GUILTY FL - Jennifer Alfonso, 27, murdered in her South Miami home, 8 Aug 2013

[jacct]

David Ovalle ‏@DavidOvalle305 2m2 minutes ago
Next up: Fausto Pena, front supervisor at Gables Club condos. A co-worker of #DerekMedina back in August 2013

David Ovalle ‏@DavidOvalle305 2m2 minutes ago
Ex-worker recalls Derek calling to say he wasn't coming in. "I had an argument with my wife and I killed her .. on my way to turn myself in"

David Ovalle ‏@DavidOvalle305 2m2 minutes ago
Ex-co-worker recalls he though Derek was playing. "It was weird." Derek "expressed that she was punching him" before he fatally shot her.

David Ovalle ‏@DavidOvalle305 4m4 minutes ago
Derek Medina's ex-boss at Gables Club condo up on the stand now. Derek worked as a front desk supervisor, overnight shift

David Ovalle ‏@DavidOvalle305 3m3 minutes ago
Witness recalls Derek on phone: "He goes on to say it was years of abuse. He couldn't take it anymore. She was punching him & he killed her

 

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David Ovalle ‏@DavidOvalle305 2m2 minutes ago
Medina's ex-boss is done now. Lunch break in #DerekMedina trial. Went by quick. So what do you all think of defense deferring openings?

 

[PandaJ]

David Ovalle ‏@DavidOvalle305 2m2 minutes ago
Medina's ex-boss is done now. Lunch break in #DerekMedina trial. Went by quick. So what do you all think of defense deferring openings?

I'm not really sure what to think about that. Maybe that lends more credence to the possibility of DM actually testifying. Maybe they're waiting for all the evidence to come out and then they'll develop their narrative through DM?

Has there been speculation about him testifying? I know in self defense cases, the only way to really get the self defense story out there is to testify.

 

[jacct]

David Ovalle ‏@DavidOvalle305 2m2 minutes ago Medina's ex-boss is done now. Lunch break in #DerekMedina trial. Went by quick. So what do you all think of defense deferring openings?

David Ovalle ‏@DavidOvalle305 2m2 minutes ago
Medina walked into the S. Miami police lobby, admitted he "shot and killed" his wife. She dispatched units to scene, to detain defendant

David Ovalle ‏@DavidOvalle305 5m5 minutes ago
State about to show video of #DerekMedina walking into the lobby of the S. Miami police station to turn himself in.

David Ovalle ‏@DavidOvalle305 3m3 minutes ago
S. Miami police dispatcher still on stand, on cross. It's a slog right now. I believe rest of the day will be like this.


Defense is grilling the dispatcher about her notes and questions she asked Medina so she could dispatch the call. I get that she wrote down a few notes so she could dispatch but she is very snarky, rolling her eyes and making faces to the jury when she thinks a question is stupid or doesn't make sense. I'm not liking her attitude. At one point instead of answering the question she turned and starts to talk to the jury, "I need to make this clear to the jury". Judge and attorney very loudly tell her to just answer the question.

I don't think this witness is good for defense or prosecution.

 

[jacct]

David Ovalle ‏@DavidOvalle305 18s19 seconds ago My wrap-up of action so far in murder trial of Facebook killer #DerekMedina http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/crime/article43963542.html … On 10 minute break now

 

[jacct]

Don't know what happened but there are no tweets. Several LE have testified to arresting Medina in the lobby of the police department. Medina told them they didn't need to dispatch fire/ambulance because his wife was definitely dead, he had unloaded his gun into her, 5 shots.

Now LE is testifying about going to the home and finding the wife. They are playing a video from the home security system of them entering the home.

 

[jacct]

Video shows LE entering the home, seeing Jennifer in the kitchen dead, and going upstairs to get Jennifer's daughter. Medina had gone up to the child's room and told her to stay in her room and left her in the apartment with her dead mother. Medina told LE the daughter was there. LE went upstairs and got the child, others blocked the kitchen entrance so the daughter would not see the mother. All LE leaves the residence right behind the child.

Defense asking if the child saw the mother (no), did not seem stressed, turned over to social worker with no crying and she didn't seem upset. Kitchen is small, 8ft long by 3ft wide. Firearm was found in the kitchen. On initial entry only fire rescue went into the kitchen to check for signs for life, no LE entered at that time. Defense trying to get officer to say others entered the kitchen, he says only fire rescue went in.

On break for 15 minutes.

 

[PandaJ]

Thank you for your reporting, jacct!

 

[jacct]

David Ovalle ‏@DavidOvalle305 1h1 hour ago

No court today. Facebook killer's trial resumes Thursday.

My wrap up of first day's action http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/crime/article43963542.html …

 

[jacct]

David Ovalle ‏@DavidOvalle305 42m42 minutes ago Trial for Facebook killer #DerekMedina continues, only half a day of testimony today.

