GUILTY FL - Phoebe Jonchuck, 5, dropped from 60' bridge, St Petersburg, 8 Jan 2015

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Niner said:
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you were busy last night! :) Thanks a bunch SeesSeas! Hope you have a nice Saturday! Sun shine here - a nice 41F (5C) though. A little on the chilly side.

Wondering "why" I'm not seeing this thread & Wend Martinez' thread on my "Watched Threads" alert? I notice I have quite a few that don't show up there. And yes I do have them marked "Watch Thread".
dont-know.gif
Click to expand...
You're welcome Niner!
Grrrr . . . re: your Watched Threads hiccups.
I'm not a fan of 'chilly'. Sunny and 80*F here in the Sunshine State. :cool:
 
Monday, March 11th:
*Motions Hearing (@ 1:30pm ET) – FL – Phoebe Jonchuck (5) (Jan. 18, 2015, St. Petersburg-thrown off 62’ bridge into Tampa Bay by her father) – *John Nicholas Jonchuck, Jr. (25/now 28) arrested & charged (1/18/15) with 1st degree murder, aggravated assault with a vehicle on LE officers & aggravated fleeing & eluding police. Not guilty by reason of insanity. Held without bond.
Court dates from 1/18/15 to 12/17/18 reference here post #168: FL - Phoebe Jonchuck, 5, dropped from 60' bridge, St Petersburg, 8 Jan 2015 *Arrest*
1/14/19 Update: A judge ruled Monday on how prior so-called "bad acts" by Jonchuck can be brought up during his murder trial. The judge said the only time the jury can hear about previous incidents is through expert testimony. State Attorney's Office said it will not pursue the death penalty. Hearing scheduled for Feb. 15 to discuss Motion for Individual Voir Dire. Jury trial starts 3/18 with jury selection.
2/15/19 Update: Judge Helinger addressed the first motion regarding the individual voir dire of the jury. The state & defense both agreed they did not need to question each juror individually about how much they know or have read about the case. Instead, individuals who raise their hands will be sequestered & questioned in a side room. The second motion regards the insanity defense which Jonchuck's attorneys also want jurors sequestered. Another hearing about the questionnaire will happen on March 8. The defense has also filed a rebuttal motion which will be heard on Feb. 28.
2/28/19 Update: The lawyers for Jonchuck asked the judge to flip the script — the defense wanted the opportunity to speak to the jury last. I n almost every circumstance, prosecutors get that right. Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge Chris Helinger denied the motion. Next on 3/8 Motion to compel/questionnaire 2pm & on 3/11 Motion to declare Statue unconstitutional @ 1:30pm. Trial starts 3/18 with jury selection.
3/8/19 Update: On 3/11 Motions hearing re to Declare Statue Unconstitutional (@ 1:30pm), motion to allow video testimony & motion to compel additional discover re: recorded conversation (@ 1:45pm). On 3/13 Motion hearing re Motion in Limine regarding hypothermia & Motion in Limine to exclude the use of the term "psychopath" & reference t PCL-R (@ 9:30am).


I shall shorten this after posting it. :)
 
OTHER EVENTS AND HEARINGS
03/18/2019 JURY TRIAL (8:30 AM) (Judicial Officer HELINGER, CHRIS)
**BRING**

03/14/2019 MOTION (8:45 AM) (Judicial Officer HELINGER, CHRIS)
DMTN IN LIMINE: TO EXCLUDE THE USE OF TERM "PSYCHOPATH" AND REFERENCE TO PCL-R / DMTN IN LIMINE REGARDING HYPOTHERMIA - (TO BE HEARD AT 9:30)

03/13/2019 CANCELED MOTION (8:45 AM) (Judicial Officer HELINGER, CHRIS)
CANCELLED IN COURT
D/MTN IN LIMINE REGARDING HYPOTHERMIA - TO BE HEARD AT 9:30 AM
03/13/2019 CANCELED MOTION (8:45 AM) (Judicial Officer HELINGER, CHRIS)
CANCELLED IN COURT
D/MTN IN LIMINE TO EXCLUDE THE USE OF TERM "PSYCHOPATH" AND REFERENCE TO PCL-R - TO BE HEARD AT 9:30 AM

