GUILTY GA - Richard Vinson Merritt, 44, attorney, arrested for mom's murder, DeKalb Co., 5 Feb 2019

[nodamselindistress]

Nobody believes that story, it is laughable that is the best he could do.

 

[Chelly]

Testifying in his own behalf was not a smart decision. His story reeked of nonsense. moo

 

[CrimeStoppers]

I have been a long time lurker long before I even considered registering. I cannot believe this trial has not gained more traction (or following) especially since the defendant is a disbarred attorney (much like Murdaugh—spelling?).
I guess my attention to this trial is partly due to my location in Georgia and having a family of attorneys and a judge.

Why hasn’t this trial gained more traction? The details are horrific and the defendant is testifying in his defense. His story is one that is plausible in his own mind, but the overwhelming evidence says otherwise.

I would love to hear from this community as to Merritt’s testimony today, especially on cross. Seems like a slam dunk, yet…. he acts like he knows more than the average defendant and shows zero emotion when recalling his mother’s horrific murder… which he claims to have witnessed and yet never made any effort to report….for months while he was hiding out in Nashville.

Thoughts? Comments?

 

[arielilane]

“This monster took this dumbbell and proceeded to bludgeon my mother right in front of me…” Richard Merritt, a disgraced lawyer accused of killing his mother, testified that two gunmen were responsible for her brutal murder, not him. MORE HERE: https://courttv.com/trending/ga-v-richard-merritt-disgraced-attorney-accused-of-killing-mother/

https://twitter.com/x/status/1661113210114564097

https://twitter.com/CourtTV

 

[arielilane]

DAILY TRIAL UPDATES

GA v. Richard Merritt: Disgraced Attorney Accused of Killing Mother

UPDATED: Merritt was sentenced to serve the rest of his life in prison without the chance of parole after a jury convicted him of killing his mother.

www.courttv.com

DAY 3 – 5/23/23

• Dr. Bruce Wainer, the associate medical examiner in the DeKalb County Medical Examiner’s Office, testified that Shirley Merritt’s cause of death was a combination of blunt impact injury and stab wounds and that injuries to the right side of her head were consistent with being hit with a dumbbell.
• Investigator Amber Winslow, with the DeKalb County Medical Examiner’s Office, testified that Shirley Merritt was found at the bottom of the stairs on her left side with trauma to her neck and face and a large knife blade sticking out of her cheek. There was a 35-pound weight found near her.
• Defendant Richard Merritt took the stand in his own defense and confessed to stealing money from clients.
  • Merritt said that there were 13 victims and he had been charged with 43 counts of fraud.
  • Merritt said that he felt someone was out to get him and that someone sent a cartoon to his mother’s house in DeKalb County, where he was staying. He said that copies of the same cartoon were delivered to other places as well.
  • Merritt denied killing his mother and said that two very large men came to the door with guns and forced their way inside.
    • Merritt said the two men threatened him, putting a pistol to his back, and led him and his mother downstairs, where they beat her to death in front of him.
    • Merritt said the men threatened the rest of his family, which is why he stole his mother’s car and went on the run.
  • Under cross-examination, Merritt admitted to lying about his name and background while he was on the run and admitted he never told his family or police the story about the two men with guns.

 

[arielilane]

Accused Mom Killer Richard Merritt Takes the Stand in His Own Defense — FULL Testimony​

 

[arielilane]

Arrogant.
Don't know why but Robert Fisher comes to mind. moo

 

[arielilane]

The Prosecutor showed more passion for SM during opening statement than RM did during his testimony.
Closing statements will be tomorrow - quick trial, imo.

 

[arielilane]

Tweets from 8 hrs ago

https://twitter.com/cathyrusson

Richard Merritt, on trial for the murder of his mother, testifies that two men came to door, pointed guns at him, he let them in. (These are apparently the killers)

https://twitter.com/x/status/1661074438979489792

"...and came back with the 35 lb weight that has been seen during the course of this trial..." #RichardMerritt with a slight chuckle, "the knife came later." Merritt then describes his mother being stabbed - he shows little emotion on the stand.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1661075772696854529

Richard Merritt, on trial for the murder of his mother, testifies that two men came to door, pointed guns at him, he let them in. (These are apparently the killers)

https://twitter.com/x/status/1661074438979489792

 

[arielilane]

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. (Court TV) — Closing arguments are scheduled to begin on Wednesday morning in the trial of a disgraced Georgia attorney accused of beating and stabbing his 77-year-old mother to death.

GA v. Richard Merritt: Disgraced Attorney Accused of Killing Mother

UPDATED: Merritt was sentenced to serve the rest of his life in prison without the chance of parole after a jury convicted him of killing his mother.

www.courttv.com

 

[arielilane]

 

[arielilane]

Defense attorney Daryl Queen told the jury there is no motive or DNA that connects fugitive lawyer #RichardMerritt to the murder of his mother #ShirleyMerritt. "There was no animosity between Richard and his mother," Queen said.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1661391255882833923

https://twitter.com/LawCrimeNetwork

 

[arielilane]

https://twitter.com/LawCrimeNetwork

https://twitter.com/x/status/1661400889750437891

During the state's rebuttal, Prosecutor Helen Pott said disgraced lawyer #RichardMerritt had to have been practicing his story about two armed men coming to his mother's home and killing her for years. "He showed no emotion," Pott said.

 

[arielilane]

Investigators believe Merritt was the one who killed his mother, not random men.

In her closing argument, prosecutor Helen Pott stated the case of fugitive lawyer #RichardMerritt "all boils down to common sense." Pott who referred to the disgraced attorney as a "serial liar" slammed Merritt's story about two men entering his mom's house and murdering her.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1661415292646424576

 

[arielilane]

VERDICT WATCH BEGINS: Jury is now deliberating the fate of disgraced Georgia attorney Richard Merritt who's on trial for murdering his mom LIVE UPDATES: http://bit.ly/3Wys4wh

https://twitter.com/x/status/1661408576051593220

 

[arielilane]

#BREAKING: A jury has reached a verdict in the trial against Richard Merritt — the disgraced Georgia attorney accused of killing his 77-year-old mother, Shirley Merritt, on the day he was supposed to report to prison for financial crimes. WATCH LIVE: https://bit.ly/3OzBZj9

https://twitter.com/x/status/1661446276485971982

 

[arielilane]

The jury began deliberating @1:35 pm ET. Verdict has been reached at this time, and I believe it will be read soon.

 

[arielilane]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1661446589813248005

 

[arielilane]

Counts 1 through 7 - Guilty

 

[arielilane]

GUILTY on all charges for #RichardMerritt in the murder of his 77-year-old mother. The defendant dropped his head and rubbed his eyes.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1661448140275449858