GUILTY on all 3 Counts!!! Post-Verdict Thread

[justicefortori]

Who will be going to the vigil?

i will be !!

 

[CarrieBean]

All I can say is phew!!! Am I the only one feeling slightly dazed today? I was sooo worried that the jury might not think he was guilty, I'm still outraged that the judge didn't allow the laptop and cellphone evidence. I think he is really going to take some heat for that. I've been picturing Rafferty in that teeny weenie stinky cell down at KP, with Bernardo staring at him. He's about to enter hell and I don't feel the least bit sorry for him. Thank god he's off the streets, it's terrifying to think what else he would have done if he hadn't been caught.

Have we heard any news about the baby yet? Hope Allanea is doing okay!!!

I was feeling pretty dazed last night when I heard the verdict. Can't explain it. There was no relief no anger. I didn't feel joy or happiness. I still can't explain the feeling. I don't think it's anything I've ever felt before. I cried.

I think dazed might describe it, if anything. I was concerned especially after the inadmissable evidence came out.

Trying now not to thing about the trial. Just hoping Tara, Rodney, Darren and family and friends can find some kind of peace in knowing that Tori got some justice (not enough IMO).

I want to see the victim impact statements on Tuesday. I wonder if Darren will speak.

Sadly, I don't thing anything anyone has to say will have an impact on the but they all deserve to have him know how they feel.

 

[CarrieBean]

I don't think Derstine was a villain. He was an actor playing a role. At the same time, I don't think he was a hero. If he's passed sleepless nights, he probably did it in high thread-count sheets. He's probably earned, what $200K-$300K for this? Ten years' salary for a lot of Canadians. His firm will probably get a lot of new business courtesy of this case.

I know someone has to do it. I understand that if we want the verdict to stick, his defence has to have been competent, and we should be glad it was. The criminal defence business leaves me wanting to take a shower all the same. Yuck!

If he'd just managed to get TLM's original confession excluded as evidence, I wonder if MTR wouldn't be a free man tonight.

I don't believe Derstine is a villain either. I never could understand how defense lawyers could defend people like this when they know damn well they're guilty. I mean, some one accused of theft, B&E, whatever but defending someone who you know raped and killed a child. Can't wrap my head around that.

 

[otto]

What Michael Rafferty did to Victoria is horrific. He had no reaction when he was interviewed by police ... nothing more than a bit of snivelling self-pity and wretching when he realized he was caught. Once he got over that, he tried to play the game of "clever" guy that had an alibi that wanted to know how soon he could be released. I assumed he was expecting his mother to lie for him. She claimed that he was innocent even though all the details about Rafferty's twisted, obsessive, disturbed interest in snuff activities with young, female children was already published by the courts.

Did Michael Rafferty actually expect that all the gory details and ugliness of his sick mind would be kept private? Surely his family understood that the information would be published. He had no remorse after kidnapping, raping and murdering Victoria Stafford. He was in the sack with another victim before the clock struck 7 the following day. <Modsnip>

 

[otto]

I don't believe Derstine is a villain either. I never could understand how defense lawyers could defend people like this when they know damn well they're guilty. I mean, some one accused of theft, B&E, whatever but defending someone who you know raped and killed a child. Can't wrap my head around that.

Defence lawyers aren't all that bad. Maybe there's a reason there was one witness from the defence. We knew that Rafferty lost the option of speaking last if he presented even one witness. The defence lawyer presented one witness, thus forfeiting the advantage of speaking last. Speaking last is always good ... but I guess it was Rafferty's decision that having a witness testify that TLM may have gone into the school (may have been babysitting) was to his advantage.

He's delusional ... and that effeminate voice ... he wouldn't survive 5 minutes in general population. He'll have to be caged next to Bernardo.

 

[otto]

All I can say is phew!!! Am I the only one feeling slightly dazed today? I was sooo worried that the jury might not think he was guilty, I'm still outraged that the judge didn't allow the laptop and cellphone evidence. I think he is really going to take some heat for that. I've been picturing Rafferty in that teeny weenie stinky cell down at KP, with Bernardo staring at him. He's about to enter hell and I don't feel the least bit sorry for him. Thank god he's off the streets, it's terrifying to think what else he would have done if he hadn't been caught.

