Found Deceased AZ - Isabella Grogan-Cannella, 8, Bullhead City, 2 September 2014 *Arrest* - #5

[Bently]

http://m.mohavedailynews.com/news/r...928-137e-11e7-97e8-eb600c4e4552.html?mode=jqm

 

[skibaboo]

http://m.mohavedailynews.com/news/r...928-137e-11e7-97e8-eb600c4e4552.html?mode=jqm

Indefinitely?? WTH
:banghead::banghead::banghead:

 

[0101ABA]

Rector trial likely to begin next year: Trial in 2014 slaying of 8-year-old girl has been delayed several times

Superior Court Judge Lee Jantzen said he expects to set a trial date and order a mental health exam at the next hearing. He said the trial may not take place until early 2018 at the earliest. He set Rector’s next hearing for July 21. The murder trial was originally set to begin October 2016.

 

[MsMarple]

Ugh, really? Really?

-Request to complete pending mental health exam, on hold since October 2, 2015.
-State has continued to disclose documentation to the defense.
-State has yet to receive from defense available dates for interviews.
-State has not yet received any disclosure from the defense.
-No witness list provided.
-No names of expert witnesses provided.
-No evidence disclosed.
-No mitigating circumstances, mitigating evidence or wotnesses have been disclosed.

http://www.mohavecourts.com/highprofile/Rector/1193-StateCaseStatusReport06012017.pdf
http://www.mohavecourts.com/highprofile/highprofileRector.htm

Good grief! And from KayElJay's link:

McPhillips also said his case, now approaching its third year, could lose witnesses and evidence. He asked the judge to order a mental health exam. If Rector’s defense attorney, Gerald Gavin, doesn’t have all the medical records by now, then there aren’t any more, McPhillips said.
...
McPhillips also stated in a case report that the interview process has stalled with many interviews still to be conducted. He has requested available dates to conduct interviews without input from the defense. He also said the defense still has not disclosed the names of its witnesses and experts or other evidence for the trial.

http://www.mohavedailynews.com/news...cle_7bc59c78-48f0-11e7-8855-2be223694d1c.html

And more...

Defense attorney Gerald Gavin told Superior Court Judge Lee Jantzen Friday that as of the March 24 hearing, he had about 95 percent of the records they needed and at the point where he could start hiring mitigation experts to move the trial forward

“Since the last court date, we’ve made significant progress,” Gavin said. “We have at this stage approximately seven experts on board.”

Gavin said the experts are for consult only and not yet for testifying. Gavin wants to know their findings before using them in trial. Some are in the early parts of their investigations and some are further along than others.

“I realize the court wants to get this going as quickly as possible for taxpayer’s sake, for justice sake,” he said. “The problem with some of these experts is we want to do things sequentially.”
...
Jantzen wanted to know how close the mental health prescreening evaluation is to being completed.

“We’re certainly much closer to when that motion was m
...
“We can’t do the trial until the (mental health) exam is complete and the sanity issue has been litigated,” McPhillips said.

He added that the defense was conflating the process and suggested the court hand over mental health records to the defense.

“We could do this today,” McPhillips said.

He said that the case should go forward with whatever documents the defense has now and get Rector’s mental health exam out of the way.

“We’re looking at a case that’s almost three years old,” he said. “I’m concerned about losing witnesses.”

https://kdminer.com/news/2017/jun/04/defense-asks-court-wait-rector-hearing/

 

[margarita25]

(Gah, similar fiasco in Jenise's case....)

 

[skibaboo]

Suspect in Bullhead girl's murder allegedly attacks detention officer

A man facing the death penalty for the alleged murder of a young girl in 2014 fought with a detention officer Tuesday afternoon in the Mohave County Jail, according to law enforcement.

Justin James Rector, 29, of Bullhead City allegedly became aggressive towards the detention officer, who had entered Rector’s cell to remove a shirt that was hanging from a vent.

“They got into a brief struggle where punches were thrown,” a press release from the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office stated.

Rector was charged with aggravated assault on a detention officer, a felony.

