GUILTY CA - Erin Corwin, 19, pregnant, Twentynine Palms, 28 June 2014 - #11

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  • #261
You know, I feel conflicted on the sentence if he is found guilty. On one hand, the penalty of death is appealing for the simple fact that he will be sitting in his cell, alone with his thoughts, for many, many years (considering California isn't actively instituting the death penalty). His privileges are very few and far between. There isn't really any interaction and that has been known to drive someone absolutely insane. I like the thought of him having no interactions, no social life.

On the other hand, Life Without Parole doesn't sound like a bad idea either. The fact that he isn't afforded the protection of his own cell leaves open the possibility of prison justice taking its own course. I am a true believer of choosing your own path and reaping what you sow. Karma, if you will. Looking over his shoulder for the rest of his life, 24/7, is a life that I know I wouldn't want. In addition, his notoriety in this case, since its been reported everywhere, makes him a huge target. He is accused of killing a woman and her possible unborn child. That wins him no popularity contests, only makes him more of a trophy.

I have to say that this case will haunt me for the rest of my life. All the hours that were put into this case by law enforcement made it somewhat personal to us all. No matter what the details are, the end result was that a young woman died. That hits home, as I have children Erin's age. I constantly had to remind myself to breathe and took opportunities to get away from it when possible for my own sanity.

The courtroom in which he was in this afternoon is the same courtroom that I have been in several times. I can tell you that he did NOT look at anyone in the gallery. He did not break that plane of looking anywhere other than straight ahead. The arraignment was fast. There were about 20 or so media in there along with members of the SBCSD, J. Corwin and his father, and random others. There was no one from the Lee's side of the family.

It is a very big case in this area and it wouldn't surprise me if the defense asks for a change in venue. It is, of course, up to the judge if he chooses to grant that or not. Lee is being held at West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga, CA. Its not a great place to be. It is about 90 minutes from Joshua Tree so he is looking at a 3 hour round trip every time he comes to court.

I am here for any questions with regards to the area and/or general questions. I am sure you understand that I cannot give facts of the case due to it being an active case that has not been adjudicated yet.
 
  • #262
This guy is either a moron, or a rookie (or both).

Maybe Chris should reconsider his choice of attorney, I don't want this being appealed on the basis of ineffective assistance of counsel.

If this becomes a DP case, he may not have a choice in the matter. Is this attorney a DP qualified attorney? I don't recall seeing that in his bio information.

Honestly, if CL's hairdo today was his idea, he should be fired anyway. It really just made him look smarmy and I'm pretty sure that's not what they were going for.
 
  • #263
I would like to thank everyone who provided links and updates today. Thank you! Court went just as I expected. I doubt CL's attorney has been provided with all the evidence against CL as yet. I feel confident that once he has, they'll be singing a much different tune.
 
  • #264
I agree, that's always been my theory as the motive - otherwise why bother? Just move back to Alaska and be done with it.

Now I guess the question may be what did CL believe? Even if she wasn't pregnant, even if it wasn't his... what did CL believe to be true? ugh.

I haven't come up with any plausible explanation for motive other than CL believed he was the father. Maybe he told someone. He asked someone how to dispose of a body. It makes sense that he would tell a buddy that he got a girl pregnant & that girl wasn't his wife. Although, it makes more sense to get in the truck & drive to Alaska & deny deny deny instead of plotting a murder.
 
  • #265
It just broke my heart today to learn that Erin moved to 29 Palms while JC was away. I soooooo wish she hadn't! And to learn how shy she was just convinces me even more that CL was just a predator who took advantage of her when she was vulnerable. I'm not saying the affair was ok but it sure seems unlikely Erin pursued CL. I'm just so sorry she fell for his BS. Heartbreaking.
 
  • #266
  • #267
  • #268
I haven't come up with any plausible explanation for motive other than CL believed he was the father. Maybe he told someone. He asked someone how to dispose of a body. It makes sense that he would tell a buddy that he got a girl pregnant & that girl wasn't his wife. Although, it makes more sense to get in the truck & drive to Alaska & deny deny deny instead of plotting a murder.

Agreed... just leave and deny! IF she was pregnant and the baby was his, that wouldn't work. If she wasn't pregnant, or if the baby wasn't his... WHY WHY WHY?!?

I mean I still think WHY WHY WHY either way, but without the pregnancy and baby, what motive would there even be to go to such an extreme? Just leave!
 
  • #269
I wonder about spousal privileges if they pursue charges on a federal level?

I wonder about that for military court, as well. I don't know very much about military trials at all, if it gets to that point.
 
