GUILTY GA - Lauren Giddings, 27, Macon, 26 June 2011 #13

[Backwoods]

From my perspective, probably fifteen feet away, I did not notice any black circles under McD's eyes. I did think he looked very pale , so any circles would probably stand out , but I didn't notice them. The 90 day issue never came up. I bet Hogue wishes he would have brought it up now. If I ever get arrested and am only allowed one phone call it would be to him. Despite the ponytail, which I do think is part of the act, he is smooth, professional, sincere and passionate.

bbm: I'm a little confused about what you mean about the 90-day issue. I thought SM not having been indicted (for murder) within the 90-day time frame was the whole reason he is entitled to have a fair bond set on that charge to begin with, and was acknowledged and discussed at the original bond hearing. Or are you meaning something further?

 

[Backwoods]

I think the link we had earlier now will lead to this updated article (same headline as earlier), but just posting it again because the update is rather vast and those who read the earlier version probably need to take a look at the updated one. Looks like Telegraph finally trying to do a little independent research on the disputed post. About time, I'd say.

Judge declines to reduce bond amount for McDaniel


... Brown paused the hearing about 15 minutes and asked that the prosecutors and defense attorneys confer about whether McDaniel should be allowed to leave jail to help investigate his case.

When court reconvened, Hogue said the attorneys didn’t reach an agreement.

“The state wants Mr. McDaniel to stay in jail. In fact, they want to kill him,” he said.

Brown ended the hearing, saying “As for now, I’m going to leave things as they are." ...

... Much of Tuesday’s hearing centered on an Internet discussion board post that prosecutors attributed to McDaniel during an April hearing.

The man who claims that he authored the “Mickey Finn” post lives in Oklahoma. ...

Read more here: http://www.macon.com/2012/06/19/2066150/bibb-county-prosecutors-seek-to.html#storylink=cpy




​

 

[AgentFrankLundy]

bbm: I'm a little confused about what you mean about the 90-day issue. I thought SM not having been indicted (for murder) within the 90-day time frame was the whole reason he is entitled to have a fair bond set on that charge to begin with, and was acknowledged and discussed at the original bond hearing. Or are you meaning something further?

No, that's what I am referring to , that Winters let the 90 day deadline pass before getting the indictment . Sloppy . Hogue's only argument was that the family does not have the financial resources to pull together $850,000; which, while it may be true, I do not find relevant. Again I am no constitutional scholar, but if all bonds are set on one's ability to pay instead of having some relation to the crime committed, we would have a bunch of thugs out on bond committing more crimes, IMHO.

 

[AgentFrankLundy]

I see what you mean about the dark circles, this must be the way it comes out under the courtroom lights. I guess it is there a little bit but from where I stood he looked more like what you see in Image 4 http://www.macon.com/2012/06/19/2066457/mcdaniels-bond-remains.html Not sure what it means physically, maybe he's not sleeping much, Poor Baby

 

[Sonya610]

I see what you mean about the dark circles, this must be the way it comes out under the courtroom lights.

He looks like he hasn't had any sunlight for an entire year so he is getting deathly pale and his hair appears darker. Legally he is allowed 3 hours of yard time per week (which cannot be denied) so I wonder if he is taking advantage of it, I would think 3 hours of sunlight would make a difference in the summer.

On another note since cameras have been allowed in all of the hearings so far does that bode well for cameras during the trial itself? I would think so!

 

[Backwoods]

No, that's what I am referring to , that Winters let the 90 day deadline pass before getting the indictment . Sloppy . Hogue's only argument was that the family does not have the financial resources to pull together $850,000; which, while it may be true, I do not find relevant. Again I am no constitutional scholar, but if all bonds are set on one's ability to pay instead of having some relation to the crime committed, we would have a bunch of thugs out on bond committing more crimes, IMHO.

Oh, ok. What I'm saying is that the 90-day aspect was covered pretty thoroughly at the first (April 3?) bond hearing, when prosecution conceded with no argument that he was entitled to a bond on those grounds. So I'm thinking there was no advantage to visit that aspect again yesterday. Well, I guess defense could have hammered on it a little more, but don't think it would have changed anything...

 

[Backwoods]

As some of us here get ready to hold our own "year later" vigil for Lauren in coming days, looks like The Telegraph is also marking the sad upcoming "anniversary" period:

Night of Panic

In the days before Lauren Giddings became a name in a murder case, before anyone who held her dear knew she was slain, there was this: nothing.

She was just gone.


Then, before the tears, hurt and anger set in, before the horror was unveiled, there was a night of panic.


Giddings, 27, vanished a year ago Monday.

http://www.macon.com/2012/06/20/2067731/night-of-panic.html

ETA: Hmmm, the link is apparently to a long-ish "teaser" portion of the full story, which is to be unveiled in full Sunday. I REALLY hope this is not to be one of those "in the print edition only" deals...?


