GUILTY NC - Laura Ackerson, 27, Kinston, 13 July 2011 #7

[otto]

In looking at the total picture, here we see Grant. He's shown himself to be quite inept at doing even basic things like buying a saw or blades. He's consulting everyone left and right. And then showing how indecisive and a little loco, but not aggressive in the police interrogation room. And even Amanda herself (and Sha) testified that Grant would start something and never finish it, that everything he tried was a dismal failure.

And then there's Amanda on the stand - very sure of herself, doesn't even show a lick of emotion, particularly sadness or even fear. To top it all off, we hear Ms. Patsy use that sarcastic tone when reading her "love letters" to Grant. If anyone knew the dynamics of their relationship, it was Grant's mother.

ETA: The question for me is who had the most to gain from Laura's death. In my mind, it was Amanda. No more child support. No more courts. No traveling. No having to deal with Laura. Grant could not care less. He's used to people taking care of him and schmoozing. He would have merely found another "host" for his parasitic azz and dumped their daughter with his mom and Amanda.

We have some pretty educated jurors and even one has her degree in psychology. So, it'll be interesting to see what they decide.

Once we get past viewing Amanda as the subservient, manipulated, terrified wife of Grant, a new picture definitely emerges. Grant seems to rely on his mom when he needs to put his family in storage. Laura went to Grant's mom when she needed a place to stay and an income. Grant contacted his mom about needing a place to stay and money for Amanda, Lilly and himself, but I suspect that once Amanda and Lilly were with his mom, with Amanda working in the daycare (just like Laura in the past), then he was going to leave. He would have found another female investor (like Amanda) and spent his days traveling, getting high, and partying.

I don't understand why Amanda thought that murdering Laura was a ticket to remaining in Grant's life, but it does appear that she perceived Laura as an obstacle in her dream of having a life of travel, fame and celebrity with Grant.

I think she was a desperate woman, afraid of getting old, and painfully aware of the fact that the time for play acting as a child woman was almost at an end. She put all her eggs in one basket with Grant, and like an investor that sees the stock value decreasing, she chased good money with bad until, in desperation, she believed that removing Laura from the equation would solve her financial and love related problems. I think that Amanda played a major role in Laura's murder.

 

[SurfieTX]

Also, too, Amanda testified that her old boyfriend was stalking her and scaring her, and she made a decision to get herself and Sha out of that situation pronto-stat. This wasn't her first assumed rodeo of being around a controlling/obsessed freak.

Closing arguments are going to be crucial here, IMO. Paint the big picture about Amanda and do not dwell on tiny details.

 

[SurfieTX]

Things I would hone in on:

1. Amanda is used to being in control. She handled NS's estate. She bought, stocked and ran her own business. She acted at times when in NYC.

2. Amanda was used to having money. She had lived the high life with her 2 past husbands.

3. Amanda started to get desperate - turned 40, had a new GIRL child, which didn't exactly please Grant (but look at Laura, she did it), money was gone, writing was on the wall to her when Grant told her they were going to move in with his parents (and even moreso when he left the message that it was just going to be the 3 of them moving in).

4. Jealous of Laura and blamed her. She spent a lot of money on the custody dispute, and it led to a disaster for them (i.e. no sole custody and even more frequent exchanges). Laura was becoming the strong, independent, and beautiful woman Amanda once was.

5. Amanda knew about neck injuries, more so than most due to NS's accident and resulting death.

Just to name a few...She was a pot about to boil over by that fateful day for Laura.

 

[otto]

Also, too, Amanda testified that her old boyfriend was stalking her and scaring her, and she made a decision to get herself and Sha out of that situation pronto-stat. This wasn't her first assumed rodeo of being around a controlling/obsessed freak.

Closing arguments are going to be crucial here, IMO. Paint the big picture about Amanda and do not dwell on tiny details.

I'm listening to her testimony again this weekend, and the timing of the pregnancy is omitted except to mention that Lilly was born in June - a month before Laura was murdered. Backtracking, she was pregnant in late September. I think that the claims that she left the VI because of a stalking boyfriend and to determine whether Sha could live alone in NYC are part of disguising that fact that she was pregnant at the time and decided to return to NYC because of the pregnancy. She wanted Grant with her, so she flew him to NYC. He was happy to have his business investor fly him around. I have to wonder whether Grant or the other boyfriend is the father of Lilly.