  • #270
Just an FYI...

Yes, the autopsy is done but there is a very real possibility of the county not releasing the results of the exam pending toxicology and/or DNA analysis. Both of those items can take weeks to get the results back. Its is not the responsibility of the Sheriff's department to share every aspect of the case with the public. They have every right to withhold that information from the public (put under seal) if it will be detrimental to the district attorneys case. The only people that they are required to share with is the defense attorney and the court.

Look, I'm not talking about releasing the whole thing, just what is the cause of death? Was she pregnant? I can understand the full report not being available if it isn't ready yet, and it may contain some things only the killer would know, however that won't be useful now anyways because he's already declined to give a statement and invoked his 5th and 6th.

Being close to this case, can you explain why they removed the archived dispatch audio from two different SB County trunked radio systems and an amateur repeater off of broadcastify for that morning? (the 30th) Two separate audio providers, in different parts of the county. It's not like someone's power went out. Other systems in the county recorded their audio just fine.

It's a publicly available, completely legal, occasionally necessary, audio archive. It is supposed to be there for people who want and yes even need access to recorded ordinary police dispatch calls, and there is no other explanation for the disappearance of those files than someone in law enforcement requesting their deletion. What case was being dispatched at the time? Finding Erin's Vehicle. And yet there are no records of even a seizure warrant, not federal, not state. nothing. Three files deleted all covering the same time period, no explanation, no care for the public good.

What if that was someone's alibi. "No Mr. Parole officer, I didn't go out of state to Vegas that morning. I have proof, I was stopped for a broken tail light in Chino, about 9:30am June 30th, they called in my ID and everything" "well there's no record of that here, the audio's gone, back to the slammer you go!!"

It also lends credence to the thought that the sheriff's office is hiding something, and that is not a good thing at all. Do you know where the seizure warrants for these files are? Does anyone know?
 
  • #271
I just loved to watch Chris Lee walk--you know---- the little waddle he does with the leg shackles on <<sigh>
 
  • #272
Look, I'm not talking about releasing the whole thing, just what is the cause of death? Was she pregnant? I can understand the full report not being available if it isn't ready yet, and it may contain some things only the killer would know, however that won't be useful now anyways because he's already declined to give a statement and invoked his 5th and 6th.

Being close to this case, can you explain why they removed the archived dispatch audio from two different SB County trunked radio systems and an amateur repeater off of broadcastify for that morning? (the 30th) Two separate audio providers, in different parts of the county. It's not like someone's power went out. Other systems in the county recorded their audio just fine.

It's a publicly available, completely legal, occasionally necessary, audio archive. It is supposed to be there for people who want and yes even need access to recorded ordinary police dispatch calls, and there is no other explanation for the disappearance of those files than someone in law enforcement requesting their deletion. What case was being dispatched at the time? Finding Erin's Vehicle. And yet there are no records of even a seizure warrant, not federal, not state. nothing. Three files deleted all covering the same time period, no explanation, no care for the public good.

What if that was someone's alibi. "No Mr. Parole officer, I didn't go out of state to Vegas that morning. I have proof, I was stopped for a broken tail light in the city of San Bernardino, about 9:30am June 30th, they called in my ID and everything" "well there's no record of that here, the audio's gone, back to the slammer you go!!"

It also lends credence to the thought that the sheriff's office is hiding something, and that is not a good thing at all. Do you know where the seizure warrants for these files are?

BBM: What is it you think the sheriff's office is hiding and why would it be hidden? I am of the belief that the public is on a need to know basis. If there is a concern for public safety then by all means everything needs to be put out on the table. However, if LE is withholding something and it doesn't affect me or my life then I can respect their decision. I'm as nosey as the next person but I also believe LE does certain things for a reason. SBSO does not have a reputation for being a corrupt department, quite the contrary, so I will trust them unless or until they give me a reason not to.
 
  • #273
BBM: What is it you think the sheriff's office is hiding and why would it be hidden? I am of the belief that the public is on a need to know basis. If there is a concern for public safety then by all means everything needs to be put out on the table. However, if LE is withholding something and it doesn't affect me or my life then I can respect their decision. I'm as nosey as the next person but I also believe LE does certain things for a reason. SBSO does not have a reputation for being a corrupt department, quite the contrary, so I will trust them unless or until they give me a reason not to.

I agree. Much as I want to know the answers to several questions, I know it's really not my business at this point and also apparently not useful to LE to release this info right now (although I sure hope they do someday!). If there are other women running around possibly pregnant with a child that might be CL's then yes I'd say they're also potentially in danger, but I kind of doubt that's the case. IMO I don't think he's dangerous to the general public at this point.

