Laura Babcock Murder Trial 12.12.17 - Final Charge - *Verdict Watch*

[meterclicks]

Code says "Now it's a very difficult time where we have to discharge two of you."

Fourteen people have sat on the jury since Oct. 23. Only 12 will deliberate on the verdict, two were here as alternates (for example, if someone got sick or had a death in the family and had to withdraw from the jury).

Code says it seems harsh but tells the jury, "You have provided us with the security for the last six to eight weeks of knowing that when the jury retires, the jury will retire as 12."

The court registrar now draws two numbers, she's pulling it from a box after a thorough shaking.
by Shannon Martin 1:24 PM

 

[DeaconBrodie]

I don't know where it is but I suspect that what he basically said was:

Assistance before can go to premeditation.

Assistance after can go to consciousness of guilt.

 

[Kamille]

Lisa Hepfner‏ @HefCHCHNews
3m3 minutes ago
The jury should not be concerned with the consequences of their verdict, they are irrelevant to jury deliberations. They should not be influenced by any outside consideration. They must be fair and objective based on what they heard in the courtroom. #LauraBabcock

Lisa Hepfner‏ @HefCHCHNews
3m3 minutes ago
P. 335 of judge's charge. If during discussions jury needs clarification, the judge will be available. They can ask to clarify evidence or points of law or any other matter that troubles them. #LauraBabcock

Lisa Hepfner‏ @HefCHCHNews
43s44 seconds ago
"You have taken an oath to try the charge and to render a true verdict according to the evidence. If you honour that oath you will have done all that is expected of you." #LauraBabcock

 

[Kamille]

Lisa Hepfner‏ @HefCHCHNews
3m3 minutes ago
Now the lottery drum. This is the second time Code has used one to dismiss two jurors. Remedy to allow courts to get extra jurors in long trials, where there is a risk of losing two jurors. Fewer than 10 jurors means mistrial. #LauraBabcock

Lisa Hepfner‏ @HefCHCHNews
2m2 minutes ago
Judge says it seems harsh to dismiss jurors after 7-8 weeks but it was necessary, he says. Registrar is spinning the drum. #LauraBabcock

 

[Kamille]

Lisa Hepfner‏
@HefCHCHNews
1m1 minute ago
Juror number Eight is leaving. Younger woman. She lifted her hand a bit. Doesn't seem too upset. Juror number 12 is also gone. Older man. Seems relieved. #LauraBabcock

 

[meterclicks]

Code tells the two, "My sincere gratitude to you."

He says we'll break for five minutes, so the jury members can say goodbye to the two who have just been dismissed.

Then we'll be back, he'll read a final paragraph to the remaining 12, and then they will be sequestered.
by Shannon Martin 1:28 PM

We're breaking for five. Be back soon.
by Shannon Martin 1:29 PM

 

[Kamille]

Lisa Hepfner‏ @HefCHCHNews
50s51 seconds ago
Judge can't complete the charge until these two jurors leave and say their goodbyes. He'll bring them back in for the last 30 seconds of the charge in five minutes. #LauraBabcock

 

[andreww]

Movie - that the best time to chat on phone LOL
Still that's a huge period - 3 hours.

Three hours is the maximum. Maybe MS was with him for three hours, maybe 30 minutes. Who knows. What we do know is that sometime after 7:30 Smich's plans to grab a bite with Millard went out the window because it was never mentioned again. My thinking here is that Millard didn't want LB to see Smich when he brought her home. Yet there is no warning when he returned from the drive at about 8:25. IMO thats a good clue that the deed was already done. I feel that Smich helped with the cleanup for a couple of hours then headed downstairs. After an hour or more he's restless and texts Millard.

 

[redheart]

Three hours is the maximum. Maybe MS was with him for three hours, maybe 30 minutes. Who knows. What we do know is that sometime after 7:30 Smich's plans to grab a bite with Millard went out the window because it was never mentioned again. My thinking here is that Millard didn't want LB to see Smich when he brought her home. Yet there is no warning when he returned from the drive at about 8:25. IMO thats a good clue that the deed was already done. I feel that Smich helped with the cleanup for a couple of hours then headed downstairs. After an hour or more he's restless and texts Millard.

In this scenario, why would DM care if MS saw Laura? That makes no sense.

