GUILTY OH - Annabelle Richardson, newborn, found in grave , 7 May 2017 *GUILTY OF ABUSE OF CORPSE ONLY* *resentencing 2022* #4

[Boodles]

This is clearly a hot button case in the community in the media and in here. IMO it's in big part because it tangentially at least touches or alludes to an issue that is very polarizing and is often prefixed pro or anti. I think the elected DA grandstanded because of this ever since the start of the case.

And after today I think the elected Judge Oda also grandstanded too--big time. The defendant was convicted of the one charge --but Oda rather flatly made known that he thinks somehow she made the baby dead and he rebukes her for that. She wasn't convicted of nor being sentenced on that, but he really wanted to make his position clear. I notice he also hurried to explain why she was out on bond for years and IMO it all had the ring of assuring the community that he the judge wasn't a lightweight on this case.

I am NOT saying it's unethical or surprising. It's the way elected officials across the spectrum function, they posture and perform and make points. But I don't think the acquittal on all the major charges will hurt the DA or judge with their constituency or honestly their donors. IMO it will be a 'well at least he tried' situation.

I was shocked by the judge’s statements and felt he was out of line. Who is he to say that in his heart he KNOWS that....”Annabelle”... would be here today. Way too much editorializing via his own opinion, IMO.

(I agree with him, but those should have been his private thoughts, not public, on-the-record parts of her sentencing.)

 

[dizzychick]

No they don't. I had after-birth pains after my first child.

that's odd you are supposed to have good muscle tone after the 1st kid and why they get worse with each child afterwards is the thought on why the pains get more intense with the number of kids born. Every time I nursed my 2nd and last child Andrew, the pains were so bad I would let out a scream and my hubby would just laugh and laugh and make fun of me, the brat, I told him I was going to let the kid latch on to him in the middle of the night and see what it feels like lol

 

[MTW2011]

Did you see some of the stuff about that same Judge that came out long before the trial? Pretty interesting history

Accused of illegally striking a memo by the defense team from the court record
Did judge illegally strike memo from court record in teen mom baby murder case?

Or when he was under investigation, and subsequently served with a grievance by the Ohio Supreme Court, for allowing the prosecutor to watch court proceedings in his office via a live video feed that was set up. Defense attorneys were concerned that Fornshell and the prosecutors could hear privileged conversations between them and their clients.
Judge investigated over prosecutor's video feed

 

[Ksprincess2]

that's odd you are supposed to have good muscle tone after the 1st kid and why they get worse with each child afterwards is the thought on why the pains get more intense with the number of kids born. Every time I nursed my 2nd and last child Andrew, the pains were so bad I would let out a scream and my hubby would just laugh and laugh and make fun of me, the brat, I told him I was going to let the kid latch on to him in the middle of the night and see what it feels like lol

Nope muscle tone has nothing to do with it, after birth pains are the uterus shrinking back down so it happens after any delivery but typically get worse with each subsequent delivery as it's harder for the uterus to shrink back down the more it's been stretched out.

 

[dizzychick]

This interview is well worth watching, perhaps especially for those who believe the State overcharged Skylar, and/or that aspects of the State's case were unethical.

He is asked repeatedly why the State didn't "hit the reset button" after the charred bones expert opinion was retracted. Why the State didn't at least withdraw the intentional murder charge, why they persisted with the accusation at trial Skylar burned her baby, rather than admitting she falsely confessed to that.

(And, I totally disagree one has to be an attorney to have an informed opinion about the State's ethics. In any case, given the huge differences between the practices of civil and criminal law, an attorney simply by virtue of being an attorney does not an expert in all areas of law make.

For example, I don't know any civil attorneys, including my DH, who would feel comfortable asserting they are familiar with very many aspects of criminal law, prosecutions, and trials at all, much less singularly qualified as experts.

Last, and definitely not least. It's our legal system, our lives the State has the power to disrupt or destroy, and imo it's very much our responsibility to hold the State accountable if we believe the State has abused that power.

