GUILTY MA - Colleen Ritzer, 24, brutally murdered, Danvers, 22 Oct 2013 #2

[coastal]

From jacct's post #178 (page 12):

Bob Ward Fox25Verified account ‏@Bward3 1m1 minute ago
Dr. Jackson prescribed #PhilipChism anti psychotic medication to help organize his thinking.

and

allison manningVerified account ‏@allymanning 24s24 seconds ago
He was put on Risperdal, an anti-psychosis. Everyone noticed a difference, including #PhilipChism. He asked for a second dose.

From jacct's post #182 (this page):

Bob Ward Fox25Verified account ‏@Bward3 1m1 minute ago
DA: #PhilipChism chose to skip his meds last day in hospital?Dr. Jackson yes.

If I was on this jury, the fact that PC chose not to take medication that clearly helped him would go into my "not insane" column.
MOO

Thank you again, jacct, for posting the tweets of this trial.
God bless Colleen Ritzer and all who love her.

 

[jacct]

Laura Crimaldi ‏@lauracrimaldi 1m1 minute ago
Jury is back in courtroom. Judge David Lowy is discussing scheduling issues.

Bob Ward Fox25Verified account ‏@Bward3 1m1 minute ago
Judge Lowy is telling #PhilipChism jury it may get the case a week from Friday.

Bob Ward Fox25Verified account ‏@Bward3 1m1 minute ago
Lowy telling #PhilipChism jurors you won't be needed in court tomorrow (Thursday). Come back Friday 9AM.

Julie Manganis ‏@SNJulieManganis 53s54 seconds ago
The jury is being told that they CAN go shopping at Liberty Tree Mall or BJ's - it's okay. As long as they just shop.

Laurel J. SweetVerified account ‏@Laurel_Sweet 57s58 seconds ago
Jurors will take tomorrow off while the trial teams tackle matters not for their ears.

Laura Crimaldi ‏@lauracrimaldi 1m1 minute ago
court is in recess until tomorrow.

 

[Skigirl]

I'm glad that the ADA brought up the possibility of a personality disorder. I can see several potentially fitting, including narcissistic and borderline in addition to the others she mentioned.

 

[MsJosie]

Will the items discuss tomorrow in court be in open court? TY

 

[trixandhoney]

I just finished watching the opening statements and day 1 testimony. I would not want to be a defense attorney up against Kate MacDougall.

 

[AnaTeresa]

Will the items discuss tomorrow in court be in open court? TY

It should be.

 

[jacct]

Will the items discuss tomorrow in court be in open court? TY

The hearings have been livestreamed previously so I assume this hearing will be as well. Reporters are planning to be in court and tweeting so if there isn't a livestream we will still get info on the hearing.

 

[MsJosie]

Juveniles cannot be sentenced to life without the possibility of parole and cannot be sentenced to death.

What is the longest he can get for this murder? He still would have another trial for trying to kill the lady working at the 'holding center' he was at, correct? Would that sentence be added onto what he may receive for the first murder?

It is scary to thnk he will be out on the streets again since he cannot get life.

Thanks

 

[jacct]

FYI - Daubert hearing on regarding Dr. Gur isn't scheduled to start until 1:00pm EST today.

Twitter link: https://twitter.com/hashtag/philipchism?f=tweets&vertical=default

Livestream link: http://www.wildabouttrial.com/one_off/live-stream-3/

 

[AnaTeresa]

He can receive sentences for each of the charges in this case, and the judge may assign them consecutively or concurrently. While under the new law Chism is required to be eligible for parole in twenty to thirty years, that is no guarantee of release - only that he is granted an appearance before the parole board. The parole board still holds the keys whether or not to release him. I don't believe there is a cap for sentences for juveniles in Massachusetts, other than they cannot be sentenced to life without parole. So there's nothing that says the judge can't sentence him to say, eighty years, where he's eligible for parole after twenty but keeps being denied. The law isn't that juveniles must be released, but merely have an opportunity for parole. Functionally, it doesn't change much.

This is all just for Colleen's death. After this case is over, there will be the case for the attack at the detention center. That sentence can be run concurrently or consecutively to the sentence in Colleen's case. The decision is up to the judge. Given the crimes involved, it will likely be run consecutively. :twocents:

 

[AnaTeresa]

Here's some info on Daubert hearings and what to expect this afternoon.

