its interesting how ones opinions impact ones judgement.
IS talking heads started out their coverage analysis pretty much agreed that Ray was overcharged at best and completely innocent at worst. as witnesses brought info, the TH's showed some flexibility, as they reflected consideration of the new evidence.
Course, with the mistrial motion, and its denial, they have returned to their "we love these high profile defense atty's and their client" position. Course, I'm exaggerating a bit.
I have not liked either James Ray or his atty's from the get go. And as this case has progressed, that judgement has only grown.
So, yesterday, Truc Do crosses Michael Hamilton, who owned the Angel Valley retreat. I watched on cnn.com/live and interacted with the twitter #jamesray participants, who follow the trial closely.
They mostly don't like the DT (as they call the defense team). So, as Truc Do proceeded, their was much uncomplimentary comment about it.
As as example, Do spent at least 45 minutes sparing with Hamilton as to when pictures of rat poison were made, why and so on. By the time she was finished with that cross, no one who had followed it had the slightest idea what her point was or why it might have been important, although I will concede that she did get Hamilton to say that the picture should be meaningless to the jury---which sounds good because hamilton was offering that the picture was a true representation of how the rat poison was presented to the rats, and the DT wants you to believe the rat poison was somehow spread out on the tarps so much so that the heat in the lodge sucked the rat poison out of the tarps into the air and poisoned the people.
However, having said all that, the 45 mins was devoted to when the pics were taken, despite the elicited opinion that it shouldn't be useful to the jury. Afterwards, when Truc mercifully ended her machine gun cross, the prosecutor, in two minutes, clearly established by way of dates on the photos when they were taken.
Heres the pt. I get it that a DA isn't after the truth, but seeks to obscure the facts to create doubt, so that their client goes free. I got it.
But In Session talking heads looked at Truc Doe's obscuration and lawyer tricks, which served strictly to avoid the truth, as good stuff, excellent litigating, and very well done.
while onlookers, who are cynical to begin with, see it as sleazzy, immoral, and, most importantly, as not helpful to their client.
Because its all seen as lawyer tricks. The twitter folks made many many jokes about how ineffective and even harmful the DT'c cross was, while the IS TH's thought it was great.
strange huh?
