GUILTY FL - Dan Markel, 41, FSU Law Professor, Tallahassee, 18 July 2014 - #7 *arrests*

[Marysmith]

I was starting to think about that as well.... Did she turn it into "a joke" told by CA so she could try to somehow later claim that what she (allegedly) said to Lacasse was just the same "joke." JMO.

I agree with you guys that it was said in a heated moment and then she had to excuse it somehow so said it was a joke.

 

[friendlyobserver]

this seems like the most plausible explanation given all we know thus far. how crazy that SG isn't flipping?

Unfortunately, and imo, WA is evil. Her "slip of the lips re her brother putting out a contract on DM" was premeditated and said to as many people as possible so she would be sure SHE wasn't blamed for it. She planted that little bug in everyone's ear so she could appear "innocent" when the execution went down.

 

[Rivkah11]

RE: cross examination of Luis Rivera
The defense is trying so very hard to impeach his testimony that they are coming off as ridiculous. He didn’t say he brought a hoodie and/or mask? He also didn’t tell how many jockey briefs he had. I can understand trying to impeach testimony about guns, but not whether he had a hoodie. Sheesh.

I agree about giving emails and phone numbers of family which are still in use...and names of his children. Irresponsible and irrelevant, IMO.

Defense really doesn’t have much, except a few minor points which don’t amount to anything. Color or black and white? Why is that important? Did you drink a Coke or was it a Pepsi? On the facts, he is consistent. Garcia is toast. He and KM need to strike a deal before that predominantly female jury comes back with the verdict. The circumstantial evidence corroborates his story.JMO and MOO.

Rivera comes off believable, mostly credible, and what isn’t consistent isn’t all that damning.
The judge is excellent and kept them on a short leash.

 

[clearskies1]

RE: cross examination of Luis Rivera
The defense is trying so very hard to impeach his testimony that they are coming off as ridiculous. He didn’t say he brought a hoodie and/or mask? He also didn’t tell how many jockey briefs he had. I can understand trying to impeach testimony about guns, but not whether he had a hoodie. Sheesh.

I agree about giving emails and phone numbers of family which are still in use...and names of his children. Irresponsible and irrelevant, IMO.

Defense really doesn’t have much, except a few minor points which don’t amount to anything. Color or black and white? Why is that important? Did you drink a Coke or was it a Pepsi? On the facts, he is consistent. Garcia is toast. He and KM need to strike a deal before that predominantly female jury comes back with the verdict. The circumstantial evidence corroborates his story.JMO and MOO.

Rivera comes off believable, mostly credible, and what isn’t consistent isn’t all that damning.
The judge is excellent and kept them on a short leash.

I was thinking SG and KM might wait to see how Rivera did on the stand before deciding to fold their tents and cop a plea. JMO.

 

[dixiegirl1035]

But I don't think there's any evidence the murder was planned for that time. SG phoned KM and said they'd done it 'already', ie sooner than expected. No one could have known DM was going to go to the gym and then get home around 11. He could have gone shopping, or to his office, or met
up with a friend, etc.

Exactly, that is why they had to follow him each time from when he dropped the kids off? The first trip and the second trip they started following him after the children were dropped off.

She probably knew those days he would not be going from childcare to FSU campus. He was a law professor and they have certain schedules each day that are different potentially for classes especially in the summer (e.g. did he teach during the summer Monday Wednesday Friday at 2 p.m. in the afternoon for that time ) .

 

[Satchie]

Unfortunately, and imo, WA is evil. Her "slip of the lips re her brother putting out a contract on DM" was premeditated and said to as many people as possible so she would be sure SHE wasn't blamed for it. She planted that little bug in everyone's ear so she could appear "innocent" when the execution went down.

As she said, she's receiving death threats, so I'm sure many people agree with you and will continue to believe it in spite of the total lack of evidence against her. Unfortunately, this alleged favour her brother and mother did will ruin her life.

 

[Mariposa]

RE: cross examination of Luis Rivera
The defense is trying so very hard to impeach his testimony that they are coming off as ridiculous. He didn’t say he brought a hoodie and/or mask? He also didn’t tell how many jockey briefs he had. I can understand trying to impeach testimony about guns, but not whether he had a hoodie. Sheesh.

I agree about giving emails and phone numbers of family which are still in use...and names of his children. Irresponsible and irrelevant, IMO.

Defense really doesn’t have much, except a few minor points which don’t amount to anything. Color or black and white? Why is that important? Did you drink a Coke or was it a Pepsi? On the facts, he is consistent. Garcia is toast. He and KM need to strike a deal before that predominantly female jury comes back with the verdict. The circumstantial evidence corroborates his story.JMO and MOO.

Rivera comes off believable, mostly credible, and what isn’t consistent isn’t all that damning.
The judge is excellent and kept them on a short leash.

I agree with all this
I learned in this case that FL is a state with routine pretrial depositions in criminal trials which was weird to me as my state and maybe many others do not have that. It sounds like LR had a billion depositions and if course there were some inconsistencies.

 

[Mariposa]

As she said, she's receiving death threats, so I'm sure many people agree with you and will continue to believe it in spite of the total lack of evidence against her. Unfortunately, this alleged favour her brother and mother did will ruin her life.

Before this trial I could accept that there is a good chance WA didn’t have knowledge before hand if her family arranged this.

