The Verdict is In - post your thoughts here

[Maja]

I suspect that it was mere coincidence that the ducks appeared then. From what I know, the defense and prosecution knew about the return of the pesky ducks since first or middle of April. They just suddenly made their appearance when the defense put BC's mom.

Would have had a bigger impact, IMO, had the defense let the ducks fly during JA's testimony.

 

[cody100]

Would have had a bigger impact, IMO, had the defense let the ducks fly during JA's testimony.

I would love to have seen that. :floorlaugh:

 

[lib's mom]

Yup, she was something else. The real southern school marm type, faced with HARD CORE *advertiser censored*. The other night at dinner, ( we live right next-door, so we eat dinner with our daughters family or they eat with us, more often than not ), so anyway, the other night at dinner, I started saying to my daughter..... 'the other night daddy and I were watching Hard Core PAWN on TV......' Well, you should have seen the jaws drop, SIL & daughter, that was a conversation stopper if ever there was one. :floorlaugh: Daughter said 'MOM, and shifted her eyes to the kids'. So I had to stop and enunciate what I'd said P A W N. One of those reality shows on TV. That's what your remark reminded me of HARD CORE PAWN. :great: Of course, not the same as what poor Freda was referring to. I wonder what ever happened to the hustler guy? IIRC, he was military, wasn't he? Bet that was a real career breaker. Much like JW. :waitasec:

Brent/Brad (AKA Soldier Top) is an interesting guy. He got himself into a little legal trouble after the trial, but I haven't heard of him getting into anymore trouble since then. He has a little youtube channel (only has 4 videos posted.)

He posted one of himself appearing as a contestant on "The Price Is Right" from 2002. He won a TV, a supply of arthirits rub, a hot lather machine (insert your own jokes here), a hair care kit, some shoes, and a lovely dining room suite (plus tableware!). :woohoo:

That is one trial I would love to watch again, beginning to end. I wonder if there is anywhere I could do that? I have "The Staircase" but I would love to see it all again.

 

[RPD]

 

[sunshine05]

Would have had a bigger impact, IMO, had the defense let the ducks fly during JA's testimony.

I disagree. We got to hear D. Daniels go on about the "evidence of struggle" in the foyer based on those ducks.

 

[unc70]

I read an article recently that said that this area had had X number of homicides in 30 years or so, and had a 100% conviction rate.

Does anyone know how many of these convictions have been overturned?

I understand Scott Peterson is still working on his appeal. IIRC, he was convicted in 2005. Six years since the trial and they're still using the assertion of "He was set up my LE."

I see that other case linked here in Raliegh, the computer expert who a Google search was also used against him, is also claiming he was framed.

Then there's the case I watched last night on Dateline. The Windmer case out of Cincinatti, I think it was. He was found guilty but the verdict was over-turned by a judge when jury misconduct was brought to light after the trial. (it really was true, jury misconduct!). The second trial was a hung jury, but it was like 7-1, so the DA refiled. He was convicted. Of course now he's appealing on LE planting evidence.

Now Kurtz is saying 'planted evidence' by LE!:banghead:

Really? These detectives have given their all to the citizens of that county, and they are perfectly willing to throw it all away, because of ONE case. Their career, their life, their family, their reputation, not to mention they could go to jail for it. For what? Because BC KNOWS he's smarter than them and if he can't win on the evidence because he's SURE he covered his tracts, then he'll accuse LE of planting it.

Right! NOT!

Now, how many of the murder convictions have been overturned?

just wonderin'
fran


PS...LOL, imagine that? That old sneaky judge. EMBELLISHING on his computer knowledge! And all the time the def thought by talking circles around the computer info, the judge would be just toooooo confused. :floorlaugh:

You can start with Greg Taylor, wrongfully convicted in Wake County and the first person freed by the new NC Innocence Inquiry Commission.

http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/02/17/343552/taylor-to-go-free.html

Or look at the case of Floyd Brown, one of the successes of the Fair Trial Initiative and finally released in January 2011 after 14 years without a trial.

Check out the book "Picking Cotton" for another example.

The citizens of North Carolina are embarrassed by everything now coming to light, but with the Innocence Inquiry Commission, the Fair Trial Initiative, and similar efforts, and with heightened public awareness we are working to right the wrongs of the past and to prevent them now and in the future.

For many of us, this case is less about BC and more about him receiving a fair trial in its fullest sense, because if there are this many problems for him in full view of the public, what hope is there for those we don't see in courtrooms around our state. We do not see it as a laughing matter.

 

[calgary123]

AS was brought out on that last Friday, they didn't have money to pay for an expert.

If this is true, this bothers me. Brad had the full weight of law enforcement against him, the CPD, the FBI, the DA's office.

Can you point me to anything solid which says the defense did not have funds to hire an expert?

 

[Madeleine74]

So RPD,

Wonder what job Brad will be given in prison? Whether he'll be on laundry duty (he has some experience in this now), or floor washing (ditto experience). Don't think they have computer/Internet capabilities, nor cell phone access.