I agree with him that there are cases of false confessions but those cases usually involve torture, beatings or the threat or fear of a beating or death even that makes them confess, why would Skylar who fears her parents so much confess that she cremated her baby's feet just a little bit if it were not true? They never found those feet bones either I think

 

[MsBetsy]

Nope muscle tone has nothing to do with it, after birth pains are the uterus shrinking back down so it happens after any delivery but typically get worse with each subsequent delivery as it's harder for the uterus to shrink back down the more it's been stretched out.

Yes, I had them as well and I only had one child. I remember my doctor explaining what you describe.
Nobody ever tells you about that part until after you've given birth. Imo

 

[beatrixpotter]

I disagree with those of you who are saying BSR is likely re-offend, kill again, or make another appearance on WS for another crime. I'm interested if anyone has any relative statistics on women who commit neonaticide, but I think she is only really a danger to her own offspring. Maybe only offspring conceived while living in her parents' house as a minor.

Does she still need a ton of help to guide her through doing a massive amount of emotional work to have a chance at being a functional, contributing member of society with healthy relationships who is able to take care of herself? Yes. But I don't think she's headed for a life of murder or even crime.

I don't think they are thinking remotely logically but just are just talking out their own personal vindictiveness and anger. They also ignore everything she said on camera except what suits them. They also ignore the findings of the jury and claim whatever suits them as actual fact. So it's little wonder they sit around and speculate further violence...even their own violence towards family members should they become involved with BSR.

 

[dizzychick]

I don't think they are thinking remotely logically but just are just talking out their own personal vindictiveness and anger. They also ignore everything she said on camera except what suits them. They also ignore the findings of the jury and claim whatever suits them as actual fact. So it's little wonder they sit around and speculate further violence...even their own violence towards family members should they become involved with BSR.

I am perfectly willing to give her credit where credit is due. I immediately thought the gurgle she heard was probably just the water from the blob of contents hitting the toilet water. The fact she was able to not wake anyone means it must have been a fast delivery, wished they had explained more about that or I missed it. I had 2 C-Sections so I am fuzzy on this but I thought you either tear vaginally or need a cut I didn't hear anything about after birth care like her needing to go be stitched up so I assume what? The baby was not big enough to tear her up on the way out? That would have been a good point in her defense had it been the case The lungs are the last organ to develop on an unborn infant so if She was 4 weeks early that would be concerning as to whether she could survive very long on just room air. On the flip side, why didn't Skylar spank the child to startle her and try to get her to breathe? Try to clear her airway? I never understood that if you wanted your baby to live... If the baby was dead there is no threat to your college or career or future ( so selfish) so why not just bang on the parent's door and ask for help?

 

[MsBetsy]

I agree with him that there are cases of false confessions but those cases usually involve torture, beatings or the threat or fear of a beating or death even that makes them confess, why would Skylar who fears her parents so much confess that she cremated her baby's feet just a little bit if it were not true? They never found those feet bones either I think

Yeah, she said she had a lighter and started at the bottom. Then she tried to "shoo" the fire out. It sounds like she intended to burn the body, then changed her mind and buried it instead.
But as the report of the findings was retracted, I guess it's not relevant.
Do we know why it was retracted? Did another expert disagree with the findings? Imo

 

[dizzychick]

I did and wasn't disappointed like I've been with other gloating defense lawyers. He seemed like a prosecutor still. At least to me.

Charlie was very smart always, just a wonderful person to be around. He's gotten older, (we haven't lol) but seems like he has a different type defense team sort of. It's interesting but the first clue of ambulance chasing, I won't remember a thing about tonight. j/k

one of the defense lawyers reminded me of George Clooney hubba hubba

 

[MsBetsy]

I am perfectly willing to give her credit where credit is due. I immediately thought the gurgle she heard was probably just the water from the blob of contents hitting the toilet water. The fact she was able to not wake anyone means it must have been a fast delivery, wished they had explained more about that or I missed it. I had 2 C-Sections so I am fuzzy on this but I thought you either tear vaginally or need a cut I didn't hear anything about after birth care like her needing to go be stitched up so I assume what? The baby was not big enough to tear her up on the way out? That would have been a good point in her defense had it been the case The lungs are the last organ to develop on an unborn infant so if She was 4 weeks early that would be concerning as to whether she could survive very long on just room air. On the flip side, why didn't Skylar spank the child to startle her and try to get her to breathe? Try to clear her airway? I never understood that if you wanted your baby to live... If the baby was dead there is no threat to your college or career or future ( so selfish) so why not just bang on the parent's door and ask for help?

