OH - Pike Co - 8 in Rhoden Family Murdered Over Custody Issue - 4 Members Wagner Family Arrested #80

[rescuemom]

I just wonder how much "experience" this court has with murder cases in general. It's common knowledge that there are a lot of unsolved murders particularly in Pike County. This case was a huge undertaking and I still maintain that the use of a special judge was mentioned early on to handle this case. Did I dream it????

 

[RAISINISBACK]

Keep in mind the Appeals Court decision, as shown, states Failure to follow their decision will result in a mistrial. They specifically put mistrial on the table For this case. Hopefully it will be overruled, but for now it’s hanging over the judge’s head if that court feels he makes a wrong decision in one of his hearings about allowing a defendant to take the option. I presume a hearing will have to be held for every witness who wants to take the option going forward. so, more of those hearings with the threat of a mistrial if the judge rules in a way they don’t like.

Nash and Parker just succeeded in tying the rest of this trial in knots, with a wrong move by the judge resulting in mistrial. The decision also gives N&P a mountain of opportunities to appeal based on this decision. JMO, Ithink they were behind this “journalist’s” crusade.
Hopefully another court will overturn it.

Ithink they were behind this “journalist’s” crusade.

Parker is the one protesting the loudest about not letting media record testimony of jake. So imo the defense is not
behind the media in this.

JMO

 

[arielilane]

I remember researching that mural wanting to know who was the artist. Often depicted, the image of Themis, the Goddess of Justice was painted by W. T. Reed, a local area attorney. I found references to cases he was on (defense attorney) in the 30s and 40s but nothing after.

You're correct, and I thank you for posting that info as I didn't get the chance to.

 

[rescuemom]

Ithink they were behind this “journalist’s” crusade.

Parker is the one protesting the loudest about not letting media record testimony of jake. So imo the defense is not
behind the media in this.

JMO

Parker likes to hear himself talk.. a lot and he knows the judge has made his ruling so it's going no where so he can protest in vain.

 

[CIA Team Member]

Chris N only broke contact with George one month ago according to Randa H. I am thinking that is because Beth said George thought Chris N was cheating him.

JMO

??? What did he think he was "cheating him" of?

 

[iridized]

You're correct, and I thank you for posting that info as I didn't get the chance to.

Do you know more of his history as I got no further than 1945. When did he die? Children follow in his legal footsteps? Just curious as literally I could find nothing on him after early 1945.

ETA - Did he pursue painting? Was he compensated for this mural or was it his gift to the community?

 

[Pru2U]

He said he also told prosecutors in his proffer that George went along to protect him

Another mystery solved!

Now we know where Nash's comment in pretrial came from. It came from Jake's proffer not George & not early defense strategy that changed.

 

[pittsburghgirl]

Yes, he is looking at the witness stand very intently.

Family of victims are shaking their heads, crying.

Well, that won't endear the defense to the jury.

 

[joe jones]

so JW initially said he killed all 8, that is where the defense got that from in opening statements,

 

[pittsburghgirl]

No problem. I think you probably pretty close to correct on the rest. The Appeals Court decision really didn't make much sense. The law allows witnesses to opt out. I've never seen a law like that, but that doesn't matter. The Appellate court put the burden on witnesses to assert that right. But further more, the motion was brought by media, non-parties to the case. And the issue is a decision made by witnesses, also non-parties to the case. The Appellate Court decision was threatening to derail or at least inhibit a major criminal case because of an argument between non-parties. I wonder if the Trial Court's attorney or someone from someone higher in the Ohio Judiciary didn't send them a message saying "what do you think you're doing?"

Here's a question maybe you can answer: would the judge seek out an opinion from someone else, especially since the matter of hearings was raised by the first decision but never described in a way that would guide the court?

 

[joe jones]

and I choose not to believe much of what he says but he says AW tried to talk him out of murders, and he had to talk her into murders, so according to JW AW was not the mastermind, maybe why they gave her the 30 years

 

[rescuemom]

https://twitter.com/Angenette5

COURT IN RECESS FOR THE DAY: After lunch, Angie Canepa went through Jake's plea agreement with him and and asked him about pleading guilty to all charges. He said he agreed to testify "truthfully, completely and accurately.”

Jake Wagner said he asked, as part of his plea agreement, to see his parents and brother one final time before he went to prison, if they were permitted. Jake said even though he killed 5, he admitted to 8. "I just took it all.”

On cross, John Patrick Parker walked Jake through the steps he took that night. Jake added a new detail that he said he told prosecutors in July-ish. He said after he shot Frankie and Hannah Hazel

he handed his 1911 .22 to his dad while he looked for cell phones and shell casings. He said Billy Wagner shot Frankie in the head more times. He also added at Dana Rhoden's that the lights were on when he shot Dana and Hanna.

Jake also said his mother and brother tried to talk him out of the murders and that his mother lied to cover for him. He said he also told prosecutors in his proffer that George went along to protect him

Jake said he had to talk Angela and George into committing the murders. Parker: You realize you got the best plea bargain in the history of the state of Ohio? Andy Wilson: Objection. Angie Canepa said "Jesus and false statement.”

I don't believe he had to talk AW and GW in to anything!!!! So he just took it all??? That was a lie and a tad cavalier IMO????
Anyone think the case will go off the rail with the defense cross??

 

[RAISINISBACK]

Judge Deering just noted that the Scioto guy's lawyer gets to make decisions about the trial for the national news media?

