took his word for it. Probably didn't look into his travel or bank records AT ALL

 

[Karinna]

Don't forget he also was able to convince law enforcement of his alibi. I'm sure they didn't check it and just took his word for it. Probably didn't look into his travel or bank records AT ALL

From what i read DK was investigated by LE.
I would imagine anyone that was close to the family or who had business dealings with them would of been investigated once it was found to be a homicide investigation.

 

[Frankie Hellis]

Exactly. And as if 3 year olds get up to get themselves drinks?

IMO that stuff comes much later

Last week, my 3 year old grandson got up in the morning and, for the first time ever, didn’t wake mom up. He went into the kitchen, located the hidden chocolate Easter bunny and ate the whole thing. He got the milk out, but couldn’t reach a cup, so he went and woke mom up to help. He had chocolate all over his face. Mom asked, “What have you been eating?” He looked at her with innocent eyes and replied, “Nothing.”

 

[Karinna]

Last week, my 3 year old grandson got up in the morning and, for the first time ever, didn’t wake mom up. He went into the kitchen, located the hidden chocolate Easter bunny and ate the whole thing. He got the milk out, but couldn’t reach a cup, so he went and woke mom up to help. He had chocolate all over his face. Mom asked, “What have you been eating?” He looked at her with innocent eyes and replied, “Nothing.”

LOL, how cute,

 

[Frankie Hellis]

I believe McGee will finish just before lunch - then lunch - and then off to deliberations for the jurors!
OR!
McGee finishes before lunch - jurors go to deliberate while eating lunch!

Don’t forget the prosecution gets to go again.

 

[Elliot_Alderson]

From what i read DK was investigated by LE.
I would imagine anyone that was close to the family or who had business dealings with them would of been investigated once it was found to be a homicide investigation.

I know. I was being sarcastic as it's asinine really for anybody to still try and blame DK for this.

 

[Karinna]

Don’t forget the prosecution gets to go again.

Yes they have the last words from what has been posted up.

 

[thelmadawg]

Catching up on Imes

Fascinating evidence point. Padlock keys in different pockets

Did Joey make Chase give up his storage key?

Never thought of that but its so obvious when you think about it. Each man had one key. Joey took Chase's back, but put it in his other pocket, and not on his key chain.

For those that recall, Chase nearly jumped out of his seat when this photo was put up on the screen. What was it about the keys that gave him such a start? It seemed to surprise and shock him. Why?

 

[thelmadawg]

I'm a bit surprised that PA didn't stress that the graves were in CM's back yard, so to speak. Who would drive 4 bodies a 100 miles from their home in Fallbrook to a portion of the desert that Chase by his own admission "knows like the back of his hand."

 

[fridaybaker]

Wow. Haven't watched both closing arguments in full yet, but first impressions: Imes was powerful! Very impressed. Defense, not so much. Seems weak and, well, defensive. Also, the hand thing. The constant folding of the hands (ala prayer!) and other, near constant, hand movements came across to me as a way to bolster his arguments through emphasis, indicating that he knows his arguments are weak.

We shall see what the jury thinks, but I know I would pick up on these things as a juror.

 

[Niner]

Don’t forget the prosecution gets to go again.

Oops - you're right.
Okay - so McGee starts at 9am - and goes til let's say about 11am - if that. Imes or whomever does rebuttal - and takes just over an hour. So maybe about 12 or 12:30pm jurors go to deliberate while eating their lunch!

 

[Force Ten]

I think he made a classic guilty mistake there.

He had his phone off at the graves, so as not to reveal the grave site. but then when he was on the road, he turned his phone on (because the road is just the road right?)

he never considered the consequences if the bodies were found.

Yes he was overconfident the deal was done. I'm glad Imes made sure to bring up the direction of the ping being from an eastward direction. The next tower to be pinged was in VV, shows direction of travel like the others.

 

[fridaybaker]

Another thought here, regarding tone/volume. Imes's voice, I think, is very appropriate. He's not shouting, but he's definitely using "fortissimo", which is on point, in that it emphasizes the nature (serious, horrific) of the case. I've heard other prosecutors use it in closing arguments, and I thought to very good effect. In fact, when I was a juror on a murder case, I thought: Finally!

There is something unreal about jury trials for murders, in the serenity, professionalism, civility, etc. of a court room. In endeavoring to be objective, professional, etc., there is a certain disconnect about the crime itself where there is no victim present and he/she is often represented by a photo, if even that is allowed. It's all very sanitary, calm, and procedural. Yet, the horror. The prosecutor, finally, in closing arguments, brings the indignation and horror alive for the jury. It's an appropriate response to murder, in my opinion, and quite appropriate to be displayed at that stage in the trial.