03/11/2019 MOTION (1:30 PM) (Judicial Officer HELINGER, CHRIS)
MTN TO DECLARE STATUTE UNCONSTITUTIONAL
Result: HEARING HELD
03/11/2019 MOTION (1:45 PM) (Judicial Officer HELINGER, CHRIS)
D/MTN TO ALLOW VIDEO TESTIMONY
Result: HEARING HELD
03/11/2019 MOTION (1:45 PM) (Judicial Officer HELINGER, CHRIS)
D/MTN TO COMPEL ADDITIONAL DISCOVERY RE: RECORDED CONVERSATION
03/11/2019 ORDER GRANTING - IN COURT Doc # 304
D/MTN TO ALLOW VIDEO TESTIMONY
03/11/2019 ORDER DENYING - IN COURT Doc # 305
D/MTN TO DECLARE STATUTE UNCONSTITUTIONAL
03/11/2019 HEARING SET Doc # 306
DMTN IN LIMINE: TO EXCLUDE THE USE OF TERM "PSYCHOPATH" AND REFERENCE TO PCL-R / DMTN IN LIMINE REGARDING HYPOTHERMIA - (TO BE HEARD AT 9:30)
03/11/2019 REMOVE FROM Doc # 307
MTN/HRG 3/13/2019 8:45 AM I
03/11/2019 ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF ADDITIONAL DISCOVERY Doc # 308

link: https://ccmspa.pinellascounty.org/PublicAccess/CaseDetail.aspx?CaseID=16863299
 
John Jonchuck arrives in Pinellas County ahead of next week's murder trial
March 13, 2019
LARGO — John Jonchuck arrived in Pinellas County on Wednesday ahead of his murder trial next week.

Jonchuck, 29, had been housed at the North Florida Evaluation and Treatment Center outside Gainesville, where he was undergoing treatment to improve his mental health until he was ready to stand trial. With the trial scheduled to begin Monday, Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge Chris Helinger ordered Jonchuck transferred to the Pinellas County jail, where he will remain for the duration of the trial. He was booked into the jail at 12:15 p.m.
[...]
For years, he was incompetent to stand trial, meaning Jonchuck, who had studied to be a paralegal, was in such poor mental health that he wasn't able to understand the charges he faced or the trial process. He was declared competent in 2017, though countless delays stacked up in court and the trial date was repeatedly pushed back — including once last fall when Helinger agreed to delay the trial just 10 days before it was scheduled to start.
[...]
According to his legal team, Jonchuck relies on a once-monthly injection of psychotropic medication to remain mentally competent for trial. But doctors at the state hospital delayed his latest dose by about a week, until Monday, in order to deliver it as close as possible to the beginning of the trial, which could take four weeks. Jonchuck's lawyers said state doctors were skeptical the medical staff at the jail would administer a shot to Jonchuck in the middle of the trial.
[...]
Jonchuck's arrival on Wednesday means he'll be able to attend a Thursday morning court hearing, where lawyers will discuss two defense motions. The first motion is to prevent the term "psychopath" from making it into the trial, because it has the "strong likelihood to unduly prejudice the jury" against Jonchuck, his lawyers wrote. The second motion is to prevent testimony related to hypothermia as a contributing cause of Phoebe's death.
 
Thursday, March 14th:
*Motions Hearing (@ 1:30pm ET) – FL – Phoebe Jonchuck (5) (Jan. 18, 2015, St. Petersburg-thrown off 62’ bridge into Tampa Bay by her father) – *John Nicholas Jonchuck, Jr. (25/now 28) arrested & charged (1/18/15) with 1st degree murder, aggravated assault with a vehicle on LE officers & aggravated fleeing & eluding police. Not guilty by reason of insanity. Held without bond.
Court hearings from 1/18/15 to 12/17/18 reference post #168 here: FL - Phoebe Jonchuck, 5, dropped from 60' bridge, St Petersburg, 8 Jan 2015 *Arrest*
Court hearings from 1/14/19 thru 2/28/19 reference post #182 here:
FL - Phoebe Jonchuck, 5, dropped from 60' bridge, St Petersburg, 8 Jan 2015 *Arrest*
3/8/19 Update: On 3/11 Motions hearing re to Declare Statue Unconstitutional (@ 1:30pm), motion to allow video testimony & motion to compel additional discover re: recorded conversation (@ 1:45pm). On 3/13 Motion hearing re Motion in Limine regarding hypothermia & Motion in Limine to exclude the use of the term "psychopath" & reference t PCL-R (@ 9:30am).
3/11/19 Update: 3/13 hearing cancelled, next Motions hearing on 3/14. Trial starts 3/18.
 
John Jonchuck makes appearance in court as trial looms
March 14, 2019
LARGO — When John Jonchuck walked into the courtroom on Thursday ahead of his murder trial next week, his physique was striking.

