GUILTY MI - Ashley Young, 32, dismembered, Kalamazoo, 29 Nov 2018 *arrests*

[inmyhumbleopinion]

By Carolyn Muyskens
Posted Jan 8, 2020 at 7:58 PM
Updated Jan 8, 2020 at 7:58 PM
“GRAND RAPIDS — On the second day of the trial for James Chance, father of convicted murderer Jared Chance, James's second son Konrad took the witness stand to talk about what happened after the family got a call from his brother Dec. 1, 2018.

[SBM]

Days after Young was killed, Jared Chance called his parents and father James, mother Barbara and Konrad drove to Grand Rapids to his apartment, where part of Young's body was found the next day by a downstairs neighbor.

There, according to Konrad's testimony, Jared Chance loaded boxes and other items into the family's Honda CRV. Konrad Chance remembered one box in particular, which he identified as the same box that contained Young's limbs, found by police on the landing of the stairs leading to Jared Chance's apartment. They also loaded a mop and bucket into the car, Konrad testified.

A witness also saw Jared and Konrad loading things — ‘bags and boxes’ — into the car that morning.

[SBM]

When they got to the Chance's home in Holland, Konrad remembers his brother taking something out of the car and putting it in the fire pit.

Police eventually located several items connected to the crime at the Holland home, including a saw and shower curtain that both tested positive for Young's blood.

The night of Dec. 1, Konrad recalled his brother telling him what he'd done to Young. ‘He was extremely upset ... the most upset I've ever seen him,’ Konrad said.

The next day, after taking Jared Chance to the police department, they dropped Jared and some of the items back at his apartment in Grand Rapids. James Chance admitted in a police interview that he helped move these items from the Honda into Jared's apartment, although Konrad said he didn't remember his father helping move anything.

[SBM]”
Much more at the link:
Jared Chance's brother testifies in father's trial

 

[Niner]

Thursday, January 9th:
*Trial continues (Day 4) (@ am ET) – MI – Ashley Regina-Maria Young (31) (last seen Nov. 29, 2018, Oshtemo Township, Kalamazoo County, found Dec. 2, 2018) – only for *James Howard Chance (76) & *Barbara Louise Chance (63) (Jared’s parents) charged (12/10/18), arrested (12/11/18) & arraigned (12/12/18) with accessory after the fact of a felony & perjury. Both plead not guilty. $25K bond. (released on 12/12/18). Bound over from Kent County to Grand Rapids Circuit Court
Trial began on 1/6/20 for only James with jury selection.
1/6/20 Update: Barbara Chance plead no contest to charges of accessory after the fact to a felony & perjury the morning of Jan. 6, as her husband James, watching from the courtroom gallery, prepared to go to trial for the same charges. She will be sentenced on Feb. 19. The judge said based upon his evaluation, Barbara’s maximum sentence would be one year in the county jail, unless new information comes to light during the pre-sentence investigation that affects the evaluation. She has a ‘clean prior criminal history per Judge. James' trial started with jury selection Monday. Jury selected.
1/7/20 Day 2: Opening statements by both sides. State witnesses: a police lieutenant from a dept. in Rock Island, Illinois (James’ previous employment). Kristine Young (Ashley's mom). Mario Nelson (Jared's downstairs neighbor). Tiffany Lamos (former GRPD intern). GRPD Lt. Pat Merrill. Other Detectives (no names givens) and crime scene investigators (no names given).
1/8/20 Day 3: State witnesses: Konrad Chance (son). Jurors heard testimony regarding the tracking of the Chances’ cellphones on Dec. 2. Jurors then heard a recording of the December 2018 police interview during which authorities allege James Chance perjured himself. Testimony could wrap up Thursday and closing arguments may happen Friday, after which the case will go to the jury for deliberation. No other information available, trial continues on 1/9.
*Jared James Chance (29) – Trial was 9/9/19 & found guilty. Sentenced to 100 to 200 years.

