GUILTY MO - St. Louis County - Man enters store, commits sexual assault & murder, 19 November 2018 *Arrest*

[Deleted member 117884]

I live almost entirely on the civil side of things, but we have them there too. They're basically an informal check-in meeting between the judge and the attorneys. A status conference would be a much better name for them.

Ours are held in the Judge's chambers and we update the Judge on the current status of the case, talk about any discovery disputes we're having, what the key issues are going to be, etc. There will typically be several/many of these, generally every 3 months, so the Judge can keep tabs on the case and make sure it's moving along.

Here in Missouri, they're nowhere near as formal as the one in the article GraceG linked.

So, I'm guessing they are conversations not shared with the public?

 

[JimmyPerez]

So, I'm guessing they are conversations not shared with the public?

Not unless it's something that is required to be "on the record" such as the Judge deciding a discovery dispute or pending motion. There will then be a docket entry, but my experience with these, especially this early in a case, is that they're very informal.

 

[Deleted member 117884]

Not unless it's something that is required to be "on the record" such as the Judge deciding a discovery dispute or pending motion. There will then be a docket entry, but my experience with these, especially this early in a case, is that they're very informal.

You're very helpful, thanks.

 

[Walking the dog]

Not unless it's something that is required to be "on the record" such as the Judge deciding a discovery dispute or pending motion. There will then be a docket entry, but my experience with these, especially this early in a case, is that they're very informal.

Jimmy, just saw T.B. trial set for October 2020. Is this an unusually long time? Thanks

 

[JimmyPerez]

Jimmy, just saw T.B. trial set for October 2020. Is this an unusually long time? Thanks

No. St. Louis County is big jurisdiction (+/- 1,000,000 people) with a severely-underfunded and critically over-worked public defender's office (the prosecutor's office being "only" underfunded and over-worked). I don't even know how many (few) capital case public defenders the office has these days.

The attached memo from today's hearing shows that the Judge has set aside a week for trial and that they plan to call a pool of 100 potential jurors with jury selection taking place over three days during the week before trial.

 

[Betty P]

No. St. Louis County is big jurisdiction (+/- 1,000,000 people) with a severely-underfunded and critically over-worked public defender's office (the prosecutor's office being "only" underfunded and over-worked). I don't even know how many (few) capital case public defenders the office has these days.

The attached memo from today's hearing shows that the Judge has set aside a week for trial and that they plan to call a pool of 100 potential jurors with jury selection taking place over three days during the week before trial.

This is a problem our big county struggles with, too. In our case, the result has been big problems with overcrowded jails on top of the rest. Our former county prosecutor is coming back to clear up some of the backlog on cases, letting people out who are in jail for things like being too poor to pay a traffic ticket, etc.

However long it takes, Bruce can wait. He's right where he needs to be for now.

 

[luvhockey]

New twist

Warning about accused Catholic Supply killer leads to questions in 1985 murder

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – Accused Catholic Supply killer Thomas Bruce is now being mentioned as a possible suspect in a 1985 Tennessee murder. But there’s a twist: a convict was already executed for that crime.
......
Collins was murdered in 1985. A man named Sedley Alley confessed but later recanted, saying he was coerced. Alley was executed in 2006.

Scheck said he’s found there’s still untested DNA from Collins’ clothing. In court, he contended it could have even been tested before Alley’s execution.
.....
The Tennessee Attorney General’s Office opposes the DNA test, saying Sedley is dead and litigation should not be endless.

Of course TN doesn't want the DNA tested. If it's found that Sedley Alley was executed for a crime he didn't commit. HUGE lawsuit payout.

Sedley Alley: The search for the truth after execution
"In 2006, Sedley Alley was executed by the state of Tennessee after the courts refused to conduct DNA testing that could have helped uncover the truth."

Sedley Alley would've been approx 31 when the crime was committed, he was executed when he was about 51. Thomas Bruce would've been about 21 and is early 50's. I think they look a lot alike at the same age. I wonder if they looked similar in 1985.

 

[Medstudies]

New twist

Warning about accused Catholic Supply killer leads to questions in 1985 murder

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – Accused Catholic Supply killer Thomas Bruce is now being mentioned as a possible suspect in a 1985 Tennessee murder. But there’s a twist: a convict was already executed for that crime.
......
Collins was murdered in 1985. A man named Sedley Alley confessed but later recanted, saying he was coerced. Alley was executed in 2006.

Scheck said he’s found there’s still untested DNA from Collins’ clothing. In court, he contended it could have even been tested before Alley’s execution.
.....
The Tennessee Attorney General’s Office opposes the DNA test, saying Sedley is dead and litigation should not be endless.

Of course TN doesn't want the DNA tested. If it's found that Sedley Alley was executed for a crime he didn't commit. HUGE lawsuit payout.

Sedley Alley: The search for the truth after execution
"In 2006, Sedley Alley was executed by the state of Tennessee after the courts refused to conduct DNA testing that could have helped uncover the truth."

Sedley Alley would've been approx 31 when the crime was committed, he was executed when he was about 51. Thomas Bruce would've been about 21 and is early 50's. I think they look a lot alike at the same age. I wonder if they looked similar in 1985.

Omg, what did I just read?

This is just messed up.

 

[Safeguard]

Omg, what did I just read?

This is just messed up.

Welcome to the Unjustice System. It happens more than we can stomach believing.

 

[Medstudies]

Welcome to the Unjustice System. It happens more than we can stomach believing.

Right? They already executed someone, so apparently he will have to suffice. What’s the diff?

Seriously, I just can’t believe there is a debate on whether to allow testing.

Straight outta Kafka.

 

[Maznblu1]

Welcome to the Unjustice System. It happens more than we can stomach believing.

