GUILTY MO - Elizabeth Olten, 9, St Martin's, 21 Oct 2009 #15

DNA Solves
DNA Solves
DNA Solves

New Posts

http://www.newstribune.com/news/2012/jan/10/bustamante-pleads-guilty-murder/

During the hearing before Cole County Presiding Judge Pat Joyce, it was explained that this was not a plea bargain. The state is still arguing what punishment Bustamante will face.

By law, she faces a range of 10 to 30 years or up to life in prison on the second-degree murder charge. For the armed criminal action charge, she could face three years up to life in prison.

Let's hope that this judge hands Alyssa the harsh sentence she deserves. I agree that there is something seriously wrong with her and she needs to stay behind bars for a very, very long time (forever IMO).
 
My son went to school with a kid who is in prison for 2nd degree murder and armed criminal action. He received 30 years for 2nd degree and 60 years for armed criminal action. I believe they run consecutively. The murder happened in a neighboring county, the kid lived in Jefferson City. He was 19 when this happened. Not as young as Bustamante but still young. Lets hope Judge Joyce hands down the same kind of sentence. jmo
 
There were about a dozen Elizabeth Olten supporters in the courtroom Tuesday morning. Many of them closed their eyes and cried when Bustamante told the court what she did to Elizabeth.

Bustamante said she strangled the nine-year-old and stabbed her in the chest. Judge Joyce asked Bustamante a series of questions including if she cut Elizabeth Olten's throat, to which Bustamante replied "yes" and if she knew what she was doing, to which Bustamante also replied in the affirmative. Bustamante told the court she strangled Elizabeth with her hands and used a knife to stab her chest.

http://www.connectmidmissouri.com/news/story.aspx?id=705578#.Twyw-qX3r2J
 
Amazing, this case is finally over, except for the sentencing. It was one of the first cases which brought me to WS.

This ABC news article discusses another possible reason for the plea deal:

The legality of sentencing teenage murderers to life without parole is also in question, and the U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments in March on whether it amounts to cruel and unusual punishment. Although the arguments in that case focus on a pair of 14-year-olds convicted in Arkansas and Alabama, the outcome could have also been applied to Bustamante's situation.

"That may have made them more willing to give a plea deal that took that sentence off the table," said Ben Trachtenberg, an associate law professor at the University of Missouri-Columbia who teaches courses on criminal court procedures and evidence.

Given her admission that she knew what she was doing in planning and carrying out the crime, it seems doubtful she will receive a light sentence. One of the articles linked above states she hasn't bothered to finish her high school education while incarcerated, so it doesn't appear she's doing anything to redeem herself, she certainly hasn't shown any remorse.

Just a bizarre, horrific case all the way around.
 
Kimster said:
There is something seriously wrong with Alyssa. I'm shocked she will be released so early. And angry. :maddening:
Click to expand...

Thank You! At what point do people realize that you can't fix "crazy" She will get out and she will (jmo) kill again.
 
After all this waiting for justice, and once again I am left feeling it has not been served.

I agree wholeheartedly with kimster. Something is seriously wrong with Bustamente. She is broken in a way that cannot be fixed. She is and always will be a danger to society :(
 
Sentencing hearing begins tomorrow for Bustamante. I pray the judge throws the book at her and gives her the longest, harshest sentence allowed.

Justice for Elizabeth.
 
Prosecuting Attorney Mark Richardson called seven witnesses to the stand Monday morning.

The first was Elizabeth Olten's mom, Patty Preiss. Patty told the judge about the afternoon when Elizabeth went missing. She said the last time she saw her was at 5 p.m. when she left to go play with Alyssa Bustamante's little sister Emma.

Preiss read a victim's statement directly to Circuit Judge Pat Joyce calling Alyssa Bustamante an evil monster throughout. She said Elizabeth will never get the chance to be married or go to a school dance all because of "that monster Alyssa."

http://www.connectmidmissouri.com/news/story.aspx?id=716157#.TzA39IGwSVo
 
The final witness for the morning was Don Locke, who is a forensic consultant who specializes in handwriting analysis.

Locke examined Bustamante's journal and said it was written by one person -- Alyssa Bustamante. He was also the person who was able to recover a scratched out portion of the journal, written on Oct. 21, 2009. Locke then read the journal entry to the court.

The journal said the following: "I just effing killed someone. I strangled them and slit their throats and stabbed them. Now they're dead. I don't know how to feel ATM. It was ahmazing. As soon as you get over the “Oh My Gawd. I can't do this” feeling it's pretty enjoyable. I'm kinda nervous and shaking though right now. Kay, I got to go to church now LOL."

The court took a recess for lunch. The prosecution has two more witnesses, then the defense plans to call six or seven witnesses to the stand.

