Tricia: Summary of Vinnie Politan's Legal Insanity podcast with JM:
VP thanks JM, you’re a career prosecutor-what’s your story, why dedicate your career to prosecuting? JM- was a defense atty for 2 years, in civil practice for 3 yrs, was asked to join Maricopa Co. Atty office. Applied to the Maricopa public defender’s office but was rejected because “I wasn’t aggressive enough.”
Did you ever enter plea negotiations with JA? Can’t talk about it. All her pre-trial interviews: “I was happy when she was speaking” before trial (gave JM insight how she’d be on stand and a whole lot to use against her as well). Her turns at pro per only time the exchanged words with her---10 15 words. Not otherwise.
Feb 4. She took stand. First thought? JM- That his strategy would bear fruit---she needed to be on stand to get to 3rd gas can. Waited as long as possible. That confrontation was the only moment in trial when she seemed “a bit down,”it took her a minute, but she came up with an answer (never in SLC). But he had the receipt to prove it. That was the only real “Perry Mason momen”t in his career.
What of her story was new to him? A lot of it, including all the minute detail about sex. His way to handle that- yah, OK, and to tease out from her that she enjoyed it just as much as he did.
VP- what was your day to day like in trial? Such long days—process? Prepared day by day after each day of direct. So much was new. The first alleged sex was new..the paper swirling pedo detail new,
VP- How long do you think it took for her to develop her stories? JM- 2 years after the ninjas she was telling (Dr. Karp) the “real” story. As to the rest…JM thinks she developed “as she went along.”
VP- Most ridiculous thing she said? JM- the pedo stuff…a bit over the top. TA’s so so over-sexed, right, that’s what she wants to relate, and so so into her, and yet….now we’re expected to believe he has pedo tendencie. That story “strained the whole case for her.”
VP- Never seen such a relentless cross as yours….the intensity. Where does that come from? JM- Taught not to be, but it works for me. And asking her open ended questions would mean she’d regurgitate what she said direct. So, quick pace, letting her know word games wouldn’t be tolerated. YES or NO only. Of course, that’s when the “everloving’ fog would roll on in.
The length of her time on stand (for cross) was largely a product of word smith games she played, and her “memory lapses.”
Can you turn it off at end of day? Sure.
JM: Most of everything of importance came out in trial, nothing of any great importance excluded. Only thing JM mentions is what she packed in her get-away car, but he didn’t think that info was relevant to trial.
Did she stalk anyone else? Depends on view of stalking. With Bobby …her behavior a little bit of that. Matt M broke off with her, he stopped having sex with her. TA-tried to stop having sex with her but wasn’t successful. From TA’s perspective—a 30 year old young man, he wasn’t strong enough to say no when she presented herself to him, and no, she didn’t actually crawl through the doogy door, just opened the sliding door that had the doggie flap.
No personal relationship with Nurmi. DT has their job to do, I let them do it and leave them alone.
TA’s family…how much contact with? Lots throughout and after. “Can’t see how anyone can get past this kind of a loss of a loved one.”
Had an idea the trial was getting bigger, but didn’t pay a lot of attention to it, his whole focus was on his job, doesn’t even think about the jury when he’s in court.
VP- Can you tell us about something happening we didn’t know about during trial? JM- Everyone knew everything. I was surprised about what was out there and how accurate it was. I wondered..how did all this get out?
When trial is over, he’s done. Doesn’t wonder. Shorter career if he did. Can go to bed at night because he’s done what he could. Takes the John Wooten approach.
Writing the book was more difficult than trial, deciding what to put in leave out. Audience for book-anyone can pick it up. Why’s answered for trial watchers, an interesting read (he hopes) for everyone else.
The one thing people might be surprised to know about him? JM: I’m shy. I think.
VP thanks JM, you’re a career prosecutor-what’s your story, why dedicate your career to prosecuting? JM- was a defense atty for 2 years, in civil practice for 3 yrs, was asked to join Maricopa Co. Atty office. Applied to the Maricopa public defender’s office but was rejected because “I wasn’t aggressive enough.”
Did you ever enter plea negotiations with JA? Can’t talk about it. All her pre-trial interviews: “I was happy when she was speaking” before trial (gave JM insight how she’d be on stand and a whole lot to use against her as well). Her turns at pro per only time the exchanged words with her---10 15 words. Not otherwise.
Feb 4. She took stand. First thought? JM- That his strategy would bear fruit---she needed to be on stand to get to 3rd gas can. Waited as long as possible. That confrontation was the only moment in trial when she seemed “a bit down,”it took her a minute, but she came up with an answer (never in SLC). But he had the receipt to prove it. That was the only real “Perry Mason momen”t in his career.
What of her story was new to him? A lot of it, including all the minute detail about sex. His way to handle that- yah, OK, and to tease out from her that she enjoyed it just as much as he did.
VP- what was your day to day like in trial? Such long days—process? Prepared day by day after each day of direct. So much was new. The first alleged sex was new..the paper swirling pedo detail new,
VP- How long do you think it took for her to develop her stories? JM- 2 years after the ninjas she was telling (Dr. Karp) the “real” story. As to the rest…JM thinks she developed “as she went along.”
VP- Most ridiculous thing she said? JM- the pedo stuff…a bit over the top. TA’s so so over-sexed, right, that’s what she wants to relate, and so so into her, and yet….now we’re expected to believe he has pedo tendencie. That story “strained the whole case for her.”
VP- Never seen such a relentless cross as yours….the intensity. Where does that come from? JM- Taught not to be, but it works for me. And asking her open ended questions would mean she’d regurgitate what she said direct. So, quick pace, letting her know word games wouldn’t be tolerated. YES or NO only. Of course, that’s when the “everloving’ fog would roll on in.
The length of her time on stand (for cross) was largely a product of word smith games she played, and her “memory lapses.”
Can you turn it off at end of day? Sure.
JM: Most of everything of importance came out in trial, nothing of any great importance excluded. Only thing JM mentions is what she packed in her get-away car, but he didn’t think that info was relevant to trial.
Did she stalk anyone else? Depends on view of stalking. With Bobby …her behavior a little bit of that. Matt M broke off with her, he stopped having sex with her. TA-tried to stop having sex with her but wasn’t successful. From TA’s perspective—a 30 year old young man, he wasn’t strong enough to say no when she presented herself to him, and no, she didn’t actually crawl through the doogy door, just opened the sliding door that had the doggie flap.
No personal relationship with Nurmi. DT has their job to do, I let them do it and leave them alone.
TA’s family…how much contact with? Lots throughout and after. “Can’t see how anyone can get past this kind of a loss of a loved one.”
Had an idea the trial was getting bigger, but didn’t pay a lot of attention to it, his whole focus was on his job, doesn’t even think about the jury when he’s in court.
VP- Can you tell us about something happening we didn’t know about during trial? JM- Everyone knew everything. I was surprised about what was out there and how accurate it was. I wondered..how did all this get out?
When trial is over, he’s done. Doesn’t wonder. Shorter career if he did. Can go to bed at night because he’s done what he could. Takes the John Wooten approach.
Writing the book was more difficult than trial, deciding what to put in leave out. Audience for book-anyone can pick it up. Why’s answered for trial watchers, an interesting read (he hopes) for everyone else.
The one thing people might be surprised to know about him? JM: I’m shy. I think.
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