GUILTY FL - April Barber, 27, shot to death on beach, St Johns County, 17 Aug 2002

[nanandjim]

...Since when is chewing gum in court allowed?

I also thought that chewing gum was not permitted in court. :waitasec:

 

[CordovaMom]

I'm wondering about something -- the defense witness, Jason Pryor and his wife Kimberly both testified that Justin Barber appeared "damp". In his interview with Jami Floyd after his testimony, Jason Pryor said that April Barber was "soaked". That's quite a difference from damp and soaked. Jason should have been soaked as well I would think. Maybe that's an insignificant discrepancy, but it's something that makes me wonder if there was a K car, and someone that did drown April, not a stranger though, perhaps someone Justin hired to kill his wife.

 

[CordovaMom]

Have I missed it, or how has the defense explained away the computer evidence?

 

[indigomood]

Have I missed it, or how has the defense explained away the computer evidence?

hi there!
I've missed the last two days and have not gotten caught up with watching it on my tapes yet. I'm interested in hearing the defense's explanation for the computer searches as well.

 

[CordovaMom]

Nancy Grace interviewing a woman whom I think is the former prosecutor in the Barber case. The woman says that she had knowledge of an email between April and Justin, where April says she knows he's running around on her, having an affair or words to that effect. Justin's reply was basically telling April she was off base, ridiculing her and telling her not to bother him at work with that stuff. A truly insightful view into Justin's character or lack there of if you ask me.

 

[izzyB]

i am just sick that a lot of the evidence the state has on justin barber has not come before the jury. i know if i was a juror on this case, and voted a certain way, and then found out i did not have a complete picture of the defendant, the victim and their marriage, i would be really p-ssed!!! i would feel cheated. so i am sorry for the jury at this point. i think justin did it. but did the jury get enough evidence to convict???

 

[CordovaMom]

i am just sick that a lot of the evidence the state has on justin barber has not come before the jury. i know if i was a juror on this case, and voted a certain way, and then found out i did not have a complete picture of the defendant, the victim and their marriage, i would be really p-ssed!!! i would feel cheated. so i am sorry for the jury at this point. i think justin did it. but did the jury get enough evidence to convict???

I think even though the majority of evidence is circumstantial, some of it may be able to be explained away to the jury, but seriously I never heard any defense for the fact that Justin was looking up gunshot trauma to the chest - 6 months before the murder. You add that fact to all the other circumstantial evidence and I really believe they'll convict Justin Barber of murder. I don't understand why this evidence about the email wasn't admitted though. Did someone drop the ball on it, or did the defense successfully argue against it being admitted?

 

[izzyB]

I think even though the majority of evidence is circumstantial, some of it may be able to be explained away to the jury, but seriously I never heard any defense for the fact that Justin was looking up gunshot trauma to the chest - 6 months before the murder. You add that fact to all the other circumstantial evidence and I really believe they'll convict Justin Barber of murder. I don't understand why this evidence about the email wasn't admitted though. Did someone drop the ball on it, or did the defense successfully argue against it being admitted?

i can't remember which of ALL the evidence this former prosecutor gave a laundry list on (and there was ample) that she said could not come in b/c the defense had successfully argured a "fry" motion (or called other things in different states, but apparently there had been break-ins at both his and april's place, and at april's all they took was a stun-gun. the former ADA said that LE thought someone who knew about april's home was the perp as that stun-gun, kept somewhere by the bed was the only thing taken. also i think they thought his "stolen" car, found deep-6'd in a pond or lake eventually, could also have been staged for the insurance money. for a young man justin had a myriad of insurance claims for various things, as the former prosecutor said i believe "playing the game".

 

[CordovaMom]

Listening to closing arguments -- I don't really think that the defense diffused the google search evidence, I think he's doing a great job in all other areas, but seriously, he basically said, it's possible someone else used the computer to search for gunshot wounds to the chest, it's possible Justin saw something on CSI and did a google search on it. Personally I don't buy it, looks very suspicious to me.

 

[nanandjim]

...he basically said, it's possible someone else used the computer to search for gunshot wounds to the chest, it's possible Justin saw something on CSI and did a google search on it. Personally I don't buy it, looks very suspicious to me.

And, I don't buy it either. I just hope that the jury will use its common sense. This guy did it.

 

[christine2448]

Listening to closing arguments -- I don't really think that the defense diffused the google search evidence, I think he's doing a great job in all other areas, but seriously, he basically said, it's possible someone else used the computer to search for gunshot wounds to the chest, it's possible Justin saw something on CSI and did a google search on it. Personally I don't buy it, looks very suspicious to me.

So, they did talk about the computer evidence for sure and the jury does know about this?

This is on court tv huh? I would give anything to be on vaction this week!

I could sit and watch this all day!

