The Verdict is In - post your thoughts here

[cody100]

: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.

I agree on that. These are great chats even though we have differing opinions. But why would we want to chat only with folks that thought like us? After a while, it would get boring I think.

 

[calgary123]

I did not realize Trenkle was a public defender. Its good to see such a capable attorney dedicated to helping those who can not afford private representation. My impression throughout was he was the heavy hitter there to help Kurtz. I stand corrected.

On the issue of Kurtz, I keep changing my mind about him. On the first day of the trial he seemed to me to be out of his league. As the trial progressed he demonstrated his skills in cross-examination, he was very effective, so I changed my mind. I suspect this was his first murder trial.

He did not present a defense that raised reasonable doubt. The fact that he used Jay Ward as his expert, on issues where the rest of his client's life is on the line, someone who had never been accepted as an expert and who admittedly was not a forensic expert, for trial-critical evidence, it says to me he was expert shopping, looking for the testimony he needed but he could not find anyone reputable who would testify to what he needed.

When I add to that the fact that he allowed Brad to participate in the deposition which ultimately showed him to be liar he is (regardless of guilt for the murder) I really think Brad would have been better served by a different lawyer.

Still, I come back to thinking, Brad killed his wife, and Kurtz can not be faulted for failing to raise reasonable doubt about what is true.

 

[ncsu95]

Cooper will most likley be assigned 'close custody' at a medium security prison.
If/when he proves he is not violent and obeys orders, he may be reclassed in several years to "medium custody".

Following the similar path of Mike Peterson, he was close custody then moved to medium custody today. Suprising, considering the number on infractions he has racked up - the most recent being "create offesive condition".
Knowing his very public sexual orientation, I can guess what that was




DOC Number: 0816932 Offender Name: MICHAEL I PETERSON

http://webapps6.doc.state.nc.us/opi...turl=pagelistoffendersearchresults&listpage=1


Infraction Date
Infraction Type

10/19/2010 DISOBEY ORDER
10/19/2010 CREATE OFFENSIVE CONDITION
04/09/2010 DISOBEY ORDER
04/09/2010 THEFT OF PROPERTY
08/04/2007 MISUSE MEDICINE
08/04/2007 NO THREAT CONTRABAND
07/15/2007 NO THREAT CONTRABAND
08/24/2006 NO THREAT CONTRABAND

Here is a link that describes the different levels in NC (I know you don't need this...it's for other readers):

http://www.doc.state.nc.us/dop/custody.htm

 

[ncsu95]

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?

http://www.wral.com/specialreports/nancycooper/video/9524242/#/vid9524242

Comment begins at 16:00. Trenkle's comments explain my statement.

 

[unc70]

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.

I think it was when the defense was trying to add forensic expert GM. BZ said something like "You had other forensic experts on your witness list. Why didn't you call one of them?" K responded "No money. Our request for funding was denied." Then the judge said that this was not the place to be discussing that.

Those are not the exact quotes, but is the flavor of the exchange. I think that was on Wednesday morning after JW on Tuesday.

 

[gracielee]

I wish we didn't have to constantly compare this to other cases. This case is clearly unique with so little evidence and the only evidence is questionable.

That means we're due for one.

Kurtz would not make a bold statement regarding the computer frame job unless he had evidence to back it. Who would? And why? It would be a foolish thing to do.

Even David Westerfield's lawyer made claims and assertions towards *his* appeal.

----------

My response was in answer to your query:


"Kurtz would not make a bold statement regarding the computer frame job unless he had evidence to back it. Who would? "

 

[Palomine]

Why didn't the defense use an expert from Brad's work (Cisco) surely that wouldn't have cost that much

 

[Palomine]

I want to see what information the jury got about the computer evidence....Not how they got the info ...but what info the FBI found...
searches, history,
Personally I think what the Defense could not defend was what was on Brad's work computer jmo

 

[gracielee]

http://webapps6.doc.state.nc.us/opi...turl=pagelistoffendersearchresults&listpage=1

Custody Classification: CLOSE
Current Status: FELON
Admission Date: 05/05/2011 Admitting Location :CENTRAL PRISON

I don't detect the ever-present smirk?

:woohoo:

RIP, Nancy. So very sorry you aren't able to be there for your girls. What an extremely sad and unique case, Nancy's identical twin, same DNA as their mom, to raise them. In all the photos with her children, she seemed to absolutely adore them. Condolences and hugs to the Rentz family and especially Krista.

