GUILTY NC - Laura Ackerson, 27, Kinston, 13 July 2011 #4

[Grammy Jean]

First flakes are falling in my North Raleigh neighborhood. I am thinking we may not have court tomorrow. But I hope I am wrong! I don't like snow and I am ready to hear Sha continue her testimony.

 

[Nymeria]

And Laura was 27 at the time of her death.

To put it all together, at the time of the crime (for Otto)-


July 27, 2011

RALEIGH -- Kinston resident and day care worker Laura Jean Ackerson, 27, had been battling her former boyfriend and father of her two children, Grant Hayes, 32, for more than a year when he -- along with his wife Amanda Hayes, 39 -- allegedly took her life and dismembered her body.

 

[carynative]

So, Laura basically had 2 years with Grant and wised up about his "crazy," and Amanda had the same amount of time with him as well. Interesting.

And about 2 years is as long as Amanda was with her previous husband before he died at age 41! Can't this end up being a Michael Peterson type case where she killed Laura and now they can look back and try to see if any foul play was in her previous husband's death?

 

[seattlechiquita]

I know I am late but can't help myself.... THE RUG bla bla bla bla???? :floorlaugh::floorlaugh::floorlaugh:

 

[otto]

And Laura was 27 at the time of her death.

To put it all together, at the time of the crime (for Otto)-


July 27, 2011

RALEIGH -- Kinston resident and day care worker Laura Jean Ackerson, 27, had been battling her former boyfriend and father of her two children, Grant Hayes, 32, for more than a year when he -- along with his wife Amanda Hayes, 39 -- allegedly took her life and dismembered her body.

Thank you! So there were 12 years between the ages of Laura and Amanda. I don't think Laura had a chance once Grant and Amanda decided that they wanted the children. Even though Laura chose the legal route to regain custody, and she was carefully documenting everything, she was no match for a couple. In fact, given Amanda's age, was it ever suggested that she was the mastermind behind the murder?

From the daughter's testimony, it sounds like Amanda was quite capable of picking up and moving on when she found herself in a bad situation, and so far, it appears that she had Grant's back. Did Amanda have a baby because she thought that was one way of keeping him around?

 

[Nymeria]

And about 2 years is as long as Amanda was with her previous husband before he died at age 41! Can't this end up being a Michael Peterson type case where she killed Laura and now they can look back and try to see if any foul play was in her previous husband's death?

I have always had that in the back of my mind about him.
I had never heard how he died before, but in court today (or was it yesterday) someone on the stand said he had drowned.
Forgive me for my mind but immediately I was picturing Amanda holding him under, or something along those lines...

 

[carynative]

I have always had that in the back of my mind about him.
I had never heard how he died before, but in court today (or was it yesterday) someone on the stand said he had drowned.
Forgive me for my mind but immediately I was picturing Amanda holding him under, or something along those lines...

I think I remember hearing he was paralyzed from diving into a lake or pool and then a year or so after the accident, he died "at home" do wonder how much she helped in that...especially considering she made off with enough money after his death to move to VI and buy an art store!

 

[borndem]

:seeya:Welcome back, little bean!!! :loveyou:Settle in, saddle up, cuddle up and catch up if you haven't already. You'll need an ear horn to hear the defense atty's questions to the witnesses. He talks about like this... It's maddening..



And here's the transcripts of the trial so far:
Full video: Amanda Hayes murder trial

 

[islandmixed]

Everytime I see a witness, I get flashbacks of the GH trial lol same
everything. Seems like they are focusing on GH bad behavior and domestic violence. We already know this, will they move on to Amanda? UGH lol. Anyway it was good to hear that witness say, Amanda told LA she was crazy psycho and that she will get the kids, along those lines. She was plotting all along, What an evil ugly woman, she looks like she has risen from the grave already, no colour to her skin...Throw her in the metal cave already...

Sent from my GT-N5110 using Tapatalk now Free

 

[borndem]

Thank you! So there were 12 years between the ages of Laura and Amanda. I don't think Laura had a chance once Grant and Amanda decided that they wanted the children. Even though Laura chose the legal route to regain custody, and she was carefully documenting everything, she was no match for a couple. In fact, given Amanda's age, was it ever suggested that she was the mastermind behind the murder?

From the daughter's testimony, it sounds like Amanda was quite capable of picking up and moving on when she found herself in a bad situation, and so far, it appears that she had Grant's back. Did Amanda have a baby because she thought that was one way of keeping him around?

bbm

Yes, otto, there are several good souls on this forum that think exactly that. (I'm not one of 'em, but some folks are...)

But I do agree that she was no meek lamb...

 

[borndem]

Well, I just looked on WRAL's list of closings, and under Wednesday closings I found, "Wake County Courts" (Wed, 1/29/14). So no trial tomorrow....

Yeah, we've got about an inch or so in our backyard & it's still coming down. Temp is 19 degrees, and low tonight is said to be 16 tonight. Tomorrow night's low should be 5 degrees. Now that's dayam cold around here. So Thursday's court is a toss-up, too. Depends on precip and what the sun (?) can do for us. So we can review GH's trial or clean house. Or not.

