GUILTY IL - 5 Gee/Constant family members murdered in Beeson, 21 Sept 2009

[tlcya]

ty fran, but I was hoping for a more recent update. I know that after the attack, she had no recall, I am just so hopeful that it remains that way and PTSD doesn't rear its head in future.

 

[tlcya]

this is completely OT and I apologize, but I think I know/have met one of the Harris bros. in person on one occasion. I believe he is the cousin of a man who I know and believe he was in my home on one occasion. That and the proximaty of the murders to my own town causes me to be immersed in this case and hoping that justice is done.

ETA it so irritates me that my local news station (WICS) the local network affiliate has covered this case on both the 5pm and 10pm newscasts and yet their websites do not offer any link of view of that covearge!

here is the link to the "article" re that case, why do they not link the video of tonights newscast? Wake up and join the technoloogy age WICS!

http://www.wics.com/template/inews_wire/wires.regional.il/32ddae65-wics.com.shtml

 

[peeples]

Poor Tabitha... I hope she will be ok in the future when she's old enough to know the truth about what happened to her family
I read the whole thread.. I still have a hinky feeling towards T.;s sister

 

[tlcya]

I think there will be a lot that surprises us and some things that come as no surprise when trial begins.

I hope that little cutie is doing well. I hope she laughing and happy and being a normal little girl. She so deserves that.

 

[oceanblueeyes]

I think there will be a lot that surprises us and some things that come as no surprise when trial begins.

I hope that little cutie is doing well. I hope she laughing and happy and being a normal little girl. She so deserves that.

The DA sure is sticking to the attempted rape charge of Justine. So the motive may start right there.

I don't understand why it took them this long though to determine if this case would be a death penalty case. Were they waiting to see if the death penalty was repealed in that state?

In Georgia when Guy Heinz Jr was arrested and charged with 8 murders and one attempted murder on a three year old boy they acted swiftly and made the decision early on that it would be a DP case.

IMO

 

[oceanblueeyes]

Documents: Defendants in Beason killings might not have played equal roles


Paperwork filed by the state finds Chris Harris eligible for a death sentence because his actions actually caused the deaths, a factor not included in the certification filed in the Jason Harris case.

Family members of the victims said the documents are consistent with information they have received from authorities. Gerald Miller, the father of 14-year-old Dillen Constant, said he believes Chris Harris went inside the Gee home on Sept. 21, 2009, while Jason Harris stayed outside.


http://www.pantagraph.com/news/loca...ngs/1a79046c-3099-11e0-948b-001cc4c002e0.html

 

[AmandaReckonwith]

Since the last update, the death Penalty has been removed. Gov Pat Quinn signed a law abolishing DP in IL 3/9/11.

A lot of smiling murderes in IL now.

The case archive for the Gee murders is linked here a few posts up.

 

[tlcya]

yea, and a lot of frowning citizens

 

[libraryg]

I have some news on Tabitha. I work at a vet, and the other morning we were doing a spay on an adorable 2 month old female kitten that had been adopted from Logan County Humane Society. My vet said that this lil kitty was adopted by a "very special little girl". This little girl is Tabitha. I asked how she is doing, and he says that she is doing very well. After a custody battle, she has been adopted by her grandmother. May God keep and bless both her and her adorable new fur baby!

 

[joe jones]

http://www.pantagraph.com/news/loca...cle_9dc12ac8-f10c-11e0-a8fb-001cc4c002e0.html

defence funding holding up scientific testing

 

[joe jones]

http://wjbc.com/end-of-death-penalty-latest-snag-in-beason-murder-case/

trial may still be another 2 years away

 

[tlcya]

http://www.sj-r.com/breaking/x1038181866/Gee-murder-cases-are-in-limbo

LINCOLN – The defense of brothers Christopher and Jason Harris, accused of murdering five members of the Gee family in Beason in 2009, has been stymied by the impending loss of state funding, and the same problem might cost the Harrises their lawyers.

Illinois’ abolition of the death penalty in March means the Capital Litigation Trust Fund, which is paying for the brothers’ defense attorneys, will be eliminated Jan. 1.

<snip>

Rogers, Elmore and Skelton said the prosecution has finished its DNA and non-DNA testing of evidence and has turned over discovery materials and reports to the defense. However, they said there is still a long road ahead.

&#8220;There are between 11,000 and 11,500 pages of discovery and 200-plus interviews,&#8221; Skelton said.

 

[JoeFromLB]

Trial delayed again until issues involving defense costs are resolved.

http://www.pjstar.com/topstories/x1672348016/Trial-in-Beason-killings-delayed-again?utm=c

 

[AmandaReckonwith]

Will this ever come to trial? Doesn't look like it. Has anyone ever heard of a trial being put on hold because there was no money to pay defense?

Anyways...

