GUILTY MI - April Millsap, 14, Armada, 24 July 2014 #2

[Chelly]

Courtchatter
4 hrs ·
‪#‎VanCallisTrial‬ - Defense says a guilty verdict by this jury would amount to sympathy for April Millsap.

Courtchatter
4 hrs ·
‪#‎VanCallisTrial‬ - Judge Mary denies defense motion of directed verdict.

 

[Chelly]

Courtchatter
4 hrs ·
‪#‎VanCallisTrial‬ - James VanCallis will NOT testify.

 

[Chelly]

Courtchatter
4 hrs ·
‪#‎VanCallisTrial‬ - That's it. Defense calling NO witnesses.

<Holy Smokes! The defense is not putting on a case!>

 

[Chelly]

Courtchatter
4 hrs ·
&#8234;#&#8206;VanCallisTrial&#8236; - All that talk about defense expert, O'Kelly...and he never gets called to the stand.

 

[Chelly]

Courtchatter
4 hrs ·
&#8234;#&#8206;VanCallisTrial&#8236; - Closing arguments Friday.

 

[Chelly]

&#8234;#&#8206;VanCallisTrial&#8236; - Judge Mary told jury they can deliberate as late as they want to each day but must go until at least 5pm.

 

[Chelly]

In my opinion, that defense attorney is too lazy and unprepared to put on a case.

 

[geevee]

In my opinion, that defense attorney is too lazy and unprepared to put on a case.

Hiya Chelly. I've been watching the trial daily, and in agreement, this defense attny seemed far too disorganized and unprepared during the state's case, not all that surprised he had no witnesses at all, not even his 'cell phone expert'. I feel pretty comfortable they have the right person but still, I won't be amazed if it's a hung jury, there may be a few who refuse to convict without DNA, an eyewitness to the actual crime or a video/cell pic of it.

 

[tlcya]

Wonder what the expert found. Interesting defense opted. Not to use him . . .

Sent from my XT1058 using Tapatalk

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

I was away last week and spent little time on the internet. Access from a cruise ship is painfully slow, and I ended up not even using up my "free" minutes. I read a couple of pages here and a few Detroit News articles about the trial, but mostly caught up since I've been home.

Defense case seems very weak, and the 'Hail Mary' request for directed verdict reeks of desperation. I hope there will be justice for April :rose:

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Van Callis won’t take stand in Millsap murder trial

Oralandar Brand-Williams, The Detroit News 4:40 p.m. EST February 3, 2016

James VanCallis, the St. Clair County man charged in the killing of 14-year-old April Millsap, said Wednesday he would not take the stand in his own defense.

VanCallis, 34, was charged with first-degree and felony murder, kidnapping and attempted sexual assault in the slaying of Millsap, whose body was found in a ditch along the Macomb Orchard Trail in July 2014. The girl had been beaten and stomped to death.

Closing arguments in the case will begin at 9 a.m. Friday. Macomb Circuit Judge Mary A. Chrzanowski told jurors Wednesday to prepare for a long day, even telling them they could deliberate as late as 9 p.m.

The prosecution and the defense rested Wednesday...

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/ne...2016/02/03/van-callis-millsap-trial/79778908/

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Judge rejects VanCallis dismissal motion; closing arguments Friday

By Jameson Cook, The Macomb Daily

Posted: 02/03/16, 3:06 PM EST | Updated: 2 hrs ago
14 Comments

Closing arguments in the James VanCallis trial will take place Friday after a judge rejected his motion to drop the case, and VanCallis declined to testify in his defense.

Judge Mary Chrzanowski said the prosecution has presented enough evidence during the trial for the jury to consider whether VanCallis killed April Millsap in July 2014 along the Macomb Orchard Trail in Armada.

“There is a significant amount of circumstantial evidence for a jury to conclude the defendant was present” in the area of the murder, Chrzanowski said from the bench in denying the directed-verdict motion.

The ruling came minutes after VanCallis informed her, “I will not testify,” in reply to his attorney, Azhar Sheikh.

The defense did not present a single witness...

http://www.macombdaily.com/general-...lis-dismissal-motion-closing-arguments-friday

 

[Lacyanna]

Good Morning all,

VanCallis closing arguments are getting ready to start. The first impression of what the prosecution is going to focus on. Somewhat haunting and simple.

 

[Lacyanna]

"Penny showed us where the body was, but April's iPhone told us who killed her"

 

[Lacyanna]

"Absence of Evidence doesn't mean Evidence of Absence!"

I hope you all get a chance to watch the video of this prosecutor's closing statement. WOW! Powerful.

 

[Lacyanna]

All people who saw April and Killer had said things in common

 

[Lacyanna]

When you narrow it down to what all witnesses recall, it was those eyes...

 

[Chelly]

http://www.courtchatter.com/#!james-vancallis-trial-live-stream-2/ctu5

Link for live stream closing arguments. Streaming now.

 

[Lacyanna]

Prosecution has delivered it's closing statement. We are on break.

Here are a couple more captures that may be of interest:

 

[Lacyanna]

I don't know how I missed it, but during closing-the prosecution was talking about a moment when James became irate. I believe it was something to do with putting the helmet on. Did he shout or freak out? Can anyone point me to the video which contains that?

Thanks!