South Africa - Susan Rohde, 47, murdered, Stellenbosch, 24 July 2016

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Tortoise said:
I'm a little incredulous that he would suggest the faeces might not be human. It's even documented in the scene report as being on her body as well as next to her body. Then VDS jumps on it like 'oh yes, that's a good idea, there is no such evidence...'

Someone needs to have put it in a box and put it under his nose maybe.:rolleyes:
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Maybe, my little dog, left her souvenir, transported 'telepathically', to express what she and I, think about that answer.
Accidentally, Defence and JR would also be splattered, as IL would not be able to comment, on 'where these splatters originated from or what they were'.
We would be safe. I trained her well.

(Hope Mods don't throw me out!)
 
Tortoise said:
I'm a little incredulous that he would suggest the faeces might not be human. It's even documented in the scene report as being on her body as well as next to her body. Then VDS jumps on it like 'oh yes, that's a good idea, there is no such evidence...'

Someone needs to have put it in a box and put it under his nose maybe.:rolleyes:
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Apart from bias I don't know how an expert would be prepared to state anything categorically from a photo, other than merely hypothesise. That should not be good enough in a trial of this importance.
 
Basically defence has concluded that Susan died at sometime between the time that Jason and Susan returned to the room and when Jason called reception. I could have told them that, for free!!
 
Ah well I went back through and reported the photos of Susan, including some in replies to quotes, and some were removed but not all. Perhaps you could each report your own posts and ask for their removal if you posted any of the pictures. I don't want to be a report pest.
 
Tortoise said:
Ah well I went back through and reported the photos of Susan, including some in replies to quotes, and some were removed but not all. Perhaps you could each report your own posts and ask for their removal if you posted any of the pictures. I don't want to be a report pest.
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Thank you Tortoise. It was inappropriate to post that photo of Susan, out of respect for her family and loved ones. I was so passionate to uncover Jason's lies that I did not think I was hurting those that loved her. I am truly sorry.

Regarding the trial, I was not able to follow the proceedings today. I will try to catch up.
 
Tortoise said:
Monday 6th August Dora.

It drags and it drags.
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But in this case, I am pleased.
It gives LVN loads of time, to nail IL, after consulting with State Experts, handing in IL's paperwork.
The scheduled Court break also helps, providing further time, to obtain 'wonderful gems'.
I only wish, we had heard from next Defence witness, as probably again, there will be a further delay, for our guys, to obtain further advice.

I also feel, IL producing an hour lecture on Pathology was unnecessary.
He is not dealing with Medical Students, that have commenced their studies: quoting articles, and defining anatomical features throughout.
This is, I feel, to show, he lectures and is doing this here.
Perhaps, he should have produced an 'examination' for us, at the end, to test our knowledge of his lecture.:D
 
I have been thinking about the similarities between this case and the Oscar Pistorius case. What do both cases have in common? A female dead in a bathroom. Both couples went to bed after an argument. (although Pistorius denied this). Both women were silent and almost invisible for a period of time, until their death.

How can a judge, in the Rohde case, be convinced that after a physical altercation the couple went to sleep like nothing had happened? Why did’t Susan remove her make up if she did indeed go to sleep? When was she so badly hurt that swallowed the blood found in her stomach?

There is an sms sent at 07:06 from Susan’s phone to Jolene’s. Was Susan alive at that time? Or Jason sent that sms to provide an alibi for himself?

If Susan was alive at 07:06 she did not live much longer. If she decided to commit suicide, what was the trigger that pushed her to over the edge to end her own life at seven o’clock in the morning? Why did she not commit suicide right after realising that she had lost her husband to another woman? One thing was clear: Jason wanted to be with his mistress and not her. That realisation must have been painful and could provide an explanation. But then why did she fight for him and ran after him? Why cause a scene if she was depressed and felt defeated? She could have retreated to her room and end it right there and then. That would have made sense. But at seven in the morning? Did she need time to think it over?

If she wanted to teach him a lesson, why would she punish her children? Susan had a reason to live, her children. Jason had a strong motive to get rid of her, he wanted to be with Jolene. He wanted this more than anything in his life. He admits twice that he was frustrated. Susan was the obstacle to his happiness.

23 July 2016:
Rohde (08:57:21): “Cause I’m frustrated that I can’t be with you who I want. U still love me?” (sic); (10:02:35) “This weekend made me realise just how much I don’t want to be with sue anymore. All I can think of is you. I want to scream with frustration. I don’t want anything more in my life than to be with you.”

