CO - Gannon Stauch, 11, found deceased, Colorado Springs, El Paso County, 27 Jan 2020 *Arrest* #58

[10ofRods]

Surely her Barrister , Attorney, Lawyer , whichever it is , will not allow her to take the stand! What a debacle that would be. He must get a signed waiver from her if she does. And, being Letitia, with such a story and so much more to reveal about herself to us all, and actually believe that people hear her lava flow of irrational and dreary nonsense, over and over again, the mad fantasies, the crazed convictions, the dribbling banality of her backwoods barnyard life, she will fight to the death to get into the stand and finally, finally have an audience that has to listen to her, where she can direct and control and conduct the flow and ebb of rubbish.

People like Letitia love that witness testifying stuff, even if they are the accused, sometimes, particularly if they are the accused. It's like Gangbusters Day for them, they cannot shutup, and everything goes to hell quite quickly. Many a dedicated lawyer has tried to woodshed clients like Letitia.. a losing game. ...

I reckon that judge will give her a long leash should she take the stand, enough to hang herself 10 times over.


And 25 years from now, when she comes up to apply for parole, she will tell the same ludicrous delusionary scenario of being 'raped' and ' frightened' and ' protective' and all that tootle. Said with a straight face and that cockeyed stare. Her story will never change. Not ever. It's concreted in, now.

Oh, I do disagree (respectfully). The way to raise reasonable doubt about her sanity (which is the only issue at trial, IMO) is to put her on the stand and let her be...crazy.

She might "love" to testify, but that alone is damning, IMO. She would talk in circles, make no sense, get agitated and in general look like the average person's notion of "a crazy person."

As you point out, she tells ludicrous, delusionary stories. And all it takes is one juror who looks at that and says, "Ah-yep, she's nuts!"

(She'll still be confined).

Most of us want her to be Guilty as Charged. NGBRI is not a free pass, though. She may insist on testifying as a kind of Swan Song (her defiant behavior yesterday has me thinking she might want to be more involved).

Even the "*advertiser censored*-eyed" stare you mention (I'm not sure exactly what you mean, I don't see anything off about the positioning of her eyes), but I do think most people would think she has "crazy eyes" (meaning, what we think the typical "crazy person" of our nightmares might look like.

So, that would be their Hail Mary, IMO - and also, IMO, it may be the easiest way to convince a couple of jurors that she's insane. Because she talks word salad, and with such vague, cryptic terms, that she sometimes resembles an untreated schizo-form person (IME). I'm not saying she IS insane, and she's certainly not a typical schizophrenic (IMO - although, I'd need more information if I were trying to put her into a mental health study). But there are many quasi-schizoform cases and they defy regular diagnosis. She could be one of them. I think her expert (who will likely testify DID) is not going to help much, as it doesn't seem she has that. But the jury isn't asked to diagnose her.

The jury is asked to decide whether she is insane, not to diagnose her. It's a weird situation, in CO. The prosecution has to prove she's sane. I think it's a difficult ask and they're doing an amazing job, but it's a tight wire act.

IMO.

 

[iamshadow21]

I think this is exactly what she planned. I think she probably drugged him prior to this so that he would sleep through the fire until succumbing to smoke inhalation before ultimately being burned alive.

I think she actually gave herself away (as she has often done) during one of her phone calls with Al, I remember her crying and saying something like (i'm paraphrasing) "Do you think I wanted this to happen?!? I thought we would come together as a family over Gannon and get stronger" something to that effect. I remember thinking "That's such a crazy thing to say, to mention having some kind of forethought over the "what will happen after Gannon is gone". I might try to find that phone call but I have to be honest, I dread listening to that voice of hers' screaming and ranting.

