GUILTY UK - Helen Bailey, 51, Royston, 11 April 2016 #8

[neteditor]

I say OFF WITH HER HEAD!!

Too much?

I'd take her hand first personally, give her a second chance after that :happydance:

 

[BatFace]

I take Zoplicone occasionally, and I can confirm Dolly's findings that they taste like something brewed by the devil himself. I do believe that's the only viable way of getting somebody else to ingest them unwittingly would be to put them inside a capsule purporting to be either paracetamol or a herbal supplement.

 

[Joely 123]

I thought the jurors would be able to read the book extract for themselves, since it was put in their binder only this morning.

Have I let you all down?

Absolutely NOT x

 

[michelle230]

Hi All,
I`m having big problems with my laptop which is running frustratingly slow. Also I always seem to have even more issues re slowness when on the WS site. There are so many posts I want to reply to but the letters/words I type show up 30 seconds or more after I type them (hence lots of typos!). It`s so frustrating! So for longer posts, I type out first then copy/paste.
Anyway I was in court afternoon only. Ticket 507 was rubbish and I was put next to the barrier in the carpark across the road – kindly the barristers used megaphones so that I could hear. (Tortoise, that`s for your benefit in case you felt guilty lol)
Jokes aside.
So Mr Trimmer was as you would expect. After he finished, the Judge said that perhaps it was a good time for a break. However Mr Flint stood up and said that he would like to start his summing up. My guess is that he didn`t want to the jury to have the prosecution summing up fresh in their minds to discuss at break. Clever.
I know we all wondered what on earth he could possibly say. And yes – what * could * he say? But of course what was clear to me, (I`m sure other more experienced court attenders would know this) but it was the first time I`d seen it so blatantly in action – he didn`t put any meaningful case for IS`s innocence on the basis of any evidence (of which there was none as well we know). All he did was negate, and chip away at all the actual evidence *against * IS. What I particularly disliked was that time and again he used emotionally manipulative words e.g. the jury should be “brave”, they should have “courage”, they should have “strength” to see beyond the obvious. All these manipulative words as he tried bit by bit to dismantle the overwhelmingly strong case that shows IS murdered Helen and Boris.
I know it`s their job. I know. But I don`t care! I know the often used expression, “I don`t know how he sleeps at night”, and yes – I don`t know how he will – but sleep he will do. Like a baby, I`m sure! And you know what – G-d forbid one day he finds himself in a similar position, where a dearly beloved member of his family has been murdered – I`m pretty dammed sure that he would want justice done!
I am not going to court tomorrow morning. As the Judge was planning out the last remaining days, he said that perhaps the defence summing up and his directions could both be finished tomorrow (court finishes at 2 pm as the Judge has other business to attend to). However Mr Flint said that actually he needs quite a bit more time! Really??
So he will continue earning his huge salary tomorrow morning , trying his best to set a murderer free. I will not – I cannot – listen, so I will not be there. However I will go for an hour in the afternoon as the Judge aims to start his directions from 1 o`clock until 2 pm. I expect there will be an early lunch.
With regard to IS - I watched him the whole time Mr Trimmer was talking. He blinked a lot. He frequently cocked his head to one side – in a…sort of weird bird-like way (sorry –that`s the only way I can describe it). On one occasion he did genuinely look very emotional and seemed to be fighting back tears – when Mr trimmer was talking about – was it a book dedication in one of Helen`s books – mentioning the GGHW – her “happy ending”? Something she wrote – so warm and loving about him. He did seem genuine in his tears at that moment. However the rest of the time…nothing…just nothing. Calm, unperturbed, almost like a third party involvement.
When Mr Flint was summing up…this loving man…this man with an unblemished history…this wonderful relationship…this man who was in a more than adequate financial situation – (yes Mr Flint – let`s hope you don`t have a child who ends up like Helen one day), during this time IS was looking directly at the jury. It`s the onlt time I have seen him do this other than the very occasional fleeting glance. This time he could gaze at them as a good, loving, innocent, wronged man.
Thanks Mr Flint.

 

[BatFace]

No I think it covers only bitterness/metallic taste after taking it. Just swallowing Zopiclone, if he gave it to her instead of one of her "health" pills, would not be tasted (most pills have an invisible film over the powder to help it stop breaking up in the mouth). Dolly so kindly proved if it is crushed it is very bitter. Very interesting that all her pills disappeared with her AND no Zopiclone was found at the house. He certainly covered his tracks but his claim that she would only have taken one or two would still have left some of his prescription untaken but he would have had an excuse for that too, no doubt.

Honestly, they taste vile, even when swallowed whole.

 

[BlueMosaic]

I take Zoplicone occasionally, and I can confirm Dolly's findings that they taste like something brewed by the devil himself. I do believe that's the only viable way of getting somebody else to ingest them unwittingly would be to put them inside a capsule purporting to be either paracetamol or a herbal supplement.

My youngest suffers the sleep problems that (ironically) many with chronic fatigue/ME do. He has tried 3.75 Zopiclone a few times but they don't seem to send him to sleep or give a bitter taste. He uses a valerian now. Perhaps the 7.50 dose might work on him but then there is still the hangover effect, (again, not everyone gets that if taken as advised) which, if Helen was being dosed regularly, must have been awful.

 

[Moll]

Completely sympathise with you, Michelle, but on the bright side, if the judge is finishing his summing up on Monday just before the jury start deliberating, and assuming he does a good summing up, that should redress the balance.

 

[Pips]

IS's tomfoolery must be so entry level to Trimmer:



this is where Trimmers fraud case expertise comes in, this fiction is so clumsy & ham-fisted in comparison

Strimmer has been fantastic, but this grates as JS died in February 2011. Only a little point but why put doubt in the jury's minds?