 

[jacct]

David OvalleVerified account ‏@DavidOvalle305 3m3 minutes ago
Trial starting soon for #DerekMedina, who killed wife, posted photo of dead body on Facebook.

Here's the livestream link for today. Court is bringing in the jury now.

http://www.local10.com/derek-medina-murder-trial/23829576

 

[jacct]

David OvalleVerified account ‏@DavidOvalle305
defense scored victory, judge reversed herself, will allow expert to testify about "battered spouse syndrome" in general

David OvalleVerified account ‏@DavidOvalle305 46s46 seconds ago
But expert, who didn't interview defendant, won't be able to opine that #DerekMedina himself suffered from "battered spouse syndrome"

David OvalleVerified account ‏@DavidOvalle305 1m1 minute ago
Crime scene officer back on the stand to show images of home where #DerekMedina shot, killed his wife before posting boy pic on Facebook

Natalia ZeaVerified account ‏@nataliacbs4 2m2 minutes ago
Prosecutors having CSI officer hold up evidence, including damaged kitchen cabinet, small piece of formica

 

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Jasmine Kripalani‏@Jaskripcbs4 39m39 minutes ago
Jurors are being presented with more gruesome pictures from the crime scene.

Jasmine Kripalani‏@Jaskripcbs4 5m5 minutes ago
Defense atty Saam Zangeneh speaks directly to jurors even when cross examining a witness. Many thought he was doing openings.

Natalia ZeaVerified account ‏@nataliacbs4 2m2 minutes ago
On cross defense asks CSI why she didn't look at surveillance video before analyzing house

Natalia ZeaVerified account ‏@nataliacbs4 22s22 seconds ago
Defense going after CSI officer for not taking rug Jennifer Alfonso's body was lying on, for analysis

Natalia ZeaVerified account ‏@nataliacbs4 43s43 seconds ago Defense questions why CSI only examined knife that appeared to have blood on it. Not the others, there were 5 in the drawer.

 

[jacct]

Jasmine Kripalani ‏@Jaskripcbs4 2m2 minutes ago
Defense emphasizes photographs of knife that Jennifer Alfonso allegedly used to attack

Defense attny tries for a gotcha moment. Yelling about streaks on the knife in one picture not visible in another picture. Demands the CSI tell him what the streak is. She says "It's glare from the camera flash". Now defense trying to back out of that, looking at all photos demanding to know where the flash is. CSI says the angle is different and the items aren't metal so no glare. Defense quickly moves off to asking about the kitchen. Still trying to prove that the CSI work was shoddy and incomplete. Now asking about narcotics in the kitchen and if the CSI looked for any.

Jasmine Kripalani ‏@Jaskripcbs4 31s32 seconds ago
#DerekMedina nods approvingly as his defense atty tries to poke holes in crime scene tech testimony.

Cathy ‏@courtchatter 44s45 seconds ago
#DerekMedina's defense going on and on about the knives in the kitchen. He claims self defense, but Medina had put knife back in drawer b4 shooting.

Jasmine Kripalani ‏@Jaskripcbs4 1m1 minute ago Defense questions crime scene tech why they didn't compare the Facebook picture taken by #DerekMedina to crime scene pictures.

Defense now calling the Facebook photo as evidence, good evidence. Wants to know if CSI compared the photos she took of the body to the Facebook photo evidence. Trying to imply that body was tampered with by someone. There was a piece of the formica counter top found in the victims hair, defense implying this got in the hair by tampering. Before CSI took her photos fire/rescue had checked the body and attempted CPR. Not sure why defense seems this is important, unless just trying to prove shoddy work.

 

[jacct]

Cathy ‏@courtchatter 1m1 minute ago
#DerekMedina trial- Forensic analyst Chris Hanlon on the stand

Analyst testified about the piece of formica broken off the cabinet. Defense now asking about possible testing that analyst didn't do to determine how the piece broke off. Analyst says he doesn't know of any. Defense also asking about chain of custody. All analyst was asked to do was to match the formica to the cabinet to determine if it came from there.

Natalia ZeaVerified account ‏@nataliacbs4 2m2 minutes ago
Defense questioning MDPD forensic scientist about piece of formica he says came from cabinet door. Still no clear significance.

Defense is implying that the formica was broken when the victim supposedly attacked the defendant with a knife. Asking every which way if analyst knew of possible defense to get the analyst to say there was an attack with a knife. Objected to hearsay by prosecution, judge sustains. Analyst is excused.

Cathy ‏@courtchatter 40s41 seconds ago
Next witness in #DerekMedina - Detective Anabella Pasqua (CSI)

This officer collected the gun and holster from the kitchen and did blood stain analysis. Reviewing pictures and location of the blood. Spatter was all found below the counter top, near the floor. Based on the spatter the CSI says the victim was at the level of mid lower cabinet when shot. Prosecution contends that victim was on her knees when shot based on her body location in the Facebook photo and the blood spatter. No other blood found on any other surfaces in the kitchen.

