FL - Madeline Soto, 13, Missing Child Alert, 13500 blk Town Loop Blvd, Orlando, 26 Feb 2024 *arrest* #14

[CuriousCricket]

if theyre trying to stack the jury with "people with specialized backgrounds who would know about DNA analysis and influence other jurors against the defense's arguments" wouldn't the state see that and put a stop to those shenanigans?

Attorneys question prospective jurors before the beginning of trials.
Both the state and the defense are allowed to accept or refuse each juror, up to a certain number, I believe.

From Wikipedia about "Bull" a TV show : The series follows the employees at Trial Analysis Corporation (TAC), a jury consulting firm headed by Dr. Jason Bull, who is a psychologist and trial-science expert. Bull uses his skills and those of his team not only to select the right jurors for his clients, but also to help his clients' lawyers decide which type of argument will win over jurors best. Bull is inspired by the early career of Dr. Phil McGraw, who also serves as an executive producer.

The current "Matlock" show is also using a jury consultant.

I'd guess that's what the questionnaire is about.

 

[Gemmie]

if theyre trying to stack the jury with "people with specialized backgrounds who would know about DNA analysis and influence other jurors against the defense's arguments" wouldn't the state see that and put a stop to those shenanigans?

Talk to yourself much, @ttjo? *chuckle* (ttjo knows I'm kidding and not being mean. )

 

[ttjo]

Talk to yourself much, @ttjo? *chuckle* (ttjo knows I'm kidding and not being mean. )

View attachment 564760

I knew you were kidding I just wanted to show why I was asking. These cases can feel like mental chess sometimes.

 

[CuriousCricket]

I knew you were kidding I just wanted to show why I was asking. These cases can feel like mental chess sometimes.

propaganda chess maybe? More about winning than justice?

 

[ttjo]

propaganda chess maybe? More about winning than justice?

Exactly. In this case specifically the SA, they have 1700 photos. What it seems like the defense is doing is lining things up for the murder trial ( to take the DP off the table?) at the same time the state seems to be doing the same, lining it up, so if there is a conviction, they can go for the DP. I'm sure there is more to it, but that's what feels like mental chess propaganda.

 

[Seattle1]

I've had some recent experience with Juror Summons and a 100+ questionnaire with some very brutal questions-- under oath!

Rule 1.431 - TRIAL JURY

First, juror questionnaires are optional, and Rule 1.431- TRIAL JURY, FL. R. Civ. P. provides the authority for the parties to draft a questionnaire intended to expedite jury selection.

The Juror Questionnaire is NOT intended to constitute the complete examination of prospective jurors. The utility and appropriateness of the questionnaire to a particular case is at the discretion of the judge.

The questionnaire must be used to determine those who are not qualified to serve as jurors under any statutory ground of disqualification.

Rule 3.350 - PEREMPTORY CHALLENGES

(a) Number. Each party shall be allowed the following number of peremptory challenges:

(1)Felonies Punishable by Death or Imprisonment for Life. Ten, if the offense charged is punishable by death or imprisonment for life.

(2)All Other Felonies. Six, if the offense charged is a felony not punishable by death or imprisonment for life.

(3)Misdemeanors. Three, if the offense charged is a misdemeanor.

IMO, I don't see the subject or proposed juror questionnaire for this case being used as a tool to stack the jury here when both sides are a party to the questions, and the Judge must approve the final form.

I'm also following the Utah Kouri Richans case where the attorneys are currently working on a Juror Questionnaire and some of their hold-ups have been on deciding whether or not to solicit a 'yes' or 'no' response with an explanation for each yes, or a range response such as 1 to 5. IME, the range response would certainly be easier and quicker to complete the questionnaire!

Some helpful links as follows:

Link to Author/Juror Consultant -- Drafting and using juror questionnaires effectively:

https://www.advocatemagazine.com/images/issues/2018/02-february/reprints/Chopra_article.pdf

Random link to DP qualified Juror Questionnaire dated 2014 - Sample:

https://www.tnwd.uscourts.gov/sites/tnwd/files/juryq_dp.pdf

 

[ttjo]

I've had some recent experience with Juror Summons and a 100+ questionnaire with some very brutal questions-- under oath!

Rule 1.431 - TRIAL JURY

First, juror questionnaires are optional, and Rule 1.431- TRIAL JURY, FL. R. Civ. P. provides the authority for the parties to draft a questionnaire intended to expedite jury selection.

The Juror Questionnaire is NOT intended to constitute the complete examination of prospective jurors. The utility and appropriateness of the questionnaire to a particular case is at the discretion of the judge.

The questionnaire must be used to determine those who are not qualified to serve as jurors under any statutory ground of disqualification.

