MA - Remains of 3 infants found, Erika Murray charged, Blackstone, Sept 2014

[Jewels53]

Alysha Palumbo NBC10 Boston‏Verified account @AlyshaNBCBoston
Defense attorney Keith Halpern starts his closing argument discussing the animal cruelty charges, 2 of the lesser charges Murray faces. @NBC10Boston @NECN #Blackstone #HouseofHorrors

Alysha Palumbo NBC10 Boston‏Verified account @AlyshaNBCBoston
Defense now turns to the reckless endangerment charges (2 counts) in regards to Murray’s 13yo daughter & 10yo son - these are the 2 children she acknowledged publicly. @NBC10Boston @NECN #Blackstone #HouseofHorrors

Alysha Palumbo NBC10 Boston‏Verified account @AlyshaNBCBoston
Defense: there’s evidence (the older children) did not know about (the younger children) until shortly before the neighbor discovered the 3yo & 5 month old girls alone and covered in feces @NBC10Boston @NECN #Blackstone #HouseofHorrors

 

[Jewels53]

Alysha Palumbo NBC10 Boston‏Verified account @AlyshaNBCBoston
Defense: “there’s no evidence anyone in the house ever suffered any injury as a result of the filth” in Murray’s home @NBC10Boston @NECN #Blackstone #HouseofHorrors

Alysha Palumbo NBC10 Boston‏Verified account @AlyshaNBCBoston
Defense: “there was no evidence that the filth in the house would be likely to cause these kids permanent disfigurement...or cause their death...or fatal disease” @NBC10Boston @NECN #Blackstone #HouseofHorrors

Alysha Palumbo NBC10 Boston‏Verified account @AlyshaNBCBoston
Since this is not a jury trial, the focus of closing arguments is based much less on emotion and much more on the law - and what was proved or not proved during this 8 day trial. @NBC10Boston @NECN #Blackstone #HouseofHorrors

 

[Jewels53]

Alysha Palumbo NBC10 Boston‏Verified account @AlyshaNBCBoston
Defense: “the reality of that home and the squalor was not comprehended...her isolation (from everyone but her boyfriend) is significant - there wasn’t normal, rational feedback from someone” @NBC10Boston @NECN #Blackstone #HouseofHorrors

Alysha Palumbo NBC10 Boston‏Verified account @AlyshaNBCBoston
Defense: “that doesn’t explain how you can’t smell what that house smelled like...the degree of obliviousness (by Rivera) is astounding but that fed upon Erika’s own obliviousness...it’s inconceivable” @NBC10Boston @NECN #Blackstone #HouseofHorrors

Alysha Palumbo NBC10 Boston‏Verified account @AlyshaNBCBoston
Defense: “When she talking about thinking, believing that she was a good mother...nobody suggests she was lying...she believed it...how do not look at that and say there was a gross distortion of her awareness of what was going on” @NBC10Boston @NECN #Blackstone #HouseofHorrors

 

[Jewels53]

Alysha Palumbo NBC10 Boston‏Verified account @AlyshaNBCBoston
Defense is now discussing the 2 charges of assault & battery of a child. Those charges apply to the 3yo & 5 month old girls found alone & covered in feces in Murray’s home. @NBC10Boston @NECN #Blackstone #HouseofHorrors

Alysha Palumbo NBC10 Boston‏Verified account @AlyshaNBCBoston
Defense: “there’s uncontroverted evidence that the way (the 5 month old) presented by the use of her limbs, her arms, wasn’t normal...but what caused it?” @NBC10Boston @NECN #Blackstone #HouseofHorrors

Alysha Palumbo NBC10 Boston‏Verified account @AlyshaNBCBoston
Defense:“there’s no evidence in the record of (the 5 month old) having any issue w/extensor tone after she was discharged from the hospital...also no evidence that it wasn’t a condition at birth, no evidence it was caused by neglect” @NBC10Boston @NECN #Blackstone #HouseofHorrors

 

[Jewels53]

Alysha Palumbo NBC10 Boston‏Verified account @AlyshaNBCBoston
Judge Kenton-Walker interrupts when defense attorney Halpern says the oldest daughter had the 5 month old sleeping in her room when they were found. Now they’re going back & forth on this. (I don’t remember that being said prior) @NBC10Boston @NECN #Blackstone #HouseofHorrors

Alysha Palumbo NBC10 Boston‏Verified account @AlyshaNBCBoston
Defense: “evidence leaves uncertainty whether they were caused at birth...by neglect...or both” argues even if judge believes the extensor tone issues were caused “by a lack of mobility” it still has to be protracted, which it wasn’t @NBC10Boston @NECN #Blackstone #HouseofHorrors

Alysha Palumbo NBC10 Boston‏Verified account @AlyshaNBCBoston
Defense on the 3yo girl’s lack of speech, rocking, finger fanning: “it’s impossible to know if these issues were caused by autism, neglect or both...but they’re known to be trademark symptoms (of autism)...Erika did not cause autism” @NBC10Boston @NECN #Blackstone #HouseofHorrors

