GUILTY MI - April Millsap, 14, Armada, 24 July 2014 #2

[Chelly]

Anyone else here watching the trial live? Do you think the def atty is successful at impeaching the witness?

 

[Chelly]

Cathy ‏@courtchatter 6m6 minutes ago
#VanCallisTrial - During cross exam, James VanCallis gets his attorney's attn and is very animated.

 

[Chelly]

Cathy ‏@courtchatter 6m6 minutes ago
#VanCallisTrial - Krystal admits under cross that James would change the oil on the cars in the driveway.

Cathy ‏@courtchatter 7m7 minutes ago
#VanCallisTrial - James again calls atty over and tells him something.

 

[Chelly]

Cathy ‏@courtchatter 5m5 minutes ago
#VanCallisTrial - Defense asking if James ever went into Armada except to visit his brother. Krystal says no.

 

[Chelly]

Cathy ‏@courtchatter 5m5 minutes ago
#VanCallisTrial - Defense asking why she never reported any of the abuse until now. Krystal said she was scared.

 

[Chelly]

Cathy ‏@courtchatter 4m4 minutes ago
#VanCallisTrial - That's it for cross exam. State on redirect.

 

[Chelly]

Cathy ‏@courtchatter 3m3 minutes ago
#VanCallisTrial - Under re-cross, Krystal admits some of her answers are different today than at preliminary hearing.

 

[Chelly]

Cathy ‏@courtchatter 3m3 minutes ago
#VanCallisTrial - Krystal is finally done. Court adjourned until Tuesday

 

[redheart]

Thanks for the tweets, Chelly!

 

[redheart]

http://www.macombdaily.com/general-...er-searches-sought-how-to-attract-young-women

The last eight searches occurred July 18, 2014, Higgason said. The last one was, “Why does this girl ignore me?”

Other July 18 searches included:

• “How to make a girl who doesn’t want you want you.”

• “Why do girls ignore me?”

•“Why would this girl say I’m too old for her but still hit on me?” and

•“Why does this girl keep looking at me?”

Other searches were “What does it mean when a girl tells you she has a boyfriend,” done on March 17, “How to play a girl who’s trying to play you,” also on March 17, “What if a girl keeps looking at you,” on May 15, and “How to get a girl,” on July 14, one of two searches via a *advertiser censored* site, Higgason said.

 

[redheart]

http://www.macombdaily.com/general-...rlfriend-describes-suspicious-remarks-actions

James VanCallis’ ex-girlfriend delivered damaging testimony to his defense Friday when she said he told her he “messed up” within hours of the April Millsap murder, and she discovered other suspicious activities or items.

.....

Stadler testified in Macomb County Circuit Court that she awoke in the middle of the night to find VanCallis cleaning his shoes with hand sanitizer and a sock while sitting at their computer table in the living room of their living area. He told her he was cleaning oil from the sneakers.

She said she thought that was “weird.” She said she thought “he had done something wrong.”

The next day, VanCallis wanted her to clean clothes that he wore that night -- grey camouflage pants, a white T-shirt emblazoned with Michigan State University and Stanford University Rose Bowl graphics, a Carhartt hoodie and black-and-white Nike high-top gym shoes. With the hoodie, she said she found a small “wadded up” clump of human hair in the sleeve along with “shavings of grass or hay.”

Within days of the slaying after police had questioned VanCallis, he told her and others who lived in their home to “tell them (police)” he was wearing K-Swiss shoes that night.

 

[Nymeria]

Anyone else here watching the trial live? Do you think the def atty is successful at impeaching the witness?

I watch live Chell, but I do it at work so lots of times I get interrupted and miss things (I listen in earbuds, don't really WATCH, keep screen hidden, lol).
I missed most of the afternoon, going to watch over the weekend and see how it plays out.
But THANK YOU again for the tweet posts, I like to read them at the end of the day to keep up


ETA- GOSH DANG I do miss having the days free to watch and listen without interruption though, I am going to start playing the lottery heavily, I need to not have a job!

ETA 2- This one also happened not too far from me, and the day after my Bday, so it's a "hitting close to home" kind of trial. I was watching today and remember having to go to that courthouse many years ago for a trial, it may even be the same court room. All just too strange and sad.... OK rambling...TC all! :seeya:

 

[Chelly]

I watch live Chell, but I do it at work so lots of times I get interrupted and miss things (I listen in earbuds, don't really WATCH, keep screen hidden, lol).
I missed most of the afternoon, going to watch over the weekend and see how it plays out.
But THANK YOU again for the tweet posts, I like to read them at the end of the day to keep up

ETA- GOSH DANG I do miss having the days free to watch and listen without interruption though, I am going to start playing the lottery heavily, I need to not have a job!

ETA 2- This one also happened not too far from me, and the day after my Bday, so it's a "hitting close to home" kind of trial. I was watching today and remember having to go to that courthouse many years ago for a trial, it may even be the same court room. All just too strange and sad.... OK rambling...TC all! :seeya:

Good to see you again Nymeria. We enjoyed some good trials together here at WS. You are always a great addition to trial discussions. Hope to see you again here from time to time.
:loveyou:

 

[DaleTray]

I watched it live and dont feel defense attorney impeached the gf. I believed everything she said. Mid-night shoe cleaning and him asking her to tell investigators he was wearing k Swiss was very damaging in my eyes. I know jurors can have many perspectives but i dont see how anyone could acquit this man on the totality of the circumstantial evidence.

 

[tlcya]

I have not been able to watch live so the tweet updates have been a blessing to try to keep up with trial. The article linked upthread and the tweets about the internet searches were something of a revelation for me. I had not heard about those searches and they, coupled with the GF testimony (which I also believe), paint a picture that, while circumstantial, seems pretty damning IMO.

 

[Jinkasaurus]

I just learned of this case a few days ago and have watched it on YouTube. Its an absolutely heart-breaking case. The fact that so many people saw them together on the path within minutes of this guy brutally murdering her just feet from that bike path.... it just is one of the most brazen murders I can think of. Almost the worst nightmare anyone can imagine.

I want to learn more about who this guy is, his history. His internet searches are quite interesting. I find myself wondering if he had seen April before and had stalked her and planned this attack on her. It almost seems like he must have.

 

[colette]

Even if you don't believe the girlfriend, what happened to the shoes and sweatshirt? We have pictures of the shoes, the tread left the marks on April's chest. He was in the area from cell phone records. He has the motorcycle and the helmet.

Also in one of the photos (thought it was the booking one) he has a red tinge in his hair. The Pros. should have brought that picture out on redirect after the defense made such a big deal about it.

 

[Ibiz]

Did the police come to his house the next day, and take the photos of his clothes? Also, when did he paint the motorcycle, before or after the murder?

 

[colette]

Did the police come to his house the next day, and take the photos of his clothes? Also, when did he paint the motorcycle, before or after the murder?

I know he painted the motorcycle before, but I think the pros. was trying to show the bike was the same "type" as picked out by the witness. Not the color but the "type". Just so happens it had been that color earlier. Maybe that color combo stands out and that is why he darkened his bike in the first place. Because that bike was really nicer blue and white. He had plans.

 

[Ibiz]

I was going to say that. When the bike was blue and white, it looked nice. After being painted it looked like an old beat up bike.