Rule 3.350 - PEREMPTORY CHALLENGES

(a) Number. Each party shall be allowed the following number of peremptory challenges:

(1)Felonies Punishable by Death or Imprisonment for Life. Ten, if the offense charged is punishable by death or imprisonment for life.

(2)All Other Felonies. Six, if the offense charged is a felony not punishable by death or imprisonment for life.

(3)Misdemeanors. Three, if the offense charged is a misdemeanor.

IMO, I don't see the subject or proposed juror questionnaire for this case being used as a tool to stack the jury here when both sides are a party to the questions, and the Judge must approve the final form.

good, as long as someone neutral oversees the doc there should be no problems. Its kind of what I thought, I didn't think one side could rig it, without the other side knowing.

Some helpful links as follows:

Link to Author/Juror Consultant -- Drafting and using juror questionnaires effectively:

https://www.advocatemagazine.com/images/issues/2018/02-february/reprints/Chopra_article.pdf

Random link to DP qualified Juror Questionnaire dated 2014 - Sample:

https://www.tnwd.uscourts.gov/sites/tnwd/files/juryq_dp.pdf

Those were helpful links, I like the Chopra article. She explains how to ask and why you should ask in the way she describes.

 

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[imstilla.grandma]

Officer: "She doesn't have any other kind of technology that you guys can track? I'm sure you guys already checked."

Sterns: "No texts. No nothing. Normally she has her phone. But she left it at home."

Bodycam shows a calm Stephan Sterns, Jennifer Soto day after Madeline went missing

"She has ADHD. She is very forgetful," Jennifer Soto said about Madeline the day after the 13-year-old was reported missing.

www.wesh.com

 

[ttjo]

View attachment 565274
Officer: "She doesn't have any other kind of technology that you guys can track? I'm sure you guys already checked."

Sterns: "No texts. No nothing. Normally she has her phone. But she left it at home."

Bodycam shows a calm Stephan Sterns, Jennifer Soto day after Madeline went missing

"She has ADHD. She is very forgetful," Jennifer Soto said about Madeline the day after the 13-year-old was reported missing.

www.wesh.com

I always thought it was odd, how she responded about maddi forgetting her phone, " Thats normal, she has adhd, shes very forgetful" under normal circumstances if your kid forgets their phone no big deal, but when they're missing and have been missing since 830 am and its now midnight?? I'ts like shes telling him, don't think that's suspicious, don't be alarmed, and don't look at us.

 

[Seattle1]

I'm also following the Utah Kouri Richins case where the attorneys are currently working on a Juror Questionnaire and some of their hold-ups have been on deciding whether or not to solicit a 'yes' or 'no' response with an explanation for each yes, or a range response such as 1 to 5. IME, the range response would certainly be easier and quicker to complete the questionnaire!

O/T but I think helpful to understand the complexity of the rules for juror selection.

Interesting ruling on this case yesterday regarding Jury selection after BOTH the State and the defense wanted to pull jurors from two counties, and to question them in person, due to the high-profile nature of the case.

Here, in its ruling, the High Court had to remind them that State law does NOT allow multi-county juries!

Also, although the trial court judge initially granted in-person selection, the Supreme Court justices wrote the 3rd District Presiding Judge, who previously denied the in-person request, was “not required to defer to what amounted to a recommendation from the trial court.” State Court procedure gives authority to the Presiding District Judge, and ultimately recognized the Judge's Order from 2023-- requiring jury selection to be conducted virtually in all 3rd District trials.

However, I found this reasoning (against virtual selection) by the State and defense very interesting --they wanted to expose them to the intense media coverage during the selection process to figure out who could handle it. Except in the parties joint appeal, they never argued that failing to do so would violate Richins’ constitutional rights.

Would this 'constitutional argument' have made a difference-- given this was a joint appeal, perhaps...

HIGH COURT REJECTS JURY SELECTION APPEAL

 

[Seattle1]

I always thought it was odd, how she responded about maddi forgetting her phone, " Thats normal, she has adhd, shes very forgetful" under normal circumstances if your kid forgets their phone no big deal, but when they're missing and have been missing since 830 am and its now midnight?? I'ts like shes telling him, don't think that's suspicious, don't be alarmed, and don't look at us.

Eleven months later, I don't think there's been a single example where under the circumstances, JS ever presented with the appropriate affect.

Whether or not this was influenced by Rx at the time or she's simply incapable is yet to be determined. I suspect (medical) evidence was presented when JS was earlier granted immunity.

Nonetheless, I think she will make a poor witness if/when called by the State at trial. IMO, she could be reading from a script how she failed her daughter and I envision this coming off as flat and unremarkable as each of her statements already discussed.

