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

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Thursday, Feb. 14th:
*Trial continues (Day 9) (@ 9:30am ET) - NJ - Sarah Stern (19) (Dec. 2, 2016, Neptune City; not found) - *Liam McAtasney (21/19 @ time of crime) charged (2/1/17) & indicted (2/2/17) with 1st degree murder, 1st degree robbery, felony murder, robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, desecrating human remains (2nd degree), tampering with physical evidence & hindering his own apprehension. Plead not guilty. No bond. DA seeks Life.
Trial started 1/23/19; should last 4 to 6 weeks & will only be on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, & Thursdays.
Skipping over Day 1 thru 6 - reference post #832 here: Still Missing - NJ - Sarah Stern, 19, Neptune City, 2 Dec 2016 *Arrests* #2
2/7/19 Day 7: State witnesses: Anthony Curry. DA played the video Curry recorded on Jan. 31, 2017, McAtasney laid out in detail choking Stern for a half hour. Edward Curry, Anthony's father, to corroborate his son’s story. Trial continues on Tuesday, 2/12.
2/12/19 Day 8 – cancelled: Monmouth County courts are CLOSED today due to the impending winter weather. Courts will re-open tomorrow as per the normal schedule. Trial continues to 2/13.
2/13/19 Day 8: Juror #13 (21 yrs old) was dismissed for posting on social media. "Sitting on the jury laughing my a— off.” That was the Facebook post that got a juror on the Sarah Stern murder trial kicked off the case. And now, the attorney for Stern’s accused killer is asking for a mistrial because of it. The juror in question was dismissed Thursday (2/7/19) at the end of the day over the social media post. That prompted him today to question the remaining 15 panelists individually about what, if anything, they knew of her removal. Because five of the jurors heard about the social media post shows that McAtansey cannot get a fair trial & is grounds for a mistrial, argued McAtasney's attorney, Carlos Diaz-Cobo. Judge English said he will decide Thursday (2/14) whether a mistrial will be declared at 10:30am. The prosecution has two more witnesses to call to the stand – both investigators with the Monmouth County Prosecutor’ Office. Then they are expected to rest their case. The defense will present their case next, which should include three to five witnesses.
2/14/19 Day 9: The juror (#13) dismissed on 2/7/19 over a post on her Facebook page will face contempt charges, said Judge English. The judge interviewed each juror about what he or she heard from the dismissed juror this morning. A second juror (#14) was released as a result. Defense attorneys were asking for 5 other jurors to be released & had previously requested a mistrial, which the judge denied. Twelve jurors & two alternates remain. State witnesses: Detective Brian Weisbrot, the lead detective. Weisbrot expected to return to the stand when trial resumes on Wednesday, 2/20.
His accomplice Preston Taylor (19) faces up to 20 years in state prison and is subject to the No Early Release Act. (Was facing up to life in prison on the felony murder charge and 51 years for the additional charges). He pleaded guilty (4/27/17) to 1st degree robbery, 2nd degree conspiracy to commit robbery, 2nd degree distributing or desecrating human remains, 2 counts of 3rd degree hindering apprehension & 4th degree tampering with physical evidence. His sentencing will be adjourned until later in the year, pending McAtasney’s trial. Testified at LMc's trial.
 
283 said:
While they may not have ever expected their son to do something like this; I do believe LM may have displayed some tendencies or behaviors at some point that concerned his parents. I can’t inderstand why else his parents would hire not one but two attorneys three days after SS disappeared. The case was still considered a missing person case at this point and he was not a suspect or person of interest, just simply being interviewe as the last person she was seen with.
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I don't remember reading that LM family hired an attorney the same day SS was missing?
 
spaz1959 said:
I don't remember reading that LM family hired an attorney the same day SS was missing?
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It wasn’t first day but was very early on.
LM was not on police radar until AC nlcsme forward in mid Jan. It was testimony early on when LM original atttorney was trying to get the initial interview with Belmar pd tossed. I hav article somewhere - let me try and find
 
spaz1959 said:
Thank you I was able to view in a stop and go fashion. Could you tell me was this time stamped? I'm unable to catch everything the reporter is saying. He talks about them going in and out of Sarah Sterns house. Is this LM and PT? The reporter mentioned Sarah car, but it was unclear what he said .
Click to expand...

I thought that LM said in his confession tape that he was crawling to the driveway, car, so he would not be seen on the neighbor's security camera.

It is around 1:20 on the video. Brian Thompson said, "Today we saw LM on surveillance video of him and another friend going in and out of Sarah's home that day. "And that night a tiny light, in back of her house, that the prosecution says was her car being used to dispose of her body."