Standard used by a trial judge to make a preliminary assessment of whether an expert’s scientific testimony is based on reasoning or methodology that is scientifically valid and can properly be applied to the facts at issue. Under this standard, the factors that may be considered in determining whether the methodology is valid are: (1) whether the theory or technique in question can be and has been tested; (2) whether it has been subjected to peer review and publication; (3) its known or potential error rate; (4) the existence and maintenance of standards controlling its operation; and (5) whether it has attracted widespread acceptance within a relevant scientific community. See Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 509 U.S. 579 (1993). The Daubert standard is the test currently used in the federal courts and some state courts. In the federal courts, it replaced the Frye standard.

https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/daubert_standard

And, if you want more in-depth explanation of how Daubert is navigated by trial lawyers, here is a guide I found titled "How to Survive Daubert in Nine Easy Lessons." There's a lot of great stuff in here about different tactics one can use as an attorney.

http://www.diamondmccarthy.com/files/howtosurvivedaubertin9easylessons.pdf

 

[MsJosie]

He can receive sentences for each of the charges in this case, and the judge may assign them consecutively or concurrently. While under the new law Chism is required to be eligible for parole in twenty to thirty years, that is no guarantee of release - only that he is granted an appearance before the parole board. The parole board still holds the keys whether or not to release him. I don't believe there is a cap for sentences for juveniles in Massachusetts, other than they cannot be sentenced to life without parole. So there's nothing that says the judge can't sentencing him to say, eighty years, where he's eligible for parole after twenty but keeps being denied. The law isn't that juveniles must be released, but merely have an opportunity for parole. Functionally, it doesn't change much.

This is all just for Colleen's death. After this case is over, there will be the case for the attack at the detention center. That sentence can be run concurrently or consecutively to the sentence in Colleen's case. The decision is up to the judge. Given the crimes involved, it will likely be run consecutively. :twocents:

Thank you for the explanation.


Does anyone know if his dad or any supporters other than his mom, has been in court?

 

[jacct]

Thank you for the explanation.


Does anyone know if his dad or any supporters other than his mom, has been in court?

I went back through the tweets and it seems only the mother and a friend of the mother have been in court for PC.

His grandfather Eduardo Barbieri lives in FL and testifed a few days ago for the defense but hasn't been in the courtroom. He hasn't seen Philip since 2010 and rarely speaks with him on the phone. Stacy Chism, the father, hasn't been in the courtroom and hasn't seen Philip since he was 10. Claudia Rodriguez, friend of the mother Diana, has been in courtroom with the mother and testified for the defense.

 

[jacct]

allison manningVerified account ‏@allymanning 2m2 minutes ago
Dr. Ruben Gur, a neurologist, will appear in court via video to discuss his findings.

allison manningVerified account ‏@allymanning 2m2 minutes ago
Gur wrote that MRIs done in Sept found "volume abnormalities indicating brain damage ..."

allison manningVerified account ‏@allymanning 1m1 minute ago
"These abnormalities are in regions that are very important for regulating emotions and behavior."

Ethan Hartley ‏@Ehartley_DH_BC 3m3 minutes ago Salem, MA
No jury today but defense will take testimony in hearing via video from Dr. Ruben Gur and Dr. Theodore Satterthwaite about #PhilipChism

Ruben Gur, PhD . Professor of Psychology Director of the Brain Behavior Laboratory Member of University of Pennsylvania Psychiatry Department since 1984. His wife is Dr. Rachel Gur, Professor of Psychiatry Neurology and Radiology at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine where she directs the Neuropsychiatry Section.


It was Rachel Gur that testified about James Holmes. She also wanted to use MRI to show that Holmes brain was shrinking and showed brain damage. She diagnosed Holmes with schizophrenia based partially on the MRIs, the only Dr. that said Holmes had schizophrenia.

 

[jacct]

allison manningVerified account ‏@allymanning 2m2 minutes ago
Motion to exclude testimony also includes mention of antisocial personality disorder, something the ADA asked about yesterday.

Julie Manganis ‏@SNJulieManganis 1m1 minute ago
Hearing has just started in #PhilipChism case.

Ethan Hartley ‏@Ehartley_DH_BC 54s54 seconds ago Salem, MA
Defense says MRI showed specific areas of significantly reduced volume within #PhilipChism brain and is consistent with schizophrenia.