Hopefully they will allow the testing - so it can prove that they executed the right man. Which they did.

 

[Falling Down]

Bump

 

[Medstudies]

Letter from the Innocence Project to Gov. Lee requesting testing of DNA. (The attacker left behind his underwear)

2019.04.30LetterGovLee (1).pdf

A Tale of Two Cases and One Horribly Broken System - Tennesseans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty

...”the Innocence Project received a letter from law enforcement sources in St. Louis informing them that a man named Thomas Bruce is now under indictment there for homicide and rape. The letter indicated that they believe this man might be a serial offender. After law enforcement looked into Mr. Bruce’s background and the places that he previously lived, they discovered that he was taking courses at the same Avionics Training School in Millington as Ms. Collins in the months prior to her murder.”

This is addition to other claims (mentioned in this article) how the vehicle, tire tracks and shoe prints did not match the convicted man. And that eye witness stated the culprit was 7-8 inches taller than the convicted man.

 

[Betty P]

New twist

Warning about accused Catholic Supply killer leads to questions in 1985 murder

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – Accused Catholic Supply killer Thomas Bruce is now being mentioned as a possible suspect in a 1985 Tennessee murder. But there’s a twist: a convict was already executed for that crime.
......
Collins was murdered in 1985. A man named Sedley Alley confessed but later recanted, saying he was coerced. Alley was executed in 2006.

Scheck said he’s found there’s still untested DNA from Collins’ clothing. In court, he contended it could have even been tested before Alley’s execution.
.....
The Tennessee Attorney General’s Office opposes the DNA test, saying Sedley is dead and litigation should not be endless.

Of course TN doesn't want the DNA tested. If it's found that Sedley Alley was executed for a crime he didn't commit. HUGE lawsuit payout.

Sedley Alley: The search for the truth after execution
"In 2006, Sedley Alley was executed by the state of Tennessee after the courts refused to conduct DNA testing that could have helped uncover the truth."

Sedley Alley would've been approx 31 when the crime was committed, he was executed when he was about 51. Thomas Bruce would've been about 21 and is early 50's. I think they look a lot alike at the same age. I wonder if they looked similar in 1985.

Oh, no. I hope this doesn't turn out to be accurate. How could the state of Tennessee not check that evidence? This is why I oppose the DP.

 

[sunsetbeach]

Her Father Was Executed for Murder. She Still Wants to Know if He Did It.

This was a very horrific crime. Unlike some other articles this one does not describe what exactly was done to her with the tree limb.

I lived in Millington in 1985 (married to a Marine at the time) and I vaguely remember this case. I had no idea it was that gruesome. Even freakier is the fact that Thomas Bruce was also stationed there at the same time.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

The Innocence Project’s Barry Scheck said he received a letter from law enforcement in St. Louis County suggesting Bruce could be a suspect in the murder of Suzanne Collins in 1985. She was a Marine Lance Corporal stationed outside Memphis who was raped and killed.

Another man, Sedley Alley, was convicted and executed 13 years ago for the crime, but DNA evidence was never tested. His family and the Innocence Project petitioned a Memphis judge to allow DNA testing.

Monday, that judge ruled the family doesn’t have the right to ask for DNA testing.
Innocence Project has setback in attempt to test DNA that could link decades-old murder to Thomas Bruce

 

[wdmcmahan]

The Innocence Project’s Barry Scheck said he received a letter from law enforcement in St. Louis County suggesting Bruce could be a suspect in the murder of Suzanne Collins in 1985. She was a Marine Lance Corporal stationed outside Memphis who was raped and killed.

Another man, Sedley Alley, was convicted and executed 13 years ago for the crime, but DNA evidence was never tested. His family and the Innocence Project petitioned a Memphis judge to allow DNA testing.

Monday, that judge ruled the family doesn’t have the right to ask for DNA testing.
Innocence Project has setback in attempt to test DNA that could link decades-old murder to Thomas Bruce

I can imagine they don't want the backlash of having executed an innocent man, if DNA testing proved that TB was the perpetrator...

I hope the local police get pushed hard about this.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

A Memphis judge ruled Monday that the estate, represented by April Alley, lacks standing to request the testing.

Alley is the daughter of Sedley Alley, executed in 2006 for the murder of Marine Lance Cpl. Suzanne Collins.

April Alley petitioned for the testing after investigators in a Missouri murder case contacted the Innocence Project about a possible connection between another suspect and Collins.

A statement from the prosecutor reads, “After 34 years of appeals by the defense, the Collins family continues to be the only victim in this case.”

Alley’s attorneys have filed a notice that they will appeal.
The Latest: Daughter ‘heartbroken’ over DNA evidence ruling

 

[imstilla.grandma]

“This Court does not wish to minimize the Alley family's sincerely-held belief that Sedley Alley is innocent of the rape and murder of LCpl. Collins,” Skahan wrote. However, state law does not permit the estate of a deceased inmate to file a petition for DNA testing on his behalf, so the court has no jurisdiction to consider the petition, she wrote.

“The Alley estate's arguments are best addressed to the General Assembly and the Tennessee Supreme Court,” Skahan wrote.
Request for DNA testing of executed inmate nixed | News | Journal Gazette

 

[imstilla.grandma]

The Catholic Supply store issued its own statement:

“This week marks one year since the tragic events occurred at our West County location. While this has been devastating to the Catholic Supply family, we have worked this past year to continue to fulfill our mission to bring people closer to Christ, and help our staff, customers and community along the path to healing. Please join us as we pray for the victim, survivors and all who were affected by this senseless tragedy.”
Memphis judge denies DNA test involving St. Louis area suspect