Have we heard any news about the baby yet? Hope Allanea is doing okay!!!

I think the Judge was very careful to protect the defendant's right to a fair trial, and the Judge hoped that giving the defence what they wanted (for the most part) ensured that the defence had no basis for appeal. The crown was obviously left with enough for a conviction without that extra computer search evidence ... and clearly there was something missing from the warrant.

All is well that ends well.

I've read in the news that the police screwed up in their warrant ... it seems to me that the prosecutor, the guy that writes the 200-300 page warrants, screwed up. The police should have checked with the prosecutor to ensure that the laptop was included in the warrant ... but it seems someone dropped the ball somewhere.

 

[otto]

Oh my god... so sorry you had to go through this. I can't even put into words how horrible this guy is... how can somebody enjoy hurting people that much? It is sick. He ruins lives and enjoys it.

How absolutely terrible

Rafferty obviously didn't care about anyone. He probably looked at it in terms of "some female" having given him a disease so he was going to pay all women back. It seems like he hated women and wanted to victimize them ... having found young girls the least resistant.

 

[Sillybilly]

I don't believe Derstine is a villain either. I never could understand how defense lawyers could defend people like this when they know damn well they're guilty. I mean, some one accused of theft, B&E, whatever but defending someone who you know raped and killed a child. Can't wrap my head around that.

I used to work in the same firm as a fellow who is currently a judge in the Ontario Court of Justice. Back in the 1980s when he was still a criminal defence lawyer, he was defending a pedophile who was preying on young boys. We were chatting one day, and I asked him "how you can defend these creeps?". He answered with the utmost sincerity, "because everyone is entitled to a defence".

 

[Hello_Kitty]

Rewatching Mr. Derstine address the media, I noticed a few things.
He seemed extremely uncomfortable answering the questions. He sighed quite a bit, and seemed annoyed when he was asked how much money he made.
Also, I noticed that his associate, Ms. Giordano, was trying not to smile, especially at mention of the verdict.

It isn't really important, just wanted to share my random observations.

I'd be annoyed too if I was asked that. But in general your observations are pretty good. I think one of the reasons why he didn't want to answer the questions may be because he knew there would be an appeal. I think he also knew that there was no way he would win this one. He said it himself the crown had a strong case even tho in court he said there was no evidence, etc etc but that's his job to make the jury believe that and us as well, to cast reasonable doubt.

 

[Hello_Kitty]

I used to work in the same firm as a fellow who is currently a judge in the Ontario Court of Justice. Back in the 1980s when he was still a criminal defence lawyer, he was defending a pedophile who was preying on young boys. We were chatting one day, and I asked him "how you can defend these creeps?". He answered with the utmost sincerity, "because everyone is entitled to a defence".

Yep everyone is, and Derstine believes that too, it doesn't mean he has to like MR tho, to him it's just a job, like he said.

 

[otto]

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooo. I didn't hear the verdict last night because I decided to turn the computer and my cell off and spend some time with my daughter because I have been so wrapped up in this case. I came up stairs this morning and turned my phone on and the text messages started flowing in and the relief I felt is indescribable. I messaged Tara right away and she was so happy and said she finally after a long time slept last night. I feel so good right now. I would like to take all the police officers, the crown attorney, the judge and the most of all the jury for all their hard work on this very difficult case. Justice has finally been servered. Now only if MR wouldn't be protected in jail and get what he deserves it would be that much better.

Does anyone have the link for TLM police interegation?

http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/raffertytrial/2012/03/22/19536411.html

 

[otto]

I've been wondering all day how the single moms he dated have been coping now? Especially since the 'buying babies' and the Simone 'baby snuggling' chit came out.

If they weren't freaked out already, I guess some exes are now. If any of them had babes too young to talk back then, they may never, ever know what 'Mychol' did or didn't do to their kiddos.

To say that is creeping me out big time doesn't even begin to cover it. Miss Escort had *4* kids - and she was 22 back then. What are the chances that several of those kiddos weren't yet talking?

ugh. Just freakin' UGH.

So glad, so dang glad that monster is locked away for good. He's gonna get what is coming to him. Bubba don't like baby rapers.

