GUILTY TX - Christina Morris, 23, Plano, 30 August 2014 - #38 *Arrest*

[SteveS]

Can you imagine a drug dealer big enough to be locked up with a million dollar bond (btw how often does that occur?) not completely freaking out over losing his phone or clients for days?

Probably more often than you think. Drug dealers on fed charges are usually held without bond available at all. A bond of $1M is less severe (because it does allow the possibility of release), and hints he might be considered a relatively small fish.

 

[heather.scissorhands]

Meh... a stoned drug dealer (selling to undercover) loses / misplaces phone.. somehow, that doesn't shock me... :thinking:

Really? It shocks me. Have you known many drug dealers? They kinda freak out when they lose touch with their communication devices. Hell, I'm just a hairdresser/actressand it would freak me out to lose my phone and lose opportunities and money. Seriously. And, with a million dollar bond, we aren't talking about some small time drug dealer, right?

And you aren't even slightly interested in the fact that there have been deaths from overdosing at the club he was busted at? I am. But, I've already admitted to being nosy, inquisitive, and suspicious.

 

[DoJLT395]

Lol. I lost a hiking boot once bc I left it outside of my tent. Just one. So we think an animal took it. My feet must smell like GORP.

I just had a mental image of a bear wearing one boot :happydance:

 

[zippixx]

Really? It shocks me. Have you known many drug dealers? They kinda freak out when they lose touch with their communication devices. Hell, I'm just a hairdresser/actressand it would freak me out to lose my phone and lose opportunities and money. Seriously. And, with a million dollar bond, we aren't talking about some small time drug dealer, right?

And you aren't even slightly interested in the fact that there have been deaths from overdosing at the club he was busted at? I am. But, I've already admitted to being nosy, inquisitive, and suspicious.

LOL... the only drug dealers I knew were before cell phones.. they used a pay phone. (remember those?)

I feel for the overdose deaths & it's horrible... but interested..? not really

 

[SteveS]

SteveS--where is the link to where they found the boots?

I don't really know details (since it's really not important to this trial of EA anyhow). I know they got a warrant, found and seized valuable physical evidence, the defense objected to process and appealed, and (from what I can tell) the search/evidence held up on appeal. It's a lot of work to dig out specifics from old trials, so unless it's legal research for a purpose (ie lots of money in the pocket!! lol), I usually just google the high points and go on, which is all I know about that case.

 

[daisytrail]

Probably more often than you think. Drug dealers on fed charges are usually held without bond available at all. A bond of $1M is less severe (because it does allow the possibility of release), and hints he might be considered a relatively small fish.

Still, I am a bit surprised that he actually hasn't been bailed out. I understand that there is no poverty on the paternal side. Maybe a few business reverses.

 

[daisytrail]

Really? It shocks me. Have you known many drug dealers? They kinda freak out when they lose touch with their communication devices. Hell, I'm just a hairdresser/actressand it would freak me out to lose my phone and lose opportunities and money. Seriously. And, with a million dollar bond, we aren't talking about some small time drug dealer, right?

And you aren't even slightly interested in the fact that there have been deaths from overdosing at the club he was busted at? I am. But, I've already admitted to being nosy, inquisitive, and suspicious.

But those deaths were accidents. At another club entirely, there was a death, they closed it down, and the young woman who delivered the drug was prosecuted. I have not yet looked into in further, but in that instance, I am curious as well.

The trouble is that you have threads of things. Sometimes, you have too many threads. So how do people know what thread to pull that unravels the web of confusion to get to the truth?

I don't think LE is perfect, but the "sleuthing" we do here is not exactly of the quality of investigating that LE does. I am not saying that LE gets it right all the time. But it is the nature of our system that the evidence must be admissible in court. To really sleuth, you need cops, because those are the only people generally who are allowed to gather the stuff that is taken to court.

One has to either trust that they will do that or see them as incompetent, or lazy, or deceitful. Thar's the rub!