 

[Bottle Cap]

You can start with Greg Taylor, wrongfully convicted in Wake County and the first person freed by under the new NC Innocence Inquiry Commission.

http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/02/17/343552/taylor-to-go-free.html

Or look at the case of Floyd Brown, one of the successes of the Fair Trial Initiative and finally released in January 2011 after 14 years without a trial.

Check out the book "Picking Cotton" for another example.

The citizens of North Carolina are embarrassed by everything now coming to light, but with the Innocence Inquiry Commission, the Fair Trial Initiative, and similar efforts, and with heightened public awareness we are working to right the wrongs of the past and to prevent them now and in the future.

For many of us, this case is less about BC and more about him receiving a fair trial in its fullest sense, because if there are this many problems for him in full view of the public, who hope is there for those we don't see in courtrooms around the state.

Wouldn't we be expecting to see these folks jumping in with both feet and guns a-blazing, if the trial were as obviously horribly unfair and disastrously skewed as your average joe on the street seems to believe? So skewed, in fact, that people with no background in law or criminal court proceedings have found it blatant? It's going to be interesting to see who goes out on a limb to involve themselves in this. That is going to be my personal benchmark - assessments made by professionals whose job it is to pay attention to these things - rather than all the GOLO hollering that has been going on. I'm not sure that all this unfair-trial business is as clear cut as they want it to be.

BBM

 

[otto]

Here is a link to the article about the computer forensics course the judge took. Once you read it, you might want to re-evaluate your opinion about what was really going on with his rulings.

http://www.nccourts.org/News/NewsPrint.asp?id=1343&type=1&archive=False

Isn't that interesting! Why was he telling people that he didn't even know how to work an MP3 player?

 

[Madeleine74]

BTW, in 2008 two other spousal homicides apparently occurred in Cary. One was a hispanic woman, the other was another non-caucasion woman, though I don't know her race. Both husbands committed murder in those cases too.

 

[RPD]

BTW, in 2008 two other spousal homicides apparently occurred in Cary. One was a hispanic woman, the other was another non-caucasion woman, though I don't know her race. Both husbands committed murder in those cases too.

I recall the Indian man in Cary who killed his wife in their home and then set fire to her body off 1-95 in Virginia. He is also serving life w/o parole.

 

[otto]

I'm in Calgary at the airport right now, only 3 and a half hours from Edmonton. Wish I had some extra time!

How was Banff?

 

[jilly]

Looks like Central prison suites Brad.
Best photo I have seen in 2 1/2 years.
Almost looks like they air-brushed some color on his face.

I thought at first you might be playing with us! I've never seen such a good prison photo. All that white background - almost looks angelic....except for those dead eyes!

 

[borndem]

Yep, thanks RPD. I just found it. That might be a good guess for BC

I don't think it will be Nash initially. BC is classified as "close custody," according to the NC DOC at this time, and Nash is "medium." So he should be sent to a CI that houses "close" male inmates... each county has at least one CI, and the classifications vary, so who knows? He should be in The Big House at least until his testing, skill level, etc., is completed. He will be an interesting bunk-mate, wouldn't you think?

 

[Maja]

So RPD,

Wonder what job Brad will be given in prison? Whether he'll be on laundry duty (he has some experience in this now), or floor washing (ditto experience). Don't think they have computer/Internet capabilities, nor cell phone access.

He does have his copious trial notes to go over.

 

[unc70]

Who is "CH?" I said I don't think the prosecution was spending all day monitoring WS and social media sites like Kurtz' team was. I'm sure they heard about witnesses publishing information on sites since everything is public, but moment-by-moment monitoring? Had I not personally seen Kurtz' team with WS on their laptop I might not have believed it, but I did see it more than once and with my own eyes.

Don't know why "CH"; should have been "MH".

Another poster said that the prosecution was following and posting on Twitter.

 

[cody100]

If this is true, this bothers me. Brad had the full weight of law enforcement against him, the CPD, the FBI, the DA's office.

Can you point me to anything solid which says the defense did not have funds to hire an expert?

I think the best source is Kurtz himself or Trenkle. I know funds for attorneys for indigent have become tighter. I thought at the time that JW said he was doing this pro bono, and I think the second forensic guy contacted them. I am assuming they aren't paying him either. The downed economy has really hit all aspects of State Government.

 

[cody100]

I don't think it will be Nash initially. BC is classified as "close custody," according to the NC DOC at this time, and Nash is "medium." So he should be sent to a CI that houses "close" male inmates... each county has at least one CI, and the classifications vary, so who knows? He should be in The Big House at least until his testing, skill level, etc., is completed. He will be an interesting bunk-mate, wouldn't you think?

Well, the cell should be clean with his cleaning skills. Who knows they may use his computer skills too. I do think he would be an interesting bunk mate. Perhaps he talks in his sleep.

 

[Madeleine74]

Don't know why "CH"; should have been "MH".

Another poster said that the prosecution was following and posting on Twitter.

:floorlaugh: Not if they wanted to retain any of their working brain cells. Twitter and other social media sites were not where the intelligent congregated, IMHO. At least on WS you can chat with folks whose IQs are larger than their shoe size, even if your opinions greatly differ.