Also new:

The Lauren Giddings case through photos

http://www.macon.com/2012/06/20/2064906/a-look-at-the-lauren-giddings.html

 

[AgentFrankLundy]

As of today, just by reading the comments on Macon.com, everybody in town sounds like they are ready to elect Greg Winters' opponent and set McD free.
After yesterday's debacle and today's news that the Barbecue V-Card post was made by some guy in Oklahoma , I am with them. And still asking for the death penalty!If Winters wants to save face he better take it off the table, unless , of course , he's got either direct video evidence of McDaniel doing this or an eyewitness that saw it happen, and I doubt he does. The reporter on 13WMAZ Candace Adorka, said that Hogue is going to probe deeper into the "way evidence has been gathered in this case" . He's on the right track towards acquittal.

 

[bessie]

I think the link we had earlier now will lead to this updated article (same headline as earlier), but just posting it again because the update is rather vast and those who read the earlier version probably need to take a look at the updated one. Looks like Telegraph finally trying to do a little independent research on the disputed post. About time, I'd say.

Read more here: http://www.macon.com/2012/06/19/2066150/bibb-county-prosecutors-seek-to.html#storylink=cpy

​

Thanks for the links, BW, and to Agent Frank, thanks for being our "field reporter". It helps to get that first person perspective.

I'm surprised to learn the alleged author of the alleged post is the brother of the deceased man whose funeral the WBC gang threatened to invade, inciting McD to post one version of how he would get away with murder. I'd like to know if the post was made in that thread (the WBC thread). If so, that thread was removed from the OC index before their server went down. I wonder if that has anything to do with the post not coming up in searches now. Not sure; just a thought.

 

[seattlechiquita]

As of today, just by reading the comments on Macon.com, everybody in town sounds like they are ready to elect Greg Winters' opponent and set McD free.
After yesterday's debacle and today's news that the Barbecue V-Card post was made by some guy in Oklahoma , I am with them. And still asking for the death penalty!If Winters wants to save face he better take it off the table, unless , of course , he's got either direct video evidence of McDaniel doing this or an eyewitness that saw it happen, and I doubt he does. The reporter on 13WMAZ Candace Adorka, said that Hogue is going to probe deeper into the "way evidence has been gathered in this case" . He's on the right track towards acquittal.

Holy :moo: --- I am not very familiar with the investigation. Is the state's case that cr@ppy?

 

[Knox]

IMG_0235.MOV - YouTube

[video=youtube;F2tpoEaDZJs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2tpoEaDZJs&feature=share[/video]

For the Vigil ... Thank you for suggesting Backwoods!

In remembrance of a beautiful soul, Lauren Teresa Giddings~

 

[bessie]

Bibb County Prosecutors -- "Mickey Finn" Post at Center of McDaniel Hearing

By AMY LEIGH WOMACK — [email protected]
A Bibb County judge ruled Tuesday that the bond for accused killer Stephen McDaniel should remain at $850,000...

The Telegraph learned in April that Hollis Browning, the grandfather who owned a farm in Pike County, died April 24. Browning offered to pay a retainer for a lawyer to represent McDaniel when he was first charged with burglary July 1...

The man who claims that he authored the “Mickey Finn” post lives in Oklahoma. He first heard of McDaniel, who posted to the operatorchan.org message board, after McDaniel allegedly wrote about hypothetical ways to deal with religious demonstrators after the man’s brother was killed in Afghanistan...
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more at the link

http://www.macon.com/2012/06/19/206...cutors-seek-to.html#storylink=cpy#storylink=c

​

 

[Backwoods]

Thank you, Knox, for posting those to get us ready to get started!

And thanks for leading off with that picture of Lauren and Butterbean. I think I may be one of those "misanthropes" (sort of half kidding here) who often warm up to animals more quickly than to people ... and it was kind of Lauren's devotion to Butterbean that first touched my heart about her.

 

[Knox]

Animals are my passion too BW, so I understand what you are saying. Lauren called Butterbean her "son".

The picture was fitting, Lauren's two great loves (the Law & Butterbean) and a huge accomplishment (Graduation).

 

[Backwoods]

new at AboveTheLaw:

http://abovethelaw.com/2012/06/good...iel-recent-law-school-grad-accused-of-murder/

 

[Sonya610]

And still asking for the death penalty!If Winters wants to save face he better take it off the table, unless , of course , he's got either direct video evidence of McDaniel doing this or an eyewitness that saw it happen, and I doubt he does.

If Winters takes the death penalty off the table now it will be an overt admission of a weak, bungled case and the Bibb County voters will be furious with him. Winters is in a lose lose situation here, he is up for re-election in November.

His only hope of redemption is to WIN the case but that isn't going to happen before November so he is S.O.L.

I almost feel sorry for the guy but realistically he deserves it. Each time the prosecutors gets in front of the judge they come across worse and worse, one bad day is understandable but they aren't trying to make up for it by preparing and putting up their A game the next time around (or maybe this is their A game and they can't do any better? scary thought!).

I wonder what Chief Burns thinks about all of this. Not sure how much evidence was recovered but I have no doubt the MPD worked hard and did their very best. Now they get to watch the DA's office turn the case into a 3 ring circus?