 

[heather.scissorhands]

But those deaths were accidents. At another club entirely, there was a death, they closed it down, and the young woman who delivered the drug was prosecuted. I have not yet looked into in further, but in that instance, I am curious as well.

The trouble is that you have threads of things. Sometimes, you have too many threads. So how do people know what thread to pull that unravels the web of confusion to get to the truth?

I don't think LE is perfect, but the "sleuthing" we do here is not exactly of the quality of investigating that LE does. I am not saying that LE gets it right all the time. But it is the nature of our system that the evidence must be admissible in court. To really sleuth, you need cops, because those are the only people generally who are allowed to gather the stuff that is taken to court.

One has to either trust that they will do that or see them as incompetent, or lazy, or deceitful. Thar's the rub!

Ok, I can accept that as your opinion, but what is the point of websleuths, then? To just report what LE has given us?

 

[SteveS]

I don't think LE is perfect, but the "sleuthing" we do here is not exactly of the quality of investigating that LE does. I am not saying that LE gets it right all the time. But it is the nature of our system that the evidence must be admissible in court. To really sleuth, you need cops, because those are the only people generally who are allowed to gather the stuff that is taken to court.

One has to either trust that they will do that or see them as incompetent, or lazy, or deceitful.

Well said! Thank you for that dose of reality.

Here's another, for those who feel that EA not only kidnapped Christina but also probably murdered her as well.

Texas on Wednesday night executed Manuel Garza Jr. by lethal injection, the second person in less than a week the state has put to death. Garza, 34, was pronounced dead at the Texas State Penitentiary at Huntsville at 6:40 p.m., the Texas Department of Criminal Justice said.

 

[daisytrail]

Ok, I can accept that as your opinion, but what is the point of websleuths, then? To just report what LE has given us?

Hmmmmmmmmmmm . . .

I do know that there is another thread in which sleuthers are making good progress toward helping LE identify in a case many many years old.

I am thinking of writing a poem about the whiteness of bones. When many years pass, the deserts, the bayous, the rivers, the lakes and the prairies deliver up the whiteness of bones. When the dead can no longer speak for themselves, when their bodies no longer say much, then we speak, don't we? Bones purify. The flesh melts away. The sins are considered delivered. There is not messy flesh or messy lives to create liabilities, if you know what I mean?

It is sad, isn't it?

 

[SeriouslySearching]

This could very well be coincidence. HF probably consumes what he sells and he might easily lose his phone or just heavily sleep it off. People lose their phones all the time. Or maybe he just turned it off and did not want to admit that he did such a callous thing in light of CM's subsequent disappearance. There are too many logical reasons why people lose their phones and sometimes phones turn up or they don't. Is this not true?

Frankly, it is amazing that I have not permanently lost my most recent phone. I am 66 and have ADD. I lose and forget things all the time and the only mind-altering chemicals that I consume are coffee and chocolate.

That someone loses his phone, is not really proof of anything, imo. For something to be proof, other reasonable possibilities have to be eliminated.

This wasn't just any person and this wasn't just any phone. It was the phone being called desperately by a woman every few minutes who goes missing at the very end of the barrage of phone calls to her significant other with the last 2 coming from the suspected kidnapper. IIRC, Jonni said he lost his phone and it is why he did not get her messages/texts/calls that night. Yet days later, he has the phone again to give to LE. It was very convenient as an excuse for not having the phone handy, but the phone must have been at the hotel with him giving an alibi of sorts.

Drug dealers do not lose their phones unless it is on purpose, imo.

 

[daisytrail]

This wasn't just any person and this wasn't just any phone. It was the phone being called desperately by a woman every few minutes who goes missing at the very end of the barrage of phone calls to her significant other with the last 2 coming from the suspected kidnapper. IIRC, Jonni said he lost his phone and it is why he did not get her messages/texts/calls that night. Yet days later, he has the phone again to give to LE. It was very convenient as an excuse for not having the phone handy, but the phone must have been at the hotel with him giving an alibi of sorts.

Drug dealers do not lose their phones unless it is on purpose, imo.