 

[inmyhumbleopinion]

By Carolyn Muyskens
Posted Jan 9, 2020 at 5:23 PM
Updated Jan 9, 2020 at 5:41 PM
“GRAND RAPIDS — The prosecution and defense have rested their cases in the trial of Holland man James Chance on charges he helped his son Jared Chance attempt to cover up the dismemberment of Kalamazoo-area woman Ashley Young.

Closing arguments are expected the morning of Friday, Jan. 10, and a 12-person jury will decide whether to convict James Chance on charges of accessory after the fact to the mutilation of a body and two counts of perjury.

In testimony on Thursday, Jan. 9, a transcript from an interview between James Chance and police was read aloud for the jury. The jury learned Jared Chance told his father he scattered parts of Young's body in trash cans.

‘(Jared) indicated to me that he put parts all over town in trash things,’ Chance told police, according to the transcript.

Detectives who worked the case testified Thursday that time is crucial to any homicide investigation, but even more so this one, because trash and dumpsters are emptied regularly. Young's head, hands and feet have never been found, nor has Jared Chance's gun.

The prosecutor has theorized Jared Chance may have been able to get rid of some evidence during a stop at Costco in Grandville on Dec. 1. By the time detectives learned of the stop from phone records, the garbage from that week had already been picked up.

That's why the prosecutor believes James Chance's failure to tell police about the Costco stop is significant.

[SBM]”
Holland Sentinel

 

[inmyhumbleopinion]

WOODTV.com staff and Barton Deiters
16 hours ago
“GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — As testimony wrapped up Thursday in the trial of a convicted killer’s father, jurors learned that James Chance told investigators his son dumped parts of Ashley Young’s body in various trash cans around metro Grand Rapids.

His son Jared Chance was previously convicted of killing Young, 31, of the Kalamazoo area in late 2018. James Chance is accused of perjury and being an accessory after the fact in her dismemberment.

‘He was crying, he was emotional. He said, “I can’t believe I did it but I was so afraid.” And he got this felony thing over his head and he was so afraid and he was extremely under the influence and then that is when he proceeded to hack this poor girl up,’ James Chance described his son’s confession to the family, according to the transcript of a December 2018 interrogation.

[SBM]

The prosecution rested before noon and the defense decided not to present any of its own witnesses.

With the jury out of the room, defense attorney Laura Joyce then asked Judge Paul Denenfeld to throw out the case due to lack of evidence.

Dubious of the prosecution’s claim that James Chance tampered with evidence and participated as an accessory, Denenfeld asked Kent County Assistant Prosecutor Lawrence Boivin to explain his theory that James Chance believed Young’s head was in a backpack left at his son’s apartment. That backpack was mentioned by James Chance in a police interview, but was never part of the murder trial in September.

‘Well, what did the defendant do? Knowing that there’s where he believes the head is, what does he do? He took, and he says it in the interview: “I took the trash out,”’ Boivin said in court Thursday, using the theory to deflect the defense’s motion to dismiss the case.

It is rare that a defense motion to dismiss a case before it goes to a jury is granted because the prosecution is given the benefit of the doubt. But Denenfeld was clearly considering it.

‘I think some of this is a close case,’ he said.

Ultimately, Denenfeld decided to send the case to the jury.

[SBM]”
Transcript: Dad said killer left body parts in trash

 

[Niner]

