The Verdict is In - post your thoughts here

[LAWsy_ME]

I have looked at the video of reading the verdict three times now. After such a long trial, it is like a long drink of water in the desert! So quenching! So satisfying! Thanks to the jury!

I admire the Rentz family for their "We will not be victims" stance and their bringing Nancy's ultimate loss of life as a legacy to society in a plea and a mission to end domestic violence. Paraphrased from Ms. Rentz, if but to save one life, their work is of significant value. Thank you!

 

[momto3kids]

That was Boz, giddy over Google. Cummings sort of cut him off and gave a much more subdued explanation pointing out BC's actions.

True, it was Boz. As I always say, actions speak louder than words.

BTW..ABC is going to have an interview with the Rentz's @ 6, they went across the street and spoke with Eyewitness news.

 

[raisincharlie]

Verdicts always make me sad. No one ever wins, closure is a figment of one's imagination. On the other side, I am glad that the jury listened, thought through things and were able to reach a verdict based on their abilities to wade through the smoke and mist and just rely on their honest common sense.

1 st degree murder, in my opinion Brad deserved no less. From my perspective, strangulation defines the very word intent. 4 minutes, time to change your mind, time to become reasonable, time to get help, time to think of your children and the repurcussions of your inability to be a good person. There are two little girls who will never have the warmth, love, touch, smell, or words of their Mum, nor of their father because of his actions. Undeniablly selfish and self serving actions, over what, money. Two little girls are priceless Mr. Cooper. I can think of nothing more appropriate than life in prison without parole for Mr. Cooper.

 

[oenophile]

An innocent man convicted of murder, life ruined by malicious prosecution. A free nation should weep at the sight of this grave injustice.

 

[snowshuze]

I weep at the grave injustice to Nancy Cooper, perpetrated by Brad.

 

[RPD]

CPD

:clap:

 

[gritguy]

A trial conducted in public, and even on TV, judged by average people with no predisposition toward the case, and an appeals process that awaits allegations of error and those to be decided by judges who have no stake in the trial itself. If that process makes you want to run away, then good luck finding somewhere with a better solution.

 

[DogWood]

Prosecutors react to guilty verdict

http://www.wral.com/specialreports/nancycooper/video/9557183/#/vid9557183

We finally get to see their faces instead of the back of their heads.

 

[cassius]

Certainty of a successful appeal is probably no better founded than certainty of a NG verdict before the jury returned.

I said early on that, if convicted, his chances on appeal are very slim. I've seen how cases are decided in the appellate courts and the overturn rate in this state is very, very low.

 

[RPD]

Remember the first hint of the jurors getting restless?
They asked how much longer.
That was right after the goggle map evidence was revealed.
Yep, like many of us, that smoking gun was what they needed to convict.
Like Amy asked in her opening, they used common sense.

 

[Madeleine74]

I feel peace in my heart that Nancy, the Rentz family, the Listers, and all of their loved ones got justice with today's verdict. No closure, there can never really be closure, but justice. I believe the jury came to the correct decision.

No one wanted Brad Cooper to have done this, and it brings no pleasure. Relief that the appropriate decision was reached, yes.

 

[RR0004]

Tears only for Nancy and her family...they are so deserving of our compassion...especially now.

 

[SleuthinNC]

I think what actually won the guilty verdict was CPD continuously planting the thought that they could never rule BC out as a suspect. I think the jury felt the same way, they couldn't rule him out. Unfortunately that is not the burden of proof and that is what to me is upsetting about the result.

 

[Guerrmo]

Some strong words here. Let's keep it light,and remember we do this "mostly" for fun. I'm a newbie to WS & I'm now totally addicted.

Looks like the Google Maps search weighed pretty heavily on the jury's mind. I thought it was a realtively modest mistake at the time, but it now looks like the defense really messed up when they didn't demonstrate to the jury how truly useless Google Maps is for viewing an actual location. Google Maps is basically an internet novelty, not really a very useful tool. Providing a more plausible explanation for why there was a search for Fielding Drive on Google Maps on BC's PC the day beforehand might have changed the outcome as well. It was a troubling and suspicious piece of evidence that wasn't adequauately addressed by the defense IMO. Didn't think it would send him to prison though. Very surprised.

Although I thought BC was most likely guilty, I was in the camp of believing the pros didn't prove their case betond a reasonabl doubt. Still don't, but I love the respectful sharing of opinions. See you on the next one.

 

[DogWood]

"The tragedy is you have two young lives who were wasted – Nancy is no longer with us, and Brad who now faces and elongated period of incarceration," Rentz continued. "There isn’t joy in either of those events for us."

http://www.wral.com/specialreports/nancycooper/story/9553909/

 

[Cheyenne130]

I had something else to share about the other case I recently followed. (The story that will be on Dateline tomorrow.) There was a facebook page created by those who felt he was innocent. I joined that page because I really believed he was innocent as well. After the verdict was rendered, the creator of that page named every juror. He encouraged anyone who knew them to find out information about them and send it to him; where they worked, where they went to church, etc. I quit the FB page immediately. I could not BELIEVE that someone in this country would do something like that because they did not agree with a verdict. It was scary to me! All 12 of those jurors have to agree. There has to be some powerful evidence for all 12 to be able to come to the same conclusion in only 2 days. MOO

 

[RPD]

I think what actually won the guilty verdict was CPD continuously planting the thought that they could never rule BC out as a suspect. I think the jury felt the same way, they couldn't rule him out. Unfortunately that is not the burden of proof and that is what to me is upsetting about the result.

You honestly think not being ruled out as a suspect was why they convicted:waitasec:

 

[SleuthinNC]

You honestly think not being ruled out as a suspect was why they convicted:waitasec:

In other words, they did not feel the defense proved he did not do it as opposed to the prosecution proving beyond a reasonable doubt that he did.

 

[RPD]

In other words, they did not feel the defense proved he did not do it as opposed to the prosecution proving beyond a reasonable doubt that he did.

Well, I understand the 2nd part of your post, anyway.

 

[Guerrmo]

I think what actually won the guilty verdict was CPD continuously planting the thought that they could never rule BC out as a suspect. I think the jury felt the same way, they couldn't rule him out. Unfortunately that is not the burden of proof and that is what to me is upsetting about the result.

I don't neccessarily find it upsetting, but I competely agree.It became a case of "if not Brad, then who".

As I was laying in bed discussing this with my wife last night (& she was begging me to shut the hell up about it so she could go to sleep), I theorized that the verdict could really depend on make-up of the jury, whether they approached decisions from the the left/analytical side of their brain, or the right/intuitive side of their brain. I think left side thinkers, of which I am one, would analyze the evidence, look for direct discrete connections to the crime, and conclude that it is inconclusive, essentially concluding that the state didn't prove their case. Right-side thinkers might feel more strongly that NC should have justice, will look at Brad's suspicious unexplained behavior, and conclude that he is the only reasonalbe culprit. Not that one approach is superior to the other, but I can see how the make-up of the jury could really sway the verdict in this case.