 

[flightpath]

Did the jurors faces tell you anything about how they felt? I know when I was one I could barely control my face. I'm sure it said you're guilty most of the way through!

 

[Tortoise]

Thanks for that fantastic summary Michelle.

The part where you said IS welled up was exactly where I thought this afternoon he probably would do. So predictable.

Another whole morning though? That is unbelievable. How many times can you tell the jury to be brave? Brave in what way? It doesn't even make sense. It takes bravery to be responsible for consigning a man to a life sentence in prison, not the other way around.

 

[michelle230]

Pips and Snoopydog,
I am really sorry to hear of the inexcusable and ignorant behaviour you have both been subjected to.
Are some of these the same people who gave Helen a bad time with their self righteousness?
Are some of these the same people who quietly and wordlessly read on here?
Please, please remember that those who feel good about themselves feel no need to act in a critical and superior manner towards others. It`s a way to hide one`s own inadequacies. It truly does say more about them than about you. May sound trite, but it`s also the truth!
As someone on this forum said, it`s wonderful to have people here who knew Helen personally. It reminds us that she is part of a loving family and a caring group of friends who have come together to share the journey towards justice.
Michelle *advertiser censored*

 

[Joely 123]

Thank you, again, Michelle for giving more texture to the day. An horrendous day in many ways, when we were all expecting so much .. I guess I mean an almost collapse of Defence today. But Mr Flinty, skilled in all he does and, to be fair, he is IS's Defence, soldiers on - insults the Prosecution truth, normal and then cunningly uses Helen's book to support the Murderer.
You have given such terrific insight to the Court at St Albans of all that we cannot see. It must be exhausting. It has been exhausting and displacing of all other 'interests' whilst sitting at home on the edge of one's seat, without the rigour of Court - and travel and lacking any cushion.

I can just image IS 'linking' the Jury, when he thinks what a good citizen, 'fiancee' and supporter of Helen, as his Defence portrays him in such a light ..
But - I am sure he shall not be sleeping well at night now - he knows he did it. And he is now the Grotesque Greedy Homeless Wicked. - (without)
Bless you, Michelle for everything.

 

[Alyce]

Thank you Michelle, that was brilliant. Can't begin to imagine what it felt like having to see and listen to SRF...bad enough doing the copy and paste of updates, I could feel myself wanting to rant at him with each post.

Hope you get back for Monday ...if judge gets them out early enough, might b verdict day, tho I doubt it somehow

Thanks again xx

 

[flightpath]

I keep thinking of the fact that because of his fantasy of Joe n Nick he really has only given the jury two options: do these men exist and did they do all he said OR was it IS. That's the only choice. Because of his defence. So whatever Flint says is irrelevant as it simply boils down to that. He made up that story and it's whether that story is more believable than him killing her. That's the jury's choice.

 

[michelle230]

Thanks for that fantastic summary Michelle.

The part where you said IS welled up was exactly where I thought this afternoon he probably would do. So predictable.

Another whole morning though? That is unbelievable. How many times can you tell the jury to be brave? Brave in what way? It doesn't even make sense. It takes bravery to be responsible for consigning a man to a life sentence in prison, not the other way around.

It made me sick - "be brave", "be strong" "show courage" - exactly as you ask...what does this mean? Does that mean if they find him guilty then they are cowards? How bloody insulting!

 

[flightpath]

I'm casting my vote now. Guilty. As F.

 

[michelle230]

Completely sympathise with you, Michelle, but on the bright side, if the judge is finishing his summing up on Monday just before the jury start deliberating, and assuming he does a good summing up, that should redress the balance.

Thanks Moll. I did console myself with that thought...

 

[Tortoise]

I'd take her hand first personally, give her a second chance after that :happydance:

:cow:

 

[Alyce]

I keep thinking of the fact that because of his fantasy of Joe n Nick he really has only given the jury two options: do these men exist and did they do all he said OR was it IS. That's the only choice. Because of his defence. So whatever Flint says is irrelevant as it simply boils down to that. He made up that story and it's whether that story is more believable than him killing her. That's the jury's choice.

So true. Wonder why he didn't just stick with the note story and say he had no idea what happened. He has been painted into a corner by The Strimmer with his agreement that it's Nijo or him.....and all because he thinks he is such a clever storyteller ...as has been said, an 11 year old would be embarrassed to produce such drivel.

 

[Interested Bystander]

Hi All,
I`m having big problems with my laptop which is running frustratingly slow. Also I always seem to have even more issues re slowness when on the WS site. There are so many posts I want to reply to but the letters/words I type show up 30 seconds or more after I type them (hence lots of typos!). It`s so frustrating! So for longer posts, I type out first then copy/paste.
Anyway I was in court afternoon only. Ticket 507 was rubbish and I was put next to the barrier in the carpark across the road – kindly the barristers used megaphones so that I could hear. (Tortoise, that`s for your benefit in case you felt guilty lol)
Jokes aside.

Thanks Mr Flint.

Respectfully snipped.

Thank you so much Michelle. Your reports are so valued and your insight exceptional. I did wonder whether there would be a noticeable difference in IS's demeanour and it appears there was. I have read Russell Flint charms the jury. I do hope they have their heads well and truly screwed on. I despair when a barrister attempts to effect an incorrect verdict and have to say I think it has more to do with their ego than much else.

Michelle, like you, I am having terrible trouble with my posts. I am having to edit mine after posting and I must remember to use Word to avoid this. I think it has to be something to do with this site. I keep getting a message to say my memory is low but I have a huge amount of memory available. If I try to use my iPad on this site and wish to backspace the wretched thing backspaces about 20 letters, or even more at times.

Thank you again for your views on today's proceedings.