GUILTY MI - Venus Stewart, 32, Colon, 28 April 2010 - #11

[samirosenjacken]

I just don't see how Doug will weasel his way out of this.. today's testimony was damning to say the least.. Too bad he can't get the death penalty!

 

[cluciano63]

I hadn't noticed this thread here until today, I was looking under Trials...
Wow, Michigan seems to get people to trial quickly; I am surprised he was not able to delay, delay, delay...

 

[mysticrose]

Doug Stewart's alleged accomplice testifies he helped with plans to kill Venus Stewart
Published: Monday, February 28, 2011, 12:35 PM

CENTREVILLE — Richard “Ricky” Spencer III said he thought the children of Doug Stewart were in danger, so he agreed to be an accomplice as Doug Stewart made plans to kill his wife, Venus Stewart, Spencer testified Monday morning.


“Is this why you decided to help your best friend?” St. Joseph County Prosecutor John McDonough asked Spencer during questioning.

“Yes,” said Spencer, 21, of Bear, Del.

Doug Stewart is charged with first-degree premeditated murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree premeditated murder in connection with the disappearance and presumed slaying of his estranged wife, Venus.

http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2011/02/post_122.html

 

[mysticrose]

Alleged accomplice tells how Doug Stewart planned to kill his wife
Published: Monday, February 28, 2011, 4:40 PM

CENTREVILLE — Richard “Ricky” Spencer III pretended to be his friend Doug Stewart by wearing his oversized clothes, buying a double cheeseburger with his credit card and even calling Doug's parents, mimicking their son, Spencer testified Monday.

While Spencer disguised himself and stayed in his friend's apartment in Newport News, Va., Doug Stewart drove to Michigan with “plans to take care of business,” Spencer said.

Spencer testified that Stewart told him: “'There's a good chance that I could get away with this. I'll always be under the radar and live the rest of my life. This is where I want you to come in, Ricky. I want you to be my alibi."

http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2011/02/alleged_accomplice_tells_how_d.html

 

[cluciano63]

Wow, I don't see any way he is not convicted. But I also do not see any way he will say where Venus is either, I'm afraid. There's no DP in Michigan, so it's LWOP either way, I'd guess.

 

[mysticrose]

Witness testifies that he impersonated Doug Stewart to provide an alibi


SNIP>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Spencer says a few weeks later, the pair met in Maryland, where Stewart gave Spencer the items he'd need to impersonate him.

“He gave me car keys, clicker, tracking phone, shoes, socks, pants, a hoodie,” said Spencer.

Spencer says Stewart also gave him a list of tasks to complete, including impersonating him on the phone with Stewart's father.

Spencer says surveillance photos captured him posing as Stewart at Stewart's apartment, making sure the camera didn't capture a clear picture. Early the next morning, Spencer testified he got a phone call from Stewart.

“He said the plan's off,” said Spencer. “He got pulled over in Ohio, I was glad. He seemed pissed off.”

Spencer says that because the plan was scrapped that weekend, he sent Stewart his belongings, but Stewart wasn't giving up, telling Spencer that he had to help with the plan a second time, or the situation could get worse.

“He was talking about going there and killing anyone inside the house besides his kids instead of making it look like just Venus disappeared,” said Spencer. “I told him, okay dude, I'll be your alibi again, I didn't want more people to get injured.”

http://www.wwmt.com/articles/newschannel-1387905-county-provide.html

 

[Coldpizza]

Doug Stewart, Drew Peterson, Scott Peterson, Josh Powell, the list goes on and on.....I hope they all go down to the depths of the earth.

Thank you to all keeping us updated on the trial. May Venus and her family get justice and Peace.

 

[maggieo]

Thanks so much for the updates, everyone! I've been so worried that yet another guy will get off because he hid the body well; I'm feeling a little more confident that justice will happen.

RIP Venus. I think about you and your children often...

 

[Tugela]

If the photo's dont have a clear shot of him, how can they be sure that it actually is him?

I hope they are not going to just take his word for it and have something to corroborate all of this because it is pretty bizarre.

 

[ChasingMoxie]

If the photo's dont have a clear shot of him, how can they be sure that it actually is him?

I hope they are not going to just take his word for it and have something to corroborate all of this because it is pretty bizarre.

Yesterday before my feed went sort of haywire, they were addressing this by specifically asking things like "how do you know that it's you in the image?" and Spencer would say things like "you can tell because I walk on my toes, I always have since i was a child, I can't seem to stop doing it, so you can see that I'm walking weird like that" and also, all of the clothes were way too big for him, and the shoes, so he mentions that you can tell how baggy Doug's clothes are on him because Doug is so much larger. He was asked to describe every image of camera footage they have, I saw them going through the 80s, so there were MANY images - for every one, RS says "This is a picture of me wearing Doug's shirt, hoody, shorts, shoes and socks, and hat, and you can see the piece of paper in my pocket with Doug's address on it that he gave to me, and I have the Wendy's bag of food that I bought with Doug's credit card.

It's tedious, but it's also wonderful, because with each passing image the cell doors close a little tighter for the rest of Doug's pathetic life.

ETA: Also, once the initial plan fell through and they decided to try a second time, RS stops hiding his face, because Doug says "they won't be checking the footage from that day anymore" so there are some clear images of RS not hiding his face or trying to be sneaky from the end of the initial failed attempt.

 

[mysticrose]

Spencer: Doug described killing Venus
Ricky Spencer testifies against Doug Stewart
Updated: Tuesday, 01 Mar 2011, 12:46 PM EST
Published : Tuesday, 01 Mar 2011, 6:33 AM EST



CENTREVILLE, Mich. (WOOD) - Ricky Spencer, the main witness for the prosecution, broke down on the stand Tuesday morning as he testified how Doug Stewart said he killed his wife, Venus, in April 2010.