 

[Jewels53]

Alysha Palumbo NBC10 Boston‏Verified account @AlyshaNBCBoston
Defense now turns to “Erika’s state of mind” in regards to the assault & battery charges - argues statute requires being “actually aware of the risk of serious bodily injury” @NBC10Boston @NECN #Blackstone #HouseofHorrors

Alysha Palumbo NBC10 Boston‏Verified account @AlyshaNBCBoston
Defense: “this isn’t about a lack of empathy, not caring...you have to understand what empathy is about, and that part was missing” @NBC10Boston @NECN #Blackstone #HouseofHorrors

Alysha Palumbo NBC10 Boston‏Verified account @AlyshaNBCBoston
Defense: “It wasn’t a decision she made to ignore the risks...her mental illness made her so consumed with fear...she didn’t see anything else other than getting through the day and keeping the secrets” @NBC10Boston @NECN #Blackstone #HouseofHorrors

 

[Jewels53]

Alysha Palumbo NBC10 Boston‏Verified account @AlyshaNBCBoston
Defense revisits the penciled in birth certificate: “her sense of reality was not distorted?! She wasn’t thinking beyond her need to keep things from Ray” @NBC10Boston @NECN #Blackstone #HouseofHorrors

Alysha Palumbo NBC10 Boston‏Verified account @AlyshaNBCBoston
Defense: “there are no facts in evidence that prove a homicide happened” @NBC10Boston @NECN #Blackstone #HouseofHorrors

Alysha Palumbo NBC10 Boston‏Verified account @AlyshaNBCBoston
Defense: “there’s no evidence establishing the baby was born alive..there’s no evidence establishing the baby died because of the condition of the home...she can’t be held criminally responsible for the decision to have a home birth” @NBC10Boston @NECN #Blackstone #HouseofHorrors

 

[Jewels53]

Alysha Palumbo NBC10 Boston‏Verified account @AlyshaNBCBoston
Defense: “is the theory that she never fed the baby, or she fed the baby for only a few days?...the fact that I’m asking these questions and there’s no evidence...means it’s speculation” @NBC10Boston @NECN #Blackstone #HouseofHorrors

Alysha Palumbo NBC10 Boston‏Verified account @AlyshaNBCBoston
Defense: “there is simply no evidence, there is nothing there, only speculation that - what are the odds the baby died of natural causes” @NBC10Boston @NECN #Blackstone #HouseofHorrors

Alysha Palumbo NBC10 Boston‏Verified account @AlyshaNBCBoston
Defense: “she never said she saw the baby in distress...or noticed any deterioration of any kind” - he cites the SJC: “disbelief of what a defendant told police is not a reason to believe the opposite” @NBC10Boston @NECN #Blackstone #HouseofHorrors

 

[Jewels53]

Alysha Palumbo NBC10 Boston‏Verified account @AlyshaNBCBoston
Defense: ”based on the evidence presented by the Commonwealth there’s nothing to allow an inference that Ms. Murray let the infant suffer...or died from neglect at all” @NBC10Boston @NECN #Blackstone #HouseofHorrors

Alysha Palumbo NBC10 Boston‏Verified account @AlyshaNBCBoston
Defense references the house of squalor as one of isolation: “you find innocent kids who were hurt by it all, not out of meanness...without any meaningful comprehension...it is a tragedy for everybody involved but not a murder” @NBC10Boston @NECN #Blackstone #HouseofHorrors

Alysha Palumbo NBC10 Boston‏Verified account @AlyshaNBCBoston
Defense is done with its closing. Prosecutor Christopher Halpern begins his closing saying, “was it the hand of fate or the hand of Erika Murray” that caused the suffering in Murray’s home @NBC10Boston @NECN #Blackstone #HouseofHorrors

 

[Jewels53]

Alysha Palumbo NBC10 Boston‏Verified account @AlyshaNBCBoston
Prosecutor on evidence photos: “You get a glimpse inside the home of Erika Murray, but you also get a glimpse inside the mind of Erika Murray” @NBC10Boston @NECN #Blackstone #HouseofHorrors

Alysha Palumbo NBC10 Boston‏Verified account @AlyshaNBCBoston
Prosecutor pushes his argument that there were 2 worlds in Murray’s home - darkness & light - the children who were hidden & unwanted, and the ones who were “the wanted” @NBC10Boston @NECN #Blackstone #HouseofHorrors

Alysha Palumbo NBC10 Boston‏Verified account @AlyshaNBCBoston
Prosecutor: “it was an environment of secrecy...no light, deprived of human contact...no medical care...missing basic milestones from human interaction” @NBC10Boston @NECN #Blackstone #HouseofHorrors

 

[Jewels53]

Alysha Palumbo NBC10 Boston‏Verified account @AlyshaNBCBoston
Prosecutor: “if autism was indeed in play, (the 3yo) should have been evaluated at 18 months...it would have made a world of difference” @NBC10Boston @NECN #Blackstone #HouseofHorrors

