Laura Babcock Murder Trial 10.23.17 - Day 1, Opening Statements

[Kamille]

i think he is trying to create some doubt in the Jury's mind.

Basically, he's trying to suggest that her father beat her, kicked her out of the house, had unreasonable demands. I took her in, looked after her, blah blah blah. He's trying to set up the father as a possible alternate as to who killed Laura.

I think that's what he's trying to do.

Brutal!

I think it's more like "her life with her parent's was brutal, which led to her mental breakdown. Eventually they kicked her out, she turned to prostitution and now she's missing. She could be anywhere, alive or dead, but I, DM, did nothing to her. I last saw/spoke to her on July 3rd, gave her some drugs and cash for the Ipad and haven't seen her since."

MOO

 

[EspressoBean]

There was enough evidence to go to trial. She chose to strike a deal and plead guilty. The evidence against her in both trials is largely circumstantial and there isn't nearly as much of it against her as there was against both of the accused because she didn't actually participate in the murders. Makes you wonder sometimes though who was the mastermind behind all of it and why DM's killing spree seemed to start after he met her.

MOO

The judge had said that there was insufficient evidence to prove her guilt beyond doubt. She plead guilty with a gentle slap. Likely this case will be the same in that there will the overall understanding that she holds blame but the irrefutable evidence isn't there. JMO

 

[SomeITGuy]

Any other @TrialLive subs notice the tweets have stopped..

 

[EspressoBean]

Do we know if Millard and Smich are sitting at the same table?

Yes. They are.

 

[EspressoBean]

Yes. They are.

At least I'm almost certain they are.....I can't find the tweet now.

 

[Kamille]

The judge had said that there was insufficient evidence to prove her guilt beyond doubt. She plead guilty with a gentle slap. Likely this case will be the same in that there will the overall understanding that she holds blame but the irrefutable evidence isn't there. JMO

The judge felt that based on the discovery evidence there was likely insufficient evidence to prove her guilt beyond doubt. What he didn't have the benefit of was a trial, with witnesses and attorneys fishing for more info, especially from MB. If the case had been tried in front of a jury, she would likely have been found guilty. Her attorney knew that and she had been instructed to opt for a trial by judge only based on the discovery evidence that they had. I think the vibe in the courtroom might have changed had the judge had the opportunity to see the witnesses and watch them lie in real time. No doubt keeping MB off the witness stand played a big role in getting all parties to agree to a slap on the wrist.

MOO

 

[SnooperDuper]

Cristina Tenaglia‏Verified account @cristina_CP24
Live at 1pm re Babcock. Unusual elements of this case: No body of victim ever recovered. Accused Dellen Millard is representing himself.

Lisa Hepfner‏ @HefCHCHNews
Did Laura ever mention borderline personality disorder? She mentioned a psychiatrist, had books that inferred an issue, but didn't say what

Lisa Hepfner‏ @HefCHCHNews
One time Laura threw something out of anger & her mom called police. She didn't press charges though. #Babcock #Millard #Smich

Lisa Hepfner‏ @HefCHCHNews
Babcock's parents changed the locks in part because Laura was partying a lot and had a group of friends they didn't know.

Lisa Hepfner‏ @HefCHCHNews
But if she knew where the key was hidden, how does it stop her from coming in w her friends? #Babcock dad says it helped them keep track.

Lisa Hepfner‏ @HefCHCHNews
Babcock's father didn't think she was drinking to excess. He had no evidence she did illegal drugs, but assumed she did some.

 

[Ms.elle]

Years ago my ex told me about a girl he'd dated when he was late teens / early twenties. He knew it couldn't go anywhere but she was really into him. So when he ended it, he didn't just end it. He said he ended it and made sure she'd hate him. His reasoning was this was kinder in the long run because if she hated him, she'd get over him and move on. He's an idiot but he's not a jerk so it was surprising to me that he did that. I've never asked him what he did to make sure she'd hate him, but we have people in common so I know for a fact she's alive and well.

My point is if I was on the receiving end of those texts, I'd think he was going to hurt her feelings / embarrass her so she wouldn't be around anymore. I'd tell him forget it, just stay away from her.
I'd also probably roll my eyes and assume that he was just trying to trash her to me so I wouldn't be threatened by her and would quit being upset with him.

This was almost a year before Tim Bosma and as far as we know prior to Laura, Millard didn't kill anyone. And, there was no reason for anyone to think he did or to think he would kill anyone.

I'd say maybe there's more that we haven't heard yet that's more incriminating towards Cristina but I doubt it or more charges would have been filed against her.

That said, if I were to get a text like that and then the subject of that text were to mysteriously go missing I would stop and think 'hmmmm....'
But Cristina seems as narcissistic as her ex, so given that the issue of Laura missing wasn't about her, I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't register with her.

 

[SnooperDuper]

Shannon Martin‏ @ShannonMartinTV
Dungey asks Laura's father about her drinking or drug use. He says he didn't know her to drink excessively, but she had "taken marijuana."

Lisa Hepfner‏ @HefCHCHNews
Her dad didn't know Laura slept in a park occasionally or worked as an escort. Says the way ppl dress these days, how do you tell?

Shannon Martin‏ @ShannonMartinTV
Dungey asks if Laura's father was aware she was working as an escort. Clayton said he didn't know.

Lisa Hepfner‏ @HefCHCHNews
Laura #Babcock's father is finished testimony. Lunch break. #Millard #Smich

 

[EspressoBean]

Years ago my ex told me about a girl he'd dated when he was late teens / early twenties. He knew it couldn't go anywhere but she was really into him. So when he ended it, he didn't just end it. He said he ended it and made sure she'd hate him. His reasoning was this was kinder in the long run because if she hated him, she'd get over him and move on. He's an idiot but he's not a jerk so it was surprising to me that he did that. I've never asked him what he did to make sure she'd hate him, but we have people in common so I know for a fact she's alive and well.