Her body has never been found.

This is the second day of testimony for Spencer.

Venus' friends and family also broke down as they listened to Spencer, the Delaware man who claims he pretended to be Doug to provide him an alibi, describe the killing.

Doug put her in a headlock, Spencer testified, and a drop of blood came from her nose.

Doug, he said, said he did it to give his kids "some type of future," but had to find another burial spot because there were people around the spot he planned to use.

After his cell phone conversation with Doug, Spencer said Venus' parents called Doug's cell phone. He did not answer the call.

more here................... : http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local/sw_mich/Doug-Stewart-murder-trial-March-1-2011

 

[samirosenjacken]

I was gone all AM.. is there a way to see what happened today? I didn't know if there was an archive of the proceedings.

 

[mysticrose]

Photos:

http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/entertainment/photo_galleries/Photos-Doug-Stewarts-murder-trial

 

[mysticrose]

I was gone all AM.. is there a way to see what happened today? I didn't know if there was an archive of the proceedings.

Yes you can watch it at this link live:

http://www.woodtv.com/subindex/video/live_video

It seems they are having tech. difficulties right now though ...

 

[mysticrose]

12:59 WOOD TV8: We once again have a live feed from the courtroom. The trial will begin for the afternoon session soon.

Tuesday March 1, 2011 12:59 WOOD TV8
1:12 DaniCarlsonTV8: Stewart trial starts up after lunch break [via Twitter]

Tuesday March 1, 2011 1:12 DaniCarlsonTV8
1:15 DaniCarlsonTV8: First witness takes the stand after lunch, David Gatling, worked at Doug Stewart's VA apartment complex [via Twitter]

Tuesday March 1, 2011 1:15 DaniCarlsonTV8
1:17 WOOD TV8: If you're having video trouble, please refresh your page.

Tuesday March 1, 2011 1:17 WOOD TV8
1:19 WOOD TV8: We're checking on the technical part of the video feed. Please stand by

Tuesday March 1, 2011 1:19 WOOD TV8
1:21 WOOD TV8: The stream is strong. The technical connections are strong. We continue to troubleshoot. Please stay with us.

Tuesday March 1, 2011 1:21 WOOD TV8
1:34 DaniCarlsonTV8: Gatling talking about surveillance video taken in Doug Stewart's VA apartment complex [via Twitter]

Tuesday March 1, 2011 1:34 DaniCarlsonTV8

http://www.woodtv.com/subindex/video/live_video

She is twittering from the right side of the page.....

 

[samirosenjacken]

But you can only watch live correct? Can you watch previous days testimony?

 

[ChasingMoxie]

Finally got away from meetings to try to see a bit of coverage.

Currently, the prosecution is questioning Doug's boss about the days that he took off work to kill VS. Doug took off the 15th (the botched attempt) and then again he took off the 26th saying he was sick. His boss says that he tried several times to get Doug on the phone on the 26th to see if he would be able to work for his next shift, and Doug didn't return his call until after 8:00pm on the 26th. At that time Doug said he wouldn't be able to, because his father had called him saying that he was all over the news in Michigan for something related to his wife and he had visited a lawyer. His boss testifies that he then asked Doug how he was able to visit a lawyer if he was sick, and Doug said that he felt much better after throwing up all night long. He testifies that Doug never again returned to work.

No cross for the witness.

 

[ChasingMoxie]

Colleen B takes the stand, she worked at the law firm where RS went to make a payment pretending to be Doug on April 26th. She describes that the person who came in claiming to be Doug Stewart didn't look anything like she remembered Doug to look like and she specifically would not testify to the person actually being Doug Stewart. He was wearing baggy clothes and a hooded sweatshirt and covered his face with glasses and the hood. He handed her an envelope that said Doug Stewart on it, she told him that she didn't have time to make a receipt right then, and he said to just mail it. Then again the next day, on the 27th, a guy came in, wearing the exact same clothes, again providing payment for Doug Stewart. On this day she was able to give the guy the receipts, but accidentally dated them both for the 26th. A photocopy of the receipts is provided as evidence.

Defense suggests that the photocopy of the receipts is not clear enough and the receipts cannot be read. Tries to get Colleen B to say that they aren't clear enough to read, Colleen B testifies that it is clear and she can easily read both of them. The evidence is admitted.

Defense basically makes the point that she couldn't see the guy's face. Asks if she had any reason to suspect that it wasn't Doug Stewart at that time. She responds that she didn't recognize the guy at all.

 

[ChasingMoxie]

Amy JR takes the stand. April 26th was her first day at the Wilson & Wilson firm. She testifies that Doug was a client of the law firm. She testifies that on the 26th, a guy came in to pay a bill for Doug Stewart. She testifies that he was wearing baggy green cargo pants, a hooded sweatshirt, a ball cap, and dirty shoes. The hood was pulled up over his head.

Subsequently, she testifies that on the 27th someone came in wearing the same clothes. On this day he had aviator sunglasses on that he removed and was more animated, talking to the staff, and was much more chatty as opposed to the guy on the 26th. She testifies that the guy who came in on the 27th was heavier and more chunky than the guy on the 26th. She indicates in court that the guy she saw on the 27th was Doug Stewart.

Witness testifies that she can't say that the person that came in on the 26th was Doug Stewart, but that she knows that the person on the 27th was Doug Stewart.

 

[ChasingMoxie]

Today Doug had on a white button down long sleeve shirt with a dark green, navy, and grey patterned sweater vest over the top. He looked anxious. He frequently appeared to be biting the insides of his lips, perhaps as a nervous gesture, and his brow was often furrowed and wrinkled with worry.

Court is adjourned for the day.