Cesar Laurean's Trial

[LaLaw2000]

Glad to see you back Lonetraveler. Did anyone catch the name of the Seargeant that was on before Roshaun Hames? He was a black gentleman with civilian clothing on. Maria worked for him after the MPO was in place. I didn't catch his name.

Sorry, Topsail Girl! I could not hear the name.

 

[LaLaw2000]

Hi, I missed yesterday (had some outpatient surgery) and I'm just now checking in to see what is happening. I'm having trouble hearing on the WRAL live link. Is there another one with better sound. I found out the other day about the News Argus charging for their on-line paper............

Hope you are doing well, lonetraveler!

 

[Topsail Girl]

No worries LaLaw - so after Hames and then the day care worker Kim something was thre anyone esle that testified? I left werk to come home. I will update the witness testimoney in just a few. I've gotta pop over and talk to Anne Lautherbach and see how she and her mom are holding up.

 

[oceanblueeyes]

What a day.

I know this has to be hard for Mary to hear. She really thought that Maria was fearful of Cesar and they didn't have an intimate relationship.

One thing I am convinced of now is the allegations of rape were false.

imo

 

[Topsail Girl]

Hey Ocean. I too am convinced of that and I think Maria was in love with Cesar and wanted so badly to make him believe it was his child she was carrying. Still, no matter what her mental condition, she and that baby didn't deserve death.

Did anyone else "hear" or think they "heard" Roshaun Hames say that her car was in a different parking space when he returned to work?

 

[Topsail Girl]

Witness 7 - Sgt. Trocon Brumskine - Maria was assigned to his unit after the MPO was in place. She expressed happiness and relief that the MPO was in place. Maria had expressed to Brumskine that she wanted out of the military because of the rape. She never mentioned to Brumskine that she was with Cesar after the MPO was in place, that she had been with himm during her lunch break. He voluntarily talked/spoke to NCIS.

Winess 8 - Roshuan Hames - Greyhoud Bus Station Ticket Agent. Recognized Maria - pony tail very pregnant. Bought a ticket to El Paso leaving the next day. Maria questioned him about leaving her vehicle at the bus station. He identified her vehicle. At that time he werked Mon-Fri. She went on to tell him that she was pregnant by someone on base and thought she was going to be with him but it was not to be. Hames returned to work after vacation and Maria's car was not parked in the same spot as the days before. He did not move the vehicle.

Witness 9 - Kim Bucek - Day Care Owner. Usually Cesar dropped off the child and Christina would pick her up. The child must be signed in and signed out each day on a log by the owner's desk. The Laurean's each had unique hand writing styles and it was easy to tell the difference. The day of the murder there was simply initials on the log and Kim could not distinguish which one of the Laurean's signed their daughter out. I left work at this point and that's all I got.

Witness 10 - OCSD Office Frank Terwilliger - he found Maria's car at 9:30-ish at night. That's all I got.

Witness 11 - unknown.

 

[panthera]

I wonder if she got immunity of some kind for testifying on him at trial???
IF not she should be charged with aiding him on escape!

BBM
At least that, imo.

 

[panthera]

What a day.

I know this has to be hard for Mary to hear. She really thought that Maria was fearful of Cesar and they didn't have an intimate relationship.

One thing I am convinced of now is the allegations of rape were false.

imo

Just catching up now after a long day at work and I totally missed the trial. However, the first thing I've noticed looking for updates is now we know what the defense strategy is....and if they're good, they could put some seed of doubt in at least one juror's mind. MOO

 

[panthera]

(respectfully snipped)

Witness 9 - Kim Bucek - Day Care Owner. Usually Cesar dropped off the child and Christina would pick her up. The child must be signed in and signed out each day on a log by the owner's desk. The Laurean's each had unique hand writing styles and it was easy to tell the difference. The day of the murder there was simply initials on the log and Kim could not distinguish which one of the Laurean's signed their daughter out. I left work at this point and that's all I got.

Since I imagine this witness would've been questioned early on in the investigation, did she say anything about kinowing for certain just who picked the child up that day? I realize you are saying she couldn't identify the "signature" (initials) however did she have any recall of Cesar ever coming in the evening or was she asked? :waitasec:

 

[panthera]

Witness 5 - Pamela Chavis - worked on base in the exchange in the gift shop. On Dec 11th or 12th saw Cesar and Maria together in the store 9for the last time). Cesar was looking for a gift for his grandmother. Pamela saw them together very often and was positive it was Maria she saw accompanying Cesar on many occastions. Described Maria as very pregnant. She saw Maria and Cesar together during the lunch hour 11:30 to 1 daily. They were together almost daily in the exchange.

This sounds very interesting! And isn't the grandmother in Mexico? At least it seems more information came out today regarding the bus ticket for El Paso and where Maria was supposed to go from there.