This was a very quick relationship starting with a pregnancy, then an attempt to gain custody of the other two children, then the birth of her Lilly, Grant and Laura are still spending time together, Amanda, Laura and Sha are working on promoting Grant's career, then the murder of Laura. I think that Amanda was insanely jealous of Laura.

 

[Chelly]

In looking at the total picture, here we see Grant. He's shown himself to be quite inept at doing even basic things like buying a saw or blades. He's consulting everyone left and right. And then showing how indecisive and a little loco, but not aggressive in the police interrogation room. And even Amanda herself (and Sha) testified that Grant would start something and never finish it, that everything he tried was a dismal failure.

And then there's Amanda on the stand - very sure of herself, doesn't even show a lick of emotion, particularly sadness or even fear. To top it all off, we hear Ms. Patsy use that sarcastic tone when reading her "love letters" to Grant. If anyone knew the dynamics of their relationship, it was Grant's mother.

ETA: The question for me is who had the most to gain from Laura's death. In my mind, it was Amanda. No more child support. No more courts. No traveling. No having to deal with Laura. Grant could not care less. He's used to people taking care of him and schmoozing. He would have merely found another "host" for his parasitic azz and dumped their daughter with his mom and Amanda.

We have some pretty educated jurors and even one has her degree in psychology. So, it'll be interesting to see what they decide.

I think your reasoning is sound SurfieTX; it's giving me something more to think about. Do you think it was Amanda's idea to kill Laura?

 

[Chelly]

Once we get past viewing Amanda as the subservient, manipulated, terrified wife of Grant, a new picture definitely emerges. Grant seems to rely on his mom when he needs to put his family in storage. Laura went to Grant's mom when she needed a place to stay and an income. Grant contacted his mom about needing a place to stay and money for Amanda, Lilly and himself, but I suspect that once Amanda and Lilly were with his mom, with Amanda working in the daycare (just like Laura in the past), then he was going to leave. He would have found another female investor (like Amanda) and spent his days traveling, getting high, and partying.

I don't understand why Amanda thought that murdering Laura was a ticket to remaining in Grant's life, but it does appear that she perceived Laura as an obstacle in her dream of having a life of travel, fame and celebrity with Grant.

I think she was a desperate woman, afraid of getting old, and painfully aware of the fact that the time for play acting as a child woman was almost at an end. She put all her eggs in one basket with Grant, and like an investor that sees the stock value decreasing, she chased good money with bad until, in desperation, she believed that removing Laura from the equation would solve her financial and love related problems. I think that Amanda played a major role in Laura's murder.

More great theorizing! You and SurfieTX have convinced me to consider the relationship between AH and GH in a different light. Going back to square one now. Looking forward to these last few days of trial.

 

[ShadyLady]

And the more I think about it, I really do think this was Amanda's idea or she encouraged him and strengthened him in his resolve to make Laura disappear. Amanda is no dummy. She saw what Grant did to Laura and she knew she would be up next now that the money had dried up. The only way she could hold on to him was to be able to move around with him and there was no way that was going to happen unless Laura was out of the picture for good.

I still can't understand what they saw in Grant!

 

[NCEast]

I'm reading along with your posts--all very good thoughts. I haven't had time today to even 'thank' anybody for their posts. Will go back and do that when I catch up again.
I have to work tomorrow so I will miss everything. Just as soon as I get back home I'll jump on here to see if there is a verdict. I hope this jury comes back as quickly as GH's jury did--what was it 40 minutes? That jury knew what was what and I'm praying this one will too. Having both a nurse and somebody with a psych background on the jury gives me a lot of hope!

 

[Patchouliluvr]

I am getting anxious for closing tomorrow.....then verdict watch. See ya'll at 9:30 as Chelly says " Don't be late." My mantra tonite : M1 M1 M1mmmmmm.

 

[Myvice]

I was just re-listening to GH's interview and at around 13 minutes he says that LA's actions put him in the position he found himself in.

http://www.wral.com/news/local/video/13308159/

LA was probably demonized by both AH and GH for costing them so much money in the lawsuit as well as forcing them to move and slow both of their careers down. Broomstick Rider may have been the catalyst that brought them together in thinking their future (and the future of the children, of course, LOL) hinged on LA being out of the picture.

What better way to solidify your trust than having a secret together that would cost them dearly if they broke confidence with each other. They had to stick together forever to maintain the secret.

And what great parents they could see themselves as....willing to do anything for their children. YUCK!

