***Day 5 -Committal Hearing*** 18th,19,20th March 2013***

[AAAA]

Next question, catching up as fast as I can... Has there been anything else about the bloody bath towel? I hope that was tested and there will be some kind of result?

 

[alioop]

Yeah there are community funded organizations who will help for free. You only have to pay for lodgment of documents to court.

I think the dissolution of the marriage part ( the legal divorce) could be helped out by a community organisation as that is a standard form and a simple procedure but it is the division of assets and the arrangements re children that are the tricky and difficult bits. I think their finances would have been too messy and detailed for free legal advice to sort out.

 

[alioop]

Next question, catching up as fast as I can... Has there been anything else about the bloody bath towel? I hope that was tested and there will be some kind of result?

No and that is very interesting info. Fresh blood in the house could be huge evidence particularly if it is Allison's blood. I suspect it is GBC's though probably from the shaving wounds.

 

[Hbayne]

Next question, catching up as fast as I can... Has there been anything else about the bloody bath towel? I hope that was tested and there will be some kind of result?

There was a bloody bath towel ????

 

[marlywings]

There was a bloody bath towel ????

From one of the members who was at court yesterday...

19. Then Carl Streeting took the stand and most of the information he provided has been reported. The one thing I found very interesting though, was that he said he discovered red blood stains on a bath towel hanging in the bathroom at the BC residence. Nothing further was discussed about these bloodstains – has anyone ever heard mention of this before?

ETA: Senior Constable Carl Streeting from the major crime scientific section

 

[Liadan]

From one of the members who was at court yesterday...

This bloody towel reference was glossed over very quickly by Davis - very very quickly! It was barely a breath in a sentence.

 

[AAAA]

There was a bloody bath towel ????

Yes, it was mentioned early this morning that a towel was found in the bathroom that had bloodstains on it. I agree with Allioop that its probably Gerard's blood. He could have used it to wipe his face after causing the superficial (cover up) shaving cuts. But maybe not.

 

[Strangeworld]

That towel is really interesting. If it was GBC's blood, you would think the defense would have jumped on the opportunity to say this supports his claim that he cut himself shaving - wiped his face or hands on the towel when cleaning up his scratches. On the other hand, the prosecution could say he used the towel to clean himself up after killing Allison.

If it is Allison's blood...hmmmmm.... I guess it would come down to ageing the blood - if it was recent, how would GBC explain it?

Or maybe it wasn't blood at all. I'm so curious!

 

[marlywings]

Unless they're going to extend court this afternoon they'll be pushing to get another five witnesses called up. Only four have been called so far...

Dr Candice Beaven

Cerian Morris said she heard sounds on the night

Christine Skrzeczynski contacted police as she believes she was the person spoted walking

Tommy Laskaris, a financial advisor - dismissed

 

[Liadan]

One thing that I have noticed about the cross examines is that Davis asks the same questions multiple times. He asks them three different ways. Then will go back and say you said this but now you say this.... But he doesn't do this for all the witnesses.

Yesterday he tried it with Dr Stark he hammered her telling her commonsense is not a legal definable measure when she said it stood to commonsense that those were fingernail scratches on his (GBC's) face. After that Dr Stark defined everything with 'in my experience from 20 plus years of forensics it is highly likely that they were not shaving cuts.' She got the knack of how to tolerate his questioning and her testimony went smoothly after that.

Then with police constables they were soooo unbelievably professional - he couldn't shake their demeanor they were inscrutable.

But as Toni took the stand - she was obviously not processing Davis's questions and I think she was limiting her answers to protect GBC and herself. She did not get that Davis was going to ask her 3 times and she would give a I can't remember before she had to reframe her answer in terms of a number guided by Davis. Davis was actually quite gentle with Toni compared to how he had been with Dr Stark and today with Christine the jogger.

With Christine the jogger he was after serious confirmation that this woman could not be discounted. And she stood up to him. He raised his voice and got irritated with her answers about if she walked clockwise or anticlockwise and didn't understand that she would only walk on the side of the oncoming traffic so it was only one direction. He had no time to clarify her statements here and kind of jumped down at her with a bit of anger.

Today with Dr Bevan, Davis started out quite sharp and short and looked angry having to discredit all this expert evidence at hand. She was asked at length about the scratches then when she didn't react to any of his mulitple questions of the same thing, did you talk about the kind of razor, did you ask to see the razor, did you ask which way he held the razor, did he ask you which way the razor moved, was it done in one motion or two, were the site of the three scratches discussed? And Dr Bevan was very cool and collected and quiet and couldn't be ruffled. Davis had no choice but to lower his tone or look like a circus ringleader.