I’ve been very surprised though that the State’s Attorney appears to think she DID know. Because IMO that is coming through loud and clear that the prosecution believes she did based on the evidence they presented. Two examples that stand out is eliciting the testimony from JL about WA behavior in the specific date June 4 and the testimony about WA driving by the crime scene. Those things don’t appear to be key to the cases against the 2 defendants so why did Georgia Cappleman want that evidence in the record.

 

[Rivkah11]

I agree with all this
I learned in this case that FL is a state with routine pretrial depositions in criminal trials which was weird to me as my state and maybe many others do not have that. It sounds like LR had a billion depositions and if course there were some inconsistencies.

Agreed. He had more depos than any criminal could keep straight. He’d have to have a photographic memory to recall what he said during all of them. Shucks, I couldn’t recall what he said this morning versus afternoon!

Rivera appeared sincere and the defense being admonished repeatedly by the Judge made the attorneys look desperate. The first attorney was HORRIBLE. Jurors will not like him, his tactics, or his shenanigans. Those things matter. It made LR a sympathetic figure, not good for the defense. Perhaps he’s done too many pleas and not enough litigation. Kawass was a little better. Her attempts to impeach missed their mark entirely. Jurors will find LR to be credible. JMO

 

[fred&edna]

Anyone know what the judge and attorneys were talking about at the end of the day (after jury was excused)? I couldn't hear the discussion very well but it seemed the judge was giving them cases to research to get them started (or something to that effect)??

 

[Rivkah11]

My greatest hope is that real justice will come for the other perps involved. There are many victims in this case...the Markel parents, other family and friends, and those innocent children. May Daniel’s memory be for a blessing.

 

[Rivkah11]

Before this trial I could accept that there is a good chance WA didn’t have knowledge before hand if her family arranged this.

I’ve been very surprised though that the State’s Attorney appears to think she DID know. Because IMO that is coming through loud and clear that the prosecution believes she did based on the evidence they presented. Two examples that stand out is eliciting the testimony from JL about WA behavior in the specific date June 4 and the testimony about WA driving by the crime scene. Those things don’t appear to be key to the cases against the 2 defendants so why did Georgia Cappleman want that evidence in the record.

I was speckledorfed by WA before she testified. Now I’m very confident to say she knew, she helped in the planning, and she is a malignant narcissist. MOO

 

[clearskies1]

Anyone know what the judge and attorneys were talking about at the end of the day (after jury was excused)? I couldn't hear the discussion very well but it seemed the judge was giving them cases to research to get them started (or something to that effect)??

The judge said they needed to discuss jury instructions soon. He said that there's a case that says that in cases like this the jury should not be not given lesser included offenses to consider on the conspiracy and solicitation charges and he gave the attorneys case citations to look at on that issue.

 

[Marysmith]

actually the last part - about Wendi suggesting to investigators it may have been Lacasse is super telling in my mind: She was the only one who knew he left town early, and he had told everyone he is leaving that day of the murder around the time of the murder, and his route was passing near Dan's house - so it almost sounds like she selected the perfect day for the murder, where her family might not be implicated and instead a boyfriend she had already decided to end things with would be...

And how horrific of a person is she to do that to anyone, let alone a guy who is in love with you and treats you and your children (who you allowed into their lives) very well? That is despicable.

 

[friendlyobserver]

I mean - what could she at this point do more evil that would surprise us given that she was willing to murder the father of her children who loved those kids of her more than anything in the world. he was an amazing dad - she destroyed her children's lives.

And how horrific of a person is she to do that to anyone, let alone a guy who is in love with you and treats you and your children (who you allowed into their lives) very well? That is despicable.

 

[Marysmith]

I mean - what could she at this point do more evil that would surprise us given that she was willing to murder the father of her children who loved those kids of her more than anything in the world. he was an amazing dad - she destroyed her children's lives.

True that.

 

[fred&edna]

The judge said they needed to discuss jury instructions soon. He said that there's a case that says that in cases like this the jury should not be not given lesser included offenses to consider on the conspiracy and solicitation charges and he gave the attorneys case citations to look at on that issue.

That was it! Thanks!

 

[Mariposa]

Maybe hindsight is 20/20, but I don’t quite get how the mastermind(s) of a murder for hire done like this one thought they wouldn’t be identified sooner or later? Maybe in the olden days but not since the dawn of cell phones and widespread traffic and security cameras.
I’m sure even the past 5 years the number of security/surveillance cameras in neighborhoods etc. have multiplied. But even back in 2014 the assassins were lucky their actual license plate number wasn’t quickly picked up on any surveillance footage located in the early investigation.

IMO arrogance, hubris, recklessness all are qualities of the architect(s) of this plan. They might skate by legally but this will follow them forever. But I guess some people are in a word, shameless.

 

[friendlyobserver]

question: why are the cellmates to whom SG confessed not testifying

 

[DropthePuck]

As she said, she's receiving death threats, so I'm sure many people agree with you and will continue to believe it in spite of the total lack of evidence against her. Unfortunately, this alleged favour her brother and mother did will ruin her life.

With all due respect, I think the lives of the Markels were ruined far more than hers ever was. It's convenient how much she benefited from this "alleged favour". She got to move where she wanted and the kids were all hers. No more legal wrangling, no more arguing, no more worry about Dan trying to shut Donna out of visitation. Her perceived problem was gone.