GUILTY IN - Amanda Blackburn, 28, pregnant, murdered, Indianapolis, 10 Nov 2015 #4

[bessie]

I just don't think anything but him being at the location at time of murder and having the gun that shot those bullets is needed. At that point, why does what anyone says need to carry much weight ? But maybe that was used to trip them up.

1) The CI's statements carry weight because they fill in the blanks. The fact that he can provide an unpublicized detail supports the veracity and reliability of the remainder of his statements.

2) LE's primary concern is arresting and charging the right perpetrator(s). Detectives aren't concerned with hearsay rules. That's for lawyers to battle out after the fact. The final statement in the affidavit is the clincher. Had CI not specified "back of the head" it wouldn't have been as strong.

JMO

 

[MaxManning]

1) The CI's statements carry weight because they fill in the blanks. The fact that he can provide an unpublicized detail supports the veracity and reliability of the remainder of his statements.

2) LE's primary concern is arresting and charging the right perpetrator(s). Detectives aren't concerned with hearsay rules. That's for lawyers to battle out after the fact. The final statement in the affidavit is the clincher. Had CI not specified "back of the head" it wouldn't have been as strong.

JMO

I get it, as the more evidence the better. But if I'm on a jury, I don't think I'd be teetering one way or the other if those phone records and gun matched the bullet. I guess maybe for PC it's a bigger deal, because they didn't note they have a positive gun/bullet match. PC document is meant to document probable cause to charge, right ? But if that gun doesn't match the bullet, that's gonna make me question a whole lot and therefore question if they were the ones that pulled the trigger and that's how they knew that detail. right ?

Just because only Taylor's phone was at the location, doesn't mean that two people couldn't have been there.

 

[MaxManning]

What might be the reason we don't have camera footage of the sebring approaching and leaving the blackburn's ? if there is not footage of that car coming and going, is it possible that other cars might have come and gone ?

Do we know if that camera is the kind that snaps an image every so often or based on movement ? or is it timed ? or constant video ?

 

[bessie]

I get it, as the more evidence the better. But if I'm on a jury, I don't think I'd be teetering one way or the other if those phone records and gun matched the bullet. I guess maybe for PC it's a bigger deal, because they didn't note they have a positive gun/bullet match. PC document is meant to document probable cause to charge, right ? But if that gun doesn't match the bullet, that's gonna make me question a whole lot and therefore question if they were the ones that pulled the trigger and that's how they knew that detail. right ?

Just because only Taylor's phone was at the location, doesn't mean that two people couldn't have been there.

As far as we know, the gun has not been recovered.

 

[MaxManning]

As far as we know, the gun has not been recovered.

I thought they had the gun. But you are right, they only have the picture of him with a revolver, right ? The gun they have is not a revolver.

Was the gun found a few streets away a revolver ?

 

[BigCityAccountant]

.... It turned out to not be a crime in progress, but I would not hesitate to call again. I just think members here are not average witnesses. We all know the depths of human depravity by reading here, so I believe any one of us would respond quickly.

Hi all!
Just getting caught up here! Just a thought...I always tell my neighbor's if you see anything suspicious...call the police...I can always get someone innocent out of jail, but I may not be able to get a criminal in jail. Error on the safe side.

 

[bessie]

I thought they had the gun. But you are right, they only have the picture of him with a revolver, right ? The gun they have is not a revolver.

Was the gun found a few streets away a revolver ?

"The bullets recovered at autopsy...were determined to be .38/9mm class. No shell casings were recovered which would be indicative of a revolver..." p. 18

LE retrieved a photo from LT's phone which shows him lying on a bed next to a snub nose revolver consistent with a .38 or .357. p. 19

The CI said LT had a snub nose .38 revolver when the trio left ABu's apartment the morning of the crimes (approx 3:30 A.M.). p. 23

The gun recovered from ABu's apartment -- the one under the bed -- was a Taurus 9MM pistol. p.22

Taurus 9MM pistol

Taurus 9MM revolver

* Any firearms experts who can shed light here?

WRT the gun allegedly found in the 2900 block of W. 42nd St, and turned into a fire station, no details about the gun have been released.


https://www.scribd.com/doc/291143533/Affidavit-of-Probable-Cause-in-Amanda-Blackburn-Case

http://fox59.com/2015/11/17/recovered-handgun-may-be-linked-to-amanda-blackburn-murder-case/

 

[BigCityAccountant]

According to the affidavit, only one couple spotted Taylor before he entered AB's house. The other neighbor sightings occurred afterward.

I thought I remember reading that a man in a hoodie was spotted on the Blackburn's stoop or front porch. I don't recall if that was before or after though....

 

[bessie]

I thought I remember reading that a man in a hoodie was spotted on the Blackburn's stoop or front porch. I don't recall if that was before or after though....

This is what was stated in the first press conference.

"Another neighbor saw an individual wearing a dark colored hoodie traveling from the first burglarized home.
Later on...occupants from that same residence reported seeing a subject wearing a hoodie walking westbound, away from the area of the Blackburn residence."
http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...-Killed-in-Home-Invasion-Indianapolis-4/page2

This is what was reported by the media.

"Witnesses spotted a man in the neighborhood that morning who was also caught by surveillance video standing on the Blackburns' front porch near the time of her murder."
http://www.wthr.com/story/30511206/...manda-blackburn-killer-were-coming-to-get-you

Of the witnesses referenced in the affidavit, one man and his wife saw the suspect standing near their trash and walking toward AB's home. (bottom of p. 16) The other witness statements report seeing the suspect walking away from the away from SuCo to Sunmeadow, or on Sunmeadow getting into the Sebring. Another resident a block away in the 2900 block turned over video which showed activity on the street in front of his residence. p. 17

 

[BrownRice]

The victim's phone isn't listed among the stolen items. Suggests that they removed the phone from her room so she couldn't call 911 had she awakened while they were in the home. Yet, they weren't interested in stealing it.