I believe she was going to use Gannom's death in a fire to not only hurt Al so that she could comfort him, but to also make herself out to be the traumatized hero who saved the other kids. What I don't understand is if this fire "solution" was in reaponse to having done something to Gannon that she worried he would tell, or if she planned this, wanting to eliminate him when Al went out of town. Another poster had previously wondered about the hike, and if the hike was a ruse to push him off a cliff, but LS didn't have the opportunity. The hike just seems so random, especially if he wasn't feeling good. Maybe her older daughter really was supposed to go on the hike, and LS had planned on her youngest daughter splitting off with HH at some point, leaving LS with Gannon, giving her a chance to hurt him/push him off a cliff. Typing it sounds crazy, but this is the same woman who, in a van speeding down the highway, slipped her cuffs, hit a LE officer in the head with an energy drink and tried to open the van door with her foot.

Editing to add that LS stated that Harley was supposed to go on the hike but had been called into work at Massage Envy at the last minute. She said Harley had originally arranged to have someone cover her shift but that person cancelled. She said she told Harley "you don't want to burn bridges, you need to go in." I highly doubt she told Harley this. I believe she was just embellishing. It will be interesting to find out when/if Harley testifies if any of that story was true.

The thing that rang my bell was "I just want my family back....and Gannon." With a big pause, like he was an afterthought, like she knew she had to throw him in there for AS's sake. But instead of making her seem embracing of him, it highlighted in big flashing lights just how other, how outsider, she viewed him to her perceived family. And this was after years of him living with them full time. He wasn't a stranger to her. He was a child dependent on her for everything.

I think she genuinely hated Gannon enough that she decided everything wrong in her life, and specifically her marriage, was because of him. And that with Gannon gone, AS would fall into her arms, she would comfort him but they'd rebuild, and everything would be peaches and cream. Or at least, designer purses and flight attendant wings.

One could argue that's delusional, but it's not insane, by any measure. It's mercenary, ruthless, diabolical, and completely amoral, but not insane.

MOO

 

[Pianoturtle]

I find it interesting that she immediately removed the burned/melted carpet but left the burned blankets in the house. I had to get that smelly carpet out, but here, let me leave the melted polyester blankets as proof it happened.

 

[Gut_feeling]

The thing that rang my bell was "I just want my family back....and Gannon." With a big pause, like he was an afterthought, like she knew she had to throw him in there for AS's sake. But instead of making her seem embracing of him, it highlighted in big flashing lights just how other, how outsider, she viewed him to her perceived family. And this was after years of him living with them full time. He wasn't a stranger to her. He was a child dependent on her for everything.

I think she genuinely hated Gannon enough that she decided everything wrong in her life, and specifically her marriage, was because of him. And that with Gannon gone, AS would fall into her arms, she would comfort him but they'd rebuild, and everything would be peaches and cream. Or at least, designer purses and flight attendant wings.

One could argue that's delusional, but it's not insane, by any measure. It's mercenary, ruthless, diabolical, and completely amoral, but not insane.

MOO

Excellent point, you're right, she makes it apparent that in her mind, Gannon is separate.

 

[10ofRods]

For more than two centuries, state legislatures across the United States have generally supported the idea that individuals with certain degrees of mental illness cannot be held criminally responsible for their actions and should be directed toward medical support, not incarceration. Although people are constitutionally entitled to be found competent to stand trial, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld in March 2020 the notion that there is no constitutional right to an insanity defense. Four states—Kansas, Utah, Idaho, and Montana—have done away with the NGRI defense entirely. Today, about one percent of all felony cases in the nation contain an insanity plea; of those, only around a quarter are successful.

Colorado continues to allow individuals to plead NGRI based on a very strict legal definition. Local attorneys and legal experts explain that the defense should only be considered in the most serious situations, because of the attendant repercussions: In the Centennial State, NGRI acquittees are automatically committed to the state psychiatric hospital for treatment. Unlike convicted criminals, who are sentenced for a set period of time, those who are deemed insane remain at the Colorado Mental Health Institute at Pueblo (CMHIP) until doctors and the courts agree they are stable and safe enough to reintegrate into the community. Under Colorado law, their sentences aren’t supposed to be influenced by the specifics of their alleged crimes, as they are in some other states. The amount of time to be served is the same for everyone: one day to life.

