All of Evan's tweets before am break:
PIKE COUNTY TRIAL:
#GeorgeWagnerIV is in the courtroom awaiting the start of his defense team's closing argument.
CLOSING ARGUMENTS: John Parker starts his presentation: "You folks stand between the power of the government and a man - George Wagner .. In this case, they’ve overreached.”
CLOSING ARGUMENTS: Parker tells the jury the prosecution "paints with a broad brush. How many times have you heard ‘they’ 'them’ ... there were days and days that went by when you didn’t hear George’s name - that’s significant.”
CLOSING ARGUMENTS: Parker argues this case (George's) isn't about custody. He again points to distraction from George - says he felt like he was in divorce court at times. He brings up a 77 page app for wiretap from 2018 - that says they don't have enough evidence to convict
CLOSING ARGUMENTS: Parker asks the jury why the state would make a deal with Jake Wagner? "Because their case against George wasn’t strong.”
CLOSING ARGUMENTS: Parker says phone records are important in this case. "They reflect for sure what time somebody was alive - there is no proof beyond a reasonable doubt what time someone died.”
CLOSING ARGUMENTS: Parker questions the route Jake testified they used ("coming and going and backtracking and circling back") - and the truck swap that happened at Chris Sr's. "If this was a pre-planned murder - which it was - what sense does that make?”
CLOSING ARGUMENTS: Parker calls the custody battle a "theory." "It doesn’t make sense for one family to kill another over custody - have you ever heard of such a thing? No ... Quite frankly I don’t think anybody will ever believe this is about custody."
CLOSING ARGUMENTS: Parker calls the Facebook message from Hanna May ("I'll never sign papers ... they'll have to kill me first") - 'alarming.'
But says "People don’t kill over custody.”
CLOSING ARGUMENTS: Parker suggests killings were over concerns about possible sexual abuse of Sophia.
Eventually Jake says he's in w/ Billy's plan. "Do you hear George’s name anywhere here? No. Do you hear anything about a family meeting to discuss killing these people? No.”
CLOSING ARGUMENTS: Parker calls Jake Wagner "a sick man." Says jury shouldn't trust his testimony. "Angela isn't any better.”
CLOSING ARGUMENTS: Parker says "They’re liars, they’re con artists, their thieves." About Angela - "That woman’s got problems and you can’t believe a word that comes out of her mouth.”
CLOSING ARGUMENTS: Parker says Angela only bought two pair of shoes - "that's because Jake and Billy planned" the murders.
CLOSING ARGUMENTS: Parker says this is a case of confirmation bias in the investigation. Cites the prosecution's continued discussion about Jake & George dying their hair - Jake says it had nothing to do w/ murder. Also cites the tattoo - George says it was to cover up old one.
CLOSING ARGUMENTS: Parker says of George - he's "not perfect but he is nothing like Jake - he spent as much time away from that home as he could.”
CLOSING ARGUMENTS: Parker discusses how the victims died - all shot in the head, some in the eye.
Kenneth was one - Jake testified he saw a muzzle flash, that Billy killed him. Parker: "No way he saw that flash unless he was standing there with the gun shooting Ken in the eye."
CLOSING ARGUMENTS: Parker says it is "significant" that Jake's proffer led them to the murder weapons. "They never would have found them - but that’s his conduct. He verified his conduct.”
CLOSING ARGUMENTS: Parker tells jury Jake originally wanted to make the killings look like a murder-suicide - mentions strangling a pregnant Hanna May. But he says Billy said no. Parker describes Jake's testimony about what happened at Chris Sr's as a "fantasy." Doesn't add up.
CLOSING ARGUMENTS: Parker is poking holes in Jake's testimony about what happened inside Dana's house. He said he shot Hanna May in the forehead, but she was hit in back of head. "He was standing right beside her ... he's a liar and an executioner.”
CLOSING ARGUMENTS: Parker asks the jury to "look at the evidence from his point of view." "He thought his family was being framed - that’s what Angela told him, that’s what Jake told him.”
CLOSING ARGUMENTS: Parker says George confronted Jake after BCI interviewed him in Montana - asked if he had anything to do with this. Jake swore he didn't. Parker: "Did you hear the recording from Montana? No you didn’t - ask yourself why you didn’t.”
CLOSING ARGUMENTS: Parker asks the jury to "look at the evidence from his point of view." "He thought his family was being framed - that’s what Angela told him, that’s what Jake told him.”
CLOSING ARGUMENTS: Parker says George confronted Jake after BCI interviewed him in Montana - asked if he had anything to do with this. Jake swore he didn't. Parker: "Did you hear the recording from Montana? No you didn’t - ask yourself why you didn’t.”
CLOSING ARGUMENTS: Parker gets riled up ending the discussion about Jake and Angela's testimony - "watch my language." He calls Angela "a piece of work" for"dragging her own mom into this case.”
CLOSING ARGUMENTS: Parker now moves onto George's relationship with Tabitha - "they were very young." Shows jury a photo of their wedding - the Rhodens are in it too.
CLOSING ARGUMENTS: Reason for showing that is to discuss George's friendship with Frankie. Parker counters state's claim that they weren't actually that close. Parker says they drifted apart as they got married and had kids.
CLOSING ARGUMENTS: Parker says George "broke every rule his father taught him by getting up here and telling the truth. Says "He did it for himself quite obviously but he did it for his son. Jake and Angela have destroyed this man’s life - and his son’s life.”
CLOSING ARGUMENTS: Parker says George "didn’t kill anybody and he didn’t go along because it didn’t make any sense."
He reads the poem "Judge Softly" - and asks the jury to 'walk in his moccasins' when judging the evidence in this case.
CLOSING ARGUMENTS: Court is taking a short morning break. Parker will finish shortly. Prosecutor Andy WIlson will handle state's rebuttal afterward.