NJ - Sarah Stern, 19, Neptune City, 2 Dec 2016 *Arrests* #2

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inmyhumbleopinion said:
If there was a hearing on Aug. 30 (“[Superior Court Judge Richard W.] English at a conference in the case on Monday, scheduled a hearing on the matter for Aug. 30.”), I have not been able to find any information on it.


Also from the article linked above:




“English said the defense may be hiring its own experts, which could lead to further pretrial hearings. He scheduled a conference in the case for Sept. 17.

‘The state did arrive today ready to proceed to trial,’ Christopher Decker, assistant Monmouth County prosecutor, told the judge. ‘The issues discussed put a hold on that.'’

The case had previously been expected to go to trial in September.” (BBM)

So it doesn’t appear that they have a trial date set as of now. Sarah’s poor father ....
Click to expand...

Talk about hurry up and wait. I would very much like to fly back home for the trial. Spoke to other friends from Neptune City and they also have not heard a thing regarding trial date.
 
Monday, Sept. 10th:
*Trial set to begin-Delayed! (@ ET) - NJ - Sarah Stern (19) (Dec. 2, 2016; not found) - Liam McAtasney (19) indicted (2/2/17) with 1st degree murder, 1st degree robbery, felony murder, conspiracy to commit robbery, disturbing desecrating human remains (2nd degree), tampering with physical evidence & hindering his own apprehension. DA seeks Life.
9/18/17: Superior Court Judge Lisa P. Thornton, Monmouth County's ruled no change of venue.
3/26/18: Judge denied to suppress the videotape confession. Potential Trial date Sept. 15th. 6/18/18: Hearing on 6/18 was supposed to be LMc last chance to take a plea bargain, but… McAtasney's trial was scheduled to start on Sept. 15, but that date will likely be bumped, Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Richard English said. For one, defense attorney Carlos Diaz-Cobo took over from defense attorney Richard Moriarty in March after months of pretrial motions had already occurred. And with the state's new speedy trial laws, other cases have deadlines that will take precedent. Next hearing 7/30.
7/30/18 Update: Def. attorney Carols Diaz-Cobo is seeking to block an expert in tides from testifying for the state at McAtasney's upcoming trial. He asked Superior Court Judge Richard W. English to hold a hearing on whether Hugh Roarty, a marine biologist at Rutgers University, can testify as an expert at McAtasney's trial for the murder of his former high school classmate. English, at a conference in the case on Monday, scheduled a hearing on the matter for Aug. 30.
9/4/18 Update: Trial tentatively scheduled for 9/10.
9/7/18 Update: Trial has been delayed as Defense has their own tides expert. Next hearing 9/17.
His accomplice Preston Taylor (19) faces up to 20 years in state prison and is subject to the No Early Release Act. He pleaded guilty to first-degree robbery, second-degree conspiracy to commit robbery, second-degree distributing or
desecrating human remains, two counts of third-degree hindering apprehension and fourth-degree tampering with physical evidence. His sentencing will be adjourned until later in the year, pending McAtasney’s trial. Expected to testify at LMc's trial.


 
spaz1959 said:
Thank you so much Niner! Won't be able to be there,as I work for school system . Guess I will have to get an online account with Asbury Park Press.
Click to expand...

spaz1959- I know it is not the same but NJ.com seems to have the same stories as the Press with no fee. I always had the Asbury Park Press delivered but recently switched to unlimited digital access, adding my husband for free. Ha, there is a "Fall Special" going on now:

Digital Access 99¢ per month for 3 months, then $6.99 per month

Search | News, Images, Videos, Classifieds & More - NJ.com
 
cass523 said:
spaz1959- I know it is not the same but NJ.com seems to have the same stories as the Press with no fee. I always had the Asbury Park Press delivered but recently switched to unlimited digital access, adding my husband for free. Ha, there is a "Fall Special" going on now:

Digital Access 99¢ per month for 3 months, then $6.99 per month

Search | News, Images, Videos, Classifieds & More - NJ.com
Click to expand...


Cass 523 how thoughtful to let me know, thanks!
 