Alysha Palumbo NBC10 Boston‏Verified account @AlyshaNBCBoston
Prosecutor: “this was strong evidence of neglect” @NBC10Boston @NECN #Blackstone #HouseofHorr

Alysha Palumbo NBC10 Boston‏Verified account @AlyshaNBCBoston
Prosecutor: “The great strides (of the children) are not because the injuries aren’t serious or protracted...these children had received medical care for the first time in their lives” @NBC10Boston @NECN #Blackstone #HouseofHorrors

 

[Jewels53]

Alysha Palumbo NBC10 Boston‏Verified account @AlyshaNBCBoston
Prosecutor: “fecal matter throughout can spread disease, illness, even death...further exacerbated by infestation of fleas” @NBC10Boston @NECN #Blackstone #HouseofHorrors

Alysha Palumbo NBC10 Boston‏Verified account @AlyshaNBCBoston
Prosecutor: “I would argue there is malice in this case & it can be found in the defendant’s own statement” (during police interrogation) @NBC10Boston @NECN #Blackstone #HouseofHorrors

Alysha Palumbo NBC10 Boston‏Verified account @AlyshaNBCBoston
Prosecutor: “it does suggest that there were two sets of rules for children - one for the wanted and the neighbor’s children, and one for the unwanted” @NBC10Boston @NECN #Blackstone #HouseofHorrors

 

[Jewels53]

Alysha Palumbo NBC10 Boston‏Verified account @AlyshaNBCBoston
Prosecutor says of the 3 infant remains: “she dumped them in a closet, like objects...there was an intent to dispose of what could be incriminating” @NBC10Boston @NECN #Blackstone #HouseofHorrors

Alysha Palumbo NBC10 Boston‏Verified account @AlyshaNBCBoston
Prosecutor: “on the issue of dependent, avoidant, being forced to stay in the home” she did leave when needed and “she did claim her children when it was convenient to her and helpful to her” @NBC10Boston @NECN #Blackstone #HouseofHorrors

Alysha Palumbo NBC10 Boston‏Verified account @AlyshaNBCBoston
Prosecutor: “Did Erika Murray know what she was doing? Did she appreciate the risks? On the day the veil of secrecy was lifted she asked her (10yo son) how could you do this to me?” @NBC10Boston @NECN #Blackstone #HouseofHorrors

 

[Jewels53]

Alysha Palumbo NBC10 Boston‏Verified account @AlyshaNBCBoston
The prosecutor wraps up his closing argument saying this is a case about children. The judge says she will take the matter under advisement. She will issue a verdict at a later date. @NBC10Boston @NECN #Blackstone #HouseofHorrors

 

[Jewels53]

As arguments in the murder trial of Erika Murray drew to a close, one could be forgiven for thinking the prosecution and defense were describing different people.

Murray, Assistant District Attorney Christopher Hodgens said, was a serial liar who deliberately left her younger children to suffer in squalor while ensuring that her favored older children received necessary care.

“It all points to this idea of the two worlds that Erika Murray created. For [her youngest daughters,] there were obvious hazards in that home. Dangers. Children abandoned in that darkness," Hodgens said.

Defense attorney Keith Halpern sketched a contradictory picture -- one of a woman overwhelmed by her circumstances, living in fear of abandonment by her emotionally abusive husband, who was not capable of understanding just how bad her and her children’s living conditions had become.

“It wasn’t a decision she made to ignore the risks and jeopardize the health of her children," Halpern said. "She didn’t see anything else other than getting through the day and keeping the secrets.”

https://www.masslive.com/news/2019/06/blackstone-house-of-horrors-who-is-the-real-erika-murray-prosecution-and-defense-offer-two-very-different-images.html

 

[Jewels53]

I found some video's of parts of the trial.

Here is the Prosecutions Opening Statements

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[Jewels53]

Defense Opening Statements

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[Jewels53]

This is a short clip of both sides during Closing Arguments.

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[PajamaSleuth]

What a heartbreaking story. I hope the four remaining children are receiving the care they need and are happily blossoming.

From the tweets shared above about the trial I get the feeling that the judge is leaning toward the defense. It is so utterly horrible that I want to believe there was some compelling disability that led to this situation.... but after following the case I feel she is more manipulative than disabled — if that makes sense.

And I still can’t believe the “father” escaped all liability. Mind blown all around.

 

[Ksprincess2]

What a heartbreaking story. I hope the four remaining children are receiving the care they need and are happily blossoming.

From the tweets shared above about the trial I get the feeling that the judge is leaning toward the defense. It is so utterly horrible that I want to believe there was some compelling disability that led to this situation.... but after following the case I feel she is more manipulative than disabled — if that makes sense.

And I still can’t believe the “father” escaped all liability. Mind blown all around.

I think the Father hasn't gone to trial yet, not 100% sure though. I'm sure they will both get off way too easy.