Well, there is that. However, whatever his reasons, he could not think it was a good thing that she went missing. Even then, I does not mean . . . what you all are trying to say.

I have known someone who was a drug dealer/supplier/whatever. He was not just a delivery person, imo. I'm thinking if a murder when down -- whether he (this person I know) did it or not, he would start hiding things and shutting things down, at least temporarily. I might like to think in this instance that that person is a killer, but maybe . . . evidence.

I think we can usually trust drug dealers to act like drug dealers. Not all of them commit murder, and I do think that Christina has been murdered. In any case, some people certainly seem to think that the person you would love to see TOS lifted so you could sleuth, is believeable.

Personally, I don't trust anyone much. I am a vigilant little bee.

Whatever the case, and no one can say for certain until the evidence is heard or at least more revealed. That is my sticking point.

As for the police, they are sometimes incompetent, lazy, and dishonest -- usually not all at once. Which door to you want to choose? Because I don't think many people believe EA is innocent and just totally framed.

 

[SeriouslySearching]

Well, there is that. However, whatever his reasons, he could not think it was a good thing that she went missing. Even then, I does not mean . . . what you all are trying to say.

I have known someone who was a drug dealer/supplier/whatever. He was not just a delivery person, imo. I'm thinking if a murder when down -- whether he (this person I know) did it or not, he would start hiding things and shutting things down, at least temporarily. I might like to think in this instance that that person is a killer, but maybe . . . evidence.

I think we can usually trust drug dealers to act like drug dealers. Not all of them commit murder, and I do think that Christina has been murdered. In any case, some people certainly seem to think that the person you would love to see TOS lifted so you could sleuth, is believeable.

Personally, I don't trust anyone much. I am a vigilant little bee.

Whatever the case, and no one can say for certain until the evidence is heard or at least more revealed. That is my sticking point.

As for the police, they are sometimes incompetent, lazy, and dishonest -- usually not all at once. Which door to you want to choose? Because I don't think many people believe EA is innocent and just totally framed.

LE and the DA are going after EA and will probably win. They will contend he acted alone because it is what they can make a case for with some proof that Christina was in his presence and his trunk. It doesn't necessarily make it true he acted alone.

There are many theories floating around and, as far as I know, they all include EA as a main player. He obviously did something very wrong when it comes to Christina and he has lied about many things. But he isn't the only huge liar when it comes to this case. I can't ignore the things that have come up since Day 4 about other people who lied about Christina or about things concerning her disappearance.

 

[daisytrail]

LE and the DA are going after EA and will probably win. They will contend he acted alone because it is what they can make a case for with some proof that Christina was in his presence and his trunk. It doesn't necessarily make it true he acted alone.

There are many theories floating around and, as far as I know, they all include EA as a main player. He obviously did something very wrong when it comes to Christina and he has lied about many things. But he isn't the only huge liar when it comes to this case. I can't ignore the things that have come up since Day 4 about other people who lied about Christina or about things concerning her disappearance.

Well, if he did not act alone, when it comes time to deal, maybe he will deal -- if only to save himself some prison time. But it is not time to deal yet, especially if he knows that Christina is in a very good hiding place. However, here is where I think he probably won't deal: If it comes to family. HF is not my favorite suspect when it comes to possibles.

 

[zippixx]

This wasn't just any person and this wasn't just any phone. It was the phone being called desperately by a woman every few minutes who goes missing at the very end of the barrage of phone calls to her significant other with the last 2 coming from the suspected kidnapper. IIRC, Jonni said he lost his phone and it is why he did not get her messages/texts/calls that night. Yet days later, he has the phone again to give to LE. It was very convenient as an excuse for not having the phone handy, but the phone must have been at the hotel with him giving an alibi of sorts.

Drug dealers do not lose their phones unless it is on purpose, imo.