The scheduled sentencing hearing is expected to last two days.

http://www.connectmidmissouri.com/news/story.aspx?id=716157#.TzA39IGwSVo
 
That journal entry is chilling. There is no way that this girl should ever be free, she will most certainly kill again.
 
trigger said:
The final witness for the morning was Don Locke, who is a forensic consultant who specializes in handwriting analysis.

Locke examined Bustamante's journal and said it was written by one person -- Alyssa Bustamante. He was also the person who was able to recover a scratched out portion of the journal, written on Oct. 21, 2009. Locke then read the journal entry to the court.

The journal said the following: "I just effing killed someone. I strangled them and slit their throats and stabbed them. Now they're dead. I don't know how to feel ATM. It was ahmazing. As soon as you get over the “Oh My Gawd. I can't do this” feeling it's pretty enjoyable. I'm kinda nervous and shaking though right now. Kay, I got to go to church now LOL."

The court took a recess for lunch. The prosecution has two more witnesses, then the defense plans to call six or seven witnesses to the stand.

The scheduled sentencing hearing is expected to last two days.

http://www.connectmidmissouri.com/news/story.aspx?id=716157#.TzA39IGwSVo
Click to expand...


(Above bolded by me.) This journal entry chilled me to the bone and makes me sick. It really speaks volumes about the author. I pray parole is denied at every hearing for the rest of her life.
 
After the lunch recess, the defense called their first witness: Dr. Edwin Johnstone, a licensed psychiatrist with 16 years of experience in clinic research of anti-depressants. Dr. Johnstone testified that fluoxetine, the generic name for Prozac, can cause adverse and severe side effects on those taking it. Dr. Johnstone said adolescences, teens and females are most at risk for the side effects including impulsiveness, insomnia, agitation, irritability, suicide and violent events.

Dr. Johnstone said although he has never had a conversation with Alyssa; through her records that he's read; he would diagnose her with borderline personality disorder. He testified that her medical records indicated an increase in her dose of fluoxetine in early October. He said after that, her diary entries became increasingly violent. Dr. Johnstone said the prescribed dosage was a "major contributing factor" in Elizabeth Olten's death.

http://www.connectmidmissouri.com/news/story.aspx?id=716157#.TzFUgoGwSVp

More at link..

:cursing::cursing::cursing:
 
tlcox said:
After all this waiting for justice, and once again I am left feeling it has not been served.

I agree wholeheartedly with kimster. Something is seriously wrong with Bustamente. She is broken in a way that cannot be fixed. She is and always will be a danger to society :(
Click to expand...

"Possessed" is the word that comes to mind.
 
trigger said:
Dr. Johnstone said although he has never had a conversation with Alyssa; through her records that he's read; he would diagnose her with borderline personality disorder. He testified that her medical records indicated an increase in her dose of fluoxetine in early October. He said after that, her diary entries became increasingly violent. Dr. Johnstone said the prescribed dosage was a "major contributing factor" in Elizabeth Olten's death. (respectfully snipped)
Click to expand...

Doncha just LOVE those hired-gun experts who've never even spoken to the defendant, yet are willing to state "to a reasonable degree of medical certainty" that the poor defendant is not responsible and is unlikely to kill again? If I had that sort of remarkable insight and ability to predict the future, I wouldn't be practicing medicine, I'd be cleaning up in Vegas. Makes me sick. :tsktsk:
 
A Boston psychiatrist told Cole County Circuit Judge Patricia Joyce this morning that no scientific study has shown a connection between the anti-depressant drug Prozac and an increased incidents of suicides or violence, including murder.

“That’s not just my opinion,” Dr. Anthony Rothschild told Joyce. “That’s the (medical) field’s opinion and the FDA’s (federal Food and Drug Administration) opinion.”

Cole County Prosecutor Mark Richardson called Rothschild, director of the University of Massachusetts Depression Center, to counteract Monday’s testimony from Houston, Texas, psychiatrist Edwin Johnstone that an increase in the dosage of Alyssa Bustamante’s Prozac prescription may have led her to strangle Elizabeth Olten and stab her eight times.

“There’s no reliable evidence that Prozac causes people to commit murder,” said Rothschild, a Harvard-trained psychiatrist. “It actually causes a decrease in those kinds of symptoms.”

http://www.newstribune.com/news/2012/feb/07/prosecution-seeks-counter-prozac-defense/
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

DNASolves

Who is Escambia County John Doe (1989)?

Staff online

Members online

... and 210 more.
Total: 1,908 (members: 211, guests: 1,697)

Online statistics

Members online
211
Guests online
1,697
Total visitors
1,908
Totals may include hidden visitors.

Forum statistics

Threads
599,534
Messages
18,096,250
Members
230,871
Latest member
Where is Jennifer*
Back
Top