At the end of the video reporter Brian Thompson said, "With Monday a holiday well, the judge has other business on Tuesday, so the court won't resume until Wednesday, when the prosecution hopes to rest."
 
cass523 said:
I thought that LM said in his confession tape that he was crawling to the driveway, car, so he would not be seen on the neighbor's security camera.

It is around 1:20 on the video. Brian Thompson said, "Today we saw LM on surveillance video of him and another friend going in and out of Sarah's home that day. "And that night a tiny light, in back of her house, that the prosecution says was her car being used to dispose of her body."

At the end of the video reporter Brian Thompson said, "With Monday a holiday well, the judge has other business on Tuesday, so the court won't resume until Wednesday, when the prosecution hopes to rest."
Click to expand...
Huh. Well LM may have lied, or maybe he was creaping around looking for phone, out of view of camera? Would the other friend be PT?
 
Wednesday, February 20th:
*Trial continues (Day 10) (@ 9:30am ET) - NJ - Sarah Stern (19) (Dec. 2, 2016, Neptune City; not found) - *Liam McAtasney (21/19 @ time of crime) charged (2/1/17) & indicted (2/2/17) with 1st degree murder, 1st degree robbery, felony murder, robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, desecrating human remains (2nd degree), tampering with physical evidence & hindering his own apprehension. Plead not guilty. No bond. DA seeks Life.
Trial started 1/23/19; should last 4 to 6 weeks & will only be on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, & Thursdays.
Skipping over Day 1 thru 6 - reference post #832 here: Still Missing - NJ - Sarah Stern, 19, Neptune City, 2 Dec 2016 *Arrests* #2
Skipping over Day 7 thru 8 - reference post #962 here - Still Missing - NJ - Sarah Stern, 19, Neptune City, 2 Dec 2016 *Arrests* #2
2/14/19 Day 9: The juror (#13) dismissed on 2/7/19 over a post on her Facebook page will face contempt charges, said Judge English. The judge interviewed each juror about what he or she heard from the dismissed juror this morning. A second juror (#14) was released as a result. Defense attorneys were asking for 5 other jurors to be released & had previously requested a mistrial, which the judge denied. Twelve jurors & two alternates remain. State witnesses: Detective Brian Weisbrot, the lead detective. Weisbrot expected to return to the stand when trial resumes on Wednesday, 2/20.
His accomplice Preston Taylor (19) faces up to 20 years in state prison and is subject to the No Early Release Act. (Was facing up to life in prison on the felony murder charge and 51 years for the additional charges). He pleaded guilty (4/27/17) to 1st degree robbery, 2nd degree conspiracy to commit robbery, 2nd degree distributing or desecrating human remains, 2 counts of 3rd degree hindering apprehension & 4th degree tampering with physical evidence. His sentencing will be adjourned until later in the year, pending McAtasney’s trial. Testified at LMc's trial.
 
“FREEHOLD - Prosecutors just rested their case against Liam McAtasney after calling a police witness who testified the defendant activated the stopwatch application on his phone about the same time he is alleged to have killed childhood friend Sarah Stern.

Detective John Sosdian said he examined McAtasney’s cell phone and determined the defendant activated its stopwatch application at 4:15 p. m. on Dec. 2, 2016.

[SBM]”
Sarah Stern murder: Stopwatch used to time death

This literally makes me ill.

I hate that he is putting Sarah’s family all of this.
 
inmyhumbleopinion said:
“FREEHOLD - Prosecutors just rested their case against Liam McAtasney after calling a police witness who testified the defendant activated the stopwatch application on his phone about the same time he is alleged to have killed childhood friend Sarah Stern.

Detective John Sosdian said he examined McAtasney’s cell phone and determined the defendant activated its stopwatch application at 4:15 p. m. on Dec. 2, 2016.

[SBM]”
Sarah Stern murder: Stopwatch used to time death

This literally makes me ill.

I hate that he is putting Sarah’s family all of this.
Click to expand...

That little detail should put any juror's doubt to rest.
 
spaz1959 said:
Will the Defense start today?
Click to expand...

Sosdian testified that McAtasney accessed the stopwatch app around at 4:15 p.m. He did not say how long the app was in use.

McAtasney’s attorney, Carlos Diaz-Cobo, did not cross examine Sosdian.

The state rested its case Wednesday morning after several weeks of testimony. The defense will call its first witness in the afternoon unless court is dismissed early because of the snow.

Sarah Stern’s alleged killer used stopwatch app, cop testifies. Prosecutors say he was timing her death

The governor declared state of emergency last night so I’m honestly surprised they were in court at all today. Wouldn’t be surprised if they ended early for the day.
 
