It surely did take an overly long time to wrangle that into a cage for life.
I haven't and won't change my mind about JSS, though I never agreed with those who thought she was pro-defense, though she did for a fact continually allow them exceptional latitude. And more.
Remember when everyone was guessing who the "secret" witness could be? And AZLawyer saying she was sure it couldn't be the , because no competent judge would trash the Constitution and AZ state law just to give the a private stage for her drama & lies? I even remember AZL saying that if JSS had indeed allowed the to testify in secret, AZL would be dismayed enough to, iirc, run for JSS's position next election, to get her off the bench.. (Hope AZL meant that.
JSS was in over her head, IMO. Overwhelmed by all the media, receptive to the DT's manipulation about media and more because she wanted a clean verdict and sentence but was overly cautious, overly concerned with being "liked" by both counsel, and uncertain of herself. The DT bullied her backwards, step by step, until she was lost in the weeds. jmo.
But, I doubt the appeal being considered "complex" has much to do with the process being complex. Don't think the legal issues her attorneys are likely to raise will be complex either.
My guess is the COA's designation of complex is an acknowledgement of a voluminous trial record created by an absurdly long trial, and stuffed with Nurmi's innumerable objections for the record.
I think a history in juvenile court, and the fact it was her first DP case meant that it was bound to be a learning process for her, but I don't think she anticipated how challenging those lessons would be.
The fact that she 'overruled' the Constitution leaves no doubt that she had become confused and overwhelmed. Still, she erred on the side of caution with a view to preventing successful appeal, and I think in that she was wise.
I think she did her best to appear unbiased, and did so fairly well, in spite of knowing she had to give the defense wide latitude. Her confusion was in the matter of how wide, and that is where she erred.
However, her satisfying emphasis on the consonants when she pronounced the word 'sentence' on the day of, was revelatory, either of relief at being at the end of such a long process, or her sentiments towards the killer, or both.
As far as the COA ruling, isn't a voluminous record by necessity complex, since all twists and turns must be explored? This is not to say there is anything substantive to be found, just that the process must be followed and is by definition not clear at a glance.
I suppose the appeal attorneys are required to try to exploit the murky obscurity which was the defenses strategy, and to see if any of it will stand on appeal even though it fell at trial, and that the COA has to give them their chance, but the appeals process is about bringing clarity to where it was lacking, so it will be a process made as long as possible but ending up exactly where it started. isn't going anywhere.
