DC - Savvas Savopoulos, family & Veralicia Figueroa murdered; Daron Wint Arrested #15

[MyBelle]

We don't know if the investigators were federal. IDK how that works - if the crime goes federal, do the investigators retroactively become federal "representatives", for lack of a better word? Do federal laws apply retroactively to the investigation, like obstruction of justice charges? The DC and federal definitions are different. Which one would be used?

Sorry to be so obtuse - having a hard time expressing my question.

Also, if gang activity that crosses state lines becomes an integral part of the prosecution, does that make it more likely the prosecution would be changed to federal jurisdiction?

TIA

I'm pretty sure the feds were involved in the interrogation about that $40,000
ransom money that was in bank bundles.

JMO

 

[jjenny]

We don't know if the investigators were federal. IDK how that works - if the crime goes federal, do the investigators retroactively become federal "representatives", for lack of a better word? Do federal laws apply retroactively to the investigation, like obstruction of justice charges? The DC and federal definitions are different. Which one would be used?

Sorry to be so obtuse - having a hard time expressing my question.

Also, if gang activity that crosses state lines becomes an integral part of the prosecution, does that make it more likely the prosecution would be changed to federal jurisdiction?

TIA

How does one retroactively become a federal representative if one isn't from the beginning?

 

[facundo]

The SW for his car said second degree murder. DC Code 22-2103
https://www.scribd.com/doc/267776483/Search-Warrant-for-BMW

The SW is not a charging document. It sates the slate of items that they are searching for and which is Evidence of violation of DC Code 22-2103

 

[Paulas88]

What can we EXPECT to hear at the preliminary hearing on July 2nd?

 

[facundo]

Yes. This is going to sound like JW-trashing,

I agree with this part of the post.

 

[facundo]

If it becomes federal, do federal laws apply retroactively?

If it becomes federal the federal law violations for which he may be charged would apply, e.g. RICO laws for gang activity, terrorism, but not for violations of state and local laws.

 

[MyBelle]

If it becomes federal, do federal laws apply retroactively?

Federal agents have been involved in this case from the beginning.

JW was interrogated the day of the fire. The Secret Service and ATF arrived on the scene and I think it is a given that they would participate in an interrogation about $40,000 in ransom money obtained from a bank in Maryland and delivered to D.C. It doesn't matter what jurisdiction finally gets the case. Lying to investigators in order to obstruct justice is a crime. It will be used against JW when he is prosecuted for whatever is his involvement in this heinous crime of extortion, torture and murder.
Liars have no credibility with a jury.

JMO

Fire and EMS, D.C. Police, ATF agents and Secret Service officers all responded to the scene.



http://www.wusa9.com/story/news/local/dc/2015/05/14/dc-fire-ems-woodland-drive/27312461/

 

[facundo]

How does one retroactively become a federal representative if one isn't from the beginning?

One cannot retroactively become a federal representative. One needs to be hired and sworn in to the federal office he will assume. The date he is sworn in he becomes a federal officer, not before.

 

[MyBelle]

If it becomes federal the federal law violations for which he may be charged would apply, e.g. RICO laws for gang activity, terrorism, but not for violations of state and local laws.

Federal charges can be in addition to state charges. It does not have to be either/or.

 

[facundo]

Federal agents have been involved in this case from the beginning.

JW was interrogated the day of the fire. The Secret Service and ATF arrived on the scene and I think it is a given that they would participate in an interrogation about $40,000 in ransom money obtained from a bank in Maryland and delivered to D.C. It doesn't matter what jurisdiction finally gets the case. Lying to investigators in order to obstruct justice is a crime. It will be used against JW when he is prosecuted for whatever is his involvement in this heinous crime of extortion, torture and murder.
Liars have no credibility with a jury.

JMO

Fire and EMS, D.C. Police, ATF agents and Secret Service officers all responded to the scene.

If it is a given that federal agents would be involved in the interview, then it should also be a given that their participation would be stated in the SW that they were, thereby assuring that 18 USC 1001 would apply. IMO JW will not be prosecuted for anything.

 

[SophieRose]

I agree. I don't really take any issue with the pretentious SM posts. SM is all about "the humble brag" ("just another day in the office"...office is beach or Porsche or whatever.

However. Purposefully deceiving LE about how an unusually large chunk of cash was received and oddly delivered hours before the deaths of four people is nowhere in the realm of normal, excusable or understandable. There is a reason he lied and there is a reason LE outed him. I just read an article yesterday (daily mail) that said LE is investigating links betw DW and JW. No idea if that is true.