The Dire Consequences of Pleading Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity in Colorado

People found not guilty by reason of insanity are sent to Colorado's mental health hospital ostensibly for treatment.

www.5280.com

2015 article, so stats prob need updated:
Twenty-five Coloradans have been found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity since 1998, and more than half of them have been granted freedom to live away from the state hospital — some with limited or no supervision, an Associated Press review of records shows.

Some murder defendants get freedoms after insanity verdict - Sentinel Colorado

But that doesn't mean Colorado theater shooting defendant James Holmes can look forward to similar privileges if he is found not guilty by reason of insanity, experts say.

sentinelcolorado.com

Great summary, IG. And thank you for all your heartfelt posting on this thread. I admire you so much. I know this one is a hard one for you.

I really fear that last statistic. Because this defendant is capable of pretending to be sane, as well (which means she's not insane in my book). People get discharged from hospitals from the criminally insane - but they were only stable on medications, then after release, they stop the meds, etc.

IMO.

 

[Niner]

Yeah, I think that's not accurate. So far as I know Kansas hasn't charged her. It doesn't make sense to do it now IMO. Assuming she's found guilty of murder in Colorado she's not going to be extradited to Kansas to face a relatively minor charge.

The only escape charge I know of is the Co jail broom window one that never came close to an actual escape. But she was charged.
JMO

Okay - I did not think she was charged there. I have in notes about the jail escape - that will be dealt with after this murder charge per my notes.

And Thanks for the reply - you too @Cindizzi !

 

[iamshadow21]

I find it interesting that she immediately removed the burned/melted carpet but left the burned blankets in the house. I had to get that smelly carpet out, but here, let me leave the melted polyester blankets as proof it happened.

And the wax spilt on the sofa, and the tiny burn mark on the throw pillow.

It wouldn't surprise me if virtually everything that got burnt got burnt outdoors. Laid the carpet square on the grass and torched it good. Lit the blankets then stomped them. I'd be looking for evidence of vegetation and dirt on both. Maybe she spilt a bit of hot wax on the sofa and torched the underlay a little bit to garnish her story and staging. But there was no noticeable burn odour, despite the pile of blankets. That tells me that the serious burning might not have taken place indoors.

Very much my opinion and speculation only.

 

[Gut_feeling]

I think this is exactly what she planned. I think she probably drugged him prior to this so that he would sleep through the fire until succumbing to smoke inhalation before ultimately being burned alive.

I think she actually gave herself away (as she has often done) during one of her phone calls with Al, I remember her crying and saying something like (i'm paraphrasing) "Do you think I wanted this to happen?!? I thought we would come together as a family over Gannon and get stronger" something to that effect. I remember thinking "That's such a crazy thing to say, to mention having some kind of forethought over the "what will happen after Gannon is gone". I might try to find that phone call but I have to be honest, I dread listening to that voice of hers' screaming and ranting.

I believe she was going to use Gannom's death in a fire to not only hurt Al so that she could comfort him, but to also make herself out to be the traumatized hero who saved the other kids. What I don't understand is if this fire "solution" was in reaponse to having done something to Gannon that she worried he would tell, or if she planned this, wanting to eliminate him when Al went out of town. Another poster had previously wondered about the hike, and if the hike was a ruse to push him off a cliff, but LS didn't have the opportunity. The hike just seems so random, especially if he wasn't feeling good. Maybe her older daughter really was supposed to go on the hike, and LS had planned on her youngest daughter splitting off with HH at some point, leaving LS with Gannon, giving her a chance to hurt him/push him off a cliff. Typing it sounds crazy, but this is the same woman who, in a van speeding down the highway, slipped her cuffs, hit a LE officer in the head with an energy drink and tried to open the van door with her foot.

Editing to add that LS stated that Harley was supposed to go on the hike but had been called into work at Massage Envy at the last minute. She said Harley had originally arranged to have someone cover her shift but that person cancelled. She said she told Harley "you don't want to burn bridges, you need to go in." I highly doubt she told Harley this. I believe she was just embellishing. It will be interesting to find out when/if Harley testifies if any of that story was true.