The 29-year-old was transformed by weight loss since he was taken into custody Jan. 8, 2015, hours after his 5-year-old daughter, Phoebe, died. He looked frail in court. His puffy cheeks, so familiar from his jail photos, flattened out, revealing a sharp and protruding lower jaw. The shape of his collarbone was visible.
[...]
The hearing itself droned on. The first motion addressed whether expert witnesses will be able to testify about Jonchuck's psychotic characteristics. Prosecutors called a witness, forensic pyschologist Peter Bursten, who evaluated Jonchuck for the purposes of determining his sanity. Bursten said he found that Jonchuck exhibited traits associated with psychopathy and administered a test to determine if he was a psychopath. Jonchuck scored above 30 out of 40 on that particular test, the point above which someone is called a "prototypical psychopath."

Bursten also said he diagnosed Jonchuck with a mental illness, "bipolar disorder with mood-incongruent psychotic features."

"While I found Mr. Jonchuck has a legitimate mental illness, I also found there were co-occurring personality disorders," he said. "I felt in my opinion, it was the personality disorders that were the primary driving force behind Mr. Jonchuck's mental state at the time of the alleged offense."

Defense lawyers sought to prevent that testimony from reaching the jury, saying it would "unduly prejudice the jury" against Jonchuck. Helinger denied the motion.

The second motion sought to exclude testimony about hypothermia as a contributing cause of Phoebe's death. Helinger denied that motion, too.
 
John Jonchuck dropped his daughter off a bridge. Here’s what to know before his murder trial.
Catch up on the key events and individuals before a jury decides whether he’s insane or evil.
March 15, 2019
[...]
There is no doubt he did it. A police officer, just off a late shift, saw the then 25-year-old father drop his little girl over the edge. Jonchuck in court records admitted he did it and has described voices that urged him to kill her.

The trial will instead hinge on a basic question: Was he evil or insane?

Phoebe fell 62 feet, a few horrifying seconds before she hit the water. But the story begins much earlier, sweeping across generations of domestic strife, drugs, religious fixation and violence. It all led to one moment, on top of the bridge, and the still unanswered question of whether John Jonchuck knew what he was doing was wrong.
[...]
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Monday, March 18th:
*Trial set to begin (@ 8:30am ET) – FL – Phoebe Jonchuck (5) (Jan. 18, 2015, St. Petersburg-thrown off 62’ bridge into Tampa Bay by her father) – *John Nicolas Jonchuck, Jr. (25/now 28) arrested & charged (1/18/15) with 1st degree murder, aggravated assault with a vehicle on LE officers & aggravated fleeing & eluding police. Plead not guilty by reason of insanity. Held without bond.
Jury trial set for 3/18/19.
 
Thanks for that link SeesSeas - now if I go there tomorrow - the link you provided - will it be updated or ??
 
Niner said:
Thanks for that link SeesSeas - now if I go there tomorrow - the link you provided - will it be updated or ??
Click to expand...
I'm not certain, but I think it will be a different link every day.
Already today, the blog entries are numerous, starting with these posts:
The trial of John Jonchuck Day 1: It begins

ZACK (9:25 a.m.):
Some housekeeping here. If you’re following this blog, we’ll be updating regularly throughout the day. There will be no live-streaming during jury selection. If you have a question, we’d love to hear it. Please comment below. We will check often, then provide answers in the body of the blog. A big hurdle that should exclude a bunch of prospective jurors immediately? Being in position to spare a month for a trial.

ZACK (9:10 a.m.):
John Jonchuck just entered the courtroom wearing a blue dress shirt, navy slacks and a tie. Judge Chris Helinger is running through a few questions with him now.

How old are you?
29.
...
She asks him how he would characterize his mental health issues.
Jonchuck says he was told at the North Florida Evaluation and Treatment Center that he suffers from schizoaffective disorder .
...
Helinger asks if, to his knowledge, Jonchuck has ever been found mentally incompetent to stand trial.
No ma’am. (He has).
...
Flanked his lawyers, Jonchuck says he used to work in telemarketing and insurance.
Helinger, finishing, asks whether he knows there’s only one penalty if you get convicted of first-degree murder.
Yes, Jonchuck answers.
Life.
 
A few other points of interest:
The trial of John Jonchuck Day 1: It begins
LANE (9:30 a.m):
Some background on the questions about Jonchuck’s mental health.

He has a history of violence, drug use and mental illness, dating back to his teens. He was first arrested at age 12, for hitting his father, which he said was in self-defense. His family says he has been Baker Acted 27 times. His mother, and Phoebe’s mother, also have been Baker Acted. Read more about that in my story, The Long Fall of Phoebe Jonchuck.