Friday, January 10th:
*Trial continues (Day 5)-VERDICT WATCH! (@ am ET) – MI – Ashley Regina-Maria Young (31) (last seen Nov. 29, 2018, Oshtemo Township, Kalamazoo County, found Dec. 2, 2018) – only for *James Howard Chance (76) (Jared’s father) charged (12/10/18), arrested (12/11/18) & arraigned (12/12/18) with accessory after the fact of a felony & perjury. Plead not guilty. $25K bond. (released on 12/12/18). Bound over from Kent County to Grand Rapids Circuit Court.
Trial began on 1/6/20 for only James with jury selection.
1/6/20 Update: Barbara Chance plead no contest to charges of accessory after the fact to a felony & perjury the morning of Jan. 6, as her husband James, watching from the courtroom gallery, prepared to go to trial for the same charges. She will be sentenced on Feb. 19. The judge said based upon his evaluation, Barbara’s maximum sentence would be one year in the county jail, unless new information comes to light during the pre-sentence investigation that affects the evaluation. She has a ‘clean prior criminal history per Judge. James' trial started with jury selection Monday.
1/7/20 Day 2: Opening statements by both sides. State witnesses: a police lieutenant from a dept. in Rock Island, Illinois (James’ previous employment). Kristine Young (Ashley's mom). Mario Nelson (Jared's downstairs neighbor). Tiffany Lamos (former GRPD intern). GRPD Lt. Pat Merrill. Other Detectives (no names givens) and crime scene investigators (no names given). Trial continues on 1/8.
1/8/20 Day 3: State witnesses: Konrad Chance (son). Jurors heard testimony regarding the tracking of the Chances’ cellphones on Dec. 2. Jurors then heard a recording of the December 2018 police interview during which authorities allege James Chance perjured himself. Testimony could wrap up Thursday and closing arguments may happen Friday, after which the case will go to the jury for deliberation. No other information available, trial continues on 1/9.
1/9/20 Day 4: State witnesses: Detectives (who worked case-no names given). A transcript from an interview (December, 2018) between James Chance & police was read aloud for the jury. The prosecution rested before noon & the defense decided not to present any of its own witnesses. Chance declined to testify. With the jury out of the room, defense attorney Laura Joyce then asked Judge Paul Denenfeld to throw out the case due to lack of evidence. Judge denies motion & will send case to jurors tomorrow. Court starts at 8am on 1/10.
*Jared James Chance (29) – Trial was 9/9/19 & found guilty. Sentenced to 100 to 200 years.
*Barbara Chance (63) - Plead no contest, sentencing on 2/19/20.

 

[Niner]

hmmm.... no verdict yet??

 

[Luckyzmom]

Wonder how Dad being retired LE weighs on defense requests to throw the case out ... Mom plead no contest interesting choice, praying it ends here for Ashley's family. Wish this parents would have encouraged him to give up location of Ashley's remains instead of helping him cover his Heinous deeds . Ughhhhh MOO

 

[Niner]

@Spellbound - don't know if you've been following this case, but since you are somewhat local - anything in the papers about this case?

TIA!

 

[inmyhumbleopinion]

By Carolyn Muyskens
Posted Jan 10, 2020 at 12:00 PM
Updated Jan 10, 2020 at 4:38 PM
“GRAND RAPIDS — A jury is deciding the fate of Holland man James Chance, father of convicted murderer Jared Chance, after his weeklong trial on charges of accessory after the fact and perjury wrapped up Friday morning.

He's accused of helping his son after Jared Chance killed and dismembered Ashley Young in November 2018.

Although the 12-person Kent County jury spent about five hours deliberating the case on Friday, they told the judge Friday afternoon they were not able to reach a verdict on the three charges: accessory after the fact to a mutilation and two counts of perjury during an investigative subpoena. Deliberations will resume at 8 a.m. Monday, Jan. 13.

[SBM]

[Defense attorney Laura] Joyce argued Chance did what he could to turn his son over to police — taking him to the Grand Rapids Police Department on Dec. 2, 2018, shortly after his son confessed to his parents — and when police didn't take over, Chance was put ‘in an impossible situation,’ she said.

‘He may have been a police officer 30 years ago, but he's still a dad, and he's still a human, and he still loves his son. So yeah, he wants him to pay for his consequences. But he does not have to be the person to put the handcuffs on him,’ Joyce said.

Prosecutor Lawrence Boivin, on the other hand, said the father and son's visit to the police department was ‘a charade.’ The two were at GRPD for just minutes before Jared Chance walked out, followed by his father, who had insisted his son needed an attorney before speaking to police.

