GUILTY NJ - Carolyn Byington, 26, killed inside her home, Plainsboro, 10 June 2019 *Arrest* #2

[zecats]

Plainsboro murder: Man accused of woman's stabbing death to remain in jail

<anip> NEW BRUNSWICK — A South Jersey man charged with the murder of a co-worker who was killed in her Plainsboro apartment in June while on a lunch break will remain in jail at least until Friday when his detention hearing will resume.

<anip> Assistant Prosecutor Tzvi Dolinger requested the adjournment, noting the courtroom was full with a significant number of family and friends of the victim present. Dolinger said there is additional discovery that he wants to make sure the defense attorney Michael B. Roberts has.

Dolinger added that Roberts provided him Tuesday morning with some phone records that Roberts plans to rely upon during the detention hearing and Dolinger wants to compare them to the cell phone information he has to properly prepare for the detention hearing.

RBBM
What the heck could that be about? Does it sound like he's planning to use cell phone records as part of the innocence plea?

Assuming KS had a cell phone with him when he followed CB home, unless he turned if off, it would prove more likely he was in the area than not. And turning it off would in itself be suspicious. IMO

 

[MissyMom]

In addition to family, I hope some of his coworkers were there staring him in the face.

It sounds as if both sides have additional cell phone discovery to review.

 

[DAB]

@DAB Is the link from today? I’ve been looking for an update but haven’t seen anything yet.

From yesterday

Police: Lindenwold man's 'demeanor' changed after co-worker's murder

 

[MissyMom]

From yesterday

Police: Lindenwold man's 'demeanor' changed after co-worker's murder

@DAB , there’s new information posted above from today’s hearing

 

[MissyMom]

I have a question, is a motive typically revealed during a detention hearing?

 

[gitana1]

I have a question, is a motive typically revealed during a detention hearing?

No.

 

[Seattle1]

Aug 27, 2019

Kenneth Saal, 30, of Lindenwold, Camden County briefly appeared Tuesday before Middlesex County Superior Court Judge Joseph Paone before the hearing was adjourned at the request of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.

Assistant Prosecutor Tzvi Dolinger requested the adjournment, noting the courtroom was full with a significant number of family and friends of the victim present. Dolinger said there is additional discovery that he wants to make sure the defense attorney Michael B. Roberts has.

Dolinger added that Roberts provided him Tuesday morning with some phone records that Roberts plans to rely upon during the detention hearing and Dolinger wants to compare them to the cell phone information he has to properly prepare for the detention hearing.

[...]

Byington’s mother declined to speak to a reporter after the hearing.

Prior to the start of the brief hearing Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey met with Byington’s parents, friends and supporters in the hallway.

[...]

The charges filed against Saal followed an investigation by Plainsboro police and the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office. The investigation determined Saal, who worked at the same marketing firm as Byington, killed her in her apartment when she went home for lunch on June 10.

Plainsboro murder: Man accused of woman's stabbing death to remain in jail

 

[Seattle1]

What Happens at a Pretrial Detention Hearing in New Jersey?

New Jersey passed a constitutional amendment in 2014 allowing certain criminal defendants to be detained without bail. Alongside this amendment, pretrial justice and speedy trial legislation that implemented a risk assessment system also went into effect. The pretrial justice reform—commonly referred to as ‘bail reform’—has overhauled the pretrial detention system and decision-making framework from one that was based on the experience and impressions of a judge, to an objective system of risk assessment:

Detention Decisions after Public Safety Assessment (PSA)
When a criminal defendant has a detention hearing, both the prosecution and the defense are entitled to argue for detention or release. In addition to arguments made by the prosecution and defense, the court uses risk assessment tools that are evidence-based. A defendant can only be detained while awaiting trial if a judge finds that no condition or set of conditions would reasonably assure that the defendant will not: fail to appear, threaten public safety, or obstruct the criminal justice process.

To make this determination, the judge will consider the defendant’s Pretrial Safety Assessment (PSA) score and Decision Making Framework (DMF) recommendations on detention or release conditions.

A defendant’s PSA score is based on a risk assessment in three categories, influenced by certain risk assessment factors:

1. 
   
   
   • Failure to appear
     • Pending charges at the time of arrest
     • Prior convictions
     • Prior failure to appear more than two years ago
     • Prior failure to appear within the last two years
   • New criminal activity
     • Age of defendant
     • Pending charges
     • Prior disorderly persons convictions
     • Prior indictable offenses
     • Prior violent crime convictions
     • Prior failure to appear within the last two years
     • Previous incarceration sentence
   • New violent criminal activity
   • Current violent offense
     • Violent offender under the age of 21
     • Pending charges
     • Prior conviction
     • Prior violent convictions

To generate a recommendation for the detention of a defendant or conditions of release, the Decision Making Framework (DMF) requires the judge to engage in a 10-step process, utilizing the defendant’s PSA score for the relevant categories of failure to appear, new criminal activity, and new violent criminal activity, in addition to other factors.

What Happens at a Detention Hearing in NJ | Pretrial Detention Process New Jersey

Bumping the the NJ detention process: in addition to prosecution and defense argument for bail, court also uses risk assessment tools that are evidence-based. -- Requires judge to engage in 10 step process....