 

[Bently]

Dec 2014

Jan 2015


The 300 rocks include some from New Zealand, United Kingdom, Ireland and the United States.
There are so many beautiful rocks from so many people,” Fox said. “The idea started on our Facebook page, Justice for Bella. After that we just brought it to life.” She added the story has reached many people and touched so many lives. “Everyone wants to send their beautiful rocks for Bella’s garden,” she said. “People who have never met Bella are sending their rocks to us to place in the garden. We are so thankful and happy that it has grown the way it has.”
June 2015

October 2016


:blowkiss: to those that made this garden happen! So emotional online, I cannot fathom my tears if I was there in person. And all those colored rocks sent in from caring folks from all over :grouphug:

Links below of photos above include:
Dec 2014 link WITH ARTICLE on garden http://www.mohavedailynews.com/news/the-heart-s-garden-story-of-memorial-for-murdered-girl/article_d8626f92-8688-11e4-91db-577b8b2041c8.html
Jan 2015 link WITH ARTICLE on garden http://bullheadcitybee.us/community/rock-n-the-park-festival-to-honor-local-murdered-girl/
June 2015 link WITH ARTICLE on garden http://www.mohavedailynews.com/news/bella-s-garden-nears-completion/article_a8e9496e-1a41-11e5-9fcf-ab38bf394635.html
October 2016 link WITH ARTICLE on garden http://www.mohavedailynews.com/news/city-installs-marker-at-bella-s-rock-garden/article_c75ecba0-8ebf-11e6-b35e-33cf038bc598.html
May 2017 FB link WITH ARTICLE on the care of the garden from the bullheadcitybee (which is now defunct) https://www.facebook.com/bullheadcitybee/posts/1002028673166737:0

 

[byo]

Procedural issues stall death penalty case
By JIM SECKLER | The Daily News Jul 20, 2017

KINGMAN — The prosecutor [Greg McPhillips] in the case of a Bullhead City man accused of killing a child is still seeking names of expert witnesses and other evidence.

(. . .)

“The status of this case is that nothing is happening,” McPhillips said.

At the request of Grogan-Cannella’s family, McPhillips will file a motion asserting speedy trial rights on the victim’s behalf. The case has stalled and the prosecutor is asking the judge to move the case along at a faster pace.

(. . .)

As far back as Nov. 4, 2016, Superior Court Judge Lee Jantzen has ordered the defense to disclose all mitigation experts by Jan. 13, which has not been done. McPhillips is asking the judge to impose sanctions on the defense.

Jantzen previously said he expects to set a trial date and order a mental health exam at the next hearing. Rector’s next hearing is set for July 28. The trial was originally set to begin October 2016.

 

[MsMarple]

Gerald Gavin, one of Rector's defense attorneys, asked the court last week to allow him to withdraw from representing Rector because of an ethical conflict and wrote the issue "cannot be resolved or avoided."

What?? After all this time and all the delays Gavin wants to pull out because of an "ethical conflict" that can't be resolved or even disclosed to the court?

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-st...s-plan-motions-seeking-records-in-murder-case

Rector’s defense team met with him on July 10 and avowed that a “conflict fatal to ongoing representation exists,” the court document states. “It cannot be resolved or avoided.”

If Gavin removes himself from the case, the remaining members of the defense team could remain to prepare Rector’s case for ongoing negotiation and trial with minimum impact.

Both Gavin and co-counsel Julia Cassels said any discussion with the court about the conflict will taint the case going forward, likely causing the entire defense team to withdraw and creating greater delays.

https://kdminer.com/news/2017/jul/25/rector-defense-team-petitions-court-attorney-withd/

Judge Lee Jantzen has complained about the lack of progress in this case over and over. On July 18 prosecution filed a motion saying that the state has had no communication with defense counsel since a hearing on June 2. July 18 the July 21 status hearing was moved to July 28 due to a conflict in court scheduling. On the 19th Gavin filed a motion to withdraw. Julia Cassels will continue on the case - Gavin said if he was to inform the court about the conflict it could cause the entire defense team to withdraw which would in turn cause further delays in Rector's trial.

https://www.mohavecourts.com/highprofile/Rector/1193-StatusConference06022017.pdf
https://www.mohavecourts.com/highprofile/Rector/1193-DefenseCounselsMotion07202017.pdf

Justin Rector murdered Bella on Sept. 2, 2014. Why has Gavin just now discovered an ethical conflict? Why has Judge Jantzen allowed delay after delay, with defense filing motions and requesting expert input that they never followed up on?