My point is if I was on the receiving end of those texts, I'd think he was going to hurt her feelings / embarrass her so she wouldn't be around anymore. I'd tell him forget it, just stay away from her.
I'd also probably roll my eyes and assume that he was just trying to trash her to me so I wouldn't be threatened by her and would quit being upset with him.

This was almost a year before Tim Bosma and as far as we know prior to Laura, Millard didn't kill anyone. And, there was no reason for anyone to think he did or to think he would kill anyone.

I'd say maybe there's more that we haven't heard yet that's more incriminating towards Cristina but I doubt it or more charges would have been filed against her.

That said, if I were to get a text like that and then the subject of that text were to mysteriously go missing I would stop and think 'hmmmm....'
But Cristina seems as narcissistic as her ex, so given that the issue of Laura missing wasn't about her, I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't register with her.

I'm pretty sure it registered with CN. Just proving that it registered is the issue. They are many things, but neither DM or CN are stupid, IMO. DM just felt a bit too untouchable after 2 murders under his belt and his game fell apart. JMO

 

[Kamille]

Years ago my ex told me about a girl he'd dated when he was late teens / early twenties. He knew it couldn't go anywhere but she was really into him. So when he ended it, he didn't just end it. He said he ended it and made sure she'd hate him. His reasoning was this was kinder in the long run because if she hated him, she'd get over him and move on. He's an idiot but he's not a jerk so it was surprising to me that he did that. I've never asked him what he did to make sure she'd hate him, but we have people in common so I know for a fact she's alive and well.

My point is if I was on the receiving end of those texts, I'd think he was going to hurt her feelings / embarrass her so she wouldn't be around anymore. I'd tell him forget it, just stay away from her.
I'd also probably roll my eyes and assume that he was just trying to trash her to me so I wouldn't be threatened by her and would quit being upset with him.

This was almost a year before Tim Bosma and as far as we know prior to Laura, Millard didn't kill anyone. And, there was no reason for anyone to think he did or to think he would kill anyone.

I'd say maybe there's more that we haven't heard yet that's more incriminating towards Cristina but I doubt it or more charges would have been filed against her.

That said, if I were to get a text like that and then the subject of that text were to mysteriously go missing I would stop and think 'hmmmm....'
But Cristina seems as narcissistic as her ex, so given that the issue of Laura missing wasn't about her, I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't register with her.

Except it's also around the time DM was texting pictures of the guns he was buying to CN. And I believe he and CN had been with his gun dealer socially.

And IMO, narcissistic is a very mild way to describe CN.

MOO

 

[Ms.elle]

I'm pretty sure it registered with CN. Just proving that it registered is the issue. They are many things, but neither DM or CN are stupid, IMO. DM just felt a bit too untouchable after 2 murders under his belt and his game fell apart. JMO

But that's my point. PRIOR to Laura, he had zero murders under his belt that we know of. It's one thing to look at that text now and understand it for what it is BUT at the time, with the information that was available it would have been a helluva lot crazier to make the leap to "he's going to kill her" than it would have been to assume just about anything else instead.

 

[JuneBug67]

Little wonder that Noudga wanted to be in Timbuktu, Poland by the time of this trial.

 

[SnooperDuper]

Little wonder that Noudga wanted to be in Timbuktu, Poland by the time of this trial.

Poznan - English-language medical school there.

Yeah no doubt.

 

[Ms.elle]

Except it's also around the time DM was texting pictures of the guns he was buying to CN. And I believe he and CN had been with his gun dealer socially.

And IMO, narcissistic is a very mild way to describe CN.

MOO

I'm seriously looking forward to the romantic timeline to this case. I'm amazed that DM was able to find one girl interested in him let alone multiple. I feel like he'd be annoying to be around and something about him strikes me as being clammy. What was it about him that CN thought was worth the indignity of first being his side piece when he had a fiancee to him cheating on her with multiple others when she was supposed to be his main squeeze?

 

[Ms.elle]

Is there a witness list / schedule of who will testify when available anywhere?

 

[cansleuther]

A little background information on LB and CN, via Abro's book:

Laura Babcock liked to meet men through online dating sites. If they met with her approval, she would sometimes invite them out again with friends, including Christina Noudga and <K>. Most of the time, the man would end up picking up the tab for all the young women. Then, as part of their game, they would figure out which of the women the man should date. Babcock liked to play matchmaker &#8211; and sometimes match un-maker. This type of fooling around was fun at first for many of her friends, but it often lost its appeal and resulted in rifts. Not long before Babcock disappeared, her friendships with Christina and <K> had reached a breaking point. Babcock had moved in on Noudga&#8217;s territory, sleeping with Millard and gossiping to her friends about it.

 

[EspressoBean]

But that's my point. PRIOR to Laura, he had zero murders under his belt that we know of. It's one thing to look at that text now and understand it for what it is BUT at the time, with the information that was available it would have been a helluva lot crazier to make the leap to "he's going to kill her" than it would have been to assume just about anything else instead.

Absolutely agreed. I don't think from that text, she knew and I don't actually believe she knew it was happening. I think her awareness did come after the fact, though but that might have involved being an accessory to which there would not be sufficient evidence, IMO. I think we are on the same page.

 

[loveisthemovement]

Even Millard's phrasing of his questions are of a narcissistic tone.

It must be weird for Dungey to be an "equal" with Millard on this case.

#randomthoughts

 

[SnooperDuper]

The CBC live blog featuring Trevor Dunn and Shannon Martin is here:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/laura-babcock-trial-blog-1.4367180