Ok, I was able to find the part of the recording I mentioned above . It's a little different than I remember, my apologies, but it still leaves me with the same impression. At minute mark 45:11, LS says/cries/yells to AS " God, I really thought, for, like, I, I thought outta this converstation, like I really thought you were gonna be supportive of me! I thought you were gonna bring your family back together, and I thought we were gonna talk about everything, every single day of nothing but Gannon!".

Like I said, I feel like LS is doing what she has often done during these statements of hers', she is mixing in a little truth in with her lies. For example, when she repeatedly states "I'm gonna be blamed", "I need to fix this", "I was freakin' out".

P.S. She's a monster. Just absolutely awful. As I listened to her screaming and her hatefulness and gaslighting and maddening, manipulative "circle speak" to Al, I thought "My God, how many times had Gannon been on the receiving end of this vile treatment? Imagine how she must have let loose on Gannon verbally when Al wasn't around? Imagine how AWFUL and TERRIFYING and CONFUSING that must have been for him." What WAS it like for Gannon when he made mistakes? When he forgot something? In other words, when he was just being the child that he was. The normal things children do because they are children. Did the camera/speakers at home ever catch these rants??? That poor poor child. I know all of our hearts break for him. Its just awful.

 

[heartandsoul]

A reminder of who we’re all here for:

 

[iamshadow21]

Ok, I was able to find the part of the recording I mentioned above . It's a little different than I remember, my apologies, but it still leaves me with the same impression. At minute mark 45:11, LS says/cries/yells to AS " God, I really thought, for, like, I, I thought outta this converstation, like I really thought you were gonna be supportive of me! I thought you were gonna bring your family back together, and I thought we were gonna talk about everything, every single day of nothing but Gannon!".

Like I said, I feel like LS is doing what she has often done during these statements of hers', she is mixing in a little truth in with her lies. For example, when she repeatedly states "I'm gonna be blamed", "I need to fix this", "I was freakin' out".

P.S. She's a monster. Just absolutely awful. As I listened to her screaming and her hatefulness and gaslighting and maddening, manipulative "circle speak" to Al, I thought "My God, how many times had Gannon been on the receiving end of this vile treatment? Imagine how she must have let loose on Gannon verbally when Al wasn't around? Imagine how AWFUL and TERRIFYING and CONFUSING that must have been for him." What WAS it like for Gannon when he made mistakes? When he forgot something? In other words, when he was just being the child that he was. The normal things children do because they are children. Did the camera/speakers at home ever catch these rants??? That poor poor child. I know all of our hearts break for him. Its just awful.

Well we know how much she dehumanises him just based on how she talks about his digestive issues. I've seen people on the threads say they wouldn't talk about their toddlers' incontinence to other parents the way LS talks about a diagnosed medical issue Gannon had, and had no control over, to complete strangers.

We know how she sneered at him for not being into sports, for not liking the puberty classes, for being a 'mama's boy'.

This was all to people who were looking to find Gannon, a missing child. She couldn't play the role of grieving stepmother and hide her contempt for even five seconds to look good on camera or to the cops.

We can look at that and extrapolate so much. Life with her, for Gannon, would have been hell.

MOO

 

[heartandsoul]

We know how she sneered at him for not being into sports, for not liking the puberty classes, for being a 'mama's boy'.

Made worse by her absolute hatred of Landen.

Gannon was such a sweet boy. He’d have gone far in life and made the world a better place by being in it.

 

[Kiranerys]

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — In day 10 of the El Paso County murder trial of Letecia Stauch, the prosecution played a video showing an alleged escape attempt by the suspect during transport back to Colorado Springs in March of 2020.

[…]

El Paso County Sheriff's Office personnel transported her back to Colorado to face charges. According to Bethel, the process was recorded due to previous behavior by the suspect.

She said of Stauch's behavior, “She was calm, she ate, she sang songs, she played trivia." Bethel also said Stauch had conversations not related to the investigation, she ate and drank, and was able to use the restroom.

