MISTRIAL - Sidney Moorer on trial for the kidnapping of Heather Elvis - June 20 & 21,2016 - #1

[passionflower]

Another scenario: we've all wondered why Heather was UPSET at hearing SM still loved her and wanted to be with her. Maybe it was because she'd aborted their baby and NOW he says this when it's too late?? After the abortion she really was resolved to move on......until that phone call.. it messed her up so she agreed to meet with him. (Maybe he didn't know about the abortion? )

All just my theory.

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Or she was ready to have a life without SM,keep or adopt baby to someone but he said he wanted them both,wiuld leave TM and begged her to meet him? Upsetting the plans she made not including him? When you are pregnant your emotions go crazy. JMOO

 

[lovinlife83]

I hope they have more evidence than what was laid out in opening statements. I hate to say this but this case so far seems weak to me. If a jury cant determine who showed up they aren't going to convict anyone.

IMO, I think the exact opposite.

 

[magnolia]

Even if that was SM truck , they have to convince a jury who was driving it. SM, TM or both. jmo.

I think this might be a problem for the state. Convincing a Jury the truck belonged to the M's may not be enough.

 

[concernedmother]

I think this might be a problem for the state. Convincing a Jury the truck belonged to the M's may not be enough.

They are already setting the stage for TM being the crazy one and HE terrified of her. Might have been better to try her first then prove she lead SM around by the balls. He would do whatever TM told him. jmo

 

[meinmyrtlebeach]

I'm sad/pissed this evening...

The judge allowing that friend of Mr. Truslow to be placed on the jury, against the objections of the state, while there were still hundreds of other jurors waiting there is inexcusable.

Let's think about this for a minute.. I'm a friend of the Elvis family. I know and love them and their family. Now suppose I was chosen for that jury, and in the deliberation room after looking at all of the evidence, that the rest of the jury wanted to vote not guilty. Could I honestly sit here and say that I could go along with a not guilty verdict, knowing that I'd have to look a grieving father and mother, MY FRIENDS, in the face for the rest of their lives knowing I let him off of what they believe he did? I'm human. I don't think I could do it. That's why i'd never allow myself onto that jury.

Now, Mr. Truslow, the defense attorney for the accused, has a personal friend on the jury. What are the chances of the evidence being compelling enough that all or even most of the jurors are leaning towards a guilty verdict and he begins to think about his friend. What will this do to their friendship? What will it do to his friends career losing a high profile case? What would it do for his friends career if he could help him WIN a high profile case? Remember, he's human. Just like me. Just like you. I just can't for the life of me figure out why they'd let this happen. I'm seeing either a not guilty, or a hung jury because of this.

I hope i'm wrong...but it seems hard to see any other outcome regardless of the evidence presented.

 

[Hatfield]

Catching up as I had to miss todays proceedings and just want to thank everyone who has posted the trial tweets and everyone else who has shared input for this case.

So happy it has finally started. Will definitely be checking in as often as I can. Great coverage here.
THANKS EVERYONE

 

[pinkshoemama]

They are already setting the stage for TM being the crazy one and HE terrified of her. Might have been better to try her first then prove she lead SM around by the balls. He would do whatever TM told him. jmo

I'm also wondering if the defense suggested, maybe even strongly requested that TM not be there. As if to show SM as more "innocent" with out HER there supporting him.

 

[Madeleine74]

I wish everyone would have some faith. Not blind faith, but we're only on day 1 and already some facts came out none of us knew.

Of course the defense will throw out every smoke screen they can think of... that's what they do or attempt to do.

Let's try not to be Eeyores right off the bat; that doesn't really do any good.

 

[Dockins]

I'm also wondering if the defense suggested, maybe even strongly requested that TM not be there. As if it would help SM appear more "innocent" with out HER there supporting him.

I think she's not there because the attorney suggested it. I hate to judge someone just by looks, but she looks mean and hateful. Sometimes, people make up their minds about people just by their appearances. TM to me just has this 'look' about her, and the way she carries herself. I know this sounds harsh, but It's just the way I see her. She always has a scowl on her face.