APA Dictionary of Psychology defines 'appropriate affect':

...an expression of mood or feeling that is in harmony with, or naturally indicative of, the accompanying thought, action, reaction, or verbal expression.

APA Dictionary of Psychology

A trusted reference in the field of psychology, offering more than 25,000 clear and authoritative entries.

dictionary.apa.org

 

[Seattle1]

Nov 11, 2024

MURDERED MADDIE SOTO: MOM GETS (Derivative Use) IMMUNITY!​

JS knows her child is missing, and is more interested in getting SS an attorney! SMH...

 

[ttjo]

Eleven months later, I don't think there's been a single example where under the circumstances, JS ever presented with the appropriate affect.

Whether or not this was influenced by Rx at the time or she's simply incapable is yet to be determined. I suspect (medical) evidence was presented when JS was earlier granted immunity.

Nonetheless, I think she will make a poor witness if/when called by the State at trial. IMO, she could be reading from a script how she failed her daughter and I envision this coming off as flat and unremarkable as each of her statements already discussed.

I think both her and Kouri will be hard-pressed to get any empathy from any jurors. For Jenn it will also be things like her lack of emotion shown with her chipper attitude to the cops , the " hi there" at her mom's office, and the giggling in the back seat about her party days, appearing defensive of SS I.e, telling CS to get Stephan a lawyer stat, Or in the interview with LE when she said " just because he may have SA'd Maddie, didn't mean he killed her." questioning whether they could be unrelated incidents, All of that plus what seemed like rehearsed speeches with both stating the same stories and using the same words. I don't know why they'd even put her on the stand.
Kouri, writing a grief book, and going on talk shows. isn't going to sit well. She gave everyone a front-row seat to her ability to deceive.
The best they can do is hope for a miracle, no mothers on those juries and that has about as much chance as a snowball in hell. Jenn doesn't really have anything to worry about at the moment cause so far, she is scott free.

 

[Seattle1]

I think both her and Kouri will be hard-pressed to get any empathy from any jurors. For Jenn it will also be things like her lack of emotion shown with her chipper attitude to the cops , the " hi there" at her mom's office, and the giggling in the back seat about her party days, appearing defensive of SS I.e, telling CS to get Stephan a lawyer stat, Or in the interview with LE when she said " just because he may have SA'd Maddie, didn't mean he killed her." questioning whether they could be unrelated incidents, All of that plus what seemed like rehearsed speeches with both stating the same stories and using the same words. I don't know why they'd even put her on the stand.
Kouri, writing a grief book, and going on talk shows. isn't going to sit well. She gave everyone a front-row seat to her ability to deceive.
The best they can do is hope for a miracle, no mothers on those juries and that has about as much chance as a snowball in hell. Jenn doesn't really have anything to worry about at the moment cause so far, she is scott free.

I'm afraid JS (gross neglect) as a state witness would invoke anger with some jurors, and even cause some to feel differently about holding SS 100% responsible for MS's death -- especially during the sentencing phase. As I opined earlier, I think she'd hurt more than help the State's case.

Who doesn't cringe every time they hear JS repeat that she directed SS and MS to go sleep together alone upstairs (in room 4) so JS could get a good nights rest! JMO

 

[ttjo]

I'm afraid JS (gross neglect) as a state witness would invoke anger with some jurors, and even cause some to feel differently about holding SS 100% responsible for MS's death -- especially during the sentencing phase. As I opined earlier, I think she'd hurt more than help the State's case.

100% agree, I think I'd be the one you describe above, Especially b/c she got off with zero accountability for anything. makes me think about SS mom speculating that he was covering. Even if not true, the seed has been planted.

 

[IzzyBlanche]

IANAL and I may be mistaken, but I think JS was granted immunity only for that one interview.

AFAIK she has not been granted full immunity for anything.

Corrections welcome.

 

[ttjo]

IANAL and I may be mistaken, but I think JS was granted immunity only for that one interview.

AFAIK she has not been granted full immunity for anything.

Corrections welcome.

and if she lied, the deal was off. Anything she said in that interview couldn't be used against her or used to pursue more evidence ( something like that) is that how it went?

 

[Forest_Wood]

IANAL and I may be mistaken, but I think JS was granted immunity only for that one interview.

AFAIK she has not been granted full immunity for anything.

Corrections welcome.

It's hard to know since she hasn't been charged with anything after a year, and she seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth. Could she still be charged with anything this far along?

 

[Gemmie]

IANAL and I may be mistaken, but I think JS was granted immunity only for that one interview.

AFAIK she has not been granted full immunity for anything.

Corrections welcome.

That is also my recollection that she was granted immunity for that one interview. Anyone have evidence to refute that? I did a quick search and couldn't find anything.