However, during this process, there was an incident that resulted in the defendant being charged with escape. The court was shown a video of Stauch manipulating her hands out of the restraints, glancing over several times, then taking a Monster Energy can and hitting a member of law enforcement in the head with it.

The driver of the vehicle then slams on the brakes, and the vehicle pulls over on the side of the highway.

As deputies are working to restrain her, Stauch says, “She keeps threatening me the whole time" in regard to one of the people involved in the transport. Bethel is heard saying, “Cooperate with me.” To which Stauch replies, “I will with you, but not with her.” At that point, she was informed she would face another criminal charge.

Earlier, Bethel testified that Stauch was moving around before slipping out of her handcuffs, and glancing at the deputies’ waist areas where their guns were. The detective said it was a very dangerous situation, and that Stauch was already suspected of murder, then assaulted a deputy who was armed and attempted to obtain her firearm.

Stauch stated she was not trying to escape, but trying to open the door for "some air."

[…]

Stauch Trial Day 4: Jurors learn about suitcase Gannon’s body was found in, suspicious texts with neighbor

The Letecia Stauch murder trial continued with testimony from investigators in the case, and others who interacted with the defendant before and after her step son's disappearance.

www.koaa.com

They forgot to mention in this article that when they said she had just earned another charge she replied "Yeah well, she shouldn't do me like that"

The thing that rang my bell was "I just want my family back....and Gannon." With a big pause, like he was an afterthought, like she knew she had to throw him in there for AS's sake. But instead of making her seem embracing of him, it highlighted in big flashing lights just how other, how outsider, she viewed him to her perceived family. And this was after years of him living with them full time. He wasn't a stranger to her. He was a child dependent on her for everything.

I think she genuinely hated Gannon enough that she decided everything wrong in her life, and specifically her marriage, was because of him. And that with Gannon gone, AS would fall into her arms, she would comfort him but they'd rebuild, and everything would be peaches and cream. Or at least, designer purses and flight attendant wings.

One could argue that's delusional, but it's not insane, by any measure. It's mercenary, ruthless, diabolical, and completely amoral, but not insane.

MOO

Excellent point, you're right, she makes it apparent that in her mind, Gannon is separate.

All of these things, and also she knew Gannon wasn't coming back because she killed him.

 

[Gut_feeling]

Made worse by her absolute hatred of Landen.

Gannon was such a sweet boy. He’d have gone far in life and made the world a better place by being in it.

YES and YES! I've known kids who sound like Gannon. Little "feelers", you know? Curious and innocent, energetic and clever. I couldn't agree more when you say he would have made the world a better place. So many kids (and adults) with ADHD are led to think it's a flaw, a defect, and yeah, it IS hard to realize certain things are more difficult for you, but in reality, there is something amazing in there, a heart and brain that senses/notices so much it should be considered a superpower, but it just doesn't always "fit in/blend in" with what is typical/expected/required in this very imperfect world. I apologize to the mods for the tangent, I just, Gannon deserved so much better. He deserved to know how amazing he was. So many kids deserve better.

 

[heartandsoul]

It’s hard to only talk about the cold facts of a case without taking time to remember the victim and who this is all about. I think a reminder every now and again is good for us all ♥

 

[perception≠reality]

I have strong suspicion the bathroom accident only happened in LS's brain.

I think Witness Bell nixed the candle story, once and for all.

I think the burn to the carpet was caused to cover up a blood event. That the original carpet square was the piece found hidden within the roll covered in blood. That the burnt piece in the trash was meant to be taken as being from the original carpet, when it was nothing of the sort. It was cut and deliberately burnt for the purpose of misdirection. But that is very much my opinion only, and speculation. We may hear different later, as more evidence and testimony is presented.

MOO

I couldn’t sleep all night just wondering what the timeline truly was, because we know now this candle incident is nothing at all like what truly happened, and most likely not in the order she claims at all. I’m going to paste the notes I made last night, and maybe some of you can untangle my thoughts a little or propose another scenario?