Monday, Sept. 17th:
*Pretrial Hearing (@ ET) - NJ - Sarah Stern (19) (Dec. 2, 2016; not found) - Liam McAtasney (19) indicted (2/2/17) with 1st degree murder, 1st degree robbery, felony murder, conspiracy to commit robbery, disturbing desecrating human remains (2nd degree), tampering with physical evidence & hindering his own apprehension. DA seeks Life.
9/18/17: Superior Court Judge Lisa P. Thornton, Monmouth County's ruled no change of venue.
3/26/18: Judge denied to suppress the videotape confession. Potential Trial date Sept. 15th.
6/18/18: Hearing on 6/18 was supposed to be LMc last chance to take a plea bargain, but… McAtasney's trial was scheduled to start on Sept. 15, but that date will likely be bumped, Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Richard English said. For one, defense attorney Carlos Diaz-Cobo took over from defense attorney Richard Moriarty in March after months of pre-trial motions had already occurred. And with the state's new speedy trial laws, other cases have deadlines that will take precedent. Next hearing 7/30.
7/30/18 Update: Def. attorney Carols Diaz-Cobo is seeking to block an expert in tides from testifying for the state at McAtasney's upcoming trial. He asked Superior Court Judge Richard W. English to hold a hearing on whether Hugh Roarty, a marine biologist at Rutgers University, can testify as an expert at McAtasney's trial for the murder of his former high school classmate. English, at a conference in the case on Monday, scheduled a hearing on the matter for Aug. 30.
9/4/18 Update: Trial tentatively scheduled for 9/10.
9/7/18 Update: Trial has been delayed as Defense has their own tides expert. Next hearing 9/17.
His accomplice Preston Taylor (19) faces up to 20 years in state prison and is subject to the No Early Release Act. He pleaded guilty to first-degree robbery, second-degree conspiracy to commit robbery, second-degree distributing or desecrating human remains, two counts of third-degree hindering apprehension and fourth-degree tampering with physical evidence. His sentencing will be adjourned until later in the year, pending McAtasney’s trial. Expected to testify at LMc's trial.
 
JerseyGirl said:
Trial in Sarah Stern murder set for January
Click to expand...

From the article:

“‘We are ready to go forward with the trial,’ said Carlos Diaz-Cobo, McAtasney’s attorney.

[Superior Court Judge Richard W.] English scheduled McAtasney’s trial for Jan. 7.

‘It’s good that it’s moving forward,’ said Michael Stern, the victim’s father, who has expressed his disgust with previous delays in scheduling the trial.

More: Sarah Stern murder: Defense needs more time to investigate

McAtasney, now 21, of Neptune City is charged with murder, felony murder, robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, desecration of human remains, tampering with evidence and hindering apprehension.

Doyle said McAtasney, without the benefit of a plea bargain, faces a total of life in prison plus an additional 15 years if he is convicted of all of the charges at trial.

[SBM]

English said the trial is expected to last 10 days, following jury selection, which is likely to take several days. A final, pretrial conference will be held on Jan. 7, and attorneys will begin selecting jurors the following day, English said.”
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.app.com/amp/1302548002
 
inmyhumbleopinion said:
From the article:

“‘We are ready to go forward with the trial,’ said Carlos Diaz-Cobo, McAtasney’s attorney.

[Superior Court Judge Richard W.] English

scheduled McAtasney’s trial for Jan. 7.

‘It’s good that it’s moving forward,’ said







inmyhumbleopinion said:
From the article:

Wow. Seeing the January court date hit me like a ton of bricks. Such sadness. Doesn't feel real.

“‘We are ready to go forward with the trial,’ said Carlos Diaz-Cobo, McAtasney’s attorney.

[Superior Court Judge Richard W.] English scheduled McAtasney’s trial for Jan. 7.

‘It’s good that it’s moving forward,’ said Michael Stern, the victim’s father, who has expressed his disgust with previous delays in scheduling the trial.

More: Sarah Stern murder: Defense needs more time to investigate

McAtasney, now 21, of Neptune City is charged with murder, felony murder, robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, desecration of human remains, tampering with evidence and hindering apprehension.

Doyle said McAtasney, without the benefit of a plea bargain, faces a total of life in prison plus an additional 15 years if he is convicted of all of the charges at trial.

[SBM]

English said the trial is expected to last 10 days, following jury selection, which is likely to take several days. A final, pretrial conference will be held on Jan. 7, and attorneys will begin selecting jurors the following day, English said.”
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.app.com/amp/1302548002
Click to expand...

Michael Stern, the victim’s father, who has expressed his disgust with previous delays in scheduling the trial.

