obe I'm quoting this entire post because it's that important to put out there again. I came back to this case to champion two causes and you've nailed the essence of one of them right there. The revictimization of victims by defense attorneys and killers during the trial process. It's gotten out of control.
Defense attorneys are doing this for only one reason: they can. And We The People have been lulled in to some kind of complacency that this is "fair" or the "law". It appears mostly with the worst of the worst killers and of course they are going to have the worst of the worst confabulations about their victims: enjoying the reliving of the kill over and over again vicariously thru their attorneys in court.
I've not seen one as bad as this, like you.
In my sister's cases it came up just a couple of times. Once they tried to say she had slept with a bunch of guys so (she was a *advertiser censored* therefore deserved to be killed) it could have been someone else. That got shut down very quickly.
Then, the worst was when they tried to argue the killers "had" to be so cruel with the killing and "had" to inflict all those knife wounds and slit her throat because she fought to hard to save her own life. (talk about insulting the jury).
Still to have to listen to that...
And it's NOTHING compared to what the Alexanders and Travis' loved ones have had to endure. All conjured from the mind of a sociopathic killer then embellished and abetted by her attorneys for sport.
THIS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED.
I'm gonna keep shouting this from the rooftops during this trial and tweeting the *$&% out of it so at least it's getting out there.
Our culture once thought a different race sitting in the back of the bus was "fair" and "normal" and that changed. I believe this can too.
it's not "normal", it's not "fair" and it's not humane.
Obviously I'm with you 1000% and deeply appreciate the posting you've been doing on this trial. Xoxoxo
I hope you are doing well, Katie, and thank you for your very kind words.
I have so much respect, love, and admiration for you.. as I know we all do here, and with you being the motivating factor (team leader) we must all tackle the grave and serious problem that has gone on for far too long.
It reminds me of a Neighborhood Watch Program when everyone comes together to take their community back from the criminal elements who have ruined so many neighborhoods.
We must standup in great numbers by bombarding our elected government officials, federal and state, including our local DA/Judges with emails, phone calls, and letters until we get their full attention. So whatever you think is best I will do everything in my power to do my part.
The only way to right a terrible wrong is to fight against that terrible wrong. Victims deserve justice...not to be re-victimized by the very one who took their lives. There should be some kind of victim protection law and if the defense plans to enter something at trial they should have to go through the same hoops, chain of custody, that the DAs must do. There needs to be some type of ethical boundaries that apply to both adversarial sides and not just one side.
If not what we have is Travis Alexander who has been crushed deeper than the 6 feet of earth he is buried in, and all on the words of a sociopath without one shred of evidence to back any of it up. We have given defendants way too many rights and by doing so the victim has none. We have given them a venue to lie and make up the worst allegations imaginable out of thin air. It doesn't make the fight for justice fair for the state should also have a chance at a fair trial, imo. When one is bound by rules/guidelines, and is the very one that has the burden of proof, yet the other side can be just as lowdown, unethical, and able to pull every underhanded stunt in the book..just because they can... with no accountability ....something is seriously wrong.
In fact I have seen some very cold hearted people (imo) argue that once the victim is murdered their rights don't matter and the only one that does matter is the defendant, as if the victim, although murdered, is nothing of value anymore to anyone.
It is obvious as this bizarre case has shown there is no bar too low for some defense attorneys.
I am glad to know, Katie, at least the Judge presiding over your sister's case had enough control in the courtroom to stop the victimization of your beloved sister when the defense tried that despicable, and reprehensible tactic. I have certainly seen other Judges do it as well and they have my utmost admiration and respect.
I do know this, whether it is common as rain in Arizona for courts to be conducted like this, all I can say is I am thankful beyond belief that I have never seen one conducted like this one in any courtroom in any other state. I have even seen some Judges admonish a defense attorney when they tried to disparage the victim, and tell them very quickly this wasn't going to be a trial about victim blaming. So this is why this particular case is foreign to me and I have probably kept up with over a 1000 trials in the last thirty years.
At the start of this case I made a silent promise to Travis and the Alexander family that I would see this through to the bitter end. Never in my wildest nightmares did I believe it would be this difficult for me to keep that promise.
I want justice for Travis and the only right and just punishment is death. I want Travis' life to be valued as much as all the other DV victims who have lost their lives before and after and I want Travis' murderer right on death row with the rest.
Bright Blessings.
Ocean