GUILTY NC - Kathy Taft, 62, Raleigh, 6 March 2010 - #6

[borndem]

"Yes, he raped her. But now we are questioning the DNA analysis..." (This is not a direct quote - it's my deduction of today's proceedings.)

HUH? You just can't have it both freakin' ways! If this is pissing me off (scuse the French), I can't imagine how the jurors and FAMILY feel.

It's what you do when ya got nuttin' honey.

But yes, it's the same song over & over & over. The poor family, like you said, to have to hear "vaginal" and "rectal" ad nauseam.

And to look at JW in the courtroom as he has been every day, it's hard to see him being able to unbutton his shirt without help. Near-catatonia... Hmmm. Looks like he's been bogarting more than a joint, my friend...

 

[NCB]

Have a good evening!!!

(No, really--have a good evening!)

 

[gracielee]

Man, if this jury is as bored and distracted as I am......TGIF! I need a break from the tedium.

 

[Boodles]

Anyone else loose the feed? Did the cameraman go home for the weekend?

 

[NCB]

Welcome again, newly-nominated ChairPerson of Comic Relief. :floorlaugh::floorlaugh:

If we can get a laff from this trial (as if!), we'll get 'em where we can!

Thanks, borndem--you're the best.

 

[NCB]

Anyone else loose the feed? Did the cameraman go home for the weekend?

They did cut off the feed rather quickly after he released the jury, but I'm guessing that was to avoid inadvertently catching any of them on camera. They have to walk right by the camera to get out of the courtroom.

9:30 start on Monday morning!

 

[seattlechiquita]

I can't load any of the wral videos to catch up. Anywhere else?

 

[Boodles]

They did cut off the feed rather quickly after he released the jury, but I'm guessing that was to avoid inadvertently catching any of them on camera. They have to walk right by the camera to get out of the courtroom.

9:30 start on Monday morning!

Thanks NCB, I was in the other room and things went silent. I didn't realize he released the jury. Did they finish with the Labcorp guy or are they arguing about admissibility?

And yes, you scared the heck out of me with your story! This after the dog woke up at 5AM barking like mad! In 3 years, she has done that only one other time. That prompted a house search, but thankfully, it was nothing! But you gave me even more to fear with your story - thanks !

Have a good wkend, all!

 

[borndem]

This is how I see it. Regardless of what the defense attorney said in the opening, if the state does not prove that the defendant was the one who broke into the house, raped and killed the victim, then at the close of the state's case, the defense will make a motion to dismiss for failure to prove their case. The opening was not evidence, so the state has to act as if it didn't happen.

Prancy -- I totally agree -- that's why the PT is showing the tedious chain of evidence, the DNA and fluid matches, the medical evidence, and all the rest to come. Yes, they have to proceed, and always do, as if the opening remarks were never said -- although they do try to bust it all before the DT gets the floor.

And a special question for you, Prancy, if you wish to answer -- do you recall ever seeing this guy in your neighborhood? (My guess is that you didn't...)

 

[borndem]

I know what you mean. This is ridiculous. I watched the Young and Cooper trial on the WRAL live feed and I do not recall so much refreshing to continue the feed. It's too much. I have to find another feed. I think I read that there was another one. This is too confining for my taste.

There's always WTVD - I don't think they have that dammed beep, Prance!

http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/index

 

[borndem]

Can't believe the defense is trying to exclude the Labcorp verification test results of the DNA after they already stipulated that it was he who raped her. This is crazy.

I understand (at this point) the prosecution presenting this evidence. It's the defense team moves that have me perplexed. And IMO they're just going to irritate the jury with this 'baffle them with BS' tactic. (Yes, I know I am being redundant!) Or maybe they're brilliant and I just don't see it.

I hate to ask, but are the taxpayers paying for all these defense attorneys or did the family cough up some $?

/ok, now I will zip it and accept whatever's going on...

