GUILTY NC - Laura Ackerson, 27, Kinston, 13 July 2011 #8

[MissSallyAnnie]

Excellent synopsis, thank you! Yes, never kill an innocent!

Actually, never kill anyone!

 

[Prancy]

You are correct. That was the only place that got missed during the wipe down.

Who's blood was it?

 

[aa9511]

If I had to think of points that might have appealed to the jury on an emotional level, my thoughts go to the first letter Patsy Grant read that was from Amanda. It was about the children, expecially Lilly. I wonder if they reacted that way. I think I read that some said the jury was glaring at the defendant. That surprises me, since I thought the letters were painful in that you hear the words of a mother with an infant she never got to know and likely never will know.

I think it would depend on how sure one is that she did what most think she did. If one is "not sure," then the letter might appeal in some emotional way re: Lily. If one is sure, then the letter would just make you angrier, that how could a mother do that to her child, put her in this situation? And how could a mother do that to someone else's mother, take away their mother from them?

 

[Marilou]

I keep wondering about AH's purported statement "it wasn't supposed to happen this way". I do believe they planned to kill LA but maybe they didn't plan on killing her in the apt? It was really risky because she could have screamed & alerted neighbors, etc. Then again maybe they had planned on killing her there but thought they could get her body out after the kids were in bed & the "wasn't supposed to happen this way" referred to the dismemberment. I guess we'll never know. It's interesting that Sha never mentioned the rug being missing from under the table, only noticed the bath rugs were missing.

 

[CUCKOOHEAD]

Well shuck my corn!
I must have missed you saying that. Would have bugged you with questions a lot more if I had known :giggle:

Ditto Maybe that was a blessing in disguise. Hey did you see the two women sitting behind the defendant's table? I don't know if they were there throughout the trial because Mr Cameraman didn't think it important enough to give the viewing audience a sweep inside the courtroom regularly. Do you know who those women were/are?

 

[Boodles]

I thought during Grant's trial that there was testimony of a small amount of blood found on the inside door jamb of the bathroom linen closet, am I misremembering?

No, you're right.

 

[borndem]

It's 2014, bring in the video!

The judge has to go by what directions set by the Supreme Court are to be done on this type thing. He said the entire testimony must be read by the clerk, not just a part of it. That clerk is in another courtroom today -- first she would have to "translate" the steno, then type it up (approx 2 hrs) and then it would be read back (approx 2 hrs). The jury is going back to discuss.

 

[MissSallyAnnie]

I think the jury thought what most people think - that they would request it, someone would go get the stack of papers from, you know, "the stack," and they would take it back to the jury room and be able to look over it together and find specific parts they wanted to look at.

"the stack" :floorlaugh::floorlaugh::floorlaugh:

 

[MissSallyAnnie]

I keep wondering about AH's purported statement "it wasn't supposed to happen this way". I do believe they planned to kill LA but maybe they didn't plan on killing her in the apt? It was really risky because she could have screamed & alerted neighbors, etc. Then again maybe they had planned on killing her there but thought they could get her body out after the kids were in bed & the "wasn't supposed to happen this way" referred to the dismemberment. I guess we'll never know. It's interesting that Sha never mentioned the rug being missing from under the table, only noticed the bath rugs were missing.

"it wasn't supposed to happen this way"

I wish PB had worn a wire, wouldn't that have been great to hear Amanda say that loud and clear in the courtroom?

 

[CUCKOOHEAD]

I keep wondering about AH's purported statement "it wasn't supposed to happen this way". I do believe they planned to kill LA but maybe they didn't plan on killing her in the apt? It was really risky because she could have screamed & alerted neighbors, etc. Then again maybe they had planned on killing her there but thought they could get her body out after the kids were in bed & the "wasn't supposed to happen this way" referred to the dismemberment. I guess we'll never know. It's interesting that Sha never mentioned the rug being missing from under the table, only noticed the bath rugs were missing.

If LA's killing wasn't supposed to happen that way then we can look at what items were not in evidence as being bought that night/next day.

The reciprocating saw, the plastic rolls of tarp and adhesive rolls (the one roll of electrical tap Grant bought not enough) to tape the entire bathroom.

 

[Nymeria]

Who's blood was it?

Good question.
They never did say. Now that you ask that I am like WHAT THE?!?!
They never even mentioned typing it or DNA, IIRC.

 

[04009margaret]

When did a day of jury deliberations translate to jury failure?

Impatience has no place in law.

I think your misinterpreting what I'm saying here. I never said this jury has failed. I'm saying judging by the last 2 questions at the time, they appear to be doing some investigation. My understanding is that is not the juries role & correct me if I'm wrong, I also think it's not allowed. I just remember all the fuss over the juror sitting in the boat during deliberations in the Scott Peterson trial. I would hate this jury to make a decision & have it be the reason for appeal.

 

[geevee]

You are correct. That was the only place that got missed during the wipe down.

I don't recall it being brought up in this trial, was it and I just missed it?

NM, I see the answer above.

 

[Boodles]

Well shuck my corn!
I must have missed you saying that. Would have bugged you with questions a lot more if I had known :giggle:

I didn't explicitly talk about it. I am very superstitious of speculating about jurors. Jinxing and all that, you know...

I didn't see 2 women behind the defendant when I was there...don't know who they are.

AH is very small, tiny. Even though she's 5'9, she's petite. Definitely "size 3 pants" size-ish (they found size 4's right?). She looks more evil in photos.

 

[Veracity]

I would rather just see the video also it show her anger better. I don't think the video is considered official though court record.

NC since the days the Rail roads were being established became saddled with the moniker "RIP VAN WINKLE State". The reason was how they seemed content to not advance.

I have been working on family history work and I have witnessed this firsthand where genealogy and our Dept. of Cultural Resources go.

Now here's this trial and our courts are so backward they are costing the taxpayers more by not having in place a rule that allows the court to fire up the video and replay it!

And of course it isn't the fault of the practitioners, its the fault of the SUPREME COURT of NC per the Judge. Here's my question

Why hasn't the NC Administrative Office of the Courts who report to the Chief Justice of our State Supreme Court made him aware of the savings and benefits of using video replay? Logical cost and time saving measure, isn't it? Isn't that the office responsible for the equipment in the first place!

:banghead::banghead::banghead:

 

[Jewels53]

How long of a break did they take, anyone take note? I had to run a short errand and missed when they came back.

It was 15 minutes and now 1 hr lunch!

 

[CUCKOOHEAD]

Good question.
They never did say. Now that you ask that I am like WHAT THE?!?!
They never even mentioned typing it or DNA, IIRC.

I think a blood analyst did say they ran tests but the results were inconclusive all they could determine was it was human blood. IIRC

 

[NCB]

How long of a break did they take, anyone take note? I had to run a short errand and missed when they came back.

Not sure if you found your answer, geevee, but I believe they are due back at 2:00.

 

[04009margaret]

Morning All, it's 5:38 am here, going to read today's posts before joining in, that way I'm up to date & not asking silly questions lol

 

[MissSallyAnnie]

Good question.
They never did say. Now that you ask that I am like WHAT THE?!?!
They never even mentioned typing it or DNA, IIRC.

A lot of forensic testimony, yet it never seemed to lead to anything. That kind of testimony is tedious, and after listening to hours of it and not hearing conclusively whose DNA or blood it belonged to was disappointing, to say the least.