IMO JW was a conduit who got in over his head. He is working with LE. There have been NO more arrests though we know others were involved on some level. The money launderers, for example, the people mentioned on the special. Not sure if I can repeat that based on rules here. Nobody can say it's fact that because JW and the rest of those folks are under investigation but have not been arrested means they are cleared of any involvement. Hopefully at some point, they will be cleared or charged.

But what does happen if Someone who was involved shares knowledges with LE for immunity? Does the public ever find out?

I don't think anyone would be given immunity in this case. In the murders of Tom and Jackie Hawks (thrown alive tied to anchors off their yacht into the Pacific Ocean in 2004), one of the defendants testified for the prosecution and accepted a plea bargain for two counts of voluntary manslaughter, two counts of robbery and two counts of kidnapping. He was sentenced to 20 years 4 months in prison and eligible for parole. Two of the defendants received the death penalty. The wife of the head conspirator, not on the yacht but aware of the plan, received two sentences of LWOP.

http://articles.dailypilot.com/2006...n09_1_jackie-hawks-ryan-hawks-skylar-deleon/2

 

[rkf]

How does one retroactively become a federal representative if one isn't from the beginning?

That's what I'm asking. If a case starts in district court, but later is brought under federal jurisdiction, what laws apply to interviews made before the jurisdiction changed?

 

[facundo]

Federal charges can be in addition to state charges. It does not have to be either/or.

You lost the context of the question to which I responded. Which was:

"Originally Posted by rkf "
If it becomes federal, do federal laws apply retroactively?

 

[rkf]

The SW is not a charging document. It sates the slate of items that they are searching for and which is Evidence of violation of DC Code 22-2103

Someone asked what LE was suspicious of JW for. I think when they issued that SW, they suspected him of being involved in murder. It's a different charge than DW now faces, FWIW.

 

[MyBelle]

If it is a given that federal agents would be involved in the interview, then it should also be a given that their participation would be stated in the SW that they were, thereby assuring that 18 USC 1001 would apply. IMO JW will not be prosecuted for anything.

No doubt in my mind JW will be prosecuted. He lied, obstructed the investigation and he also had the victim's vehicle registration. The $40,000 ransom has not been recovered and he photographed some of the money in his possession. Where's the rest of the money?

JMO

 

[rkf]

If it becomes federal the federal law violations for which he may be charged would apply, e.g. RICO laws for gang activity, terrorism, but not for violations of state and local laws.

I'm still not getting it. If the murders become federal, could JW face obstruction of justice charges? It looks like he won't under DC law.

When he was interviewed, it was by DCMPD. DC laws apply.
If the case changes jurisdiction, do DC laws still apply to everything that happened before the change or do federal laws apply instead?

ETA: NEVERMIND. I got it. Thank you Facundo!

 

[rkf]

Federal agents have been involved in this case from the beginning.

JW was interrogated the day of the fire. The Secret Service and ATF arrived on the scene and I think it is a given that they would participate in an interrogation about $40,000 in ransom money obtained from a bank in Maryland and delivered to D.C. It doesn't matter what jurisdiction finally gets the case. Lying to investigators in order to obstruct justice is a crime. It will be used against JW when he is prosecuted for whatever is his involvement in this heinous crime of extortion, torture and murder.
Liars have no credibility with a jury.

JMO

Fire and EMS, D.C. Police, ATF agents and Secret Service officers all responded to the scene.



http://www.wusa9.com/story/news/local/dc/2015/05/14/dc-fire-ems-woodland-drive/27312461/

Yeah, but in DC, obstruction of justice is mostly about interfering with the grand jury or trials, not lying to investigators.

 

[MyBelle]

That's what I'm asking. If a case starts in district court, but later is brought under federal jurisdiction, what laws apply to interviews made before the jurisdiction changed?

Jurisdiction has no bearing on the his interview. It is admissible. If he had invoked his right to silence, it wouldn't be.

JMO

 

[MyBelle]

I'm still not getting it. If the murders become federal, could JW face obstruction of justice charges? It looks like he won't under DC law.

When he was interviewed, it was by DCMPD. DC laws apply.
If the case changes jurisdiction, do DC laws still apply to everything that happened before the change or do federal laws apply instead?

ETA: NEVERMIND. I got it. Thank you Facundo!

The right to remain silent is both a federal and state right. JW chose to speak. I'm not sure why you are confusing this with the charges which have been pressed against DW. Whatever court jurisdiction that lands in has nothing to do with JW's admitted lies.

JW will be facing much more serious charges than obstruction of justice.

JMO

 

[MyBelle]

Yeah, but in DC, obstruction of justice is mostly about interfering with the grand jury or trials, not lying to investigators.

This is a pretty heinous crime, including the torture and murder of a child. Any adult obstructing the investigation should expect very serious consequences.

JMO