 

[otto]

Everytime I see a witness, I get flashbacks of the GH trial lol same
everything. Seems like they are focusing on GH bad behavior and domestic violence. We already know this, will they move on to Amanda? UGH lol. Anyway it was good to hear that witness say, Amanda told LA she was crazy psycho and that she will get the kids, along those lines. She was plotting all along, What an evil ugly woman, she looks like she has risen from the grave already, no colour to her skin...Throw her in the metal cave already...

Sent from my GT-N5110 using Tapatalk now Free

The defense is focusing on this because they're going to argue that Amanda was an abused wife, just like Laura. They are attempting to align the accused with the victim, imply that they are the same type of people, and therefore Amanda should be forgiven for her participation in a murder as she had no choice. However, Laura had a choice and made a choice to leave the marriage, to work hard to rebuild her life. If Amanda and Laura are the same, why didn't Amanda also choose to leave him and rebuild her life?

 

[otto]

bbm

Yes, otto, there are several good souls on this forum that think exactly that. (I'm not one of 'em, but some folks are...)

But I do agree that she was no meek lamb...

If nothing else, she probably gave him the confidence to go ahead with the murder. I think that the fact that he only murdered when she was deeply involved in his life and custody battles is significant.

Regardless, I'm convinced that Laura was in a dangerous situation and knew it, but that she felt she had no choice because that was the only way she could regain custody of her children. I think the courts should revisit what they are doing with ex parte custody decisions, but that's another matter altogether. I wonder why Laura, knowing that it was so dangerous that she told others that if she died, Grant did it, didn't have someone with her for children transfers ... and why didn't she always stay outside of his apartment ... in a public place. Was she normally in Amanda/Grant's apartment ... anyone know?

It's also interesting that the defense, in opening arguments, admitted that Laura, Amanda, and Grant were together when Laura suffered the fatal fall. Amanda has a cosmetology certificate, owned an art store, and didn't she study something else? How did she not realize that a simple fall should not result in death, and if it did it should not be covered up?

I hope it isn't a snow day tomorrow ... how's it looking?

 

[otto]

So she was married and her husband dove into a pool, was paralyzed, and died at the age of 41? Perhaps there was a generous life insurance policy or settlement? That kind of money, for someone that is not used to it, might blur the edge of entitlement versus justified. Grant believed he was entitled to the children, money and adulation. Amanda was enabling him, or hanging onto him with her money.

It sounds like Amanda always made decisions with her daughter when they moved from place to place and career to career, but after meeting Grant, Amanda made decisions with Grant and her daughter was left somewhat out of the picture. She also had a child with Grant even though her only child was 23 years old ... because she wanted to be a 55 year old mom to a teenager? I suspect it had something to do with seeing how he coveted ownership of his children, and wanting to be part of that relationship.

 

[Chelly]

The defense is focusing on this because they're going to argue that Amanda was an abused wife, just like Laura. They are attempting to align the accused with the victim, imply that they are the same type of people, and therefore Amanda should be forgiven for her participation in a murder as she had no choice. However, Laura had a choice and made a choice to leave the marriage, to work hard to rebuild her life. If Amanda and Laura are the same, why didn't Amanda also choose to leave him and rebuild her life?

What baffles me is both Laura and Amanda appear to be intelligent, articulate, attractive women. How ever did they fall for this guy?

 

[otto]

What baffles me is both Laura and Amanda appear to be intelligent, articulate, attractive women. How ever did they fall for this guy?

I don't know. Maybe he seems to have an honest face, or he sings well? It sounds like he's very charming until it was too late for the women. With Laura, he hocked $70,000 of her jewelry until it was gone, in no time ... a year of pocket money for him? Something made her feel that everything was on the level. I suppose that makes him a con man.

Where was Laura's family while this was going on?

 

[otto]

Even if he is a con man, I don't think that explains being conned into the cover up of a murder. For some reason, Karla Homolka keeps coming to mind. If they hadn't been caught this time, how many other women would they have victimized?

I'd like to know more about Amanda's finances.

 

[SurfieTX]

Call log shows history of animosity between Hayes, Ackerson

http://www.kinston.com/news/local/c...mosity-between-hayes-ackerson-1.268943?page=0

 

[SurfieTX]

Even if he is a con man, I don't think that explains being conned into the cover up of a murder. For some reason, Karla Homolka keeps coming to mind. If they hadn't been caught this time, how many other women would they have victimized?

I'd like to know more about Amanda's finances.

Here's a little bit of information.

Though Amanda Hayes several years earlier had nearly $188,000 and almost $70,000 of jewelry, the money had disappeared, and most of the jewelry had been pawned while she was with Grant Hayes.

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/01/28/3572467/amanda-hayes-daughter-testifies.html#storylink=cpy

 

[Nymeria]

Even if he is a con man, I don't think that explains being conned into the cover up of a murder. For some reason, Karla Homolka keeps coming to mind. If they hadn't been caught this time, how many other women would they have victimized?

I'd like to know more about Amanda's finances.

*BBM* & O/T

Her. Karla. Grrrrrr.
That is one woman I can not believe is walking around free with a brand new life and family. I do not care how much she claims she was abused, even if it was all true. She helped him drug and rape HER OWN SISTER, then covered up her OD death.
You could beat me until I could barely move and I would not help you harm anyone I love, I would fight til the death before that would happen. :furious:

Sorry to rant...