 

[otto]

More great theorizing! You and SurfieTX have convinced me to consider the relationship between AH and GH in a different light. Going back to square one now. Looking forward to these last few days of trial.

I sure hope that this is the message that the prosecution delivers to the jury. This started in the VI, where Amanda was seeing another man and Grant was there with Laura. Laura returned to NC because one of the children had a health issue. Amanda was fired from her bartending job and for one reason or another the art supply business, that was in the a gallery, closed. Sha returned to NYC.

I am wondering if Amanda got pregnant with Grant because she was thinking that he was an up and coming famous musician. She said that he tried to kiss her one night that they went out and then they didn't see each other for a while. I wonder if that "kiss" resulted in a pregnancy, and if she got together with Grant again because she was pregnant. She went to NYC and paid for Grant to join her. Grant told Laura that Amanda was an investor, which she was, except Amanda wanted more. When Grant went to NC, she followed him there. She describes him as "out of character" when he was with friends, but when he was at home, then he was the man she wanted him to be. She gave him a separate phone, the "children's phone", and Grant was supposed to use only that phone for communicating with Laura about children. Otherwise, he wasn't supposed to talk to her. I think that Amanda was trying to control him, but when he decided to "park" Amanda and Lilly with his parents, she lost it.

 

[Kensie]

I have followed this trial via WS. I don't know what Laura or Amanda saw in Grant. I do think based on what I have read here that Amanda is guilty of M1.

I hope Grant and Amanda rot in hell. RIP Laura.

 

[Marilou]

Have been out of town & just got caught up on listening to testimony & reading comments here. Thanks for all your great comments! I think AH & Sha moved to NYC 12/31/2009 & Lilly wasn't born until 6/2011 so she couldn't have been pregnant when she moved from VI to NYC. Correct me if I'm wrong on this. I am just not sure the M1 charge has been proved beyond a reasonable doubt but definitely have proven the other charges. I definitely think she knew LA was dead as soon as it happened & that she was a willing participant from this point forward (also may have participated in murder but not as sure of this).No way she didn't know about death until they got to TX. I found it interesting that during her testimony about July 13-15 she kept saying that GH left for hours & she had no idea where he was or what he was doing.Really?? No Way! Think PT should have pressed her on this. A lot of her testimony just doesn't add up but even if jury believes her jailhouse "friend", she just contradicts AH timeline of what she knew when but doesn't say she committed the murder.

 

[Jewels53]

I'm reading along with your posts--all very good thoughts. I haven't had time today to even 'thank' anybody for their posts. Will go back and do that when I catch up again.
I have to work tomorrow so I will miss everything. Just as soon as I get back home I'll jump on here to see if there is a verdict. I hope this jury comes back as quickly as GH's jury did--what was it 40 minutes? That jury knew what was what and I'm praying this one will too. Having both a nurse and somebody with a psych background on the jury gives me a lot of hope!

Haven't been on much this weekend. NCEast sure hate that you won't be here tomorrow, but hoping you have a great day at work with no Back Pain. :seeya:

 

[aa9511]

I sure hope that this is the message that the prosecution delivers to the jury. This started in the VI, where Amanda was seeing another man and Grant was there with Laura. Laura returned to NC because one of the children had a health issue. Amanda was fired from her bartending job and for one reason or another the art supply business, that was in the a gallery, closed. Sha returned to NYC.

I am wondering if Amanda got pregnant with Grant because she was thinking that he was an up and coming famous musician. She said that he tried to kiss her one night that they went out and then they didn't see each other for a while. I wonder if that "kiss" resulted in a pregnancy, and if she got together with Grant again because she was pregnant. She went to NYC and paid for Grant to join her. Grant told Laura that Amanda was an investor, which she was, except Amanda wanted more. When Grant went to NC, she followed him there. She describes him as "out of character" when he was with friends, but when he was at home, then he was the man she wanted him to be. She gave him a separate phone, the "children's phone", and Grant was supposed to use only that phone for communicating with Laura about children. Otherwise, he wasn't supposed to talk to her. I think that Amanda was trying to control him, but when he decided to "park" Amanda and Lilly with his parents, she lost it.

ohhh, GOOD analysis Otto!

Especially last part about "parking" Amanda and Lilly with his parents. You are probably absolutely right. Grant thought that Amanda would be like Laura, accomodating to his ways. IIRC, Laura stayed with Grant's parents even after they had divorced. Laura seemed to have taken a very "wife" role when she was with Grant, supporting Grant and doing what he thought was best for the family.

