NY - Christopher Porco - Another Menandez situation? - sentenced

[hockeymom]

Good info Sheerluck. I believe this crime was planned so it would not surprise me that Chris checked out the toll booth cameras. The timeline thing is way too coincidental in my mind. He had plenty of time,and thats if he were driving 62mph,at that time of night, the Thruway is generally quiet and you can buzz right along.
As far as the bloody clothes,they never found any of OJs. Very easy to dispose of ,if you ask me.
This week should very interesting.

 

[OriginalJerseyGirl]

Chris' jeep WAS spotted on camera, correct? Or was it only on video from the university and not from the toll booth?

 

[SheerLuck]

Here's some stuff that happened today. The prosecution called on 6 of Chris Porco's frat brothers to testify plus a female student who was there. All 7 said they watched movies, but Chris was not there. I guess college kids don't sleep much;even on Sunday night before Monday's classes; because all 7 said they were up late, as Sunday night is "movie night". All 7 watched movies in the room that Porco says he slept in, but all 7 said they watched movies from 10:30 p.m. until around 2:30 a.m. and that Porco was not present. 2 of them said they were up as late at 3:30 a.m. and Porco was not sleeping there. Porco claims he slept there.

 

[SheerLuck]

Chris' jeep WAS spotted on camera, correct? Or was it only on video from the university and not from the toll booth?

Jersey Girl; Unfortunately for the prosecution his jeep was not on toll booth video; just Rochester Univ. video. Toll booths only have cameras on the EZ Pass lanes, so criminals can avoid EZ Pass; to avoid camera detection. University video will be presented this week(maybe tomorrow); both leaving campus and coming back(that's what I heard).

 

[hockeymom]

Sheerluck,
Since they can't use Porco's statements to the police,is their anyway to get the info on the record that he lied as to his whereabouts?
I guess without him actually taking the stand,he can't proove where he was anyway,right?
Thanks for the great updates,by the way.

 

[jannuncutt]

His college buddies said that they have never seen Chris jogging. He told his friend that he had to help his aunt and uncle mulch the next morning but, the aunt said that they hadn't spoken with him for about 2 months before the murder.

http://timesunion.com/AspStories/st...ry=REGIONOTHER&BCCode=HOME&newsdate=7/18/2006

 

[hockeymom]

He is so guilty!! Poor mother can't see it though,or chooses to not believe. How sad.

 

[SheerLuck]

Sheerluck,
Since they can't use Porco's statements to the police,is their anyway to get the info on the record that he lied as to his whereabouts?

Hey Hockeymom; great question; I wish I knew the answer, but I don't. Unless we have a lawyer here or mystery fan; we'll just have to wait and see. The only angle I can think of; is that maybe some of the inconsistantcies and lies he told the police; he might have also told other people; who can in turn be called on as witnesses. While the 6 hour interrogation video is not allowed in; maybe the interrogator; Chris Bowdish; will be allowed to discuss some of the questioning; without the video as proof. I don't think so though

 

[OriginalJerseyGirl]

His college buddies said that they have never seen Chris jogging. He told his friend that he had to help his aunt and uncle mulch the next morning but, the aunt said that they hadn't spoken with him for about 2 months before the murder.

http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=500548&category=REGIONOTHER&BCCode=HOME&newsdate=7/18/2006

This article is amazing. From the bogus mulching story - to the jogging - to the comments from Christopher about the alarm system even though police never talked to him about it - to the lack of gas in Christopher's car - to no one seeing Christopher in the room in which he claimed to have slept ... there seems to be no way that Christopher DIDN'T do this.

 

[OriginalJerseyGirl]

The article also mentions Christopher parking his car in an illegal grassy area because he had to help his aunt mulch the next morning. I'm assuming that this grassy area must have been close to his building? And then the story of being jogging the next morning could have been told just in case someone had seen him running from his vehicle back to his building some distance away. I wonder if these things were done by him intentionally to tighten the time frame or if maybe he parked where he did the prior night because it's out of view.

 

[mamaodyssey]

Sheerluck,
Since they can't use Porco's statements to the police,is their anyway to get the info on the record that he lied as to his whereabouts?

Hey Hockeymom; great question; I wish I knew the answer, but I don't. Unless we have a lawyer here or mystery fan; we'll just have to wait and see. The only angle I can think of; is that maybe some of the inconsistantcies and lies he told the police; he might have also told other people; who can in turn be called on as witnesses. While the 6 hour interrogation video is not allowed in; maybe the interrogator; Chris Bowdish; will be allowed to discuss some of the questioning; without the video as proof. I don't think so though

You're right SheerLuck: there can be no discussion of the videotaped interrogation.....neither Chris Bowdish nor any other police officer that was there may discuss any aspect of the questioning or the answers......which I understand were replete with inconsistencies by Porco. What a shame!
Yes, if Porco made statements to any of the U of R students or his friends, those statements may be used as they are introduced through the students or friends.
I am wondering if Terry Kindlon will either put Christopher P on the stand or id Chris P will insist on taking the stand? Personally, the more I see of Kindlon and his reactions to the media, especially of late, the more I think that Kindlon knows Chris did this. Kindlon and Shanks have their work cut out for them. They have to go through each and every piece of circumstantial evidence and try to refute it. And they are right,........no one piece by itself convicts Porco, but the whole picture that is formed by all of these circumstances taken together sure makes "innocence" an incredible longshot!
I also keep wondering if in fact the mother really doesn't remember OR if she is in the depths of denial OR god forbid,.....she does remember and is simply standing behind her son for reasons that I sure as heck cannot understand, nor do I want to!!!