That's interesting, because not more than a week ago there was a comment here about: "where's the proof that he was ever into *advertiser censored* ... errr ... kiddie snuff films?"

if you knew him, I'm curious about what he talked about ... like what kind of things he said ... what his general attitude and tone was like. I'm curious how a slimey guy like that had women climbing the poles to support him.

 

[Hello_Kitty]

I hope Tara knows how much we admire her. I admit I was very suspicious of her when Victoria went missing but when she continued to hold the daily afternoon conferences despite all the negativity and suspicions surrounding her, I knew she and Rodney had become Victoria's voice and there was no more question on my mind that Victoria was a victim of a sick sick individual. At the time, I never imagined the murderous duo and the heartwrenching details of her last hours.

I pray Tara continues to hold her head up high with the love and support of those arround her may she continue on a positive path with healing arms around her.

I was suspicious of her as well in the beginning and I feel bad for that - altho I NEVER thought that police drawing looked like her atall! I don't see how anyone could have thought it was her TBH.

 

[otto]

I will say this. After MR's arrest all of US girls were notified that he tested positive for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea. I was thankful that I was pregnant and had already been tested so I knew I was ok but I do however feel sorry for some of the girls that slept with him within that last week or two. I feel sorry for all of the girls they had to contact I had heard it was well over 100. Public health would have been busy. Now today hearing that he was searching out gential herpes in 2006 makes me sick. I can't believe that we could all possibly have them and not know. Genital Herpes is something that can't be tested unless you have an outbreak and unfortunately many people have them and don't know it because they lie dormant in your system for a very long time. Now for us girls we could potentially have them and could potentially pass them on to our future mate or husband. How sick is this. How does someone deal with this.

When you were notified by the health department that you may have an STD, were you also told how you got it ... or was that VOIP?

 

[otto]

I was suspicious of her as well in the beginning and I feel bad for that - altho I NEVER thought that police drawing looked like her atall! I don't see how anyone could have thought it was her TBH.

I was never suspicious.

I was worried because there was a growing, mass belief that the mother was involved. It was based on the mother's drug use ... and accusatory statements about the fact that neither she nor her husband picked their daughter up from school that day even though neither of them were doing much of anything. Police knew that both parents appeared deceptive when asked about their missing child, and both mother and grandmother claimed the other might be responsible. Police were also suspicious ... until due diligence with the rounded up suspects brought out a confession from: Terri-Lynn McClintic.

What a nasty pair. Bonnie and Clyde were not sexual perverts. They were desperados from the dirty thirties that had nothing to lose, so they charmingly robbed banks until they were national celebrities shot in a hail of bullets in a rural field. Terri-Lynn may have been thinking Clyde, but Rafferty was thinking Bernado.

 

[Hello_Kitty]

I was at the grocery store tonight and I stopped to look at the Toronto Sun and there was Tori on the cover of the paper with large print saying "justice"

I starting crying, I still have so many emotions still because now I know she truly suffered by the hands of a sick twisted monster.

The one thing I will say is thank you to the Toronto Sun for putting her face on the cover and not the monster like they did with Bernardo.

I just felt the love that everyone had for this little angel

I just try to think of her the way she was when she was alive. I still can't really wrap my head around what happened to Tori. Then I think if I can't, then how did Tori get through it. She believed in god and in heaven. She was holding her Mommie's earrings which probably gave her comfort in her last moments. That's really all I can think about. I don't want to think about the other stuff.

 

[Hello_Kitty]

That's interesting, because not more than a week ago there was a comment here about: "where's the proof that he was ever into *advertiser censored* ... errr ... kiddie snuff films?"

if you knew him, I'm curious about what he talked about ... like what kind of things he said ... what his general attitude and tone was like. I'm curious how a slimey guy like that had women climbing the poles to support him.

There was also a comment that said 'if MTR is found guilty, it will be the greatest injustice ever' or something of that sort.

I was pretty adamant in my belief that he was guilty, but I don't think I ever made such strong comments in my belief, except maybe after reading the above comment.

 

[swedie]

I love the fact Detective Smyth was in the courtroom as he said he would be after the interrogation of MR on May 20, 2009, to say "bye bye" to MR. Hahaha. So good.