More: Sarah Stern murder: Defense needs more time to investigate

McAtasney, now 21, of Neptune City is charged with murder, felony murder, robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, desecration of human remains, tampering with evidence and hindering apprehension.

Doyle said McAtasney, without the benefit of a plea bargain, faces a total of life in prison plus an additional 15 years if he is convicted of all of the charges at trial.

[SBM]

English said the trial is expected to last 10 days, following jury selection, which is likely to take several days. A final, pretrial conference will be held on Jan. 7, and attorneys will begin selecting jurors the following day, English said.”
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.app.com/amp/1302548002
Click to expand...
 
Update in red:

Monday, Sept. 17th:
*Pretrial Hearing (@ ET) - NJ - Sarah Stern (19) (Dec. 2, 2016; not found) - Liam McAtasney (19) indicted (2/2/17) with 1st degree murder, 1st degree robbery, felony murder, conspiracy to commit robbery, disturbing desecrating human remains (2nd degree), tampering with physical evidence & hindering his own apprehension. DA seeks Life.
9/18/17: Superior Court Judge Lisa P. Thornton, Monmouth County's ruled no change of venue.
3/26/18: Judge denied to suppress the videotape confession. Potential Trial date Sept. 15th.
6/18/18: Hearing on 6/18 was supposed to be LMc last chance to take a plea bargain, but… McAtasney's trial was scheduled to start on Sept. 15, but that date will likely be bumped, Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Richard English said. For one, defense attorney Carlos Diaz-Cobo took over from defense attorney Richard Moriarty in March after months of pretrial motions had already occurred. And with the state's new speedy trial laws, other cases have deadlines that will take precedent. Next hearing 7/30.
7/30/18 Update: Def. attorney Carols Diaz-Cobo is seeking to block an expert in tides from testifying for the state at McAtasney's upcoming trial. He asked Superior Court Judge Richard W. English to hold a hearing on whether Hugh Roarty, a marine biologist at Rutgers University, can testify as an expert at McAtasney's trial for the murder of his former high school classmate. English, at a conference in the case on Monday, scheduled a hearing on the matter for Aug. 30.
9/4/18 Update: Trial tentatively scheduled for 9/10.
9/7/18 Update: Trial has been delayed as Defense has their own tides expert. Next hearing 9/17.
9/17/18 Update: McAtasney turned down a plea deal-calling for a life sentence without the possibility of parole. Going to go to trial & if convicted would receive life in prison plus 15 years for all charges. Trial will 1/7/19, with Final pretrial hearing first & then followed by jury selection, which should last a couple of days. Trial should last about 10 days.
His accomplice Preston Taylor (19) faces up to 20 years in state prison and is subject to the No Early Release Act. He pleaded guilty to first-degree robbery, second-degree conspiracy to commit robbery, second-degree distributing or desecrating human remains, two counts of third-degree hindering apprehension and fourth-degree tampering with physical evidence. His sentencing will be adjourned until later in the year, pending McAtasney’s trial. Expected to testify at LMc's trial.
 
Niner said:
Update in red:

Monday, Sept. 17th:
*Pretrial Hearing (@ ET) - NJ - Sarah Stern (19) (Dec. 2, 2016; not found) - Liam McAtasney (19) indicted (2/2/17) with 1st degree murder, 1st degree robbery, felony murder, conspiracy to commit robbery, disturbing desecrating human remains (2nd degree), tampering with physical evidence & hindering his own apprehension. DA seeks Life.
9/18/17: Superior Court Judge Lisa P. Thornton, Monmouth County's ruled no change of venue.
3/26/18: Judge denied to suppress the videotape confession. Potential Trial date Sept. 15th.
6/18/18: Hearing on 6/18 was supposed to be LMc last chance to take a plea bargain, but… McAtasney's trial was scheduled to start on Sept. 15, but that date will likely be bumped, Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Richard English said. For one, defense attorney Carlos Diaz-Cobo took over from defense attorney Richard Moriarty in March after months of pretrial motions had already occurred. And with the state's new speedy trial laws, other cases have deadlines that will take precedent. Next hearing 7/30.
7/30/18 Update: Def. attorney Carols Diaz-Cobo is seeking to block an expert in tides from testifying for the state at McAtasney's upcoming trial. He asked Superior Court Judge Richard W. English to hold a hearing on whether Hugh Roarty, a marine biologist at Rutgers University, can testify as an expert at McAtasney's trial for the murder of his former high school classmate. English, at a conference in the case on Monday, scheduled a hearing on the matter for Aug. 30.
9/4/18 Update: Trial tentatively scheduled for 9/10.
9/7/18 Update: Trial has been delayed as Defense has their own tides expert. Next hearing 9/17.
9/17/18 Update: McAtasney turned down a plea deal-calling for a life sentence without the possibility of parole. Going to go to trial & if convicted would receive life in prison plus 15 years for all charges. Trial will 1/7/19, with Final pretrial hearing first & then followed by jury selection, which should last a couple of days. Trial should last about 10 days.
His accomplice Preston Taylor (19) faces up to 20 years in state prison and is subject to the No Early Release Act. He pleaded guilty to first-degree robbery, second-degree conspiracy to commit robbery, second-degree distributing or desecrating human remains, two counts of third-degree hindering apprehension and fourth-degree tampering with physical evidence. His sentencing will be adjourned until later in the year, pending McAtasney’s trial. Expected to testify at LMc's trial.
Click to expand...
Thank you for posting this yesterday .I tried to respond but goofed it up. Just seeing the court date kinda brought everything back to when they first found Sarah's car. Just so painful to all who her. Seems unreal still .
 