 

[jannuncutt]

You're right SheerLuck: there can be no discussion of the videotaped interrogation.....neither Chris Bowdish nor any other police officer that was there may discuss any aspect of the questioning or the answers......which I understand were replete with inconsistencies by Porco. What a shame!
Yes, if Porco made statements to any of the U of R students or his friends, those statements may be used as they are introduced through the students or friends.
I am wondering if Terry Kindlon will either put Christopher P on the stand or id Chris P will insist on taking the stand? Personally, the more I see of Kindlon and his reactions to the media, especially of late, the more I think that Kindlon knows Chris did this. Kindlon and Shanks have their work cut out for them. They have to go through each and every piece of circumstantial evidence and try to refute it. And they are right,........no one piece by itself convicts Porco, but the whole picture that is formed by all of these circumstances taken together sure makes "innocence" an incredible longshot!
I also keep wondering if in fact the mother really doesn't remember OR if she is in the depths of denial OR god forbid,.....she does remember and is simply standing behind her son for reasons that I sure as heck cannot understand, nor do I want to!!!

I really don't think that the Mother has a memory of what happened that night. IMO, it would probably kill her if she did. I don't think that Kindlon will let Christopher take the stand because, he would probably hang himself.

 

[mamaodyssey]

I don't think that Kindlon will let Christopher take the stand because, he would probably hang himself.

If I were Kindlon, I would not let him take the stand....the problem is that Porco may insist on taking the stand and then Kindlon MUST put him on. Sometimes sociopaths really believe they can convince a jury that they are innocent and really get in to telling their stories. Nearly EVERY time a defendant in a criminal case takes the stand, however, they DO hang themselves. It's nearly a given. With all of the circumstantial evidence against Porco, I do believe he would convince a jury of his guilt should he choose to take the stand. It will be interesting to see what happens.

 

[jannuncutt]

Porco's College Roomate Testifies

Christopher Porco's college roomate wrote "Tell me you were somewhere Sunday night into Monday."

"He said he slept in the lounge," testified Ambrosia.

http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=500993&category=&BCCode=HOME&newsdate=7/19/2006

 

[hockeymom]

I guess my question was answered. Chris's lie got in indirectly!! Good!
The fact that he isn't going on the stand himself should make the jury wonder,why. If he doesn't have anything to hide,was in fact,sleeping in the lounge,heck,get on the stand and tell them.

 

[OriginalJerseyGirl]

Capital News 9 | 24 Hour Local News | HEADLINES | Jurors get a look at surveillance pictures and video clips | Jurors get a l...

Christopher Porco's attorney Laurie Shanks asked the judge to bar times and dates written on pictures and video clips of what looks like Christopher Porco's Jeep leaving and returning to the University of Rochester the night of the attack on his parents back in November 2004.

Shanks said, "It was Christopher's Jeep that left campus, which we already know because it was later found on Genesee Street."

Albany County Chief Assistant District Attorney Michael McDermott said, "The video puts him on his way to the Thruway, and more importantly shows him coming back in the same direction those morning hours."

... the big question is whether the time stamps are accurate. Documents showing that the times were verified had to wait to be allowed in since they weren't readily available.

... once the documents were located, the judge ruled they weren't "properly maintained."

Shanks said, "The only thing they have all the bells and whistles for is to prove Christopher left campus, which he had to do because he wasn't allowed to park on campus."

Now, what the prosecution believed to be a key component of their case against Christopher Porco remains up in the air as jurors are asked to figure out what pictures of Christopher Porco's Jeep leaving campus mean -- if anything now that theoretically that evidence could be from anytime.

 

[OriginalJerseyGirl]

Video puts time frame on travel of Porco's Jeep -- Page 1 -- Times Union - Albany NY

... The surveillance video, which was captured by at least four University of Rochester security cameras, puts Porco squarely at odds with statements he made to police indicating he'd never driven his Jeep off campus on the night of the attack.

But the jury may never hear Porco's account to detectives after the judge in the case threw out the police interrogation... It could only be introduced as evidence now if Porco took the stand to testify in his own defense.

Without it, prosecutors continue trying to rebuild Porco's alibi statements with witnesses whom Porco allegedly confided in about his movements that weekend...

 

[SheerLuck]

Video puts time frame on travel of Porco's Jeep -- Page 1 -- Times Union - Albany NY

Hopefully the prosecutors have someone who can prove the times, if not; I dont think the surveillence helps. Maybe they have a witness who they'll bring now that the time is not allowed. The Bethlehem Police have made the prosecutors job so much tougher than it should have been, but I'd guess the prosecutors have some surprises and some strong witnesses still to come. As for Porco; I don't think he'll testify unless Kindlon tells him to. For now though, I think Kindlon has convinced Porco that they'll win. Kindlon has to make sure Porco doesn't panic and skip town

 

[OriginalJerseyGirl]

I just can't believe the couple of huge breaks that Christopher's gotten with his interrogation being disallowed and now the time on the videos. I hope that this isn't an indication of how the remainder of the trial is going to go or what the resulting verdict might be.

 

[hockeymom]

From what I heard on the news today,the prosecution was able to indirectly establish that the time stamps on the video were correct. A female student was caught on tape going to a class at about 8:45 and thats the time she said she left the dorm,so that sort of validates the correct time. She also saw Porco jogging back to the dorm(I think) at the same time,coming from the direction of where he parked the car.