NM - Tera Chavez, 26, found dead in her Los Lunas home, 22 Oct 2007 - #1

[CUCKOOHEAD]

serna can't handle his witness melting under cross. The witness keeps looking to serna to bail him out.

 

[NCEast]

I mentioned the Catholic faith early on because I know that suicide is ranked as severe as murder. Both are mortal sins with a major difference. A murderer may have the chance to repent, be forgiven and enter the kingdom of heaven. A suicide doesn't usually have that option and since I'm Catholic I'll tell you it is the worst thing a person could do. Anybody raised in that faith will tell you it is an affront to God.

Thank you for your elaboration on this Cuckoo. I am not Catholic but have always known the church did not take it lightly. Your example makes a lot of sense.

 

[ChubbyCheeks]

9:15 AM
Anna V @Anna_Velasquez
Entire plate of food thrown into garbage can, found by investigators that night. Berman says shows rage in suicidal behavior #LeviChavez

Rage? I wouldn't have thrown it in the garbage can if I was enraged.
Just another "expert" taking mundane, everyday events and twisting them into so called explanations of behavior. Phooey.

 

[NCEast]

The only worthwhile statement McKay got out of him was that he was not there to say she committed suicide, only that the risks were there. Or something close. I feel like McKay wasted what could have been a 2 hour cross with excellent backtracking by this doctor. I'm mad.

 

[NCEast]

OK, so Serna exited the courtroom with a limp and his cane. What a ham.
The next thing I post is going to be positive and uplifting. I have been so negative all morning and I do apologize.

 

[ChubbyCheeks]

Well, this got me to thinking that maybe NM doesn't have very many murders or other capital crimes. Thus, Mr. McKay could be lead, yet not have very much experience. However, my research turned up this:

Alabama, Missouri, New Mexico

Tying for third-place, each with an average of eight murders per 100,000 people, are Alabama, Missouri and New Mexico. Although these three are geographically disparate states, they have similar populations. All are generally rural states, but contain urban areas --- Birmingham, St. Louis and Albuquerque --- that boost the state's overall population figures and introduce an element of urban crime to largely rural state. These cities may account for some of the homicide rates. Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana --- all states with high per-capital homicide rates --- border each other, forming a cluster of high-homicide states

Very interesting, and great critical thinking! Ok, well, sounds like Mr. McKay isn't lackluster for lack of practice. I'm reeeeally looking forward to hearing his closing arguments.

 

[ChubbyCheeks]

OK, so Serna exited the courtroom with a limp and his cane. What a ham.
The next thing I post is going to be positive and uplifting. I have been so negative all morning and I do apologize.

NCEast - you haven't been negative at all. You just call 'em like you see 'em and I respect that. Plus you can be so darn funny! I find myself reading the posts going from nodding in serious agreement to laughing out loud. I love reading what everyone's thoughts and views are on here. :twocents:

 

[NCB]

:floorlaugh:

Ooops, NC, the laughing is not for your need for prednisone! I hope you're feeling better in no time. But, your comments about hearing the opening of potato chip bags made me chuckle...

Abstaining from potato chips today in solidarity for East. :blowkiss: They gave me a prednisone and Benadryl drip before my iron infusion last week. I hate them. It takes a couple days for the fog to lift. I hope your course is a quick one. I know it can be quite a pain in the neck. Keep your chin up!!

 

[NCEast]

Very interesting, and great critical thinking! Ok, well, sounds like Mr. McKay isn't lackluster for lack of practice. I'm reeeeally looking forward to hearing his closing arguments.

At this rate, his closing is our only hope. I'm afraid, so far, the defense has beat the prosecution hands down. I hope the jurors are taking notes.

 

[NCEast]

NCEast - you haven't been negative at all. You just call 'em like you see 'em and I respect that. Plus you can be so darn funny! I find myself reading the posts going from nodding in serious agreement to laughing out loud. I love reading what everyone's thoughts and views are on here. :twocents:

I'm usually not a negative person by nature but I am finding myself so upset and angry with Mr. McKay. He is losing excellent chances at every turn to whittle down so much testimony and he just won't do it. I think any of us on here could do as good a job as he's done.
Thanks CC, you're a sweetie!

