GUILTY FL - Phoebe Jonchuck, 5, dropped from 60' bridge, St Petersburg, 8 Jan 2015

[MamaJoJo]

That depends on the height that you fall.

Why, yes it does. Phoebe was thrown off of the Dick Misener Bridge by her father from a height of 60'.

A petition on MoveOn.org proposes to change the name of the Dick Misener Bridge to the Phoebe Jonchuck Memorial Bridge.

http://www.abcactionnews.com/about-...ner-bridge-to-phoebe-jonchuck-memorial-bridge

 

[0101ABA]

Judge postpones hearing for man accused of killing daughter

A judge postponed a hearing regarding the competency of John Jonchuck, the man charged with killing his daughter by throwing her off a Tampa Bay area bridge.

The Tampa Tribune reports the judge Monday rescheduled the hearing until April 26. Jonchuck is charged in the 2015 death of his 5-year-old daughter, Phoebe.

http://www.mysuncoast.com/news/stat...cle_254036ea-0640-11e6-8524-e3d0e1069de0.html

 

[PastTense]

John Jonchuck, the 26-year-old man accused of dropping his daughter off the Dick Misener bridge, is still incompetent to stand trial, a doctor said in court Tuesday.

Jonchuck will be returned to a state mental hospital to continue treatment. Another hearing to determine if he can face first-degree murder charges will be held Oct. 18, according to public defender Jessica Manuele.

http://www.tampabay.com/news/courts...-stand-trial-for-dropping-daughter-to/2274718

 

[JanetElaine]

On the page of the petition to change the name of the bridge it's mentioned they weren't able to figure out why the bridge was named after Dick Misener, but it appears it doesn't seem that much of a mystery. Maybe they can contact Misener's family to see if the family would okay the name change?

http://www.tbo.com/news/metro/2008/mar/20/me-attempt-to-honor-ends-up-a-bust-ar-138906/

 

[0101ABA]

Doctors: Dad who dropped girl off bridge now competent

A state mental hospital evaluation concludes a Florida man is now competent to stand trial on charges that he threw his young daughter to her death off a Tampa Bay area bridge.

Pinellas Circuit Judge Chris Helinger said during a Wednesday hearing that she’s read the report on 27-year-old John Jonchuck and set a competency hearing for March 27.

 

[byo]

Judge finds John Jonchuck competent to stand trial in death of 5-year-old daughter Phoebe
Laura C. Morel, Times Staff Writer | Friday, March 3, 2017 9:06am | [Last modified: Friday, March 3, 2017 3:11pm]

After two years of receiving psychiatric treatment at a state hospital, the man charged with dropping his 5-year-old daughter, Phoebe Jonchuck, off the Dick Misener bridge in 2015 is ready to stand trial.

During a brief hearing Friday morning, Pinellas County circuit judge Joseph Bulone ruled John Jonchuck was competent after reading evaluation reports by doctors.

(. . .) Jonchuck will remain at the state hospital in Gainesville until the case is closer to trial. The last time Jonchuck was brought to the Pinellas County jail for a hearing in April, he refused a psychiatrist's visit, would not take all of his medications, and tried to grab a guard, according to Sheriff's Office records.

 

[SeesSeas]

Another article today . . .
http://www.baynews9.com/content/new...ticles/bn9/2017/3/3/judge_confirms_john_.html
Judge confirms John Jonchuck's competency to stand trial in daughter's death
Last Updated: Friday, March 03, 2017, 9:53 AM EST
He is facing charges of murder, aggravated fleeing and eluding and aggravated assault with a motor vehicle on a law enforcement officer. [...]
Prosecutors have said they will seek the death penalty.

 

[PastTense]

Two years of psychiatric treatment and seeking the death penalty? This is wrong.

 

[MsMarple]

Jonchuck, 27, is charged with first-degree murder. Pinellas-Pasco Chief Assistant State Attorney Bruce Bartlett said prosecutors want the trial to take place "as soon as possible," likely in the fall.

"The concern for us is that he would become incompetent again," he said.

http://www.tampabay.com/news/courts...to-stand-trial-in-death-of-5-year-old/2315225

So let's go for the death penalty, which requires multiple lawyers qualified for DP cases, many motions, many evaluations, reams and reams of evidence to go through. Because we want to get him convicted before he becomes incompetent again.

What is wrong with you Pinellas County?

 

[Dogface]

I hadn't heard about this case and kind of wish I hadn't. Any person who can do this to any child, much less their own flesh and blood, deserves more than what our justice system allows.


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[Rachel1]

I hadn't heard about this case and kind of wish I hadn't. Any person who can do this to any child, much less their own flesh and blood, deserves more than what our justice system allows.


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Agreed

This is extremely sad.

 

[SeesSeas]

http://www.baynews9.com/content/new...icles/bn9/2017/3/27/trial_for_john_jonch.html
Trial for John Jonchuck scheduled for February 2018
Last Updated: Monday, March 27, 2017, 2:46 PM EDT
The trial for a man accused of throwing his 5-year-old daughter off the Sunshine Skyway Bridge will be held in February 2018. […]
Prosecutors have said they will seek the death penalty.