Jason wanted to „ scream with frustration“. He could not take it any more. One way or the other he wanted his wife out of the way.
 
Another case with many similarities was in North Carolina and depicted in a film 'The Staircase'. Author Michael Peterson's 2nd wife Kathleen was found slumped on a back staircase with serious head injuries in 2001. Was she killed or did she fall. He was charged with her murder. The time of death and nature of her injuries was a big issue as in this case. It was found that false blood splatter evidence had been presented at the 1st trial with all the twists and turns of both sides in the prolonged court proceedings.
He pleaded not guilty but was convicted and sentenced to Life w/o parole. He served 8 years until a retrial released him on house arrest. He later took an Alford plea that enabled him to plead guilty whilst maintaining his innocence and he was released.
Lots of issues in his background providing the prosecution with motive, including the death of a close family friend on a staircase in her house where Michael had spent the previous evening. Also, it emerged that despite his 'happy marriage' he was bi-sexual and had many homosexual affairs. It all spanned 17 years until his actual release. The film is well worth watching for the characters involved and all the wheeling and dealing involved in the court processes.
 
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patCee said:
Another case with many similarities was in North Carolina and depicted in a film 'The Staircase'. Author Michael Peterson's 2nd wife Kathleen was found slumped on a back staircase with serious head injuries in 2001. Was she killed or did she fall. He was charged with her murder. The time of death and nature of her injuries was a big issue as in this case. It was found that false blood splatter evidence had been presented at the 1st trial with all the twists and turns of both sides in the prolonged court proceedings.
He pleaded not guilty but was convicted and sentenced to Life w/o parole. He served 8 years until a retrial released him on house arrest. He later took an Alford plea that enabled him to plead guilty whilst maintaining his innocence and he was released.
Lots of issues in his background providing the prosecution with motive, including the death of a close family friend on a staircase in her house where Michael had spent the previous evening. Also, it emerged that despite his 'happy marriage' he was bi-sexual and had many homosexual affairs. It all spanned 17 years until his actual release. The film is well worth watching for the characters involved and all the wheeling and dealing involved in the court processes.
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Re Peterson: Didn't his first wife also die in a fall on the stairs, in Germany or something. I'm sure there were two deaths linked to him, unless I'm remembering a different case.
 
Tortoise said:
Re Peterson: Didn't his first wife also die in a fall on the stairs, in Germany or something. I'm sure there were two deaths linked to him, unless I'm remembering a different case.
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It wasn't his first wife but a close women (widowed) friend of theirs who also died on the stairs in her own home 15 yrs earlier. Peterson had been in the house the previous night. He and his first wife adopted the deceased friend's children after her death. They were military people in those days.
 
Tortoise said:
Re Peterson: Didn't his first wife also die in a fall on the stairs, in Germany or something. I'm sure there were two deaths linked to him, unless I'm remembering a different case.
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Saw this many years ago. I think it started me following similar stories. It was a case with many twists and turns! Compelling viewing.
 
In the Rohdes trial much is dependent upon the forensic evidence. We see that not all 'experts' agree with one another, and it's not always difficult for the defence to 'muddy the waters' in an attempt to create, at the very least, 'reasonable doubt'.
In this trial VDS has also attempted to dismiss the early witnesses Daniels and Thompson, describing them as "not experts" and their evidence cannot be relied upon. This and the defence criticism of the judge already setting the scene for a later appeal.
Motive is another strong feature and scrutiny of the personal history of a defendant, in order to discredit, can involve huge effort and amounts of money. In this case a possible motive was readily apparent with Jolene.
The Peterson case involved exhuming his former friend's body to be examined after 15 years, (she had been embalmed prior to burial) and the official processes and costs involved with that. Also they found out about Peterson's bi-sexuality and affairs and brought in a male escort he'd used as a witness. His family had not known about this aspect of his life. It show the lengths either side can go to in order to prove their case.
Also like Peterson, Rohdes had a legal team working on his defence that disbanded due to cost. Peterson clearly involved the film company to document the court process and his family life to pay for his legal team though that money eventually ran out after many years. His charismatic advocate did eventually agree to work for him pro bono at his retrial.
As we see in many other high profile cases the money for good legal representation can be astronomical. Those without adequate funds can be thrown to the wolves. It will be interesting to see how Rohdes deals with the partial collapse of his own legal team.
Does true justice depend on who has the most money?
 
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Hag said:
Saw this many years ago. I think it started me following similar stories. It was a case with many twists and turns! Compelling viewing.
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There are 3 further episodes now bringing the case up to last year, the retrial and Peterson's release.
 
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