 

[musicaljoke]

Code tells the jury:

"You must not concern yourselves with its consequences. They are completely irrelevant to your deliberations and your responsibilities. In determining guilt or innocence of Mr. Millard and Mr. Smich, you should not be influenced by any outside consideration...

"Your obligation is to decide this case fairly and objectively on the basis of what you have seen and heard in the courtroom."

He reminds them to disregard media reports and social media accounts about the case or the co-accused.
by Shannon Martin 1:21 PM

Surely that doesn't include WS!

 

[ab-initio]

If they were interested in pet cremation, the smaller unit would have sufficed. DM opted for the 500 lb. unit.
DM also told SS about 2 incineration jobs he had lined up in Barrie. No evidence was ever given to back up this obvious lie. In totality, the pet cremation alibi only makes sense as a cover story for their (meaning both DM and MS) more sinister intentions.

Double capacity for 18% more cost.
I can't say I wouldn't have made the same decision regarding cost:value.
Was that a rouse? Did he really want the bigger one for larger objects? Maybe.
But he arrived at that calculation rather quickly in his texts with SS, so I can't completely write off that he wasn't looking at the cost:value ratio.
However, do not mistake this: in NO WAY do I believe pet cremation was the intent for the unit.

 

[MsSherlock]

Three hours is the maximum. Maybe MS was with him for three hours, maybe 30 minutes. Who knows. What we do know is that sometime after 7:30 Smich's plans to grab a bite with Millard went out the window because it was never mentioned again. My thinking here is that Millard didn't want LB to see Smich when he brought her home. Yet there is no warning when he returned from the drive at about 8:25. IMO thats a good clue that the deed was already done. I feel that Smich helped with the cleanup for a couple of hours then headed downstairs. After an hour or more he's restless and texts Millard.

Or maybe MS was having fun with an incapacitated LB in private before they went in for the kill. IMHO, DM had tracked down some "domes" for his gun and that was an important element of the kill. MOO

 

[mimimic]

Three hours is the maximum. Maybe MS was with him for three hours, maybe 30 minutes. Who knows. What we do know is that sometime after 7:30 Smich's plans to grab a bite with Millard went out the window because it was never mentioned again. My thinking here is that Millard didn't want LB to see Smich when he brought her home. Yet there is no warning when he returned from the drive at about 8:25. IMO thats a good clue that the deed was already done. I feel that Smich helped with the cleanup for a couple of hours then headed downstairs. After an hour or more he's restless and texts Millard.

I wish I could agree with this- but sadly because she was female, I feel they would have made 'sport" of it. And MS could have participated in intervals if he could sneak away from MM at all, I believe he would have and would have so desired. again

 

[andreww]

In this scenario, why would DM care if MS saw Laura? That makes no sense.

Well he cared when we know LB was still alive. What changed between 7:03 and 8:25? He obviously didn't care if Smich was out front at that point. Possibly Millard wanted to do this all by himself, he killed her and went for a drive where he decided he needed help from Smich.

 

[meterclicks]

Legal discussions happening now. I'll let you know when the jury is back in the room.
by Shannon Martin 1:40 PM

 

[ab-initio]

Lisa Hepfner‏ @HefCHCHNews
1m1 minute ago
The night the eliminator was used, Millard searched the cremation temperature for a human. Smich was photographed holding the ash scraper, and composed an ashy stone rap song and later performed it enthusiastically. #LauraBabcock

Isn't this misinformation?
Did the screencap not say "what temperature is cremation done at?"
.. and from that the inference is drawn that it's for a human?

 

[mimimic]

Well he cared when we know LB was still alive. What changed between 7:03 and 8:25? He obviously didn't care if Smich was out front at that point. Possibly Millard wanted to do this all by himself, he killed her and went for a drive where he decided he needed help from Smich.

This is strange and something we have never talked about that I can remember (!)

 

[JPC]

I am guessing that there will be no sign of MB when the verdict is read??


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[james9]

In this scenario, why would DM care if MS saw Laura? That makes no sense.

I don't think he cared if MS saw LB. I think it was probably the other way around. He didn't want LB to know that MS was there. Especially if he was about to murder her. He probably also didn't want MM to see LB arrive at the house either. The less MM sees, the better.

 

[meterclicks]

The jury is back, Code tells them:

"You have taken an oath to try the charge and render a true verdict according to the evidence. If you honour that oath you will have done what is expected of you."
by Shannon Martin 1:44 PM