From June 2:

“The status of this case is that nothing is happening,” the court document states. “Bella’s surviving family requests a speedy trial. This case has stalled and the state has a legitimate motivation to move the prosecution at a faster pace.”

The state nominated Dr. Ernest Hartman to examine Rector’s sanity at the time he allegedly committed the offense.

Defense lawyers brought out the mental health issues at the June hearing, and prosecutors have repeatedly requested the completion of the mental health exam. None of those experts or hundreds of report pages have been disclosed, McPhillips said.

I still remember way back to the first request to pay 10k for an evaluation of Rector. To my knowledge that has never been completed.

Last November Jantzen ordered defense to disclose all their evidence by January 13, 2017 - that has not yet been done.

What is going on? Judge Jantzen, why have you not imposed sanctions on the defense? Who is going to be Bella's voice?

 

[Tealgrove]

Unbelievable!

 

[2Hope4]

:gaah::shame:

 

[0101ABA]

Judge allows Rector attorney to withdraw

A Superior Court judge on Friday allowed the attorney for a Bullhead City man accused of killing an 8-year-old girl to withdraw from the case.

(...)

Gavin said three quarters of the defense team will remain and the county’s Indigent Defense Service will start the process to look for another lead attorney to handle the murder case. Co-counsel Julia Cassels will remain on the case as second counsel. Two death penalty qualified attorneys are required in a capital murder case.

Status hearing set for Sept 22

 

[MsMarple]

Judge allows Rector attorney to withdraw


Status hearing set for Sept 22

Ooh, I just keep fuming over this case. From the last status hearing where Gavin's motion to withdraw was granted:

**Ms Cassels makes statements that if the state will drop the allegation of "death," the remaining defense team could continue to represent the Defendant on a non-capital case and be ready for trial next year. Ms Cassels makes further statements regarding discovery issues. Mr. McPhillips makes statements regarding the status of the case from the State's perspective; he also states that Deputy County Attorney Ryan Dooley will be assisting in this matter going forward. ***

https://www.mohavecourts.com/highprofile/Rector/1193-Status Conference07282017.pdf

For those of us trying to understand what's currently happening:

“Obviously, I don’t want to create a delay for Mr. Rector. I’m sick (of it), but there’s nothing I can do. I’m forced to withdraw. There’s no way around it,” Gavin told the judge.

Jantzen granted the motion to let Gavin go and search for a new defense attorney, setting the next hearing for Sept. 22. The judge said he receives motions to dismiss counsel all the time, but he didn’t want to dig into why this is happening now.

“You talk about Mr. Rector’s rights. There are other people’s rights in this courtroom,” Jantzen said.
...

https://kdminer.com/news/2017/jul/30/if-state-drops-death-penalty-rector-could-go-trial/

Cassels is taking the lead in the case. Here's what it all boils down to:

If the state were to drop the death penalty in the case, defense counsel would be prepared to go forward with a first-degree murder trial next year, Cassels added.

And there you have it, something we all knew and feared from the beginning: Defense will delay and delay in hopes of wearing the State down to the point where it will drop the death penalty in order to finally get the trial on the docket.

If I knew for sure Rector would get LWOP I think I'd actually support it. For those who loved Bella this has got to be a nightmare. And I'm really, really angry at judge Jantzen for not taking a hard stance and imposing sanctions on the defense after so many warnings. Bah.

ETA: P.S. Gavin was assigned Rector’s case in March 2015. The county has paid Gavin $248,020 for the two years and five months he has been the lead attorney on Rector’s case.