Defense is asking why no spatter analysis was done on the rug. CSI says too much blood to determine. Defense wants to know why they didn't check the bottom of the rug for spatter (what?). Really grilling about the rug and no check for spatter and why rug wasn't taken into evidence. Back to that again, smh.

Defense now attacking her education on blood spatter analysis. Also attacking her teacher, if taught wrong she would be doing her job wrong. Gotta say the defense is trying everything they can think of to give jury reasonable doubt.

Natalia ZeaVerified account ‏@nataliacbs4 2m2 minutes ago
Defense questions why CSI did not analyze rug, which he says may have shown spatter from Alfonso standing & then falling back

Defense grilling about not finding back spatter on the cabinet, stove, and rug. Attny says that would prove victim was standing, not kneeling. Questioning why there weren't more measurements taken.

Recess for the afternoon. Defense attorney has another appointment. Trial starts again tomorrow morning at 10:00AM EST.

Prosecution brings up that defense doctor has not turned over a report yet and is scheduled to testify early next week. Judge orders the report by tomorrow.

 

[jacct]

David Ovalle ‏@DavidOvalle305 2m2 minutes ago Trial for #DerekMedina, who killed wife, posted body pick on Facebook, claims self-defense, continues at 10:30 am EST
pic.twitter.com/eIlMItqwFV

Live Stream: http://www.local10.com/derek-medina-murder-trial/23829576

 

[jacct]

Jasmine Kripalani ‏@Jaskripcbs4
#DerekMedina jurors just walked in. More crime testimony expected.

David OvalleVerified account ‏@DavidOvalle305
Miami-Dade police blood spatter analyst still on cross examination in #DerekMedina Facebook killing trial

Cathy ‏@courtchatter
#DerekMedina's atty, Saam Zangeneh cont's cross exam of Det. Pasqua. He always faces the jury when ?'ing a witness pic.twitter.com/RYeIcSL4JZ

Cathy ‏@courtchatte
Judge tells Defense attorney Saam Zangeneh "don't fight with the witness"

David OvalleVerified account ‏@DavidOvalle305
Thrust of analyst's testimony: Blood spatter showed Jennifer Alfonso was stationary when she was gunned down by



Defense now grilling the analyst about the knifes in the drawer. She keeps telling him she wasn't there at the time the drawer was opened. She did not look at the knifes. He's trying to make it seem she should have examined all the knifes and determined which one/s should have been photographed and taken.

Now Defense is trying to get the analyst to say that based on the position of the body that the victim was being aggressive at the time she was shot. Objection, sustained.


Cathy ‏@courtchatter
#DerekMedina - Atty: You had Miss Alfonso in a cowering position, didn't you?Det.: I had her?(Bad form of a question)


Prosecution back up with analyst. There was no indication of a cleanup anywhere in the kitchen. Luminal was not used anywhere in the kitchen. No impact spatter was found on the rug, only blood from victim bleeding out from wound. Victim had multiple gun shot wounds to the left arm and wrist (there were 5 wounds). No impact spatter was found anywhere in the kitchen beside the corner cabinet and stove front. No scene reconstruction was required since there was only one pattern in the one corner of the kitchen. If the victim had been aggressive there should have been spatter or blood casting from the arm/wrist wounds. There was none, analyst feels this shows the victim was kneeling and still when shot.

 

[jacct]

David OvalleVerified account ‏@DavidOvalle305 2m2 minutes ago Next up: lead crime-scene officer Yvonne Garcia, who processed the scene where Jennifer Alfonso was shot and kiled by #DerekMedina

Prosecution is going through the scene diagram and evidence impounded. 10 casings and 1 projectile were collected, one casing under the body. One was found on top of the stove, one near the door, several by the sink, and several by the body. A bowl of dough was next to the stove on the counter, by the casing found on the stove. Lead officer says only one knife appeared to have blood on it (on the handle) so it was the only one collected. Defense claims Jennifer was attacking Medina with a knife and he shot her in self-defense. He says he picked up the knife and put it back in the drawer.

10 minute break.

 

[jacct]

Defense cross-exam. We are going to hear about that rug and knife a lot.


Defense starts with the crime scene sketch and how it is inaccurate and not to scale. This was already explained to the jury. Measuring out the dimensions of the kitchen on the court room floor. Because of the small size of the kitchen the casing could go anywhere in the small space. Lead officer did inspect every knife in the drawer and only took the one that looked like it had blood on the handle.

Defense has the Lead officer do a demonstration with the knife of how small the space it and how close the victim and Medina would be if she was threatening him with a knife.

 

[jacct]

Jasmine Kripalani ‏@Jaskripcbs4 2m2 minutes ago #DerekMedina trial is on lunch break until 1:30 p.m.

[video=youtube;jukll7RyAiU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jukll7RyAiU&feature=youtu.be&a[/video]