GUILTY NC - Melissa Huggins-Jones, 30, murdered in her Raleigh home, 14 May 2013

[borndem]

Let's hope the selection process will be completed fairly soon. This is a Death Penalty case, so that should add a bit of time to the selection process. Wake County juries have not had a DP verdict agreement in several years. The victim was new to the area, and the suspect is fairly young, so we'll just wait & see.

Judge Blackburn is, IMO, an intelligent, soft-spoken and patient jurist. He is also, IMO, a rather nice-looking man.


[h=1]DA will try for death penalty in murder of North Hills mom[/h] Posted 7:46 a.m. today
Updated 12:15 p.m. today


Raleigh, N.C. — The families of Travion Devonte Smith and Melissa Huggins-Jones sat quietly on opposite sides of the courtroom Monday while Wake County Superior Court Judge Paul Ridgeway outlined how a jury would be selected to decide Smith's fate.



Read more at http://www.wral.com/jury-selection-...th-hills-mother/15213043/#dssaMGIK8hFslz0M.99

 

[Boodles]

Let's hope the selection process will be completed fairly soon. This is a Death Penalty case, so that should add a bit of time to the selection process. Wake County juries have not had a DP verdict agreement in several years. The victim was new to the area, and the suspect is fairly young, so we'll just wait & see.

Judge Blackburn is, IMO, an intelligent, soft-spoken and patient jurist. He is also, IMO, a rather nice-looking man.


DA will try for death penalty in murder of North Hills mom

Posted 7:46 a.m. today
Updated 12:15 p.m. today


Raleigh, N.C. — The families of Travion Devonte Smith and Melissa Huggins-Jones sat quietly on opposite sides of the courtroom Monday while Wake County Superior Court Judge Paul Ridgeway outlined how a jury would be selected to decide Smith's fate.



Read more at http://www.wral.com/jury-selection-...th-hills-mother/15213043/#dssaMGIK8hFslz0M.99

I think it's a mistake to go for the death penalty and a waste of court and juror resources. Sarah Redden changing her story will probably make the jurors settle for LWOP.

Speaking of Redden, IMO she's no better than the two men. Changing her story now that her BF is on trial to protect him is just gaming the system. I'd like to see her spend her life inside prison as well. These three are utterly repulsive people. They don't deserve any mercy. At least the one SOB plead guilty to avoid the DP so we wont have to waste taxpayer $ on his sorry a**.

 

[borndem]

Totally agree, Boods. I'm not sure why this recent rash of DP cases -- our needles have been on the shelf for a while, even tho we've got a few who are prolly overdue; juries haven't haven't penalized with the DP in several years. Are the ADA's just all trying to qualify for DP prosecution, or is it coming from somewhere farther up the line? Or again, is it to just get a LWOP plea with no trial?

 

[Chelly]

It is expected to take several weeks to find 12 jurors and several alternates for the trial. Opening statements are scheduled for Feb. 1.

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/crime/article53005340.html#storylink=cpy

 

[Chelly]

WRAL published online Jan. 27, 2016


http://www.wral.com/trial-to-begin-monday-in-murder-of-north-hills-mom/15284914/
RALEIGH, N.C. — The trial for the high-profile murder of a mother in her North Hills apartment is expected to begin Monday.

Jury selection for the Travion Smith case has lasted nearly a month. Smith is charged with killing Melissa Huggins-Jones in May 2013.


Read more at http://www.wral.com/trial-to-begin-monday-in-murder-of-north-hills-mom/15284914/#eHcb6obIOetqLiGQ.99

 

[Chelly]

Borndem: Do you think/know that WRAL will live-stream the trial?

 

[borndem]

They usually do, Chelly, especially since this one is local -- here in Raleigh.