 

[Bently]

Dec 2014
View attachment 120329
Jan 2015
View attachment 120330
View attachment 120331
The 300 rocks include some from New Zealand, United Kingdom, Ireland and the United States.
There are so many beautiful rocks from so many people,” Fox said. “The idea started on our Facebook page, Justice for Bella. After that we just brought it to life.” She added the story has reached many people and touched so many lives. “Everyone wants to send their beautiful rocks for Bella’s garden,” she said. “People who have never met Bella are sending their rocks to us to place in the garden. We are so thankful and happy that it has grown the way it has.”
June 2015
View attachment 120332
October 2016
View attachment 120333

:blowkiss: to those that made this garden happen! So emotional online, I cannot fathom my tears if I was there in person. And all those colored rocks sent in from caring folks from all over :grouphug:

Links below of photos above include:
Dec 2014 link WITH ARTICLE on garden http://www.mohavedailynews.com/news/the-heart-s-garden-story-of-memorial-for-murdered-girl/article_d8626f92-8688-11e4-91db-577b8b2041c8.html
Jan 2015 link WITH ARTICLE on garden http://bullheadcitybee.us/community/rock-n-the-park-festival-to-honor-local-murdered-girl/
June 2015 link WITH ARTICLE on garden http://www.mohavedailynews.com/news/bella-s-garden-nears-completion/article_a8e9496e-1a41-11e5-9fcf-ab38bf394635.html
October 2016 link WITH ARTICLE on garden http://www.mohavedailynews.com/news/city-installs-marker-at-bella-s-rock-garden/article_c75ecba0-8ebf-11e6-b35e-33cf038bc598.html
May 2017 FB link WITH ARTICLE on the care of the garden from the bullheadcitybee (which is now defunct) https://www.facebook.com/bullheadcitybee/posts/1002028673166737:0

A post on the Justice for Bella Page yesterday 9/2/2017, there is going to be a balloon release in honor of Bella tomorrow (today) at 12:00 pm noon at Bella's rock garden bring some balloons and help us in remembering this sweet little girl.

:blowkiss:

 

[Tealgrove]

I cannot believe that we are still waiting to see Justice for this sweet girl. What is it going to take to get this trial going?

 

[MsMarple]

I cannot believe that we are still waiting to see Justice for this sweet girl. What is it going to take to get this trial going?

IMO either a guilty plea or taking the death penalty off the table. September 2 marked the third anniversary of Bella's brutal murder.

Rector has a new attorney - again - after Gerald Gavin withdrew, taking with him close to a quarter million dollars for his legal work.

Blake Schritter, Indigent Defense Service director, said Quinn Jolly has been assigned as first chair on Rector’s case. Co-counsel Julia Cassels will remain as second counsel. Two death-penalty qualified attorneys are required in a capital murder case.

Jolly had previously been with the Maricopa County Legal Defender’s Office and moved to Wisconsin at the end of July. However, Jolly will travel back to Mohave County at his own expense about once a month for Rector’s case, Schritter said.

The benefit in hiring Jolly is that he has no other case load, Schritter said, adding that Jolly was the most qualified death-penalty primary attorney, having defended several first-degree murder cases in Maricopa County including Pedro Morales, John Cole and Hojat Saadi.

At Rector’s last hearing, Superior Court Judge Lee Jantzen said much of the work on the murder case doesn’t need to be redone with the hiring of a new primary counsel. Jolly will make his first appearance at Rector’s next hearing, set for Sept. 22.

http://www.mohavedailynews.com/news...cle_d8bf993c-8bc7-11e7-8ef6-af240b4adf04.html
https://www.mohavecourts.com/highprofile/highprofileRector.htm

Let's hope Rector's case will finally start rolling.

 

[MsMarple]

Cost of death penalty case keeps climbing

The total cost for Rector’s defense including the 2017-18 fiscal year is now $582,579. That dates to the 2014-15 fiscal year. The cost includes $409,822 for all of Rector’s defense attorneys and $172,007 for investigative services for the last four fiscal years, indigent defense services director Blake Schritter said.