spaz1959 said:
Is the trial for Sarah Stern's killer IMO, Still set to begin Jan 7, 2019?
Click to expand...

According to this article from Dec. 4th, it appears that is the case:

“The discussion of trial postponements called to mind two other murder cases that have seized the collective psyche of Monmouth County crime watchers — the killings of 19-year-old Sarah Stern in Neptune City in 2016 and 11-year-old Abbiegail Smith in Keansburg in 2017.

Authorities believe Stern was killed at her home on Dec. 2, 2016. The man they believe killed her, 21-year-old Liam McAtasney, was arrested three months later on Feb. 1, 2017, along with a suspected accomplice, Preston Taylor. Taylor struck a plea deal, but McAtasney's trial has yet to begin more than 21 months after his arrest. It is scheduled to begin in January 2019.“ (BBM)
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.app.com/amp/2203846002

Praying for justice for Sarah and her family.
 
Another article mentioning trial is scheduled for Jan. 7th.

Snip

“The defendant has elected to go to trial,’’ Meghan Doyle, an assistant Monmouth County prosecutor, told Superior Court Judge Richard W. English at a brief proceeding during which McAtasney acknowledged he can no longer negotiate for a plea bargain.

“We are ready to go forward with the trial,’’ said Carlos Diaz-Cobo, McAtasney’s attorney.

English scheduled McAtasney’s trial for Jan. 7.

Trial in Sarah Stern murder set for January
 
Trial set to start

“It’s a couple of years now, and it’s a long wait, and I’m praying that everything goes well, but you just never know," Michael Stern said in a telephone interview last week, on the eve of trial."

He said he’s been having nightmares and many sleepless nights as the trial approaches.

“Hopefully, this thing will go quickly, and it will be over, and we’ll get some justice," Michael Stern said.

“There are a lot of unknowns, and it gives you a feeling of uneasiness about what’s going to happen, what the final verdict will be," he said. “I’m pretty confident it will be guilty, but it remains to be seen."

Among the unknowns is what happened to Sarah Stern’s body. It has never surfaced, though her junior prom date, Preston Taylor, now 21, of Neptune, admitted helping McAtasney throw the corpse off the bridge for a $3,000 cut of $10,000 that McAtasney is alleged to have stolen from the victim.

That unknown is key to McAtasney’s defense.

“That’s a huge issue that’s going to play out throughout the course of the trial," said New Brunswick attorney Carlos Diaz-Cobo, who is defending McAtasney.

“I think the fact that there is no body creates reasonable doubt in and of itself that the state cannot overcome," Diaz-Cobo said.

"We’re ready to proceed to trial, and we’re confident that at the end of this very long and arduous time in his (McAtasney’s) life, he will be found not guilty and go home to his family," the defense attorney said.
He declined to elaborate further on the defense strategy.

A final pretrial conference in the case is scheduled for Monday, and attorneys are expected to begin selecting jurors Tuesday. The trial, including the jury-selection process, is expected to last up to six weeks.

Sarah Stern murder: A dad's sleepless nights as trial is set to start
 
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