The trial is scheduled to start Monday, February 1st -- Jury Selection, which is not streamed, as we know. Here's an article about it, fresh off the WRAL press:



Local News
[h=1]Trial to begin Monday in murder of North Hills mom[/h] Posted 5:31 p.m. yesterday






Read more at http://www.wral.com/trial-to-begin-...ewsletter&utm_source=wral#XcrjS51ui1mySuAS.99

 

[borndem]

I just sent an email to WRAL to see if they plan to live-stream. I'll let you know when I know!

 

[borndem]

I just heard from WRAL -- They are planning on live-streaming the trial, so we need to start making our brownies and fudge and all sorts of comfort foods.

We do need to witness this for Melissa's sake and especially for her daughter who had the horror of a lifetime.

Hugs all around!

:grouphug:

 

[Chelly]

I just heard from WRAL -- They are planning on live-streaming the trial, so we need to start making our brownies and fudge and all sorts of comfort foods.

We do need to witness this for Melissa's sake and especially for her daughter who had the horror of a lifetime.

Hugs all around!

:grouphug:

I will be there my friend to bear witness. Cooking and baking over the weekend, of course.

 

[borndem]

I will be there my friend to bear witness. Cooking and baking over the weekend, of course.

:cheerful:


PS - I will never forget Teghan, either, Chelly.

 

[Boodles]

I don't know if I can handle watching this trial...I don't want to hear the details. One exception...I am curious to what extent Sarah Redden back pedals on her prior statements to LE. It seems, per news reports I read recently, that she's recanting or changing statements about her boyfriend since the one guy took a plea deal and now her bf is on trial.

Did they give her a complete pass for her testimony? If she doesn't cooperate completely, I hope they lock her up for a very long time.

 

[Chelly]

I don't know if I can handle watching this trial...I don't want to hear the details. One exception...I am curious to what extent Sarah Redden back pedals on her prior statements to LE. It seems, per news reports I read recently, that she's recanting or changing statements about her boyfriend since the one guy took a plea deal and now her bf is on trial.

Did they give her a complete pass for her testimony? If she doesn't cooperate completely, I hope they lock her up for a very long time.

Really looking forward to seeing/hearing Redden on the stand.

 

[Chelly]

Mods:
A reminder.
Jury selection is complete in the case of Travoin Smith for murder of Melissa Huggins-Jones.
Opening statements scheduled for Monday, Feb. 1, 2016.

Could this thread be moved to Trials?
Thanks!

 

[Chelly]

Thanks mods!

 

[borndem]

I don't know if I can handle watching this trial...I don't want to hear the details. One exception...I am curious to what extent Sarah Redden back pedals on her prior statements to LE. It seems, per news reports I read recently, that she's recanting or changing statements about her boyfriend since the one guy took a plea deal and now her bf is on trial.

Did they give her a complete pass for her testimony? If she doesn't cooperate completely, I hope they lock her up for a very long time.

bbm

I want to see her up there on the stand, too. I think a good ADA will be able to tie her in knots if she gets too fancy and tries to lessen her boyfriend's participation. If they have given her a deal, and if she can be shown to have lied under oath, her deal will go down the drain and she'll be circling the same drain on the way to the slammer. :jail: She's young & doesn't impress me as being very smart.

 

[borndem]

Here's an update from WRAL:


Local News
Trial to begin Tuesday in murder of North Hills mom

Raleigh, N.C. — The trial for the high-profile murder of a mother in her North Hills apartment is expected to begin Tuesday.

Read more at http://www.wral.com/trial-to-begin-...north-hills-mom/15284914/#UPlQTxS3bRMRUkE7.99

 

[YESorNO]

[video=youtube;YWT1KLvho5s]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWT1KLvho5s[/video]

 

[YESorNO]

[video=youtube;LNY_hvFWcms]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNY_hvFWcms[/video]

 

[Chelly]

Here's an update from WRAL:


Local News
Trial to begin Tuesday in murder of North Hills mom




Read more at http://www.wral.com/trial-to-begin-...north-hills-mom/15284914/#UPlQTxS3bRMRUkE7.99

OK, Tuesday it is.