Ridiculous. Lawyer saying he will do that. He has a buddy who will cover for him if he's busy.

Just as I predicted last night.

This is a defense attempt to slow down the trial and distract the jury from Jake's testimony.

Billy and GW4 will be set free to work on Fred Wagners farm.

This is a defense attempt to slow down the trial and distract the jury from Jake's testimony.
BBM

Respectfully I disagree. The defense filed a motion long ago to bar media from trial. This morning Parker again said the recording of witnesses by media would prejudice Georges trial.

IMO the defense is the one's yelling the loudest trying to get media thrown out of this trial. Parker just said it again. By recording of this trial by media it could prejudice Georges chance of a fair trial in case there is a mistrial based on Deering not following the immediate order of the Appeals court ruling.

The defense is not behind the media.

The media is fighting for this to be able to attract viewers to their TV channels or twitter feeds. In other words Jake's testimony being seen and heard sells newspapers and attracts viewers and makes the media TV channels money. The defense has nothing to do with that.

JMO

 

[rsd1200]

You're correct, and I thank you for posting that info as I didn't get the chance to.

I think it's beautiful.

 

[rsd1200]

Do you know more of his history as I got no further than 1945. When did he die? Children follow in his legal footsteps? Just curious as literally I could find nothing on him after early 1945.

ETA - Did he pursue painting? Was he compensated for this mural or was it his gift to the community?

I'd wondered if he'd done more artwork.

 

[RAISINISBACK]

You cannot tell me the defense didn't encourage the media!

The defense filed a motion long ago to bar media from george's trial.

JMO

 

[Betty P]

This is a defense attempt to slow down the trial and distract the jury from Jake's testimony.
BBM

Respectfully I disagree. The defense filed a motion long ago to bar media from trial. This morning Parker again said the recording of witnesses by media would prejudice Georges trial.

IMO the defense is the one's yelling the loudest trying to get media thrown out of this trial. Parker just said it again. By recording of this trial by media it could prejudice Georges chance of a fair trial in case there is a mistrial based on Deering not following the immediate order of the Appeals court ruling.

The defense is not behind the media.

The media is fighting for this to be able to attract viewers to their TV channels or twitter feeds. In other words Jake's testimony being seen and heard sells newspapers and attracts viewers and makes the media TV channels money. The defense has nothing to do with that.

JMO

You make good points and are probably right on this. They complained some about the news media on the record, but they also have a history in pre-trial of trying to use the news media to help their case. Remember, they were warned by the judge when they kept trying to violate the gag order by releasing information in pre-trial hearings, which were filmed live by the news media.

Someone with some juice got behind this appeals court effort and talked the 4th District Appeals Court to make a big mistake. They had to reverse the decision. As you say, it wasn't the defense team this time, but someone backing the news media cause.

OH - Pike Co - 8 in Rhoden Family Murdered Over Custody Issue - 4 Members Wagner Family Arrested #80

I don't see in the Order language about mistrial. Am I not looking at the right order? mistrial was never brought up...in the public hearing this morning, not once did I hear it said.

www.websleuths.com

 

[RAISINISBACK]

Betty just brought it up, it hasn't been mentioned in court

It was said in the order from the Appeals Court that if Deering does not follow the order and allow Jake to be recorded then the Appeals Court will declare a mistrial. That is how the mistrial comes in. If the judge misbehaves then it is a mistrial for the defendant.

JMO

 

[rsd1200]

There's little I believe of Jake's stories, but, there's been two common points that JW has stated. They say there's a bit of truth in any lie. Both points were, that he'd murder someone over his daughter being molested.

Thankfully, S retracted the claim that AW had made to Jake, stating EA was doing inappropriate things to S. S said she was only jealous EA may be taking time away from her (S) with her Daddy. JW stated he didn't mean only EA, but anyone.
-------
As she sat in the kitchen of the house on Havener Lane, the entire family confronted her; she said Jake didn't believe she'd done it, but Angela believed it and was acting "very high and mighty, so to speak," she testified.

Her husband began questioning her and "he laid it out very clearly" that if she was guilty, "the right thing to do" would be to create Lucille — a barbed-wire wrapped baseball bat featured in the TV show The Walking Dead — before stringing Armer up in the barn and using the bat to beat her to death. Then, they would bulldoze the barn to dispose of the evidence, she said.

Jake explained to her that if he didn't do it, Angela would; if she didn't do it, George or Billy would, and on and on.

"Any of them would be willing to do this because it would be the right thing to do," she said Jake told her.

Jake and Baseball Bat

-------------------------------------------

At first, Jake Wagner said he resisted the idea because he still loved Hanna Rhoden and she was the mother of his daughter, Sophie, born in 2013. A “tipping point” came in early 2016 when he confronted Rhoden with suspicions that she was dating men who may molest their daughter.

“Guess we’ll have to deal with it,” was her response, according to Jake Wagner. “I decided I had no other choice than to kill Hanna.”

The Tipping Point

 

[arielilane]

I remember researching that mural wanting to know who was the artist. Often depicted, the image of Themis, the Goddess of Justice was painted by W. T. Reed, a local area attorney. I found references to cases he was on (defense attorney) in the 30s and 40s but nothing after.

I didn't locate any additional information about Mr. Reed. Fun fact: F. Lee Bailey once argued a case at Pike County Courthouse.