 

[gracielee]

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

But they did have money to pay for a PI? Seems like perhaps the money they had wasn't used wisely. JMO Perhaps someone knows if any motions for funds for expert witnesses, properly applied for, were denied.

 

[borndem]

Was MP convicted of first degree premediated murder? I can't recall, but I didn't think so.. I'm kind of hoping he'd stay at Central Prison.

MP was convicted of murder in the first. They didn't even subpoena the owl for the trial...

 

[Maja]

Wonder if the young lady from France followed the trial?

 

[Maja]

But they did have money to pay for a PI? Seems like perhaps the money they had wasn't used wisely. JMO Perhaps someone knows if any motions for funds for expert witnesses, properly applied for, were denied.

Exactly what I said about the PI. His testimony was not helpful at all, IMO. Unless he was pro-bono also. If so, who did the defense pay?

 

[NCEast]

But they did have money to pay for a PI? Seems like perhaps the money they had wasn't used wisely. JMO Perhaps someone knows if any motions for funds for expert witnesses, properly applied for, were denied.

The PI kind of caught me off guard. Seems that much or all of his testimony--especially the driving directions---could have been done by an intern or other K & B staff member. Never heard if he was pro bono or not, but if not, that money could have better been used on an expert forensics guy.

 

[RPD]

But they did have money to pay for a PI? Seems like perhaps the money they had wasn't used wisely. JMO Perhaps someone knows if any motions for funds for expert witnesses, properly applied for, were denied.

Just a guess, but I imagine Kurtz blew threw his case budget with his 2 1/2 years at $85/hr. The state simply does not have unlimited funds for indigent defense.

 

[RPD]

The PI kind of caught me off guard. Seems that much or all of his testimony--especially the driving directions---could have been done by an intern or other K & B staff member. Never heard if he was pro bono or not, but if not, that money could have better been used on an expert forensics guy.

Many criminal defense firms retain a full-time PI.
Who can't forget the famous Paul Drake

 

[CrimeAddict]

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.

Lol lol lol lol

 

[JBean]

Couple tips

If you want to quote another member you can:
1.Hit the button that says
under the post you wish to copy to your own. This is the best because you can hit the little white arrow in the newly quoted post and it will take you back to the original quote.
OR
2.Copy the post-paste the text into the new post box. Highlight the text you want wrapped in quotes and hit the little quote tag icon

and it will automagically wrap your text.

3. If you break a quote for some reason, you can manually fix it. Just make sure your quote begins with

and ends with [/ quote] (removing space between / and quote)

4. If you want to quote multiple posts just click the multi quote button
on every post you want quoted (the button will turn red) and it will line all of them up in your next post.


The reason this is so important is if you just copy and paste what they say, it will appear as though you said it when quoted and then when people break quotes on top of that it gets very confusing. The end result is quotes from people that did not say what it says they said LOL.

I would hate any of the NG's to be quoted as saying they think BC is G and vice versa.

Hope that helps.

 

[DogWood]

Ed Crump's interview with Mr. Kurtz.

(Sorry if this has been posted before and I overlooked it. The only one I had seen was WRAL.)

http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/video?id=8116651&pid=8116945

 

[gracielee]

Couple tips

If you want to quote another member you can:
1.Hit the button that says
under the post you wish to copy to your own. This is the best because you can hit the little white arrow in the newly quoted post and it will take you back to the original quote.
OR
2.Copy the post-paste the text into the new post box. Highlight the text you want wrapped in quotes and hit the little quote tag icon

and it will automagically wrap your text.

3. If you break a quote for some reason, you can manually fix it. Just make sure your quote begins with

and ends with [/ quote] (removing space between / and quote)

4. If you want to quote multiple posts just click the multi quote button
on every post you want quoted (the button will turn red) and it will line all of them up in your next post.


The reason this is so important is if you just copy and paste what they say, it will appear as though you said it when quoted and then when people break quotes on top of that it gets very confusing. The end result is quotes from people that did not say what it says they said LOL.

I would hate any of the NG's to be quoted as saying they think BC is G and vice versa.

Hope that helps.

I'm going to copy & paste this and send it to myself in an email, so I can study it further. I'm very confused by it, but perhaps if I try to do it step by step, if I should need to quote more at one time, in the future..... I have a lot of trouble with comprehending numerous steps in a process. :banghead: I will make every effort to do it correctly in the future. Thank you for your help and for correcting my previous post.