 

[Inthedetails]

RBBM
What the heck could that be about? Does it sound like he's planning to use cell phone records as part of the innocence plea?

Assuming KS had a cell phone with him when he followed CB home, unless he turned if off, it would prove more likely he was in the area than not. And turning it off would in itself be suspicious. IMO

Could he have planted his cell phone somewhere during lunch?

jmo

 

[kbpirate]

This was my first feeling as well as my 27 yo daughter who lives and works in Princeton. If they had any kind of relationship beyond professional, co-workers would certainly be in tune with that. Anything is possible but given everything I have read about this case, I am leaning towards his financial and career security being threaten somehow by Carolyn. He may not have intended to kill her... but whatever happened in that apartment evoked rage that ended in her tragic death.

I completely agree. I think she threatened his stability at work in some way.

 

[DAB]

If KS is allowed out of jail, would he be able to return to work until the trial?

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

If KS is allowed out of jail, would he be able to return to work until the trial?

Now that’s a good question. I wonder what the answer is.

I sure wouldn’t want to work around him at all.

ETA: This is quite the conundrum as I see it. He hasn’t been found guilty of the crime yet, so I wonder if the employer would have to allow him back to his job until he goes to trial; but then the employer has to provide a safe working environment for their workers. Would anyone feel safe at work with him there?

 

[zecats]

Could he have planted his cell phone somewhere during lunch?

jmo

Well we read that he texted work that he would be late coming back, that he had to take his car to the mechanics. Must have had it then, whatever time that was.

 

[kaen]

If KS is allowed out of jail, would he be able to return to work until the trial?

More than likely they would suspend him with pay unless his lie to his boss (about being at the mechanics) is something he has been written up for before this incident. Agreeing to pay him without him being onsite makes him whole and protects their other employees who may not be desirous of his presence. His employer would not want him in the workplace given the accusations. If his file has any kind of issue relating to honesty, he could be fired for cause.

This is what my former agency where I was the Director would do. JMHO.

 

[Francesca]

The articles consistently state that the perpetrator was waiting AT the apartment rather than being IN the apartment. I can't shake the impression that she met him at the front door and let him in, whether she was expecting him or not. There was no forced entry and it would be plausible that even if she thought it was odd or unexpected for him to be there, she wouldn't suspect any danger from a colleague.

Whatever he was planning, I think he originally intended to be back at work within his normal lunch break because he sent a message to his supervisor during his lunch break, saying that he would be late back. He didn't say anything beforehand, so he didn't anticipate that his "errand" would take longer than usual. And he didn't plan an alibi ahead - he could have actually taken the car to a mechanic, claiming he'd heard a strange noise or something.

So either he met her there to discuss something and the discussion quickly escalated into violence, or he followed her there because he specifically wanted to kill her, and didn't anticipate that this would make him late back from lunch. Personally, I think he planned to kill her with no provocation, bizarre as it is, because he needed to have a weapon ready, he must have taken some precautions with his clothes, and it sounds like she was killed almost immediately upon entering her apartment, so not much time for a situation to escalate.

 

[zippitydoda]

NJ is an at will State, meaning he could be fired for any reason, even no reason, at any time. Discrimination laws (LAD) protect certain classes, but unknown if he is attached to one. If he has an employment contract, they could just pay its value out.
Hoping lots of security camera footage has him all over the area near her home.
Lying about the car service is not good for him.

Has it been confirmed that the perp was already in her home, or she let them in?

 

[Inthedetails]

Well we read that he texted work that he would be late coming back, that he had to take his car to the mechanics. Must have had it then, whatever time that was.

Ditch the phone somewhere, go to her apartment without the phone, return to phone and pick it up, text work, resume activities.

jmo

 

[scdiv]

More than likely they would suspend him with pay unless his lie to his boss (about being at the mechanics) is something he has been written up for before this incident. Agreeing to pay him without him being onsite makes him whole and protects their other employees who may not be desirous of his presence. His employer would not want him in the workplace given the accusations. If his file has any kind of issue relating to honesty, he could be fired for cause.

This is what my former agency where I was the Director would do. JMHO.

When Aaron Hernandez was arrested for murder, the Patriots terminated/fired him immediately that same day of his arrest. Chris Watts was also fired immediately from his company, before he "confessed" or took a plea deal.

Glad to read that the courtroom was full with a significant number of family and friends of the victim -- the silence on this case from friends, family, and coworkers seemed odd when so little information was available, but it was all there behind the scenes. What an awful ordeal for all of them.

 

[DAB]

When Aaron Hernandez was arrested for murder, the Patriots terminated/fired him immediately that same day of his arrest. Chris Watts was also fired immediately from his company, before he "confessed" or took a plea deal.

Glad to read that the courtroom was full with a significant number of family and friends of the victim -- the silence on this case from friends, family, and coworkers seemed odd when so little information was available, but it was all there behind the scenes. What an awful ordeal for all of them.

How awful for her friends & family to have to look at KS & be reminded that he killed her so brutally.

 

[zecats]

Ditch the phone somewhere, go to her apartment without the phone, return to phone and pick it up, text work, resume activities.

jmo

I can't honestly refute this possibility. But, dang -that would be well planned out if so.