 

[thefragile7393]

I have been googling suicide by women and the majority are with handguns. I am very surprised at this statistic.


Dang, it didn't print out on here like I copied it so I thought I deleted it. At any rate, handguns were the number one method for men and women in the U.S. Very surprising to me.

Tis true...it is a myth that women rarely use guns for attempts or actual completion. I was surprised when I learned that too.

Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk 2

 

[NCEast]

Abstaining from potato chips today in solidarity for East. :blowkiss: They gave me a prednisone and Benadryl drip before my iron infusion last week. I hate them. It takes a couple days for the fog to lift. I hope your course is a quick one. I know it can be quite a pain in the neck. Keep your chin up!!

Thank you NCB. It's a 30 day course and I'm diabetic so I'm not even supposed to take it but my doctor just flat out said yesterday he doesn't know what else to do. I have RA plus a weird, but painful, thing call polymyalgia rheumatica and combined with the RA I can barely type....or move. For the past month all the moving I've done is from my computer to my bed. My exercise program flew out the window several weeks ago. I'm willing to take the prednisone if I can get past some of this pain but have to check my blood glucose every 3 hours. So far, so good, it hasn't been over 200 yet and I took my first pill this morning. Was on it several years ago for something else and I declare that was the only time in my entire life I got my house cleaned up--had so much energy, couldn't sleep at all, gained about 20 pounds but loved having a neat and orderly house.
I'm so sorry you are having problems too. Lord have mercy, I was anemic for 5 years and all I wanted to do was lay down. Is that why you are getting iron infusion or is it for your bones? Either way, I'm sorry you know first hand about the prednisone. It's nasty but it really works if one can get past the side effects.

 

[NCB]

Thank you NCB. It's a 30 day course and I'm diabetic so I'm not even supposed to take it but my doctor just flat out said yesterday he doesn't know what else to do. I have RA plus a weird, but painful, thing call polymyalgia rheumatica and combined with the RA I can barely type....or move. For the past month all the moving I've done is from my computer to my bed. My exercise program flew out the window several weeks ago. I'm willing to take the prednisone if I can get past some of this pain but have to check my blood glucose every 3 hours. So far, so good, it hasn't been over 200 yet and I took my first pill this morning. Was on it several years ago for something else and I declare that was the only time in my entire life I got my house cleaned up--had so much energy, couldn't sleep at all, gained about 20 pounds but loved having a neat and orderly house.
I'm so sorry you are having problems too. Lord have mercy, I was anemic for 5 years and all I wanted to do was lay down. Is that why you are getting iron infusion or is it for your bones? Either way, I'm sorry you know first hand about the prednisone. It's nasty but it really works if one can get past the side effects.

Goodness, I'm terribly sorry to hear that, East. You really have your hands full. You are so strong, and I admire your courage! Keep up the good work! When you feel better, a trip to IKEA is definitely in order! I know several people who have been on prednisone and understand the lack of sleep thing is a common side effect. I understand crankiness can also be common.
Yeah, I'm anemic, with approx annual infusions, have thyroid issues from Graves to hypo, fibromyalgia, the creeping crud, and anything else God feels fit to throw at me at any given moment. Blah, blah... you know the deal. My hematologist tries to catch it now before I get to the catatonic state, so that's a good thing. It has to be bad enough for the insurance to cover it, however. It's a balancing act. I'm going to be on the upswing now--starting to build new red blood cells as we speak. I will be hell on wheels in about a month. LOL That lasts for a few months, and then I lose pretty rapidly every month. It's like a gas tank, I guess.
Feel better soon. Let me know if I can do anything for you! XOXOXO

 

[calamityjane831]

So I listened to McKay cross examine and I decided to listen to it in its entirety and then digest and comment. I had it blasting through my stereo as I cleaned and I will say that I felt differently then you friends here on this thread.