The prosecutor has argued that Chance, who was a police officer in Rock Island, Ill., for 24 years, used his law enforcement experience to try to thwart the investigation.

[SBM]

The prosecutor called James Chance's alleged perjury a ‘calculated effort’ to throw the investigators off course and prevent them from searching the two places the family stopped on the way to Holland.

‘It's a calculated lie, because he knows how important time is in an investigation,’ Boivin said.

He also suggested Chance may have gotten rid of some evidence at his home in Holland by taking out the trash on Tuesday, Dec. 4.

Joyce, on the other hand, said if Chance failed to tell police about the route, it wasn't intentional. She also said it didn't make sense to claim Chance was a ‘mastermind accessory,’ since much of the evidence was found in plain sight at the Holland home and Jared's Grand Rapids apartment.

‘They want to call them a liar, an accessory and a manipulator because he didn't scream at the top of his lungs that his son had committed a crime,’ Joyce said.

‘The moment he walked out of GRPD and his wife put the car in drive and they left, that evidence was tampered with and moved, with the purpose to help Jared. You might not have a legal obligation to report this crime, ... but you are not entitled to remove evidence,’ Boivin said.

Chance admitted during police interviews that he was worried about touching the items in the [family] Honda because he knew he could be charged with a crime for helping his son.

[SBM]” (BBM)
More at the link:
Jury continues to debate James Chance case

 

[inmyhumbleopinion]

by: WOODTV.com staff
Posted: Jan 10, 2020 / 04:49 AM EST / Updated: Jan 10, 2020 / 06:39 PM EST
“GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — The case of a father accused of helping his son cover up the dismemberment of a woman is in the hands of a jury.

They will decide whether James Chance, 77, is guilty or not guilty of perjury and being an accessory after the fact in the dismemberment of Ashley Young, who Chance’s son, Jared Chance, was convicted of murdering.

Jurors deliberated for more than four hours Friday before the judge sent them home for the day. The seven women and five men will return to the courthouse Monday morning to attempt to reach a verdict.

[SBM]

[Kent County Assistant Prosecutor Lawrence Boivin] said James Chance omitted details about stops the family made between Grand Rapids, where Young was killed in late 2018, and the family home in Holland. Some of Young’s remains and other evidence were in his vehicle at the time. Boivin said James Chance’s failure to tell investigators everything that happened hindered the investigation and may have prevented the recovery of Young’s body parts.

He said that the family’s Dec. 2, 2018, visit to the Grand Rapids Police Department after Chance’s son confessed to his parents was a ruse to buy time. Boivin said James Chance could have simply told police what happened and that he had the evidence — but he didn’t. The family ultimately left police headquarters because James Chance insisted on having an attorney present and police would not provide one because no arrest had been made.

‘The moment he walked out of GRPD and his wife put the car in drive and they left, that evidence was tampered with and moved and it was done so with the purpose to help Jared,’ Boivin said.

He also alleged that James Chance ‘damn well knew’ that part of Young’s remains were in the cardboard box his son had put in his car. In a December 2018 interview with police, James Chance said he did not think any remains were in the box.

The prosecutor went on to imply to the jury that James Chance himself disposed of Young’s head in the trash at his home — a theory Boivin had previously presented to the judge without the jury in the room, though no evidence to that effect was put forth during two and a half days of testimony this week.

‘He got rid of evidence that was at his house. He lied to us under oath about where he went. He lied to us about what time he went back. All in calculated effort to try and help his son get away with what he did to Ashley,’ Boivin said.

When it was her turn to give a closing argument, defense attorney Laura Joyce said any omissions in her client’s interviews with police were the result of a faulty memory, not a deliberate lie.

‘He has to sit here today and suffer the indignity of being pointed at and called a liar. He’s not a liar,’ Joyce said. ‘He’s confused about time and, yeah, maybe he forgot that (his wife) went and bought a pot pie at Costco’

She reminded jurors that her client told investigators his son should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, that he tried to give helpful information and that he delivered his son to police.