 

[JanetElaine]

https://ccmspa.pinellascounty.org/P...mentFragmentID=34506316&CheckDocumentGroups=0

Notice of intent to rely on defense of insanity filed. "Bipolar disorder with psychotic features".

 

[thepinkdragon]

Nothing about St.Petersburg/Pinellas County surprises me anymore. I grew up there, it's a cesspool.


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[keeleydoll]

updated from OG's earlier post - http://www.wfla.com/story/27788918/...ng-thrown-from-dick-misener-bridge-in-st-pete


Fox13 reporter tweeted: https://twitter.com/EvanAxelbank/status/553347764294537216

Good grief. I haven’t finished the thread, but here is probably another... Why in the world, when this guy was a physical abuser, did he have custody of the child?! If the mother was unable to care for this beautiful girl, family and the state both had ample information to remove her. I hate seeing this over and over. She reminds me so much of a couple of my girls.

I’m heartbroken for the attorney, assistant and LEO who tried to save her as well as her family.

Off to read more[emoji174]


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[JusticeWillBeServed]

Trial delayed for father of Phoebe Jonchuck - December 22nd

http://www.tampabay.com/news/courts/criminal/Trial-delayed-for-father-of-Phoebe-Jonchuck_163846909

The trial of John Jonchuck, accused of throwing his young daughter Phoebe to her death off the Dick Misener Bridge three years ago, was moved back once again on Friday.

Judge Chris Helinger set a new start date of Sept. 24, 2018, back from the summer. Prosecutors and a representative from Jonchuck’s defense team agreed to the date.

 

[SeesSeas]

As Jonchuck nears trial, defense takes novel approach to gain any advantage
Published: August 15, 2018
Updated: August 15, 2018 at 08:11 PM
In the coming trial of a father accused of tossing his 5-year-old daughter off a bridge to her death — a crime for which he faces the death penalty — nothing is normal.
That has certainly been true for the flurry of motions filed by defendant John Jonchuck’s lawyers six weeks before his murder trial is set to start.
"It’s an unusual case," said Pinellas County Clerk of the Court Ken Burke. "Unusual rules generally apply."
Some of the defense motions are routine in cases involving the death penalty — but others are very inventive, experts say.
One of the more novel motions involves Burke’s office, which has the authority to allow citizens to postpone their jury service if they have a conflict during that time period. Jonchuck’s defense team has asked the judge to grant them the final say over whether prospective jurors can be excused from jury service — not the clerk’s office.
"I’ve been clerk now going on 14 years and I’ve never seen that before," Burke said.
[...]
A jury trial is scheduled to begin Sept. 24.
[...]

 

[SeesSeas]

State drops death penalty bid against Jonchuck, accused of dropping his daughter off bridge
Published: August 27, 2018
Updated: August 27, 2018 at 02:29 PM
LARGO — The Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney’s Office announced Monday it will not seek the death penalty in the murder trial of John Jonchuck, who is accused of dropping his daughter off a bridge to her death in 2015.
[...]
"It dispenses with a lot of the formalities with many of the motions that would have to be litigated as well as a lot of the obstacles you encounter when doing jury selection," Bartlett said. "So it kind of lets you present a more orderly trial and you can focus on the issue at hand."
[...]

 

[JerseyGirl]

Murder trial begins next week for father accused of throwing daughter off bridge

His trial begins Monday, Sept. 24 in Pinellas County.

 

[SeesSeas]

Murder trial delayed once again for John Jonchuck, father accused of throwing 5-year-old daughter off bridge
Published: September 17, 2018
Updated: September 17, 2018 at 07:14 PM
CLEARWATER — A late fight over a crucial witness forced a judge Monday to once again delay the murder trial of John Jonchuck — accused of throwing his daughter off a bridge in 2015 — just one week before jury selection was set to begin.
The decision followed a contentious hearing, in which Pinellas-Pasco Judge Chris Helinger sighed repeatedly and bemoaned the slow pace of justice.
[...]
Helinger admonished the defense before agreeing to continue the trial, saying the late motion was handled "very poorly." She tried to brainstorm a series of alternatives in open court, asking if anyone had other ideas, before deciding to delay.
Bernie McCabe, the longtime state attorney in the Pinellas-Pasco circuit, said his prosecutors were "backed into a corner."
"I hope everybody realizes why it’s being continued," he said. "It’s because the defense is using dilatory tactics to try to get it continued."
He added that Lazarou — one of two doctors the state plans to use to show Jonchuck was not insane when he dropped his daughter into Tampa Bay — has "been on the case a long time."
"You know the old saying, justice delayed is justice denied," McCabe said. "But sometimes some folks in the system prefer delay."
Bob Dillinger, the public defender for Pinellas-Pasco, said his lawyers were not trying to slow the case down.
"If they remove the doctor, we were ready for trial," he said. "We don’t want an incompetent doctor rendering an opinion about our client."
[...]