 

[onewayoranother]

Had Winters filed by the 89th day or for an extension by the 89th day, the judge could have ruled no bond. If the judge ruled no bond then McDaniel has the right to a speedy trial and the clock would have started- and for no good reason. McDaniel is NOT getting out on bond. The child porn charges carry several years EACH. So why start the clock if more evidence is coming from the FBI and the body has not been recovered. Why the death penalty? First, why not? But second, the death penalty threat is the only hope of recovering Lauren's body which would not only bring closure to the family but also likely confirm the cause of death. About the blog used in court- It was not considered for bond. However, it was the defense who insisted that it get thrown out- that McDaniel didn't write it. It will be very hard for McDaniel to use that post in the future to plea bargain, that it was an accident, that Lauren took the drink on her own free will, that he panicked, when she OD'd - That he doesn't even have a speeding ticket, a law school graduate, he just snapped.
http://onlineathens.com/stories/081805/new_20050818057.shtml
The man who was convicted is due to be released this year, I believe. This is not what we want for Lauren. While no one will rest until Lauren's killer is convicted and until this is over, nothing can be taken for granted, perhaps at this point in the game, Greg Winters should be given a chance to do his job. This trial is on Winter's turf. He knows the system in Macon. Furthermore, business law- things like taxes and closings are quite different from prosecution law. It's too soon to judge Winters as harshly as he is being judged.

 

[GeorgiaSunshine]

Had Winters filed by the 89th day or for an extension by the 89th day, the judge could have ruled no bond. If the judge ruled no bond then McDaniel has the right to a speedy trial and the clock would have started- and for no good reason. McDaniel is NOT getting out on bond. The child porn charges carry several years EACH. So why start the clock if more evidence is coming from the FBI and the body has not been recovered. Why the death penalty? First, why not? But second, the death penalty threat is the only hope of recovering Lauren's body which would not only bring closure to the family but also likely confirm the cause of death. About the blog used in court- It was not considered for bond. However, it was the defense who insisted that it get thrown out- that McDaniel didn't write it. It will be very hard for McDaniel to use that post in the future to plea bargain, that it was an accident, that Lauren took the drink on her own free will, that he panicked, when she OD'd - That he doesn't even have a speeding ticket, a law school graduate, he just snapped.
http://onlineathens.com/stories/081805/new_20050818057.shtml
The man who was convicted is due to be released this year, I believe. This is not what we want for Lauren. While no one will rest until Lauren's killer is convicted and until this is over, nothing can be taken for granted, perhaps at this point in the game, Greg Winters should be given a chance to do his job. This trial is on Winter's turf. He knows the system in Macon. Furthermore, business law- things like taxes and closings are quite different from prosecution law. It's too soon to judge Winters as harshly as he is being judged.

Thank you, thank you thank you!!!! All decency has left this forum as it pertains to people's opinions of the Macon DA. It sounds like you totally comprehend law, which isn't something many of us have studied, so therefore I have refrained from commenting.

 

[Backwoods]

Had Winters filed by the 89th day or for an extension by the 89th day, the judge could have ruled no bond. If the judge ruled no bond then McDaniel has the right to a speedy trial and the clock would have started- and for no good reason. McDaniel is NOT getting out on bond. The child porn charges carry several years EACH. So why start the clock if more evidence is coming from the FBI and the body has not been recovered. Why the death penalty? First, why not? But second, the death penalty threat is the only hope of recovering Lauren's body which would not only bring closure to the family but also likely confirm the cause of death. About the blog used in court- It was not considered for bond. However, it was the defense who insisted that it get thrown out- that McDaniel didn't write it. It will be very hard for McDaniel to use that post in the future to plea bargain, that it was an accident, that Lauren took the drink on her own free will, that he panicked, when she OD'd - That he doesn't even have a speeding ticket, a law school graduate, he just snapped.
http://onlineathens.com/stories/081805/new_20050818057.shtml
The man who was convicted is due to be released this year, I believe. This is not what we want for Lauren. While no one will rest until Lauren's killer is convicted and until this is over, nothing can be taken for granted, perhaps at this point in the game, Greg Winters should be given a chance to do his job. This trial is on Winter's turf. He knows the system in Macon. Furthermore, business law- things like taxes and closings are quite different from prosecution law. It's too soon to judge Winters as harshly as he is being judged.

:welcome5:



Welcome to Websleuths, onewayoranother.

 

[Sonya610]

It's too soon to judge Winters as harshly as he is being judged.

The Bibb County voters are going to the polls in 4 months time, it is their right and obligation to judge his performance and that is exactly what they are doing.

The child porn is a whole other issue entirely. People may think it is a "slam dunk" because it was supposedly found on a flash drive in his house but it isn't that simple. These days prosecutors OFTEN have to prove the defendant intentionally search for and downloaded the porn (complicated computer forensic stuff that we already know is a weak point for the DA) or prove the defendant KNOWINGLY was in possession of it.

People can and do unknowingly/unintentionally pick up CP images all of the time when visiting some sites or downloading files which is why proof of intent is often required. For all we know McDaniel downloaded some pirated games (or a zip file of adult porn images) and stored them to a thumb drive without realizing there were cp images in those files. We know McDaniel visited chan related websites and was into gaming, there is a very good chance he could have been downloading files or visiting sites that hide that material.