 

[CordovaMom]

So, they did talk about the computer evidence for sure and the jury does know about this?

This is on court tv huh? I would give anything to be on vaction this week!

I could sit and watch this all day!

Yes the jury knows about the google searches on gunshot wounds, and the downloaded Guns and Roses song, does not know about the google searches about moving to Brazil, how much blood loss to declare a person missing, storing blood, etc. They don't know about email between April and Justin which indicated she knew he was having an affair. The closing arguments by the defense were very good, with one exception --- that computer search 6 months before the murder

Jury has been deliberating for about 1.5 hours now, probably getting some lunch in as well. Deep down I know he did it, I just wonder if the prosecution proved he did it.

 

[christine2448]

Yes the jury knows about the google searches on gunshot wounds, and the downloaded Guns and Roses song, does not know about the google searches about moving to Brazil, how much blood loss to declare a person missing, storing blood, etc. They don't know about email between April and Justin which indicated she knew he was having an affair. The closing arguments by the defense were very good, with one exception --- that computer search 6 months before the murder

Jury has been deliberating for about 1.5 hours now, probably getting some lunch in as well. Deep down I know he did it, I just wonder if the prosecution proved he did it.

Thanks for the post CordovaMom...I'm with Izzy's post # 66...I'd not want to be on this jury, or any jury anyway, cause this happens all the time...they never get all the facts. I think ALL the facts should be given, relating, not relating, everything....let the jury decide what to and not to use I MO...maybe I'm wrong, but I"d want to know how many times they guy went pee yesterday if I was resposnible for deciding things such as a jury needs to.

 

[nanandjim]

Thanks for the post CordovaMom...I'm with Izzy's post # 66...I'd not want to be on this jury, or any jury anyway, cause this happens all the time...they never get all the facts. I think ALL the facts should be given, relating, not relating, everything....let the jury decide what to and not to use I MO...maybe I'm wrong, but I"d want to know how many times they guy went pee yesterday if I was resposnible for deciding things such as a jury needs to.

If I were on this jury, I would use common sense. Common sense says this guy planned his wife's murder and then he murdered her. He truly thinks that he is smarter than everyone else; and he thinks that he is going to get away with it. I hope to God that he doesn't.

I heard that this is a death qualified jury; and 98 percent of the trials in this county end in a guilty verdict.

 

[concernedperson]

If I were on this jury, I would use common sense. Common sense says this guy planned his wife's murder and then he murdered her. He truly thinks that he is smarter than everyone else; and he thinks that he is going to get away with it. I hope to God that he doesn't.

I heard that this is a death qualified jury; and 98 percent of the trials in this county end in a guilty verdict.

Common sense should prevail. Hopefully,the bad seed jurors have been weeded out. But,you just don't always know. It could be someone with a similar relationship and a similar protection mechanism.

I always think OJ and MJ when these screwy verdicts come in.

 

[izzyB]

they also metioned on nancy grace today on CTV that one of his e-bay purchases in the 6 months before the murder was a body-armour type of police vest to protect his vital organs. it was an older style apparently. i cannot recall why the woman ADA who brought this to the grand jury said they did not use this in the case.

the DA had looked at his e-bay purchases the 6 months prior to the murder. in his deposition when asked about what he had purchased from e-bay recently he mentioned a stuffed armadillo (sp) but for sure did not mention this police vest!!!

i thought he was guilty before, but this seals the deal. i now have zero doubt. i am sorry the jury did not get this little tidbit.

 

[NoraLee]

nanandjim says:
>>I heard that this is a death qualified jury; and 98 percent of the trials in this county end in a guilty verdict.<<

Interesting -- I didn't know that.

I also didn't know about the body armor until today. Why else would you buy it? A guy interviewed by Nancy Grace -- Mark someone? -- didn't think it was strange since Barber went to a shooting range. Didn't he just go once?

 

[CordovaMom]

Also funny that the body armour has since disappeared, no one ever found it in a search of Justin's house. It's probably the same place the gun is.

 

[nanandjim]

... Didn't he just go once?

I believe that is what his lying a$$ said in his deposition.

I also do not believe that he and his wife got their homes broken into and his car and gun stolen. This guy was into insurance scams, too.

I'm not sure if the jury heard about all of this. If they did, surely they will think the same thing. This guy is dishonest as the day is long; and I also believe that he is a cold-blooded murderer. Scott Peterson has nothing on this guy.

 

[CordovaMom]

NanandJim -- the jury didn't hear about the break ins, at April's house the only thing taken during the break in was a stun gun. I do wonder if the stun gun was used on April to immobilize her, thus no sign of struggle, there were "punctate" wounds found on her neck or upper body somewhere I believe. Is it possible the punctate wounds were from a stun gun?