http://pnj.com/article/20090813/NEWS01/90813020
I can understand Ashley not wanting this released to the public, but doesn't the defense have a right to this? I don't know Florida law, but if the prosecution uses it, the defense has a right to have it. Correct?
I would think these tapes are vital to the prosecution.
Markhams motion argues: The only media or public interest in the information arises out of morbid exploitation by some members of the public and the sensationalism surrounding the criminal case.
Totally agree. I would understand if the tapes and photos are kept from the public, but NOT if it means excluding them totally from the trial. If the tapes and photos ARE excluded from the trial, I will be VERY disappointed in the Markhams. The first priority should be the successful prosecution of the case.
The Markham's have already done one thing which surprised me. They allowed their new lawyer Beasley to make, what I consider a very odd comment:
On Friday, an attorney for the Billings family cast doubt on Tice's possible involvement in the murder case. "He thought the world of Melanie. She was a saintly person. He really had a true affection for her," attorney Robert Beasley said. "It would be difficult to believe that Cab would be involved with her getting hurt."
http://www.pnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090808/NEWS01/908080329&template=printart
Now why would Beasley make a comment like that??????????? Shouldn't he allow the Morgan and Eddins to do their jobs without interference?
If the tapes and photos are excluded from the trial, I will begin to wonder about the Markham's/Beasley's intentions...
The Markham's have already done one thing which surprised me. They allowed their new lawyer Beasley to make, what I consider a very odd comment:
On Friday, an attorney for the Billings family cast doubt on Tice's possible involvement in the murder case. "He thought the world of Melanie. She was a saintly person. He really had a true affection for her," attorney Robert Beasley said. "It would be difficult to believe that Cab would be involved with her getting hurt."
http://www.pnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090808/NEWS01/908080329&template=printart
Now why would Beasley make a comment like that??????????? Shouldn't he allow the Morgan and Eddins to do their jobs without interference?
Yes, several people have asked that also locally. It seems like such a strange thing to say indeed. Wasn't this same attorney the one alleging that Tice was possibly selling off cars behind Billings back out of the country? And if it was a bungled robbery as they were trying to put forth, it wouldn't matter if someone's intentions towards Melanie were wonderful. But if Beasley also believes it was a planned murder...a hit.
And how does everyone know (including the family's bussiness/real estate lawyer) that Tice was so attached to Melanie? Tice must have really been close to the family at one time, even if Beasely is getting this information from the daughter.
I don't understand ruling out anyone in such a bizarre case as this. But they do have much more information than I do.
Interesting post on Billings case by TX attorney following it -- Websleuths mentioned! -- and attry looks to give more than 2 word answers in the comments too
http://backseatlawyer.blogspot.com/2009/08/byrd-and-melanie-billings-murder-in.html
Where are the Billings "document dumps"?
Eddins said he will release other material in the case, including defendants' statements to law officers, on Monday. He called that material "voluminous."
Just did a little research about the Sunshine Laws on the official site:I really don't understand how Sunshine works with how it is decided what will be released and when. We still haven't heard the 911 call.
I'm blown away by this news.Billings Family Seeks To Keep Video From Being Made Public; Suspects Arraigned
August 14, 2009
The family of Byrd and Melanie Billings has asked a judge to rule that certain evidence, including security camera video footage of the execution style murders of Byrd and Melanie Billings, not be released to the public. That request came Thursday afternoon, just hours after the seven murder suspects all entered not guilty pleas to the crime.
“The only media or public interest in the information arises out of morbid exploitation by some members of the public and the sensationalism surrounding the criminal case,” Billings daughter Ashely Markham’s motion for a declaratory judgment said. The motion was filed in Escambia County Circuit Court last Wednesday afternoon.
The motion also argued that the documents and video would defame the Billings’ good name and place their nine adoptive children in danger. The motion states that at least one of the children appears in the video recordings from inside the home during the July 9 murders.
http://www.northescambia.com/?p=10139
Just did a little research about the Sunshine Laws on the official site:
Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community - View Single Post - Media links **NO DISCUSSION**
Nope. Not about gossip. It's about a newspaper article.
It's about how the family hired a lawyer to protect the reputations of the Billings.
It's about the lawyer filing a motion to keep evidence from becoming public to protect the good name of the Billingses.
I personally find that to be very, very strange. And I want to know about the evidence.
I want to know how the home security videos from that day would harm their reputations!
That's weird. What on earth did the Billingses do in those videos that would harm their reputations?
What about the documents the lawyer wants kept private? How are those documents going to defame their good name?
The judge is holding the decision for the judge assigned to the case. I hope the new judge doesn't rule to keep this evidence public!
I wouldn't be asking these questions if the laywer hadn't filed the motion.
Can we get a copy of the motion? It's public isn't it? Or is the motion to be kept from the public too?
Is thiis a stupid question ... The state of Florida has probably all the evidence it needs to convict the people arrested for the crime.
It seems to me that there is a lot more going on here in these peoples lives.
Things that IRS, ATF, DEA, FBI, would be more interested in. I strongly suspect they are involved/investigating all ready. At least I would hope so?
Unless some entity does a private investigation we might never know much more than we do now.
Escambia County does not have the need willingness or the cash and resources to carry this to investigate all the allegations.
Ok enough rambling,
Who agrees that all we will ever see prosecuted is the murder robbery of BB and MB? The rest will just go away quietly ? right?