And there it is, the same argument made in the Holmes case. Shrinking brain resulting in schizophrenia.

 

[jacct]

allison manningVerified account ‏@allymanning 3m3 minutes ago
Defense atty Regan: Brain images are consistent with schizophrenia.

allison manningVerified account ‏@allymanning 53s54 seconds ago
That then informs the defense expert's opinion that "#PhilipChism has a psychotic disorder not otherwise specified," Regan says.

Ethan Hartley ‏@Ehartley_DH_BC 1m1 minute ago Salem, MA
Judge criticizes defense and expert's report. "He sure says 'would' a lot" "How did you get from this data to this opinion?"

Julie Manganis ‏@SNJulieManganis 54s55 seconds ago
Defense wants their expert to tell jury that MRI on #PhilipChism shows reduced Brain volume in certain areas.

Julie Manganis ‏@SNJulieManganis 1m1 minute ago
He says that such findings are also seen in patients with schizophrenia.

Julie Manganis ‏@SNJulieManganis 40s41 seconds ago
Dr. Ruben Gur would testify that #PhilipChism Bain has signs consistent with an unspecified psychotic disorder.

Laurel J. SweetVerified account ‏@Laurel_Sweet 1m1 minute ago
Gur is testifying by video from what appears to be a campus classroom. #PhilipChism counsel Denise Regan leads the questioning.

allison manningVerified account ‏@allymanning 54s54 seconds ago
Majority of Gur's research has been into brain imaging and linking those images to behavior.

Ethan Hartley ‏@Ehartley_DH_BC 1m1 minute ago Salem, MA
Gur's many areas of research include psychosis, schizophrenia and severe depression and they affect brain.

Laurel J. SweetVerified account ‏@Laurel_Sweet 37s37 seconds ago
Gur examined two sets of MRIs from Brigham and Women's Hospital conducted on brain of #PhilipChism this fall.

 

[Rayemonde]

This is kind of a red herring, because it's not possible to diagnose schizophrenia through brain scans. Maybe one day we will be able to, but not yet.

 

[AnaTeresa]

It's never a good sign when the judge is criticizing an expert's report from the bench during the hearing.

 

[RoiPD86]

This is kind of a red herring, because it's not possible to diagnose schizophrenia through brain scans. Maybe one day we will be able to, but not yet.

https://news.unchealthcare.org/news...hrenia-just-as-complex-as-the-disorder-itself

Although just to be fair this article seems to state that symptoms of the disorder or related disorders can be associated with discrete changes in the brain seen with sensitive pinpoint imaging. But I would have to agree that a firm diagnosis from a brain scan is not yet being done.

 

[jacct]

Julie Manganis ‏@SNJulieManganis 1m1 minute ago
Gur says MRI is the only reliable way to measure brain volume - in living people.

Laurel J. SweetVerified account ‏@Laurel_Sweet 50s50 seconds ago
Short of "putting the brain in a bucket of water," Gur says MIR most reliable instrument of volumetric measure.

Julie Manganis ‏@SNJulieManganis 2m2 minutes ago
MRI has been used in research for around 35 years.

allison manningVerified account ‏@allymanning 2m2 minutes ago
Volumetrics are the raw data that images are created from.

Julie Manganis ‏@SNJulieManganis 2m2 minutes ago
The Penn study has resulted in data on size of brains of 1601 children who volunteered when being treated at Philly hospital.

Ethan Hartley ‏@Ehartley_DH_BC 59s59 seconds ago Salem, MA
#PhilipChism MRI was compared to 61 healthy teens aged 15-17, taken from a large scale NIH study in Philadelphia.

Laurel J. SweetVerified account ‏@Laurel_Sweet 1m1 minute ago
That's nearly triple the size of a typical control group in such a study.

allison manningVerified account ‏@allymanning 1m1 minute ago
Regan: Did you find abnormalities on #PhilipChism's brain. Gur: Yes.Consistent with schizophrenia.

Ethan Hartley ‏@Ehartley_DH_BC 1m1 minute ago Salem, MA
Gur testifies he found abnormalities in #PhilipChism brain consistent w/schizophrenia: including the orbital frontal area and hippocampus

I am missing the livestream. How did Gur conclude Chism has schizophrenia by comparing his MRI to 61 healthy teen brains? Wish the tweets had more info.