‘Jim Chance has the courage to bring his son to the police department,’ she said, adding he did more than he was lawfully required to do to aid authorities. ‘How dare the prosecutor allege that they (the Chance family) took two hours to figure out some sort of different plan? How dare he? He took his son to face the consequences for murder.’

[SBM]”
Jury weighs case of convicted killer’s dad

 

[inmyhumbleopinion]

From one of the articles linked in the article shared in my last post:
by: WOODTV.com staff
Posted: Jan 8, 2020 / 04:57 AM EST /
Updated: Jan 8, 2020 / 07:33 PM EST
“GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Konrad Chance, the brother of convicted killer and mutilator Jared Chance, took the stand Wednesday as a witness against their father, saying James Chance knew what Jared had done hours before police did.

[SBM]

Konrad Chance was the first person Jared Chance confessed to.

He testified Wednesday that on Dec. 2, 2018, he and his parents drove to the Franklin Street SE house where Jared Chance was renting an apartment. He said Jared Chance loaded the family Honda with items, including ‘a cardboard box with a big black bag in it.’

It turned out the box contained the dismembered limbs of Young.

Once the family arrived at their home in Holland, Jared Chance took something out of the car and burned it in the fire pit, Konrad Chance testified.

Later, in Konrad Chance’s basement bedroom, Jared Chance admitted what he had done.

[SBM]

After that confession, Konrad Chance said, his brother told his parents.

Konrad Chance said everyone in the family was crying as they drove back to Grand Rapids. Once there, they moved the box containing Young’s remains back into the Franklin Street house.

‘I don’t believe my dad helped move anything,’ Konrad Chance said. ‘I pretty sure he didn’t.’

But when questioned by police in December 2018, James Chance told a detective that he helped carry a box.

After returning the box to the house, the family went to the Grand Rapids Police Department.

‘The father stated that his son was there to talk in regards to a missing person and I’d asked if the missing person was Ashley,’ Tiffany Lamos, a former GRPD intern, testified.

Lamos, now a rookie cop in on the east side of the state, said she had talked to Young’s mother the day before and knew Young was missing.

After that, veteran GRPD Lt. Pat Merrill took over. Young’s mother reported to him on Dec. 1, 2018, that her daughter had not been heard from and she was worried. However, Young was an adult and it wasn’t possible to make a missing person report at the time, Merrill said.

‘She had no history of mental health issues, no drug abuse issues, no emotional distress issues I had to worry about,’ Merrill said, ‘and they were very, very concise and clear that she was just a young lady that was hanging around with someone who wasn’t a great guy.’

When Jared and James Chance came into the police department, Jared was being sought in connection to Young.

‘He (James Chance) stated that his son was being harassed on social media, on Facebook, that people on Facebook had told him he had better submit himself for questioning,’ Merrill recalled.

Merrill said he asked Jared Chance when he had last seen Young, at which point he said James Chance told him, ‘My son’s not talking without an attorney.’

‘We don’t just provide attorneys for people who just walk through the door and say, “You have to provide me an attorney,”’ Merrill said. ‘That doesn’t make any sense. There’s no case here. We’re just providing a courtesy service to the family.’

Laura Joyce, James Chance’s defense attorney, grilled Merrill about why he didn’t detain or attempt to get more information from Jared Chance and his father about Young’s disappearance.

Merrill said he had no authority to detain Jared Chance. James Chance told Merrill that he was making the biggest mistake of his career by letting Jared Chance go.

‘He stated, “This is your only chance. You’re going to let him leave?”’ Lamos testified.

[SBM]
More at the link:
Jared Chance’s brother testifies in dad’s trial

 

[Luckyzmom]

Thanks so much IMHO , hard to read the details of Ashley's murder and the sick twisted attempt to cover it up. Certainly appreciate you posting this.

 

[inmyhumbleopinion]

Thanks so much IMHO , hard to read the details of Ashley's murder and the sick twisted attempt to cover it up. Certainly appreciate you posting this.