Well, this should really send you over the edge, Boods, -- of course it's on our dime. JW told the judge (not Gessner, but no matter) he was indigent, the judge read & accepted his statement and a judge appointed Conner & Savage. So yeah, we're not only having to endure it, we're paying for it, too. Kinda like going to the dentist.... or having a colonoscopy... or you name it....:banghead:

 

[borndem]

and yes, my thought is that the state still has to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt, right? I mean, they carry the burden of proof?

Yes, indeed, expensive coffee person -- Prancy said it right -- and Saacks & Co. are doing just exactly what has to be done...

 

[borndem]

Anyone else loose the feed? Did the cameraman go home for the weekend?

Yes, Chad's bladder must be smaller than mine.... he doesn't miss a beat. He must not be getting paid by the hour.:what: But he does do a good job, I think, in spite of what we all say... and he gets the day's proceedings out there for viewing at night pretty darn quickly.

 

[NCB]

Thanks NCB, I was in the other room and things went silent. I didn't realize he released the jury. Did they finish with the Labcorp guy or are they arguing about admissibility?

And yes, you scared the heck out of me with your story! This after the dog woke up at 5AM barking like mad! In 3 years, she has done that only one other time. That prompted a house search, but thankfully, it was nothing! But you gave me even more to fear with your story - thanks !

Have a good wkend, all!

Oh, Boodles, I'm so sorry!! I really do feel like a real heel now. I'm glad you have a dog. I think perps avoid dogs like the plague. They really are the best alarm system. Do you have mace? I keep it on the bed when I've worked myself into a lather about something. Generally I've done something stupid like watch a true crime program late at night. Hubby calls it "death TV" LOL.

Have a great weekend!

 

[no1uknow]

The knife found under the mattress was placed there by Jessica. She told me so. Jason got rough with her and she fought him off but obviously, she was preparing herself for another violent encounter.
I want to advocate for Jessica a bit (again.) Shortly after Jason got arrested, I saw her in our parking lot. I didn't know what to do or say so I simply said, "Jessica, I'm sorry. I don't know what to say." She replied, "Well, I don't know what to think." I got to know her while she was here (she moved away late last year.) At some point, she thanked me for all the cupcakes I brought her on a few occasions, and all the support, privacy and protection her immediate neighbors had given her. The night before she left, she came over to my place and apologized for all that had happened. That touched me, deeply, mostly because none of it is her fault. Her life has been forever changed, along with the lives of Kathy Taft's family and Jason's family. This crime wasn't perpetrated by anyone other than Jason Williford. He ended the life of a great, passionate and generous woman and he cut a deep, unmendable wound in so many other lives. I've maintained contact with Jessica. She told me that she has been subpoenaed to testify. She doesn't want to but when she does, I have no doubt she will be honest in answering any questions she's asked.
As for the question of premeditation, I don't buy the theory that Jason just happened upon the house on Cartier, dug around in the mailbox and figured the place was empty. I saw him walking and driving around this neighborhood all the time. He has a history of casing, breaking in and hanging out in houses he didn't belong in. I think he very well knew that place was usually empty and that the door was unlocked. In my opinion, he'd been frequently squatting in that house to drink and do whatever he had to hide from Jessica. This is just my opinion and of course, I have no evidence to back it up, but I've always thought he'd found that house beforehand and been in that house before the night he killed and raped Kathy Taft. I think he saw her car parked outside and picked up a rock in case he needed to use it on anyone who might be inside.

 

[borndem]

Thanks, no1, for sharing your kind thoughts about JF -- when I heard the testimony about the knife under the mattress, I hoped that it was hers -- good news that it was not his, but bad news that it was hers in a sad way.

And if you've read most of the posts on this case, you've seen my comments maintaining almost from the start, that I firmly believed that he had been in that house several times. He had a lot of time to kill <shudder>, probably limited gas money, a nice neighborhood of middle, upper/middle class folks, so why not? Any burglar worth a dime always cases out his next place to break, enter & rob... Or to hang out when one is supposed to be in trade school...

