Good morning...just got to this page so do not have the benefit of comments from yesterday...did hear much but a couple people really struck me...and this is said in respect and I can't imagine what I would say...probably worse...but the one woman who was very articulate but just attacked the whole system and the defense attys..wow...the attys are doing their job...I don't think these statements should include personal attacks on the defense attorneys. Also Mr. Sullivan...again feel so for him but to attack the system just is not helping anyone. I don't think he will do well for the rest of his life...and this judge is now being put in the position of defending our whole judicial system....I don't know I have never seen anything like this but this crime defies so many norms.
I understand what you are saying and agree to a point. I also look at it this way.
These people are hurting, real bad. No matter what one would say, do or show them, they would not change their minds. Maybe in years they might change some of how they think, but they are all hurting real bad. Hence they cannot attack the felon, are not even to address him, so next thing is to attack the court system.
As for the defense lawyers and any team member, whether an attorney, investigator, doctor or witness, they should not be allowed to approach victims or friends without doing it through the court system. Cornering a family member in a restroom is so wrong...cornering them anywhere is wrong. I hope the Judge looks into this.
Any attorney should know that how they act, especially during the active trial day. The attorney would be watched like a hawk at places like a restaurant. There is a limited amount of restaurants within walking distance of any court house, so attorneys, jurors, victims, family, friends, have little choice but to eat at some of the same restaurants. The attorneys should act professional at all time during the active court day, after hours, well, they should think again. The family and victims would take any little laughter out of context and a loud 'hoot' would really upset them. Common sense from the attorney's should prevail. They may have been laughing at joke, but to the victims, family and friends it was laughing at them. The lawyers and team may have been releasing tension but we were not there so we do not know if the lawyers were making eye contact with the family, friends and victims, to upset them on purpose or if it was just lunch and releasing tension.
The wife who requested that the felon NOT serve his time in the prison that is in the town, she lives in with her now disabled husband also requested this in court for the same reason I am listing below...get it on record in the court room so no one can say 'they did not get the message or request'.
I also think the victims and families wanted the Judge to know what was going on and on the record, not swept under the 'rug'. A letter could go missing, an email deleted, or anything could be intercepted. In court and on the record, in front of the judge is the way theses people knew it would be out for all to hear and be recorded. Remember the email the one juror sent about her son's military graduation? Even though no other 'email' was ever 'found', the secretaries should have had it on the Judge's calendar to be reviewed when the time came closer as the juror did put this in writing in the beginning. The Judge even said that. Just as the mom should have emailed a reminder or sent a court note, so should the court as they had the initial date of the graduation. The point is, that the what was 'heard and remembered' was "there was an email missing''. The family members wanted to make sure their important message was given to the Judge, so they did it in open court and it was recorded and heard by all. The Judge was correct in standing up for the system, but I hope he understands the other side of the 'coin'.
I do hope the Judge does look into the matter. Nothing will probably be done, but a good reprimand might happen. I am not impressed with the crying, laughing and antics of the defense lawyers in the court room. There have been times when the cameras did catch a bit of the laughter, the felon laughing and changing his dead pan face look when the Judge and Jury were not in the room. Smiling is one thing but the other actions are immature and questionable.
IMO every year, ALL lawyers should take a mandatory class on manners, professionalism, not use crying to get the point across, starring at the jury to intimidate, etc. All attorneys should take a 'continuing education class', I would also include a professional speaking refresher class too. I bet the lawyers have to take some classes to keep up with the new/changed/revised laws. Any lawyer here that can verify that? If there are no classes then there should be. I know teachers and medical have to take continuing education classes, they may be called something different in other professions.
Sorry if I am on a rant. I had a terrible night and fell sound asleep as soon as the trial day started, so now I have to 'wake' up to function and to read all the posts. Thanks for keeping the posts going so people like me can catch up.
LWOP will be hell for the felon....'that guy', now has no name, just a number. I hope his attorneys do not request the prison to address him as MR. 123456789! The felon has no idea what he is in for, no idea at all. All this was a game to him, game over, reality is really about to take place in a short few days. Prison is different the jail. The felon killed, murdered 13 people....2 are children. I know that Colorado does not see a the 'miscarriage' as a human life, but the other felons in jail will see it as '2 children'. Felons do not like children murders.