I do worry a bit about IM (horse ranch woman) and the "red car witness" but I hope they're being watched pretty closely and not in danger. I'd probably be worried about NL too but I feel like she's probably involved with what happened to Erin - even if not, I think she's the last person CL would go after/find someone to go after. All JMO. Hopefully at this point he's learned his lesson that "make the 'problem' disappear" doesn't necessarily work as he might have hoped.
 
  • #274
BBM: What is it you think the sheriff's office is hiding and why would it be hidden? I am of the belief that the public is on a need to know basis. If there is a concern for public safety then by all means everything needs to be put out on the table. However, if LE is withholding something and it doesn't affect me or my life then I can respect their decision. I'm as nosey as the next person but I also believe LE does certain things for a reason. SBSO does not have a reputation for being a corrupt department, quite the contrary, so I will trust them unless or until they give me a reason not to.

Okay, but even then, there is a difference between withholding information that they have in their possession, and actively going out and taking something from the public domain, depriving people of it, without sufficient cause, without notice and without even admitting to it. Where are the warrants, that prove there was sufficient reason for such action, and why haven't they been put back, now that the operation is over? Police dispatch audio isn't evidence they can use against Chris. The only possible reason to remove it would be to not tip the suspect off that you're on his trail.
 
  • #275
Didn't what we know of the texts to and from Erin's friend indicate she had told CL,and in fact, that was what they "celebrating?" And perhaps much more than we have heard yet? CL at least believed she was pregnant and that he was the father, Imo. That was the motive, whether it was a fact or not, Imo.
 
  • #276
Okay, but even then, there is a difference between withholding information that they have in their possession, and actively going out and taking something from the public domain, depriving people of it, without sufficient cause, without notice and without even admitting to it. Where are the warrants, that prove there was sufficient reason for such action, and why haven't they been put back, now that the operation is over? Police dispatch audio isn't evidence they can use against Chris. The only possible reason to remove it would be to not tip the suspect off that you're on his trail.

LE has no obligation to tell the public more at this stage. The public is not in danger, Imo. They can wait right up until the point all evidence must be turned over to the defense.
 
  • #277
Didn't what we know of the texts to and from Erin's friend indicate she had told CL,and in fact, that was what they "celebrating?" And perhaps much more than we have heard yet? CL at least believed she was pregnant and that he was the father, Imo. That was the motive, whether it was a fact or not, I o.

Yes, there are texts from Erin to her friend in TN. I'm no attorney, but it seems to me that would be a she said/he said thing. In the event there is no proof of pregnancy, the defense probably would spin it.
 
  • #278
Okay, but even then, there is a difference between withholding information that they have in their possession, and actively going out and taking something from the public domain, depriving people of it, without sufficient cause, without notice and without even admitting to it. Where are the warrants, that prove there was sufficient reason for such action, and why haven't they been put back, now that the operation is over? Police dispatch audio isn't evidence they can use against Chris. The only possible reason to remove it would be to not tip the suspect off that you're on his trail.

....or maybe, her trail.
 
  • #279
Didn't what we know of the texts to and from Erin's friend indicate she had told CL,and in fact, that was what they "celebrating?" And perhaps much more than we have heard yet? CL at least believed she was pregnant and that he was the father, Imo. That was the motive, whether it was a fact or not, I o.

BBM I totally agree. If it turns out she wasn't pregnant or it wasn't his, I think they're going to have a much harder time on the motive front. It's going to be harder to prove that he believed she was pregnant with his child if she wasn't. How do you prove that someone believed something, if there's no physical evidence showing it's true? I imagine they probably can but it's probably a LOT harder. That thought has been slowly sinking in for me, and I think I finally 'get' it because now it's making me downright queasy.

I sure never thought I'd see the day when I hoped the murder victim would also be pregnant with her murderer's child (because if she's not... what then?). Wow.
 
  • #280
See link below:
CL attorney says he has received NO discovery. San Bernardino County Counsel says the autopsy will not be released because it is a law enforcement record (an exemption under the California Public Records Act). So, the autopsy is not sealed by a judge. The defense attorney could release it once he gets it in discovery. County Counsel says in its letter the autopsy will be released after the case is adjudicated. Also, there is an extended interview posted here with Douglas Billings, the search team map expert:

http://www.cbs8.com/story/26377979/...n-murder-of-erin-corwin-coroner-seals-autopsy
 
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