How did she injure Gannon with enough blood letting to cause those stains in the family room? He had to still be alive enough to suffer burns, cry in that horrifying video, go to the truck Monday morning, etc…I can’t think of a sequence of events that works.

Maybe this? All that blood on the family room carpet had to happen FIRST, or at least after she burned him and charred the blankets, but before she staged all of the wax and deep carpet burns for the coverup. Fire wasn’t an accident. She covered the fire alarms with towels, she said so herself.

Remember, the padding was still burned and melted to the concrete during the staged portion after she cut out the bloody carpet and then cut out the burned carpet decoy.

First the fire that burned Gannon. That had to take place Sunday. I believe Laina will testify (live or via video testimony?) about that. Then the blood in the family room. Then moving Gannon to his bed. Then the fire and burning of the carpet to disguise it as the first cut out piece of carpet that was actually the bloody carpet found in the roll in the storage room.

I believe that she started a fire on Gannon Sunday somehow to stage his killing, and he had his arms tucked up toward his chin, and she started the fire on the blankets. That’s how that part of his arms would have gotten burned. It explains the charred blankets and his burns. She had to have done that, and gotten the girls and dogs out to take off and thought twice when she heard Gannon screaming her name (part of her story during interrogation was he woke up screaming for her, I totally believe that), and she saw he wasn’t going to just burst into flames and die, so she put the fire out and went back to another plan for the next day, hence calling in to work at 3-4am.

She did something to him Monday afternoon in that living room that caused all of that blood. I believe that is when she decided to move him to his bed. Perhaps the blunt instrument event took place in the family room? She could’ve moved him to his bed thinking he was gone. Then she went back to the living room to cut out the bloody carpet, created the “candle incident” and burned carpet, cut that out and replace it with a remnant and the area rug. At some point she realized Gannon wasn’t all the way gone-maybe she heard him while she was in the middle of her cover up in the family room, so she stabbed ferociously, shot him, went back to hear cleanup (lots of time for all of the blood to be soaking his mattress, wall and floor), stuffed Gannon in the suitcase in the storage room and commenced the rest of the cleanup.

Perhaps the pieces of sock they found in the candle are because she used that to start the actual fire and keep it lit with the sock, then pulled it out and dumped the wax all over.

Where does the drugging come into play? Maybe before the fire to keep him deep asleep when she started the fire.maybe more the next day on the petco trip.

Whatever it was that started it all, it was premeditated. It wasn’t an accident that went wrong. She was already trying to set him up with the texts about bath salts and the things in his backpack.


All imo and speculation.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

I want to remember only his smiling face. I’m sorry, but every single time I see the word candle, I can only see his little face looking up at her. So scared in that fb video. I wish to God, I’d never seen it.

 

[iamshadow21]

I couldn’t sleep all night just wondering what the timeline truly was, because we know now this candle incident is nothing at all like what truly happened, and most likely not in the order she claims at all. I’m going to paste the notes I made last night, and maybe some of you can untangle my thoughts a little or propose another scenario?

How did she injure Gannon with enough blood letting to cause those stains in the family room? He had to still be alive enough to suffer burns, cry in that horrifying video, go to the truck Monday morning, etc…I can’t think of a sequence of events that works.

Maybe this? All that blood on the family room carpet had to happen FIRST, or at least after she burned him and charred the blankets, but before she staged all of the wax and deep carpet burns for the coverup.

Remember, the padding was still burned and melted to the concrete during the staged portion after she cut out the bloody carpet and then cut out the burned carpet decoy.

First the fire that burned Gannon. That had to take place Sunday. I believe Laina will testify (live or via video testimony?) about that. Than the blood in the family room. Then moving Gannon to his bed. Then the fire and burning of the carpet to disguise it as the first cut out piece of carpet that was actually the bloody carpet found in the roll in the storage room.