 

[JerseyGirl]

HIGHLIGHTED STATEMENTS MADE TODAY from MSM article:

Opening Martin Spratlin, State:

At its heart, this case is about an affair. The affair ended after TM, SM’s wife, who is also charged with kidnapping, found out about it.

In the early morning hours of December 18th, that man set a trap for HE. SM called HE from a payphone near Seaboard Street in Myrtle Beach around 1:30 a.m. Dec. 18, 2013, shortly after HE got back from a date with someone else, and had a four-minute conversation with her.

A second call was placed by HE to SM's cellphone. It was after that call, that the two met at the Peachtree Boat Landing in the Socastee area and HE has not been seen or heard from since. Her car was found abandoned the next day and she remains missing.

SM then tried to wipe away traces of any evidence left behind.

Opening Truslow, defense:

We’ve got an answer for everything because he didn’t do this. SM has now been 'put in a position to fight for his life'.

SM was calling HE that night to ask her to stop leaving notes on his car,

Horry County police felt pressure by the public — a public who was distorting facts and spreading misinformation — and arrested SM and TM before solving the case. They made an arrest to solve a case instead of solving a case then making an arrest.

Truslow asked the jury to keep an open mind while the testimony continued.


Witness - JC:
HG gave her different scenarios as to how she was injured, first saying she hit herself with her car door, then claimed she was jumped in the Wal-Mart parking lot and stabbed her attacker to defend herself. HE also began gaining weight and went up several clothing sizes. She took a pregnancy test at the TK, but the test was inconclusive and read error instead of a clear result. Eventually HE faced some backlash from other girls at the restaurant because of her involvement with SM, a married man, and HE also became fearful after receiving harassing calls from TM and worried she would come to the restaurant.

Witnesses JD and MB:
Both worked with HE at the TK — echoed much of what JC said about the relationship between SM and HE. The witnesses also said HE had trouble with her family at home.
Co-workers testified HE was upset and not herself after her break-up with SM, but slowly started to become her old self again.

http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/news/local/crime/article84955392.html

http://www.wfxg.com/story/32259609/first-witnesses-testify-they-believed-heather-elvis-was-pregnant

 

[bestill]

I'm sad/pissed this evening...

The judge allowing that friend of Mr. Truslow to be placed on the jury, against the objections of the state, while there were still hundreds of other jurors waiting there is inexcusable.

Let's think about this for a minute.. I'm a friend of the Elvis family. I know and love them and their family. Now suppose I was chosen for that jury, and in the deliberation room after looking at all of the evidence, that the rest of the jury wanted to vote not guilty. Could I honestly sit here and say that I could go along with a not guilty verdict, knowing that I'd have to look a grieving father and mother, MY FRIENDS, in the face for the rest of their lives knowing I let him off of what they believe he did? I'm human. I don't think I could do it. That's why i'd never allow myself onto that jury.

Now, Mr. Truslow, the defense attorney for the accused, has a personal friend on the jury(as the foreman for God's sake!). What are the chances of the evidence being compelling enough that all or even most of the jurors are leaning towards a guilty verdict and he begins to think about his friend. What will this do to their friendship? What will it do to his friends career losing a high profile case? What would it do for his friends career if he could help him WIN a high profile case? Remember, he's human. Just like me. Just like you. I just can't for the life of me figure out why they'd let this happen. I'm seeing either a not guilty, or a hung jury because of this.

I hope i'm wrong...but it seems hard to see any other outcome regardless of the evidence presented.

BBM, is this true that he's the foreman?

​

 

[Knox]

Does anyone know who the dark haired woman was? She sat behind the defense table and walked out with SM, KT and PC?

 

[meinmyrtlebeach]

BBM, is this true that he's the foreman?

​

I read that somewhere...but perhaps it wasn't on a MSM site. I honestly don't remember, but just amazed either way. I'll go edit it until I can confirm...

 

[JerseyGirl]

I read that somewhere...but perhaps it wasn't on a MSM site. I honestly don't remember, but just amazed either way. I'll go edit it until I can confirm...

Someone today said something here as a joke. That's not true and no foreman was disclosed at trial.

 

[Madeleine74]

The foreman is not selected until the jury goes to deliberate.

 

[ZooSleuth]

I'm sad/pissed this evening...