JOSH (9:25 a.m.)
The judge addressed potential testimony from Emily Lazarou, a doctor who is expected to testify for prosecutors that Jonchuck was not insane. Helinger said she will not allow the doctor to call him a psychopath, as Lazarou did in her written report after two interviews of Jonchuck. We have reported on the defense’s opposition to Lazarou’s involvement in the trial here.

Helinger also asked Jonchuck’s lead attorney, Jessica Manuele, if the defense had made any plea offers to the prosecution. Manuele said the defense at one point offered 25 years in exchange for a guilty plea. She said prosecutors made clear they would not accept a deal.
 
The 3 news reporters are doing a good job of conveying the tedious nature of the individual voir dire process.
Here are a few more snippets from today:
The trial of John Jonchuck Day 1: It begins
By Josh Solomon, Zachary T. Sampson and Lane DeGregory

LANE, JOSH AND ZACK (5:11 p.m.):
That’s it for today. Continue asking questions in the comments below if you have them. We’ll post today’s story here when it’s up.

So far, 13 people remain from the first group of prospective jurors who are now on the shortlist. Judge and attorneys are trying to get to 70, and then those people will go through even more questions. Some of them will be selected for the jury.

Court is dismissed. Deputies lead Jonchuck out of the courtroom, back to the jail next door.

ZACK (2:27 p.m.):
Predictably, the defense is asking a lot of the questions in this section of voir dire, which is directly tied to the argument they’re expected to make. They’re pushing people: Can you consider insanity? Does the fact that a child was killed make a difference in how you look at the case?

A big piece of jury selection will circle these themes, of open-mindedness and the strong feelings many have when they first hear that Jonchuck dropped Phoebe, his daughter, off a bridge.

ZACK (12:10 p.m.):
Individual voir dire concluded for now. It took place in a standard conference room. Prosecutors and defense attorneys were there, with the judge, and Jonchuck. This is his trial, and he has a legal right to be there, as with every court proceeding.

They’re taking a break now, but first, Helinger noted it was pretty easy to screen people. “I can tell by the look on their face when they walk in," she said.

JOSH (12:05 p.m.):
One of the questions Helinger is asking jurors in private is if they can set aside what they know and consider an insanity defense. At least one prospective juror said they would need the definition of that word.

Even though it has its place in common vernacular, “insanity” in this context is a legal term. The parameters for proving insanity can be found in the jury instructions that jurors will have to consider when coming to a verdict. Technically, insanity has a two-pronged definition:

First, the defendant must have a “mental infirmity, disease or defect." Then, because of his condition, he either didn’t know what he was doing when he committed a crime, or didn’t understand that it was wrong.
 
Tuesday, March 19th:
*Jury Selection continues (Day 2) (@ 9am ET) – FL – Phoebe Jonchuck (5) (Jan. 18, 2015, St. Petersburg-thrown off 62’ bridge into Tampa Bay by her father) – *John Nicolas Jonchuck, Jr. (25/now 28) arrested & charged (1/18/15) with 1st degree murder, aggravated assault with a vehicle on LE officers & aggravated fleeing & eluding police. Plead not guilty by reason of insanity. Held without bond.
Jury trial started 3/18/19 with Jury Selection. Trial could take 4 weeks.
3/18/19 Jury Selection Day 1: 9 a.m. with jury selection. Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge Chris Helinger has called up to 500 prospective jurors. Picking a jury could take all week. A panel of jurors, about 50 to 60, every morning & afternoon until the jury is seated. We could easily go through hundreds of candidates before finding 12 & some alternates. 13 people remain from the first group of prospective jurors who are now on the shortlist. Judge and attorneys are trying to get to 70. Jury selection continues on 3/19.
 
The Trial of John Jonchuck Day 2: Jury selection continues
March 19, 2019
Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Court Judge Chris Helinger will lead another day of jury selection in the trial of John Jonchuck, the man accused of killing his 5-year-old daughter, Phoebe, by dropping her off a bridge in January 2015.

On day one, 13 people made a shortlist out of more than 100 to appear in court. Some of those 100 will return for more questioning this afternoon. Others were dismissed because they could not make time for a four-week trial, knew too much about the notorious case already or expressed reservations about their abilities to fairly consider an insanity defense.

It was a moment long in coming, the first time in more than four years that Jonchuck had appeared publicly in anything other than jail coveralls. The day’s repeated rounds of questioning also confirmed just how difficult it will be to find an impartial jury in a case that stunned Tampa Bay.
[...]
 
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