Exasperated, Rafferty tells Smyth that he's not stupid enough to talk to the police without a lawyer present. But he couldn't stop from trying to get in the last word.

"We're done," said Rafferty.

"Is that what you said to Tori before you killed her? We're done?" Smyth spits back in disgust. "I think you're a cold-blooded killer."

He promises he's going to make sure Rafferty is put away for good.

But an optimistic Rafferty has another plan.

Defiantly, he says he's actually the one looking forward to being able to say "bye-bye" to Smyth for good.

"I'll be there to say bye-bye, believe me," the detective corrects him.

And in a 14th floor courtroom in London, Ont., where Rafferty's murder trial recently wrapped up after more than eight weeks of evidence &#8212; Smyth is waiting for that promise to come true.

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news...during+hours+interrogation/6601451/story.html

 

[swedie]

Beautifully put!! Thank you!

And a big thank you to Swedie for your positivity as we waited for the verdict. I think it was after the jury went out to Mt. Forest, you commented on the beautiful purples that seemed to light a picture of Tori's rock and the trees standing guard around it. I loved that comment! With all of the horrible imagery we had during this trial I'm greatful that I will most remember the light in Tori's smile, the look on Tara's and Rodney's faces after the verdict and the light surrounding that special spot.

Aww thank you Daisy, you're a sweetie! Your comment has really touched my heart. I have never wanted anything more in my life than justice for Tori. From the first day when it was reported Tori was missing and I saw her adorable little cherub face, her sweet smile and those bright beautiful blue eyes smiling back at me, she stole a part of my heart and soul and I could not put her out of my mind. She was someone's precious child and she could have been any one of ours. I have to say that I am not a very religious person but I felt that if there ever was a time I felt justified in asking for the help of our Heavenly Father, this was the time I wanted so much to believe He would hear my prayers. I made a conscious effort to ask only for one think and that was that Justice be served and no other child would fall victim to these two monsters ever again. I honestly feel my prayers were answered Friday. I will continue to pray and remain hopeful and positive justice will be served for any other child who is taken so needlessly and tragically by evil beings. It is so heartbreaking and something no parent should ever have to go through. Children are a gift from God and no one has the right to take that precious gift away from us ever. MOO. Today I took a trip out of town and I was amazed at all the purple flowers I saw everywhere. I went to the florist and bought a dozen beautiful purple roses to give to my mother for Mother's day a day early. As soon as she saw them, she smiled big and her eyes filled up with tears and she said, "I hear you got your wish". I knew what she meant because I had spoken so often to her about Tori and praying for justice.

To all the mothers out there "Happy Mother's Day!" Remember to tell your children how much you love them each and every day. We never know what tomorrow will bring. Huge, huge hugs to each and everyone here who had Tori and her family in their hearts during this horrific case. We now know what justice is, and it doesn't get much better than this.

RIP Sweet little Angel! Your mommy will miss you so much today (and everyday), but may she gain strength in knowing you are with the other precious Angels and are no longer suffering. <3 <3 xoxoxo

 

[snoofer]

I'd be annoyed too if I was asked that. But in general your observations are pretty good. I think one of the reasons why he didn't want to answer the questions may be because he knew there would be an appeal. I think he also knew that there was no way he would win this one. He said it himself the crown had a strong case even tho in court he said there was no evidence, etc etc but that's his job to make the jury believe that and us as well, to cast reasonable doubt.

part of being a lawyer is the belief in our system that everyone deserves a fair trial. He did a job nobody else wanted to do. Something tells me he is done with Rafferty IMO and won't be involved in any further litigations with him.

if it hadn't been Derstine the judge would have appointed someone else. I am glad it WAS Derstine now that the verdict is in. MOO

Imagine, he was going to try and get someone to be an alibi for him. Good lord. And likely yes his ___. Imagine the audacity to try and put someone on the spot for that. The other possibility is he may have tried to brow beat someone else into it using info about them. MOO Anyhow, LE was sussed to that from the beginning so thankfully that didn't happen. Bet, they warned "some people" he might ask them for an alibi and that would be accessory after the fact so think long and hard.... MOO