 

[oceanblueeyes]

Hey Ocean. I too am convinced of that and I think Maria was in love with Cesar and wanted so badly to make him believe it was his child she was carrying. Still, no matter what her mental condition, she and that baby didn't deserve death.

Did anyone else "hear" or think they "heard" Roshaun Hames say that her car was in a different parking space when he returned to work?

Of course she didn't deserve this and he is going to pay for what he has done.

But I do agree with McNeil that all facts have to be told so that the jury can determine if this is a case of premeditated murder or a crime of passion. They have to know what led up to this and the mind set of the victim as well as what could have been in the defendant's mind at the time.

This was like a perfect storm forming. Nothing good ever comes out of falsehoods. It will just continue to get worse and worse.

I do feel he killed her but I do not believe he premeditated it. If so there were a 156,000 acres right on base that he could have lured her to go to rather than his own home. I knew when Dewey didnt charge him with kidnapping she came there on her own free will.

Maybe she did lead him on to believe Gabriel was his. Maybe he really had made arrangements with his family to take care of her and his baby. He said he loved her and I think maybe he did but somehow things went terribly wrong that day when she came back there. Maybe she told him then that Gabriel was not his and it threw him into a murderous rage that she had lied to him all this time. Maybe she knew once the baby was born it would not favor Cesar and his family would know it too and that is why she got cold feet.

I don't really know what happened in that home that day but words said can ignite the worst behavior in a person when emotions are at fever pitch.

IMO

 

[panthera]

Some trial video from today at this link - nline:

http://www.wral.com/news/local/page/2298776/

 

[Topsail Girl]

Since I imagine this witness would've been questioned early on in the investigation, did she say anything about kinowing for certain just who picked the child up that day? I realize you are saying she couldn't identify the "signature" (initials) however did she have any recall of Cesar ever coming in the evening or was she asked? :waitasec:

From MY OPINION - she was up and down the "hall" in the day care making sure the babies ad toddlers were being taken care of. She did not see who picked up the child.

 

[panthera]

From MY OPINION - she was up and down the "hall" in the day care making sure the babies ad toddlers were being taken care of. She did not see who picked up the child.

If that's true it's not exactly the most secure day-care, imo! A sign-in/out sheet with only initials on it, and *if* she didn't see who picked up the child, it could've been almost anyone. MOO

 

[Topsail Girl]

This sounds very interesting! And isn't the grandmother in Mexico? At least it seems more information came out today regarding the bus ticket for El Paso and where Maria was supposed to go from there.

I do believe some of his family was in El Paso and some was in Mexico but I don't recall who was where.

Again just an FYI - I'm going to tape the trial tomorrow but also I'm going to do the best I can to follow it at werk. I'm guessing that most of my updates will be after 5 tomorrow.

On another note - I did talk (via email) to Anne right after 6 but I've tried to email her since and can not reach her. At 6 Mary was "doing ok today was tough seeing the pics of Maria's body and that of Maria's son." Which is to be expected. I have not been able to reach her (Anne) since.

 

[Topsail Girl]

Good Morning Posters!! Getting set for another day....

 

[GeekyGirl]

Just wanted to say thank you to Topsail Girl and the others for the detailed coverage. I can't access any of the news sites at work, but luckily I found this gem of a page. IMHO you've all done a great job of reporting the testimony objectively, and I appreciate the thoughtful commentary.

I'm anxious to see what the prosecution presents today, especially regarding the premeditation aspect. Hudson really needs to clarify the definition of premeditation, especially considering McNeill seems to be including "crime of passion" in his everything but the kitchen sink defense. Premeditation doesn't have a defined time frame, meaning it can be formed weeks, days, minutes and sometimes even seconds prior to the murder. As long as they can show that he picked up that crow bar and swung it at her head with the intent to cause her death, they have a decent argument for first degree murder. I'm honestly more worried about the "maybe Christina did it" angle creating some reasonable doubt, and possibly a hung jury.

Only time will tell I suppose, just hoping that end result provides some justice and closure for Maria's family.

 

[Topsail Girl]

Awesome post GeekyGirl!! My fear is the "maybe Christina did it" angle as well. All it takes is reasonable doubt in one juror's mind. Hudson has to be anticipating the Christina did it excuse. I hope he has some air tight evidence.....

So far this morning only witess number 12 is on. Frank Davis who is a Security/ATM Security and ATM Crimes specialist for Marine Federal Credit Union. He is still on the stand and I'm still making notes.

 

[oceanblueeyes]

OMG the neighbor next door said he saw the car like Maria's in front of the Laurean home when both Christina and Laurean's vehicles were there on at least two occasions.

And it wasnt a BBQ.......it was a bonfire that he thinks occurred around December 27th.

IMO

 

[LaLaw2000]

Very interesting morning! Recess now.

Am anxious to see what else today brings. I like the ADA better than Hudson, and hope he does most of the questioning.