So far, this current fiscal year, his attorney fees are $31,056 and the investigative services are $20,415. During the 2016-17 fiscal year, his attorney bill was $199,290 and the investigative services cost $129,777. In the 2015-16 fiscal year, attorney fees were $121,725 and the investigative services were $13,578, Schritter added.

Rector’s next hearing before Superior Court Judge Lee Jantzen is scheduled for today. Vacated several times, Rector’s trial has not been scheduled and the length of the trial is not known but could last a month or longer.

http://www.mohavedailynews.com/news...cle_0ec4609a-cb5f-11e7-ab6a-e7f41b419f37.html
https://www.mohavecourts.com/highprofile/highprofileRector.htm

No date yet for his trial. Will we ever see Rector pay for Bella's murder?

 

[Knox]

The cost of a Bullhead City murder suspect’s death penalty case could exceed more than $1 million by the time it goes to trial.
http://www.mohavedailynews.com/news...cle_0ec4609a-cb5f-11e7-ab6a-e7f41b419f37.html

I'm appalled by this. Funding for local programs are being axed, yet MC is forced to spend an outrageous amount of money defending a child killer. It defies logic, yet its happening.

 

[MsMarple]

Rector's next hearing is 11am March 23.

KINGMAN – Mental evaluation results of accused murderer, kidnapper and rapist Justin James Rector were ordered by Superior Court Judge Lee Jantzen Friday to be released to state prosecutors.

The case, which started in September 2014 with the discovery of 8-year-old Bella Grogan-Cannella’s body in a shallow grave near her home in Bullhead City, is slowly making its way through the justice system, with more than 20 pretrial hearings.
...
Jantzen said he filed an order for Mohave County Mental Health to disclose evidence from the mental evaluation to the state, which is mandated by law. Prior counsel had filed a motion to vacate that order.

McPhillips said he’s had fairly regular conversations with Rector’s defense attorneys, and got the “impression” they weren’t ready to deal with the mental evaluation yet.

Jantzen also filed two other orders in March, one to disclose notes from the autopsy report and another to disclose Rector’s cellphone records.

Though he didn’t have the files on hand, McPhillips said he believes he has the autopsy notes, and there was no cellphone information.

https://kdminer.com/news/2018/jan/22/rectors-mental-evaluations-be-released-prosecutors/
https://www.mohavecourts.com/highprofile/highprofileRector.htm

 

[MsMarple]

Death Penalty Withdrawn

February 15, 2018:

KINGMAN — A decision to lift the death penalty in the first-degree murder case against Justin James Rector drew immediate reaction in the Tri-state.

Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith cited a lack of progress in the case, which has languished in the courts with myriad motions and defense attorney changes, in pulling the death penalty.
...
Smith said Rector’s murder case was going nowhere. With new defense attorneys recently assigned to the case, Rector’s trial probably would not be set until 2019 at the earliest, Smith said.

http://www.mohavedailynews.com/news...cle_8aa20bb4-12e4-11e8-b343-afc8e04a5f08.html

KINGMAN – Last week’s decision by prosecutors to withdraw the death penalty for Justin James Rector, who is accused of child kidnapping, rape and murder wasn’t well received by the public, but it’ll go a long way toward getting the trial started 3½ years after the crime was committed.

Mohave Superior Court Judge Lee Jantzen on Tuesday ordered the next court hearing for March 23, at which time he plans to set a trial date.

https://kdminer.com/news/2018/feb/20/judge-set-rector-trial-date-next-hearing/

More at the links. Next court hearing March 23.

https://www.mohavecourts.com/highprofile/highprofileRector.htm

Well, the defense's strategy worked; drag your feet long enough and you'll wear out the justice system. Shame on Judge Jantzen for allowing the defense to continue filing for delays based on nothing but smoke and mirrors. He should have put a stop to the endless motions long ago. What a waste of taxpayer's money.