Just while I am here in response to FIRSTTIMER's post

Morning all, ALL MOO

I was in court yesterday for TMs cross examination or whtever you call it.

I know all of you will disagree with this , but TM has been totally sucked in, used, and spat out by GBC.

All through her time on the stand she was visibly shaking with emotion. I am certainly not condoning her actions as a mistress in any way, but she looked like such a victim yesterday.

Davis asked her about the phone converstaion she had with GBC on the 19th April 2011 (the day ABC is murdered), she is told by GBC that ABC will be at the same conference the next day. TM pleads with GBC to tell ABC that TM will be there too. I can only imagine, but what happened next was an argument ensues, they both get angry, they fight it turns physical and Allison is murdered in the ensuing fight. TM is so traumitised by this that you could see her physically change on the stand. She was shaking, trembling, couldnt think straight. In her mind I believe she thinks she is responsible for Allison's death because she forced GBC to confront Allison about the potential meeting the next day.

I confirm that I do not condone her behaviour an any way, but I do feel so sorry for her as she has been sucked in by a person that thinks on none but himself and will do anything to protect himself. And as far as I am concerned, the whole BC family are the same - EVIL.

Cheers,

I have to disagree with TM's appearance in the stand. I think from her statements she has absolved herself of guilt by association. She after all can be quoted as saying to GBC on the phone call after she hears about Allison's dissappearance 'I am not to be made feel guilty about Allison's leaving' TM expected that Allison would be ropable about being at the conference with her - and that Allison would have taken herself off somewhere to think or gone off in a huff - she knew that GBC was 'enduring' counselling becasue Allison didn't trust him and now Allison has put two and two together about TM being his main squeeze and it has her shaken. I think she was thinking yes - he is mine now. In court yesterday TM said that she hadn't spoken about Allison's dissappareance. To me this would be like not talking about the elephant in the room. Esp when he is supposed to have called her while she was at the police station - wouldn't you be at least curious as to GBC's version of events of his missing wife?

 

[Trooper]

I am a bit baffled as to why the Defence has cherrypicked witnesses to test their evidence and then dismisses them without appearance.......or a very very short appearance. Its not as if the committal cant be extended if need be..

 

[Trooper]

ooo thinking~!!!!!... SUPERB STUFF!!

 

[Fuskier]

Liadan, thanks for your informative post.

 

[Snails]

Donna Field ‏@Donna_Field
Committal about to resume Gerald Baden-Clay speaking with his sister from dock before magistrate enters #badenclay

 

[alioop]

Liadan, thanks for your informative post.

Yes, superb stuff Liadan, insights that only someone in the courtroom can provide.

 

[spratsmum]

Does anyone else find it odd that the people he seeks out for ANYTHING are women? I mean both Doctors on the same day to check out his shaving mishap are both women. It seems for pure manipulation. "I have a way with women, they cant' resist me, so I will seek them out, gain their confidence and then when the time comes they will back up my story" "Ha ha I am GOD !!!!"

Tosser.

0

I think GBC has a contempt for women - I thin k he believes that the female gender is inferior to males and only good for one thing. I think he would have thought female doctors would easier to fool and their medical knowledge would not be anywhere near the same level as a male doctor and also they don't shave so they wouldn't know - yes I think he is as simple as that!

 

[Trooper]

seems that Mr Davis' instructions are to deconstruct and demolish the evidence of the witnesses who are building up a picture that is not in the interests of the defence.. this is fair enough, but then there is the puzzle of his throttling back on Toni...

the business partners, the first responders, the forensic accountant, its odd that he would go after Dr Beavan for example. Gerard chose her, on his own, he wasnt instructed to by the police, her appearance in this matter is entirely co incidental. She has no former partisanship, and wrote her notes long before Gerard was arrested. One could say that Dr. Beavan, just one example, doesnt have a dog in this fight at all. But her testimony has Davis , under instructions from Gerard , on the hop...

 

[Sleuthis-maximus]

Hi should I go in this arvo ? Who is yet to be called and giving evidence now? Sorry am just leave work and bout to drive so can't read thread

 

[Jo04]

Donna Field ‏@Donna_Field
Committal about to resume Gerald Baden-Clay speaking with his sister from dock before magistrate enters #badenclay

Damn school pickup time and shops. Any suggestions for dinner? Hopefully some interesting witnesses this afternoon. Is the plant specialist on this arvo? Interested to hear about that. Back soon:seeya:

 

[alioop]

If you can get in there quick Sleuthy, go for it. Will probably wrap up at 4 pm ish.