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Sarah Stern murder: Man says he saw victim alive

FREEHOLD - A Neptune man today told a jury he was certain he saw Sarah Stern about 5 a.m. on Dec. 3, about 12 hours after prosecutors allege Liam McAtasney murdered her.

Craig Hetzel Sr. said he was driving his son to work that morning when he saw “a girl walking down the street,” at Third Avenue and Main Street in Bradley Beach.

She ducked into an alley between the movie theatre and cigar store, but not before he made eye contact with her, Hetzel said.

He said he was positive she was the same person he later saw on missing persons posters.

Shown Stern’s photo on a large screen in the courtroom, Hetzel said, “That’s her, that’s her.””
Hetzel was the first witness called by McAtasney's defense attorney, Carlos Diaz-Cobo.

Earlier this morning, prosecutors rested their case against McAtasney after calling a police witness who testified the defendant activated the stopwatch application on his phone about the same time he is alleged to have killed childhood friend Sarah Stern.

Detective John Sosdian said he examined McAtasney’s cell phone and determined the defendant activated its stopwatch application at 4:15 p. m. Dec. 2, 2016.

McAtasney, 21, of Neptune City, told an acquaintance on a secretly recorded video that he used the stopwatch application to time how long it took to strangle the 19-year-old Neptune City that same afternoon.

McAtasney, in the video recorded by horror filmmaker Anthony Curry and played in court on Feb. 7, said he timed Stern's death and that it took a half hour for her to die.

Sarah Stern murder: Man says he saw victim alive
 
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cass523 said:
Sarah Stern murder: Man says he saw victim alive

FREEHOLD - A Neptune man today told a jury he was certain he saw Sarah Stern about 5 a.m. on Dec. 3, about 12 hours after prosecutors allege Liam McAtasney murdered her.

Craig Hetzel Sr. said he was driving his son to work that morning when he saw “a girl walking down the street,” at Third Avenue and Main Street in Bradley Beach.

She ducked into an alley between the movie theatre and cigar store, but not before he made eye contact with her, Hetzel said.

He said he was positive she was the same person he later saw on missing persons posters.

Shown Stern’s photo on a large screen in the courtroom, Hetzel said, “That’s her, that’s her.””
Hetzel was the first witness called by McAtasney's defense attorney, Carlos Diaz-Cobo.

Earlier this morning, prosecutors rested their case against McAtasney after calling a police witness who testified the defendant activated the stopwatch application on his phone about the same time he is alleged to have killed childhood friend Sarah Stern.

Detective John Sosdian said he examined McAtasney’s cell phone and determined the defendant activated its stopwatch application at 4:15 p. m. Dec. 2, 2016.

McAtasney, 21, of Neptune City, told an acquaintance on a secretly recorded video that he used the stopwatch application to time how long it took to strangle the 19-year-old Neptune City that same afternoon.

McAtasney, in the video recorded by horror filmmaker Anthony Curry and played in court on Feb. 7, said he timed Stern's death and that it took a half hour for her to die.

Sarah Stern murder: Man says he saw victim alive
Click to expand...
cass523 said:
Sarah Stern murder: Man says he saw victim alive

FREEHOLD - A Neptune man today told a jury he was certain he saw Sarah Stern about 5 a.m. on Dec. 3, about 12 hours after prosecutors allege Liam McAtasney murdered her.

Craig Hetzel Sr. said he was driving his son to work that morning when he saw “a girl walking down the street,” at Third Avenue and Main Street in Bradley Beach.

She ducked into an alley between the movie theatre and cigar store, but not before he made eye contact with her, Hetzel said.

He said he was positive she was the same person he later saw on missing persons posters.

Shown Stern’s photo on a large screen in the courtroom, Hetzel said, “That’s her, that’s her.””
Hetzel was the first witness called by McAtasney's defense attorney, Carlos Diaz-Cobo.

Earlier this morning, prosecutors rested their case against McAtasney after calling a police witness who testified the defendant activated the stopwatch application on his phone about the same time he is alleged to have killed childhood friend Sarah Stern.

Detective John Sosdian said he examined McAtasney’s cell phone and determined the defendant activated its stopwatch application at 4:15 p. m. Dec. 2, 2016.

McAtasney, 21, of Neptune City, told an acquaintance on a secretly recorded video that he used the stopwatch application to time how long it took to strangle the 19-year-old Neptune City that same afternoon.

McAtasney, in the video recorded by horror filmmaker Anthony Curry and played in court on Feb. 7, said he timed Stern's death and that it took a half hour for her to die.

Sarah Stern murder: Man says he saw victim alive
Click to expand...


Oh boy .. and that’s one of the 3-5 witnesses he plans on calling..
 
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