The judge allowing that friend of Mr. Truslow to be placed on the jury, against the objections of the state, while there were still hundreds of other jurors waiting there is inexcusable.

Let's think about this for a minute.. I'm a friend of the Elvis family. I know and love them and their family. Now suppose I was chosen for that jury, and in the deliberation room after looking at all of the evidence, that the rest of the jury wanted to vote not guilty. Could I honestly sit here and say that I could go along with a not guilty verdict, knowing that I'd have to look a grieving father and mother, MY FRIENDS, in the face for the rest of their lives knowing I let him off of what they believe he did? I'm human. I don't think I could do it. That's why i'd never allow myself onto that jury.

Now, Mr. Truslow, the defense attorney for the accused, has a personal friend on the jury(as the foreman for God's sake!). What are the chances of the evidence being compelling enough that all or even most of the jurors are leaning towards a guilty verdict and he begins to think about his friend. What will this do to their friendship? What will it do to his friends career losing a high profile case? What would it do for his friends career if he could help him WIN a high profile case? Remember, he's human. Just like me. Just like you. I just can't for the life of me figure out why they'd let this happen. I'm seeing either a not guilty, or a hung jury because of this.

I hope i'm wrong...but it seems hard to see any other outcome regardless of the evidence presented.

Keep in mind that knowing a lawyer is quite different from knowing the victim or the accused and their families. The emotional aspect of it is just not the same. I'm friends with a lot of lawyers (criminal defense attorneys specifically) and I can honestly say that I would be able to be unbiased if I were on a jury and they were the defense attorney.

I do not believe any of them would hold it against me if I voted against their client. I believe they would understand and respect my position. Let's be honest, these guys know when the clients they represent are guilty or not guilty, and I have no doubt Truslow believes deep down that SM & TM are guilty. Even if I thought my friends would hold it against me, I would not factor my relationship with them into any decisions I made on the guilt of their client.

I understand your frustration, but I hope my point of view leaves you a little more optimistic about the presence of Truslow's friend on the jury.

 

[concernedmother]

Regardless, if he is a friend of the defense attorney he shouldnt be on the jury. All it takes is one holdout. jmo.

 

[Madeleine74]

So Truslow by his own admission in opening statements puts Sid and Heather in contact THAT night. Supposedly the reason is so she'll 'stop leaving notes on his vehicle.' Why does it take over 4 minutes to say, "stop leaving notes on my car?" Why is that something that cannot be texted? Think how long 4 minutes is. And there wasn't just one 4 minute phone call... there were 2! One from the payphone and one when Heather called Sid's cell phone.


So isn't it just a bit more than a coinky-dink that Heather went missing that very night, never to be seen or heard from again AND there's video of SM's black truck on 2 different security cams AND Heather's phone was pinging showing she was headed towards PTL at the same time as the black truck?

You really going to ignore good old fashioned common sense and dismiss all of that as nothing but a mere coincidence?

 

[concernedmother]

So Truslow by his own admission in opening statements puts Sid and Heather in contact THAT night. Supposedly the reason is so she'll 'stop leaving notes on his vehicle.' Why does it take over 4 minutes to say, "stop leaving notes on my car?" Why is that something that cannot be texted? Think how long 4 minutes is. And there wasn't just one 4 minute phone call... there were 2! One from the payphone and one when Heather called Sid's cell phone.


So isn't it just a bit more than a coinky-dink that Heather went missing that very night, never to be seen or heard from again AND there's video of SM's black truck on 2 different security cams AND Heather's phone was pinging showing she was headed towards PTL at the same time as the black truck?

You really going to ignore good old fashioned common sense and dismiss all of that as nothing but a mere coincidence?

Absolutely not. The big question is who is in that truck? Who do you convict? Hopefully the prosecution can place one or both in that truck. jmo.

 

[JerseyGirl]

I didn't dig too deep into South Carolina, but in Louisiana, Truslow's friend on the jury should have been dismissed for Implied Bias:

Implied bias is present when potential jurors have character traits ... that make it unlikely for them to be able to be impartial, regardless of what they say during voir dire

A juror who is a close friend or relative of a key party, a witness, the judge, or an attorney for either side will be dismissed for cause.

http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/jury-selection-criminal-cases.html