Case archive has been updated.
http://s296.photobucket.com/albums/mm166/crankycrankerson/Gee%20-%20Constant%20Murders%20%20-IL-/

 

[tlcya]

I have some news on Tabitha. I work at a vet, and the other morning we were doing a spay on an adorable 2 month old female kitten that had been adopted from Logan County Humane Society. My vet said that this lil kitty was adopted by a "very special little girl". This little girl is Tabitha. I asked how she is doing, and he says that she is doing very well. After a custody battle, she has been adopted by her grandmother. May God keep and bless both her and her adorable new fur baby!

Somehow I missed this post last time on this thread.

Thank you thank you thank you for this update.

Bless this child.

 

[oceanblueeyes]

LINCOLN &#8212; An April 29, 2013 trial date has been set for one of two brothers accused of killing a Beason family in September of 2009.

Logan County Judge Thomas Harris set the trial date Thursday for Christopher Harris.

Harris and his brother, Jason Harris, both are charged with more than 50 counts of first-degree murder that accuse them of using a tire iron to kill Rick and Ruth Gee and three of their children. The two men also are charged with the attempted murder of Tabitha Gee, the couple&#8217;s 3-year-old daughter who survived the attack.

Thursday&#8217;s hearing was the first court appearance since Springfield lawyers Daniel Fultz and Peter Naylor took over the Chris Harris defense last month. They replaced Jay Elmore, also of Springfield and John Rogers, of St. Louis, both of whom left the case after Elmore disclosed a conflict stemming from incriminating statements Chris Harris&#8217; allegedly made to another inmate at the Logan County jail. Elmore represented both brothers.

Jason Harris is represented by Bloomington lawyer Steve Skelton. A second lawyer, Stephanie Wong of Bloomington, resigned from Jason Harris&#8217; defense team last year after Illinois repealed the death penalty. When the death penalty was in effect, defendants in capital cases were required to have two lawyers.


http://www.pantagraph.com/news/loca...cle_51e1c02a-6ecc-11e1-b5d0-0019bb2963f4.html

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

Trial date isn't until April, 2013? (Thanks for the link, Ocean.) I was hoping this case would go to trial this year, at least....

 

[oceanblueeyes]

Trial date isn't until April, 2013? (Thanks for the link, Ocean.) I was hoping this case would go to trial this year, at least....

YW.

Me too. I am wanting to keep up with this trial and the Guy Heinz Jr. mass murder case out of Brunswick, Georgia.

Hopefully the Heinz case will happen sometime later this year.

IMO

 

[hollyblue]

I have some news on Tabitha. I work at a vet, and the other morning we were doing a spay on an adorable 2 month old female kitten that had been adopted from Logan County Humane Society. My vet said that this lil kitty was adopted by a "very special little girl". This little girl is Tabitha. I asked how she is doing, and he says that she is doing very well. After a custody battle, she has been adopted by her grandmother. May God keep and bless both her and her adorable new fur baby!

Wonderful news! Do you know if it's the paternal or maternal side of the family? TIA

 

[hollyblue]

LINCOLN &#8212; An April 29, 2013 trial date has been set for one of two brothers accused of killing a Beason family in September of 2009.

Logan County Judge Thomas Harris set the trial date Thursday for Christopher Harris.

Harris and his brother, Jason Harris, both are charged with more than 50 counts of first-degree murder that accuse them of using a tire iron to kill Rick and Ruth Gee and three of their children. The two men also are charged with the attempted murder of Tabitha Gee, the couple&#8217;s 3-year-old daughter who survived the attack.

Thursday&#8217;s hearing was the first court appearance since Springfield lawyers Daniel Fultz and Peter Naylor took over the Chris Harris defense last month. They replaced Jay Elmore, also of Springfield and John Rogers, of St. Louis, both of whom left the case after Elmore disclosed a conflict stemming from incriminating statements Chris Harris&#8217; allegedly made to another inmate at the Logan County jail. Elmore represented both brothers.

Jason Harris is represented by Bloomington lawyer Steve Skelton. A second lawyer, Stephanie Wong of Bloomington, resigned from Jason Harris&#8217; defense team last year after Illinois repealed the death penalty. When the death penalty was in effect, defendants in capital cases were required to have two lawyers.


http://www.pantagraph.com/news/loca...cle_51e1c02a-6ecc-11e1-b5d0-0019bb2963f4.html

Hi Ocean, I believe we both followed this case on another forum that no longer exists...along with Amanda.

The delays are frustrating and I thought we would see the trial by the end of this year, but with ALL the changes of lawyers, the death penalty decision and Logan Co now bearing all expenses, anything will not surprise me.

One thing I am not happy about is the cell phone and computer info not worthy of the "expense", as I feel there might have been evidence of communication between Justina and the perp/s specifically; BUT, any info gleaned may have been very pertinent...and now we will never know. How can they justify not spending monies on high tech information in this day of age...that may be crucial. It's a little hinky to me. :banghead: IMO

We gleaned alot over there....and drugs were in past of some of the players. IIRC, some only months after the crime itself.