Grant thought Amanda would be like Laura.

Perhaps Amanda put on an act for him, to where he thought she would be like Laura in that aspect.

But she had her own plans. She already had her money and her life set. She wasn't going to change all that for Grant. What she wanted was for Grant to change for her.

JMO.

 

[aa9511]

Rebuttal done

What? Is it going to be deliberations starting Monday??

 

[Jewels53]

If I remember right Sha thought when they left the VI they were leaving GH behind. Sha was not happy when GH showed up in NYC. Also AH couldn't have been pregnant in 2009 and delivered in June 2011. To me Sha gave the impression she was upset with her mother (Amanda) at all the bad things she did in her life that affected her (Sha).

I am not worried about the outcome of the verdict, I think we have a smart jury. I also think it so wrong to compare another jury with this one. People are different and I think NC law is a little easier to understand.

I do think the jailhouse snitch proved that AH lied on the stand AH was aware that LA was killed in the apartment. I am not sure we will ever know who actually did the deed though.

jmo

 

[aa9511]

She was proud at what she thought of as her son's ability to charm others but she went farther and didn't find it creepy that some teachers were jealous. So there is no problem in PH's mind between children and adults.

This struck me as a twistedness in character. I would think a parent would demand adults be adults around their children and to not enter into some sort of competition leading to jealousy.

Sounds like Grant was a spoiled one. In their eyes, he never did wrong. The reason teachers disciplined him was because THEY were jealous, not because Grant did this or that.

I see now where Grant's problems come from.

It's never his fault. He has no problems or issues. It's always the other people.

 

[aa9511]

Well, Peeps, I met our Becky Holt tonight -- how about that?!

DH and I went for a casual Valentine's Day dinner at a tavern-type place here in west Raleigh that we have been frequenting for 30 years....I think we were in elementary school at the time (hah, that).

Anyway, we were standing around, waiting for our table, and in comes Becky Holt with another woman. She stood there waiting for a table, too, so I went up to her, introduced myself & asked if she were Becky Holt (although I was sure it was she), and she said yes, we shook hands and I told her how I has seen her in court today. I apologized for being so bold and she said, "No, no, go ahead." I explained I had seen her before, etc., etc., and asked her how she felt about the case, and she said "Good," very confidently. Then I asked her if Boz was really gonna run for Wake Co. DA and she said, somewhat reluctantly, "Yes, he is," and she commented about how bright & quick-minded he is. I agreed, and said that was good news & bad news and she agreed. Anyway and so forth.

We wound up sitting near her -- she was at a big table of 10--12 women -- it may have been a birthday party or some such get-together -- folks from the office, perhaps. Anyway, we got up to leave, and I went over & said "No mercy, Holt," and tapped my fist to her shoulder, and she said, "That's right." Cool. Very out-going and gracious woman.

Oh cool! Thanks for sharing this!!

 

[aa9511]

Was Amanda behind the murder? Was she jealous of Laura? I'm listening to her testimony http://www.wral.com/news/local/video/13380860/ and Grant told Laura that Amanda was a business investor? Did Grant say that he couldn't report the murder because, with Amanda and Grant in the room, no one would believe that the black guy didn't do it? Yet, Grant wrote a song about murdering his children's mother when he was still in NYC.

Sha and Amanda's sister Karen both reported to police quickly and truthfully. Has anything been posted about how Amanda's husband died? Was he a paraplegic or a quadriplegic? If the latter, it was most likely pneumonia, which I think it common in people that don't move, so nothing suspicious. If he was a paraplegic, then it would be unusual that he died so shortly after the diving accident. I knew someone that had that accident and he was a paraplegic ... active, working, busy, doing sports. Did the daughter and sister think this was deja vu after the death of her husband ... in the sense of something a bit suspicious?

I think she is guilty of conspiring to commit murder, committing murder, acting in concert and hiding the evidence. I think they wanted her dead for different reasons. Grant wanted complete control over his children, and it sounds like he intended to exploit them through the media industry. He wanted her out of the picture. Amanda was jealous of the much younger Laura and was threatened by her so much that Amanda got pregnant. Apparently that wasn't enough, so she too wanted her out of the picture.

I definately, definately got strong hints of jealousy towards Laura in Amanda's voice, even to this day, even in the setting where she knew to specifically not show any jealousy or hate towards Laura. And she couldn't help it. It was dripping off of her in her testimony, especially the jealousy.