No problem, Luckyz. Yes, it really is difficult to read how Ashley, this beautiful and beloved young woman, was treated with no human dignity whatsoever.

I agree with this statement made by the assistant prosecutor in the case: “The moment he walked out of GRPD and his wife put the car in drive and they left, that evidence was tampered with and moved and it was done so with the purpose to help Jared.”

James Chance might have thought “his son should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law” at one point, but his actions do not reflect his words, IMO.

 

[Niner]

snipped by me...

Although the 12-person Kent County jury spent about five hours deliberating the case on Friday.

snipped by me...

Jurors deliberated for more than four hours Friday

I compromised and made it 4 1/2 hours of deliberations.

 

[inmyhumbleopinion]

I compromised and made it 4 1/2 hours of deliberations.

Works for me !

 

[Niner]

Old article - but I did not know this!!


Judge: Photo of Ashley Young cannot be used during trial of her convicted killer's father

January 07, 2020
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A photo of a woman, who was murdered and dismembered, will not be shown to jurors during the trial of her convicted killer's father.
[.....]
After a jury was selected and released for the day, defense attorney Laura Joyce objected to the prosecution's first proposed piece of evidence. A photo of Young smiling.

Joyce said the photo sought to 'inflame the passions of the jury' and generate sympathy.

Kent County Assistant Prosecutor Lawrence Boivin said he wanted the jurors to be able to put a face to Ashley's name.

"This isn't a murder trial," Kent County Judge Paul J. Denenfeld told Boivin.

"No, I understand that, but this is about the defendant helping his son get away with her mutilation," replied Boivin.
[.....]
The judge agreed with the defense. He said any potential relevance of the photo was outweighed by its prejudicial value.

Jurors will likely be shown photos of Young's mutilated body throughout the trial.

 

[Luckyzmom]

Wow

 

[Niner]

Monday, January 13th:
*Trial continues (Day 6)-VERDICT WATCH! (Day 2) (@ 8am ET) – MI – Ashley Regina-Maria Young (31) (last seen Nov. 29, 2018, Oshtemo Township, Kalamazoo County, found Dec. 2, 2018) – for *James Howard Chance (76) (Jared’s father) charged (12/10/18), arrested (12/11/18) & arraigned (12/12/18) with accessory after the fact of a felony & 2 counts of perjury. Plead not guilty. $25K bond. (released on 12/12/18). Bound over from Kent County to Grand Rapids Circuit Court
Trial began on 1/6/20 for only James with jury selection. Jurors: 7 women / 5 men.
Trial info from 1/6/20 (Day 1) thru 1/9/20 (Day 4) reference post #165 here:
Found Deceased - MI - Ashley Young, 32, Kalamazoo, 29 Nov 2018 *arrest*
1/10/29 Day 5 Trial/Day 1 of deliberations: The jury spent about 4 ½ hours deliberating the case on Friday; they told the judge Friday afternoon they were not able to reach a verdict on the 3 charges: accessory after the fact to a mutilation & 2 counts of perjury during an investigative subpoena. Deliberations will resume at 8 a.m. Monday, Jan. 13.
*Barbara Chance (63) - Plead no contest to accessory after the fact to a felony & perjury; sentencing on 2/19/20.
*Jared James Chance (29) – Trial was 9/9/19 & found guilty. Sentenced to 100 to 200 years.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Deliberations are continuing in the case of a Holland man accused of trying to help his son cover up the dismemberment of a woman in Grand Rapids.

A jury is deciding whether James Chance, 77, committed perjury and accessory after the fact in the dismemberment of Ashley Young.

Deliberations resume in trial of convicted killer’s dad

 

[inmyhumbleopinion]

“The jury is unable to reach a verdict on any of the charges. Judge will ask them if continued deliberations will make a difference. More @WOODTV”
1:47 PM · Jan 13, 2020

Barton Deiters on Twitter