On the same hand, it might have been the "barrage" of phone calls that annoyed him so much, that he didn't answer & then it "sounds" better to say he lost it. As far as "drug dealers do not lose phones", I doubt his phone was involved much, selling in a club, to undercover cops.. the guy really isn't to bright and I still contend that he wasn't very high up in the world of dope sellers. just enough for a felony charge, which to me isn't unusual.. all jmo

 

[Bootsctr]

Can you imagine a drug dealer big enough to be locked up with a million dollar bond (btw how often does that occur?) not completely freaking out over losing his phone or clients for days?

My thoughts exactly! Imagine if EA had lost his phone??? A million dollars bond for a drug dealer..... Yeah, he must have some connections for the good stuff (uncut). I'm really curious to see how that case turns out. It's good he's off the street, but can't help to wonder if there will be some sort of plea deal in his case. Guess his family is standing behind him.

 

[Bootsctr]

I just had a mental image of a bear wearing one boot :happydance:

:floorlaugh: I was thinking I hope it wasn't a bear that stole the boot. :hills:

 

[Bootsctr]

On the same hand, it might have been the "barrage" of phone calls that annoyed him so much, that he didn't answer & then it "sounds" better to say he lost it. As far as "drug dealers do not lose phones", I doubt his phone was involved much, selling in a club, to undercover cops.. the guy really isn't to bright and I still contend that he wasn't very high up in the world of dope sellers. just enough for a felony charge, which to me isn't unusual.. all jmo

But, he did answer earlier in the evening. That was confirmed. It was later he started ignoring the calls. I don't think he's too bright either, but he's sneaky. He's a drug dealer and yeah I know those are a dime-a-dozen, but he sure could get his hands on an assortment of drugs. It's the people higher than him that scare me. You know the guys who aren't in jail who are trafficking the stuff, but are wise enough to leave much of a trail? How PO'd would one of those guys be if one of their peons is dealing to high end clientele at a fancy hotel and being bothered by a girlfriend? Not at all what I believe happened in Christina's situation. I do believe some could be underestimating the importance of the cell phone. Personally, that's how you get hold of your dealers and your buyers. A simple little text: "need some dros" "got some bars" - how much, how many do you want, where do you want to meet....

 

[heather.scissorhands]

3 Murder-for-hire and search issue - (NOTE: This is the situation you noted, but you apparently didn't get all the facts) (Rough outline of the case only) In 2008-10, there was an issue over Judge Rusch (the same judge in EA case) authorizing a search warrant for physical evidence in Gore's law office against his client M L Bell in a murder-for-hire case. The evidence was found. The warrant and details about it were contested, then appealed.

The law does allow such a search. (Law does not protect physical evidence under atty-client privilege.) But Gore claimed it was done wrong. [And, in principle, no atty wants judges allowing LE to root around in their files, so there's that.]

Rusch was ultimately recused from the underlying case because of the search issue. Eventually the warrant/evidence was deemed legal on appeal (as far as I could trace it, anyhow). The defendant eventually took a plea (LWOP) to the charges of being the killer in a murder-for-hire plot, and ended up testifying against the wife who hired him.

I know you like to be right and so do I. And I did get the facts. It clearly states that the evidence was not found in this article. Just letters and a shoebox. No boots.

ETA: I can't get the link to work, so I guess you have to copy and paste. Sorry!
http://texaslawyer.typepad.com/texas_lawyer_blog/2008/08/judge-recused-a.html

It is interesting, though I know this isn't very important. But, it does give us a little background info on the lawyer representing EA.

 

[heather.scissorhands]

LE and the DA are going after EA and will probably win. They will contend he acted alone because it is what they can make a case for with some proof that Christina was in his presence and his trunk. It doesn't necessarily make it true he acted alone.

There are many theories floating around and, as far as I know, they all include EA as a main player. He obviously did something very wrong when it comes to Christina and he has lied about many things. But he isn't the only huge liar when it comes to this case. I can't ignore the things that have come up since Day 4 about other people who lied about Christina or about things concerning her disappearance.

I think you are right. Sadly. I just hope Christina is found because what is happening is cruel to her loved ones. I hate this case.