“I woke up looking for my phone to make sure I get to work on time and I noticed that it was missing...”

[...]

"S said the suspects knocked over her plants and got away with her laptop, purse, keys, and her car."

Per the affidavit:

"...woke up and realized that her phone was missing from her bedroom."

[...]

"Her Apple MacBook laptop was missing along with her purse and keys."

Why mention it? AB's phone was left behind, as well. Some have questioned why "real" burglars wouldn't have taken it, the implication being that the break in at AB's home was staged.

My thought would be because of GPS tracking on the phone. Especially if it's an Iphone. LE or the victim could use the "find my iphone" feature and track down their location. Then again you can use "find my iphone" to locate your Macbook Pro too - and they stole 3 of those in one day. I can only imagine they must have stolen a lot more in the past. I wonder why/how those weren't tracked back to them.

 

[AnaTeresa]

He doesn't want to be rushed through the system, which is what he might believe to be the cause of his 2012 conviction. So, I'd agree with Lilibet that he believes given more time, his attorney will be able to build a stronger defense. I'm not so sure he comprehends all of the advantages and implications, though.

Plus, most defense attorneys are going to waive the speedy trial right. Sometimes, you don't waive if you think the state doesn't have enough evidence and you want to put the heat on them to get the case to trial because you're confident you can win and/or get charges dropped; this can also be a plea negotiation tactic. However, the vast majority of criminal cases have the speedy trial waiver because it gives the attorneys better time to prepare. :twocents:

 

[pappa rob]

Plus, most defense attorneys are going to waive the speedy trial right. Sometimes, you don't waive if you think the state doesn't have enough evidence and you want to put the heat on them to get the case to trial because you're confident you can win and/or get charges dropped; this can also be a plea negotiation tactic. However, the vast majority of criminal cases have the speedy trial waiver because it gives the attorneys better time to prepare. :twocents:

Not only that but the defense will want to wait for the public to lose a some of the sense of outrage over the crime. It doesn't behove them to take it to trial when emotions are raw.

 

[pepelepolecat]

"The bullets recovered at autopsy...were determined to be .38/9mm class. No shell casings were recovered which would be indicative of a revolver..." p. 18

LE retrieved a photo from LT's phone which shows him lying on a bed next to a snub nose revolver consistent with a .38 or .357. p. 19

The CI said LT had a snub nose .38 revolver when the trio left ABu's apartment the morning of the crimes (approx 3:30 A.M.). p. 23

The gun recovered from ABu's apartment -- the one under the bed -- was a Taurus 9MM pistol. p.22

Taurus 9MM pistol

Taurus 9MM revolver

* Any firearms experts who can shed light here?

WRT the gun allegedly found in the 2900 block of W. 42nd St, and turned into a fire station, no details about the gun have been released.


https://www.scribd.com/doc/291143533/Affidavit-of-Probable-Cause-in-Amanda-Blackburn-Case

http://fox59.com/2015/11/17/recovered-handgun-may-be-linked-to-amanda-blackburn-murder-case/

I'm not sure of the question -- are you asking about the difference between a revolver and a pistol? A revolver has the revolving cylinder -- spent cartridges are not ejected. A pistol uses a magazine, and the spent cartridges are ejected as the bullets are shot.

 

[pappa rob]

I'm not sure of the question -- are you asking about the difference between a revolver and a pistol? A revolver has the revolving cylinder -- spent cartridges are not ejected. A pistol uses a magazine, and the spent cartridges are ejected as the bullets are shot.

Just because they didn't find any shells it doesn't mean it was a revolver. The shooter could of picked up the shell cases.

 

[AnaTeresa]

Just because they didn't find any shells it doesn't mean it was a revolver. The shooter could of picked up the shell cases.

Yup. A lot of them know to "police their brass."

 

[pepelepolecat]

Just because they didn't find any shells it doesn't mean it was a revolver. The shooter could of picked up the shell cases.

I didn't say that at all. Not even a little bit. I was answering the question as I understood it.

"Originally Posted by pepelepolecat View Post
I'm not sure of the question -- are you asking about the difference between a revolver and a pistol? A revolver has the revolving cylinder -- spent cartridges are not ejected. A pistol uses a magazine, and the spent cartridges are ejected as the bullets are shot."

Were you responding to this from Bessie's post?

"The bullets recovered at autopsy...were determined to be .38/9mm class. No shell casings were recovered which would be indicative of a revolver..." p. 18

In which case, yes, casings can be picked up, which is why they said it "indicates" (or "suggests") that a revolver was used rather than it "proves" a revolver was used.

 

[aa9511]

Hi everyone. Has it been determined yet why the suspects didn't steal thiings from the Blackburn home (besides ATM card)? Like Tv's and stuff.

 

[Ontario Mom]

Hi everyone. Has it been determined yet why the suspects didn't steal thiings from the Blackburn home (besides ATM card)? Like Tv's and stuff.

They did. A blue bag with a macbook laptop and 2 books inside.

 

[aa9511]

They did. A blue bag with a macbook laptop and 2 books inside.

Thank you! Like a laptop bag or was it a duffel bag or something? TIA.

 

[MaxManning]

They did. A blue bag with a macbook laptop and 2 books inside.

anyone know what those two books were ? am i the only one curious ?