Deceased/Not Found IL - Yingying Zhang, 26, Urbana, 9 June 2017 #8 *Arrest*

[altojack]

omg!! A baseball bat with stains! Is it spatter or is that what he used on dear YY.

How can her family get through this without added hurt. It's so unfair, that has let them suffer so much. Why couldn't he just tell where her remains are.

I'm pleased that the public won't be watching the court case, it's going to be sickening for the jurors and others in attendance. I'll follow the reports but I don't think I want to see him, right now I feel so much hate toward BC for the eternal pain he's brought that poor family.

 

[Niner]

dm92 is correct. From all the articles I have read - all have said jury selection will start on Monday, June 3rd. - FINALLY!!

Thanks! Will there be videos? If so, where can I see it (not necessarily live), e.g. youtube?

I don't believe so. They will be showing a court video at the University I believe, but not to the public. A couple of pages back it explains it - but maybe someone will pop in here and post the link for you!

 

[Niner]

Yingying Zhang murder trial to begin Monday with jury selection

With jury selection set to begin Monday, Judge James Shadid used Thursday’s hearing as a time to address last minute issues, like outstanding motions and jury selection procedures.

One of the outstanding motions discussed at the hearing was in regard to the treatment Christensen received from the University of Illinois Counseling Center a few months prior the alleged kidnapping.
[.....]
Thursday’s argument comes after federal prosecutors asked the court to exclude the psychologist’s testimony, saying it would be confusing and misleading for the jury.

Shadid will rule on the motion in the weeks to come.

 

[Turner0819]

R.I.P., Ying Ying. If the judicial system works as it is intended, justice will soon be served.

 

[kittythehare]

Latest, just in
Exhibit – #368 in United States v. Christensen (C.D. Ill., 2:17-cr-20037) – CourtListener.com

 

[kittythehare]

Statutory Aggravating Factor ! The death, or injury resulting in death, occurred during the commission of, or during the immediate flight from the commission of, a kidnapping. ! Committed the offenses in an especially heinous, cruel, and depraved manner in that it involved torture or serious physical abuse to the victim. ! The defendant committed the offense after substantial planning and premeditation to cause the death of a person.
From link above.. see entire document.
My impression is that rather than a long protracted hearing, this will be heavily streamlined and what's on the table is merely death or life without parole for the defendant. It appears as though his defense are not really contesting his guilt. That will mean that the court will be spared many details of the crime and YY will never be found. It makes sense because the defense must have seriously overshot their budget before now, humming and hawing as if they were choosing goods from a variety of supermarkets.
I have seen these cases before now, they are invariably horribly minimalistic and leave their witnesses in a state of despair and non-closure. I sincerely hope I'm wrong about this.

 

[kittythehare]

Yingying Zhang murder trial to begin Monday with jury selection

With jury selection set to begin Monday, Judge James Shadid used Thursday’s hearing as a time to address last minute issues, like outstanding motions and jury selection procedures.

One of the outstanding motions discussed at the hearing was in regard to the treatment Christensen received from the University of Illinois Counseling Center a few months prior the alleged kidnapping.
[.....]
Thursday’s argument comes after federal prosecutors asked the court to exclude the psychologist’s testimony, saying it would be confusing and misleading for the jury.

ShadidChristensen showed up to Thursday’s hearing wearing his own clothes, jeans and black tee-shirt that read ‘bodybuilding.com’ across the front, opposed to the prison jumpsuit he’s worn to every previous court appearance will rule on the motion in the weeks to come.

His HUMILITY is a tad missing, methinks

 

[kittythehare]

3 further entries-
1-Minute Entry for proceedings held before Judge James E. Shadid. Parties present in open court: Attys Eugene Miller, Bryan Freres, and James Nelson with Agents Andrew Huckstadt and Anthony Maganero; and Defendant Brendt A. Christensen with Attys Robert Tucker, Matthew Rubenstein, Elisabeth Pollock, George Taseff, and Julie Brain for Status Conference on Thursday, 5/30/2019. Discussion held re Dft's request for advance notice of witnesses, Motion 358 . Court grants the request to the extent that counsel can provide list of expected witnesses within a week, at least 2-3 days, prior. Brief Arguments re: 336 Motion for Clarification as to Dr. Zoline, Response 349 ; 333 Motion to Limit Testimony as to Dr. Sorenson, Response 348 ; AND 353 counsel's requests for use of demonstrative exhibits. Court RESERVES rulings on these issues. Court reviews layout of the courtroom as well as the processes and procedures for jury selection. Court approves each side to have a jury consultant present during jury selection. In-camera session held. Dft remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal. (Court Reporter NM) (JRK, ilcd)

2.-Amended document-Exhibit – #368 in United States v. Christensen (C.D. Ill., 2:17-cr-20037) – CourtListener.com

3-Status Conference (no details)

 

[dm92]

omg!! A baseball bat with stains! Is it spatter or is that what he used on dear YY.

How can her family get through this without added hurt. It's so unfair, that has let them suffer so much. Why couldn't he just tell where her remains are.

I'm pleased that the public won't be watching the court case, it's going to be sickening for the jurors and others in attendance. I'll follow the reports but I don't think I want to see him, right now I feel so much hate toward BC for the eternal pain he's brought that poor family.