I believe that she started a fire on Gannon Sunday somehow to stage his killing, and he had his arms tucked up toward his chin, and she started the fire on the blankets. That’s how that part of his arms would have gotten burned. It explains the charred blankets and his burns. She had to have done that, and gotten the girls and dogs out to take off and thought twice when she heard Gannon screaming her name (part of her story during interrogation was he woke up screaming for her, I totally believe that), and she saw he wasn’t going to just burst into flames and die, so she put the fire out and went back to another plan for the next day, hence calling in to work at 3-4am.

She did something to him Monday afternoon in that living room that caused all of that blood. I believe that is when she decided to move him to his bed. Perhaps the blunt instrument event took place in the family room? She could’ve moved him to his bed thinking he was gone. Then she went back to the living room to cut out the bloody carpet, created the “candle incident” and burned carpet, cut that out and replaced it with a remnant and the area rug. At some point she realized Gannon wasn’t all the way gone, so she stabbed and shot him, then stuffed Gannon in the suitcase in the storage room and commenced the rest of the cleanup.

Perhaps the pieces of sock they found in the candle might be because she used that to start the actual fire and keep it lit with the sock, then pulled it out and dumped the wax all over.

All imo and speculation.

One point that I would make - we know that he defended himself from the knife from the cuts on his hands and arms. We have no evidence he defended himself from the blunt trauma or gunshot. Other than that, I think everything you've speculated is pretty plausible given what we know so far.

MOO

 

[squareandrabbet]

Surely her Barrister , Attorney, Lawyer , whichever it is , will not allow her to take the stand! What a debacle that would be. He must get a signed waiver from her if she does. And, being Letitia, with such a story and so much more to reveal about herself to us all, and actually believe that people hear her lava flow of irrational and dreary nonsense, over and over again, the mad fantasies, the crazed convictions, the dribbling banality of her backwoods barnyard life, she will fight to the death to get into the stand and finally, finally have an audience that has to listen to her, where she can direct and control and conduct the flow and ebb of rubbish.

People like Letitia love that witness testifying stuff, even if they are the accused, sometimes, particularly if they are the accused. It's like Gangbusters Day for them, they cannot shutup, and everything goes to hell quite quickly. Many a dedicated lawyer has tried to woodshed clients like Letitia.. a losing game. ...

I reckon that judge will give her a long leash should she take the stand, enough to hang herself 10 times over.


And 25 years from now, when she comes up to apply for parole, she will tell the same ludicrous delusionary scenario of being 'raped' and ' frightened' and ' protective' and all that tootle. Said with a straight face and that cockeyed stare. Her story will never change. Not ever. It's concreted in, now.

Don't forget the 'brave, blustery' bilge she tossed in the judge's direction prior, when judge was trying to advise her how hugely ill considered it, and she, was to even consider being her own attorney... it was so dumb I can't even paraphrase it, except for its generic Kenny Rodgers' 'The Gambler' tinge... a little faux 'Mr. Deeds' thrown in... I almost gagged, lol.

 

[squareandrabbet]

RBBM
My mum managed to set fire to a Christmas pudding in the microwave , on Christmas day 1991, it was flung from the back door into the back garden like a pro. At 15, it was a highlight of my 'boring' day at home with family and not friends. The smell of burnt plastic and bonfire lasted for a long time, but it always made us chuckle at the thought of the christmas pud in a ball of flames, flying across the garden.
But you are so right, IIRC, it was carpet the candle apparently burned? Burnt carpet is a very distinct smell and lasts a long time
ETA: For context, I hate Christmas pudding and so seeing it in a ball of flames flying into the garden was vindication for me.

Today's cheap acrylic carpet burns and puddles, IME.

Not 'puddles' like napalm: just becomes smooth or pondlike, and goes swiftly out. part of the push to make it flame retardant, like mattresses.

(Source: used to live three-to-a-smoker in super cheap rental accommodations. Weren't these houses very new builds?)

 

[squareandrabbet]

Where is the best place to go back and watch? I read the live tweets here but seems I am missing some stuff.

Letecia Stauch is found guilty for the murder of Gannon Stauch; Sentenced to life in prison

A trial more than three years in the making for a Colorado woman accused of murdering her stepson is now underway.

www.kktv.com