I already knew that JG was out of town a lot -- he was financially very self-sufficient, was a salt-water sportsman (Florida is great for game fishing), as my DH is, and my close friend/neighbor knew JG well. As I've said before, JG partied at his home a lot -- small groups, not big blow-outs -- and he had the typical upper-middle class party fare. I think JW helped himself to whatever was there and also did his own drugs there away from JF. His haven away from home.

And if he went to this haven, did he always take a rock with him? We will never know. And I don't buy the random mailbox story for one minute.

Last, let me say again that I am so glad to know that JF had you and her other immediate neighbors to support her. It must have taken her several months to be able to afford to pick up and move, so at least she had moral support while she was arranging it. I hope that after she testifies, it will somehow free her from some of the baggage she is still carrying. Maybe it will be a catharsis for her. Let's hope so.

 

[borndem]

And one more thang:

If JW wandered the neighborhood, casing houses and perhaps trying to gain entry -- (I still say the had been in that house many times before) -- then isn't it possible that he knew KT's car?

We know that she had had a relationship with JG at one time & for a while; we know that she stayed in that house when she had SBOE meetings and probably other doings in Raleigh.

Isn't it possible that he had also noticed her when she stayed at JG's house? And no doubt, IMO, she was attractive -- I've seen her up close & chatted with her -- classy in the right way; sharp, sharp dresser; cute body shape; and quite nice looking. Maybe the plan all along was to go in & rape her the next time he saw her staying alone in that house. And that, sports fans, is premeditation. Period.

Just throwing it out there.

 

[no1uknow]

What's going on with the red words in my last post? Am I in some sort of trouble?

I've heard lots of rumors of possible interactions between Jason and John Geil. Since Jason only lived here for three months, I'm not sure any of it is very plausible but who knows. Geil is dead now. He died about a year ago so we'll never know what he had to say. But I do know that Jason walked around and drove around this neighborhood a lot. I lived 30 feet from him and I work at home. I'm here all the time. I feel stupid and foolish because I didn't suspect him but after he was arrested I know he was all over this neighborhood because I saw him. His history of B&E makes it very hard for me to believe he didn't know the house on Cartier was usually open.

By the way, when Detective Gerry Davis testified that a "tenant" came home and leaned over to look his SUV after he parked right in front on my house....that was me. I saw marked cruisers and unmarked, "undercover" cars on the street in front of our place all of the time in the last couple of weeks before he was arrested. Having them around was comforting to me but I didn't put all of this together until Jason was arrested. I got a little freaked out when I saw one of them in my parking spot and not only leaned over but got out of my car and wrote down his license plate number. I later found out he was a cop. In fact, he was the cop who picked up the infamous cigarette butt.

 

[borndem]

Good Morning, no1 - Please don't fret about the words in red in your post. The system will highlight any search words you request throughout the thread -- that probably was why you saw the red. I have often searched for "Kathy Taft" to find this thread and would see that name in red all over the place. So relax --it ain't no thang. I have bookmarked it now so I don't have to do the search.

Here is a WRAL article citing JF's filing for divorce... No secrets in this business, huh? I guess any public record is free game to the press -- but it may help the public's perspective about JF -- she is obviously trying to distance herself from all this horrible affair.

http://www.wral.com/specialreports/kathy_taft/story/11118460/

ETA -- I just now had another thought about the red words -- we always put family members' names in initials so as to preserve as much privacy as possible for them -- that's why you see so much "JG, JF, DH," stuff. The reasons are good for this. You should (I don't like telling folks what they "should" or "shouldn't" do, so please excuse) put JF's name in initials when you refer to her or any other family member. The victim and the defendant are exceptions, but a lot of us are in the monogram mode for all of them. HTH.

 

[Just the Fax]

I am drawn to the 'who done it' murder case.
This one appears to be the case of a sicko loser that is hoping his public defender can get the jury to buy 1st degree burglary, 1st degree rape and 2nd degree murder.....all told, he can get out in 30 years (age 60).

Lets hope not.....