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

[borndem]

Ed Crump ‏@EdCrumpABC11 4m4 minutes ago
ME says it appears two different objects were used in attack. #TravionSmithTrial http://abc11.tv/1giDDkx #ABC11

brbm


One big, fat, :yesss: .

Let's hope the ADA's will yell this in their closing. More than once.

 

[Madeleine74]

I'm starting to think maybe this is a DP case. If they gave this killer a choice of taking a LWOP and he declined to take his chances... then.... that's on him and if he's willing to roll the dice, then okay.

18 blows...that's severe. Yeah, if he gets the sentence of death, that's fine, even though the state will never carry it out.

 

[borndem]

Sigh...

Someone needs to go kick Chad awake (cameraman).

I've been yelling at him, Mad, but he either can't hear me or he's ignoring me...:gaah:

 

[borndem]

I'm starting to think maybe this is a DP case. If they gave this killer a choice of taking a LWOP and he declined to take his chances... then.... that's on him and if he's willing to roll the dice, then okay.

18 blows...that's severe. Yeah, if he gets the sentence of death, that's fine, even though the state will never carry it out.

Inclined to agree -- as you say, if he had been given a choice, and there is always a choice on the part of the defendant, at least, to offer to plead guilty/LWOP. And I can't imagine the court/ADA not accepting.

It was a very cruel and, IMO, hate-filled killing. They really put it to her. Apparently she didn't come out of her bedroom raging at them with some sort of weapon she found in her bedroom. She didn't call 911 -- unless they caught her going for her phone and trying to enter the numbers (CRS -- was her phone in her bedroom?). She was most likely asleep in her bed, and if that's so, why bother? For a lark and, IMO, for the thrill of it. Grrrrr.

 

[Boodles]

She woke up and "saw" them, so they decided to kill her. It sure sounds like they double-teamed in the beating and slashing of this poor woman. When I hear "chop wound" I have to wonder if they used something else besides Ronald Anthony's knife. Again, thankfully the daughter did not wake up.

But all they had to do was run out. Except for the laptop tracing by the brilliant and tenacious detective Morse, they may never have been caught.

Two lessons: 1) for victims of home invasion, if you wake up and they're in your room, try to pretend to be asleep. Unfortunately, the involuntary startle/fear reaction works against this; 2) for criminals, don't publish stolen stuff with serial numbers on Craigslist (or conversely, please do, so you can be caught and punished).

 

[colette]

Her phone had been charging near her in bed. There was a phone cord still plugged in near her head in the bed at the time of death. maybe they tried to grab it and she woke up. Also according to the "look-out' gal the knife was about 12 inches when unfolded.

 

[borndem]

Thanks for that good info colette! I have been on the road, so I'm just now reading your post -- that's why I posted my thanks so late.

And I had forgotten about the size of the knife -- Oh my. I feel sure it could have cut and inflicted blunt force trauma to her body at the same time. Apparently, though, there was another weapon that may have inflicted the non-knife-like blunt force injuries. Sounds like two people to me. (Shock & surprise -- hah!) But why this seeming rage (as I see it, anyway) against this either sleeping or drowsy woman? Why such, IMO, hate? Those blows to her head were just plain vicious overkill and so cruel. Were they each showing the other how tuff they were? I guess they thought wearing gloves would cover it all. Obviously Anthony must have been scared of conviction and the DP or, IMO, he wouldn't have made the deal he made. And our man Smith must have thought he could skate. Let's hope the jury doesn't let him slide by.

And judging by the sentences Ridgeway gave the two other participants (both were 17 when they committed the murder, neither had any penalty points for sentencing) in the Matthew Silliman case, Ridgeway gives tuff sentences -- that is if the sentence is 2nd degree in this case. This is a 1st Degree Murder, for sure, but you never know about juries...

 

[borndem]

Nothing yet on the live-stream. I can't see a posted closing on the Wake Co. Courthouse nor on Wake Co. Gov't. Offices, etc. So we'll just have to stand by...

Here in the western part of Raleigh, we have about 1-inch (max.) of sleet & freezing rain -- we're not seeing snowflakes, but we are seeing a microscopic amount of sleet coming down. Our street is white, but I have seen one car going out -- we're in the woods and on a "lonely" street -- not that many residents. It's 26F, so it is still cold...

The principals could be discussing stuff, and Chad, the court camera man could be slow in getting there. Or he might know something we don't...

As soon as I see something, I'll post it. Have a cuppa and a bagel and relax, Peeps.

 

[borndem]

*** The trial is delayed until 12:30EST on Monday, 2/15/16 ***

[h=1]Winter weather delays closing arguments in North Hills murder trial[/h] Posted 5:00 a.m. today
Updated 9:16 a.m. today





Read more at http://www.wral.com/closing-argumen...ls-murder-trial/15366722/#2c3lYjrEjUTzK2AQ.99

 

[Madeleine74]

Now delayed until 1pm -OR- they may end up canceling altogether.

I think they'll end up canceling for today.

 

[Madeleine74]

AND...

Closing arguments CANCELED until 9:30am Tuesday morning.

 

[Chelly]

Monday's early-morning winter weather has pushed the closing arguments to Tuesday morning. Court is expected to resume at 9:30 a.m. and will be streamed live on WRAL.com.
Read more at http://www.wral.com/winter-weather-...ls-murder-trial/15366722/#obTxDu16cZlkD10a.99
http://www.wral.com/winter-weather-delays-closing-arguments-in-north-hills-murder-trial/15366722/

 

[borndem]

Makes sense -- the whole courthouse is closed. The weather hasn't really gotten worse -- no or very, very slight precip here -- but it is overcast and it's 28F where I am, so nothing is melting, and our secondary and neighborhood-type streets/roads have not been and usually do not get snow-plowed. But tomorrow it is supposed to warm up to around 50F with a low tonight of 33F.

See you at 9:30aEST, I guess.

 

[Chelly]

I'll be here.

 

[Chelly]

Cathy ‏@courtchatter 1m1 minute ago
#TravionSmithTrial - Closing arguments about to get underway. http://www.courtchatter.com/#!travion-smith-trial-live-stream/c11ul …

 

[Chelly]

Ed Crump ‏@EdCrumpABC11 2m2 minutes ago
Getting ready for closing arguments in #TravionSmithTrial. Watch live at 9:30. http://abc11.tv/1giDDkx #ABC11

 

[Chelly]

Ed Crump ‏@EdCrumpABC11 2m2 minutes ago
Getting ready for closing arguments in #TravionSmithTrial. Watch live at 9:30. http://abc11.tv/1giDDkx #ABC11

 

[Madeleine74]

Present!

I marked myself as 'busy' in my corporate calendar for next 90 min.

</priorities>

 

[Chelly]

Glad you can join us Madeleine74.

 

[Chelly]

Ed Crump &#8207;@EdCrumpABC11 11m11 minutes ago
Five minute recess while defense attorneys make sure Smith is still okay with their strategy. #TravionSmithTrial