I thought McKay did a fine job and after his cross I felt like the Dr's testimony was undermined and had clear cracks. McKay brought out the most important parts. IMHO if it would have gone on to long the jury would be lost... McKay style is his style and that is not going to change but he pulled out the strong parts and broke those down and at time the Dr looked over at Serna with a weird look of "distress" on his face and I liked that. Playing this trial with the improved feed through my Apple tv on my big screen has been great today.

Feel better NCEast and I am so sorry you are having health struggles. :-(

 

[calamityjane831]

NCB I am sorry that you have struggles with health issues too. I did not mean to leave my well wishes for you out of my last post.

 

[NCEast]

Goodness, I'm terribly sorry to hear that, East. You really have your hands full. You are so strong, and I admire your courage! Keep up the good work! When you feel better, a trip to IKEA is definitely in order! I know several people who have been on prednisone and understand the lack of sleep thing is a common side effect. I understand crankiness can also be common.
Yeah, I'm anemic, with approx annual infusions, have thyroid issues from Graves to hypo, fibromyalgia, the creeping crud, and anything else God feels fit to throw at me at any given moment. Blah, blah... you know the deal. My hematologist tries to catch it now before I get to the catatonic state, so that's a good thing. It has to be bad enough for the insurance to cover it, however. It's a balancing act. I'm going to be on the upswing now--starting to build new red blood cells as we speak. I will be hell on wheels in about a month. LOL That lasts for a few months, and then I lose pretty rapidly every month. It's like a gas tank, I guess.
Feel better soon. Let me know if I can do anything for you! XOXOXO

Well honey, it sounds like you have your hands full too. I'm so sorry. Hopefully you and your doctor have worked out a good plan to keep your levels up before you crash. I hope you don't have any more issues with your insurance company--seems they rule the world nowadays. My doctor had to think of a good reason yesterday for ordering a urine specimen because of gov't regulations/insurance regulations. I just had one about 6 weeks ago and he had to change reasons to justify it. Nurse CalamityJane probably knows more about this than she'd like.
I am looking forward to when you will be back to your hell on wheels status and when I'm feeling better I am going to take you up on that shopping trip to IKEA. Seriously!!

 

[NCEast]

So I listened to McKay cross examine and I decided to listen to it in its entirety and then digest and comment. I had it blasting through my stereo as I cleaned and I will say that I felt differently then you friends here on this thread.

I thought McKay did a fine job and after his cross I felt like the Dr's testimony was undermined and had clear cracks. McKay brought out the most important parts. IMHO if it would have gone on to long the jury would be lost... McKay style is his style and that is not going to change but he pulled out the strong parts and broke those down and at time the Dr looked over at Serna with a weird look of "distress" on his face and I liked that. Playing this trial with the improved feed through my Apple tv on my big screen has been great today.

Feel better NCEast and I am so sorry you are having health struggles. :-(

I already feel better reading your comments about McKay's cross. I trust your judgement completely. I missed the look of distress the good doctor cast at Serna, wish I had seen it. Maybe I'm just doing my own comparing to Jeff Ashton as so many people on other cases, and this one, are to Juan. The good ones have really spoiled us.

 

[calamityjane831]

I already feel better reading your comments about McKay's cross. I trust your judgement completely. I missed the look of distress the good doctor cast at Serna, wish I had seen it. Maybe I'm just doing my own comparing to Jeff Ashton as so many people on other cases, and this one, are to Juan. The good ones have really spoiled us.

I appreciate your comments and I trust your judgement too. Your comments meant so much to me during the Jason Young trial. That was my first and why I joined WS. Yes we have been spoiled on the good ones.... those prosecutors I fall in love with in that trial kind of way. McKay I do not have a crush on but I am trusting him to get the job done and I am just so grateful the Cordovas' get there day in court. I am hoping there will be a day that Michelle Parker's family get their day.

 

[NCEast]

I think this is the first trial I've ever watched in which they allowed the pictures (graphic) to be shown on a live feed.

 

[calamityjane831]

The tweets from Anna V at KOAT really point out McKay's zingers at the defenses suicide expert witness.