Whatever it was used for, it is a critical component of their case, as they have included it as an exhibit -along with the swab of the stain taken from it. That says to me that the swab likely was positive for her DNA. I'm sure they took dozens to hundreds of swabs from the apartment, and they only are including a handful as exhibits (bat, drywall sample, carpet sample, stains on mattress, baseboard/tack strip). My guess is that those swabs included as exhibits all tested positive for her DNA.

He could have used the bat any number of ways; beat her with it to incapacitate her so he could bind her, to torture her, or as the murder weapon -or a combination of these possibilities

Based on some passages from previous court filings, my guess is that he tortured her with it.

I don't want to go into detail because it breaks my heart and sickens me to think about it, but look at pages 12-13 of docket filing #179, bottom of page 6 in docket filing #152, and page 18 of docket filing #150

 

[kittythehare]

Just in, but sealed
+++ SEALED MOTION for Court Adjudication of Accuracy of Transcripts of Covert Recordings. (Pollock, Elisabeth) (Entered: 05/31/2019)
Docket for United States v. Christensen, 2:17-cr-20037 - CourtListener.com

 

[dm92]

Thanks! Will there be videos? If so, where can I see it (not necessarily live), e.g. youtube?

Federal trials don't allow cameras in for live broadcasting over TV networks. Because the trial was moved to Peoria, and the crime took place in Urbana/Champaign and is of such public interest here, they are going to broadcast it via closed circuit TV to a courtroom in the Urbana Federal courthouse so members of the local public can see the proceedings, and so her family can have the option to watch in Urbana on some days if they want (they are staying here) instead of having to travel to Peoria every single day.

So, yes there will be video -just not publicly broadcast or available to watch on YouTube.

 

[kittythehare]

I'm dead wary of posting this link.
This person from Fox news is going to be reporting.
Here's her facebook page, I'm not sure what she is at, exactly, please use discretion.
Jacqueline Francis
This, for example or maybe I'm being over-sensitive here?
Crime fund helps cover costs for Yingying's family

 

[Webthrush]

I'm dead wary of posting this link.
This person from Fox news is going to be reporting.
Here's her facebook page, I'm not sure what she is at, exactly, please use discretion.
Jacqueline Francis
This, for example or maybe I'm being over-sensitive here?
Crime fund helps cover costs for Yingying's family

I think you're over-reacting to or misinterpreting something here???... use of a "Crime Victims Fund" (where $$$ from criminals offer some small societal recompense for the offenses they've committed) in this instance seems totally appropriate to me. And I've followed Francis's coverage of this case off-and-on since the beginning and never noticed a problem with it (in fact probably a little more thorough than some of the local coverage)...
Anyway, SO HAPPY June is actually here!! And apparently this trial will finally get underway as scheduled (I had my doubts)!

 

[altojack]

At long last we're going to get underway. It's been a long, sad, emotional time waiting and sleuthing.

I heard on Fox News that Mum, Dad and younger brother are coming to stay in Peoria during the trial. Plans must have changed as I thought they were staying in Urbana. I'll be praying for them throughout the trial. Will they be strong enough to get through it? It's going to be a tough one.

 

[dm92]

At long last we're going to get underway. It's been a long, sad, emotional time waiting and sleuthing.

I heard on Fox News that Mum, Dad and younger brother are coming to stay in Peoria during the trial. Plans must have changed as I thought they were staying in Urbana. I'll be praying for them throughout the trial. Will they be strong enough to get through it? It's going to be a tough one.

They stayed here when they initially arrived. The Chinese community in Peoria has evidently made arrangements for them. I thought they might stay here until jury selection is over, as that is repetitive and as boring as watching paint dry, then stay in Peoria once the main part of the trial begins. Evidently they have decided to attend the entire thing in person.

I note that Yingying’s boyfriend isn’t here this time. A bit odd, as he was here with them the entire time that they were searching for her. I wonder if he will come later. I haven’t heard any reason as to why he isn’t here.

 

[kittythehare]

Illinois man set for trial in missing Chinese scholar case

-Jury selection in the federal trial of Brendt Christensen begins Monday in Peoria, a central Illinois city about 85 miles (135 kilometers) northwest of Champaign
- Her disappearance led to a weeklong search, which included help of more than 5,500 Chinese students at the school, which has more Chinese students than any other U.S. university.

-In court filings a week before the trial, prosecutors indicated that among the evidence they want to show jurors is carpet with an apparent blood stain from Christensen’s bedroom, a baseball bat that was in the bedroom and a copy of the novel “American Psycho” that they say Christensen gave to an acquaintance. (!!!)

-A star prosecution witness will be Christensen’s ex-girlfriend, who secretly recorded him for the FBI before his arrest.(Is this accurate? witness list not yet released far as I know?)

 

[kittythehare]

Two Years Later: Yingying Zhang

 

[kittythehare]

Death penalty convictions: Unanimous agreement required

After the sentencing trial, the jury would first have to unanimously determine whether Christensen's actions meet the threshold for the death penalty, including whether he acted intentionally and whether one of the statutory aggravating factors was met.


If the threshold is met, the jury would then weigh other aggravating factors (there must be unanimous agreement that they exist) with the mitigating factors (each individual juror can determine if they exist).

The jury then would have to unanimously agree that Christensen deserves the death penalty. If even one juror doesn't, he would be sentenced to life in prison.

 

[kittythehare]

a short vid about YY and her family.

 

[kittythehare]

Who is Brendt Christensen?