I think she was terrified and in shock and did not have a clue what to do.
Waking her parents and asking them for help likely would have been the last thing she would consider. She probably was afraid to tell them and worried about what they would think of her.
She seemed to me to be very naive and childlike for a teenager. Imo

 

[squareandrabbet]

Assuming you're serious, I think the chances of that having happened and the prosecution (and/or the defense, who knows) not using it during this trial are zero.

Plus, don't forget the press. It seems very unlikely that the press would not go after such a statement with all their might as a controversial trial angle; and that to me, means nothing more than that people don't understand figurative language and context anymore, with a large amount of people who want to think they have uncovered some form of conspiracy or, as the movies would have it, "plot hole".

If Skylar's father, had, for example, phrased his statement as "it's been done/it's been done before", "it" meaning "the act of women who have birthed in secrecy and not told anyone about it", I don't think anybody would have any questions. Or, maybe they still would (*shrug*). I wouldn't have had any questions. I mean, I personally didn't have any questions the way Skylar's father did phrase it, but it's possible to remove parts of his phrasing and substitute other parts of speech/phrases that mean the exact same thing, technically; and still have the meaning be the same - a generic statement of situations. MOO, IMO

 

[BeckyF]

I was shocked by the judge’s statements and felt he was out of line. Who is he to say that in his heart he KNOWS that....”Annabelle”... would be here today. Way too much editorializing via his own opinion, IMO.

(I agree with him, but those should have been his private thoughts, not public, on-the-record parts of her sentencing.)

I completely agree that his comments were out of line. IMO he knows nothing of the kind.

 

[dixiegirl1035]

Did you see some of the stuff about that same Judge that came out long before the trial? Pretty interesting history

Accused of illegally striking a memo by the defense team from the court record
Did judge illegally strike memo from court record in teen mom baby murder case?

Or when he was under investigation, and subsequently served with a grievance by the Ohio Supreme Court, for allowing the prosecutor to watch court proceedings in his office via a live video feed that was set up. Defense attorneys were concerned that Fornshell and the prosecutors could hear privileged conversations between them and their clients.
Judge investigated over prosecutor's video feed

Yes I saw all of it. But where is the results of all of it as I would assume it has gone through the system? I would assume judges go through this all the time with defense attorneys Etc. I have not seen anything as to the results, does somebody have them or is just posting accusations by defense attorneys Etc the last it has been published?

 

[BeckyF]

I agree with him that there are cases of false confessions but those cases usually involve torture, beatings or the threat or fear of a beating or death even that makes them confess, why would Skylar who fears her parents so much confess that she cremated her baby's feet just a little bit if it were not true? They never found those feet bones either I think

BBM. That is not true. Any google search on false confession would show you that false confessions occur without beatings or threats of beatings.

 

[dixiegirl1035]

I think she was terrified and in shock and did not have a clue what to do.
Waking her parents and asking them for help likely would have been the last thing she would consider. She probably was afraid to tell them and worried about what they would think of her.
She seemed to me to be very naive and childlike for a teenager. Imo

Although that is what I don't understand, if she wanted her mother and father the whole time during the interview and wanted to hold somebody's hand when she was uncomfortable.

It all just seemed such a dichotomy, that she wanted her hand held during the interview, but she did not want help when she was birthing baby.

 

[AllyBeeUK]

I was shocked by the judge’s statements and felt he was out of line. Who is he to say that in his heart he KNOWS that....”Annabelle”... would be here today. Way too much editorializing via his own opinion, IMO.

(I agree with him, but those should have been his private thoughts, not public, on-the-record parts of her sentencing.)

ITA. He cannot possibly KNOW this. He can believe it, that's his prerogative; but that's very different from knowing.

 

[Gardenista]

I don't think I'm rehashing anything as that was my first post on this thread.
I did not know the jury thought Skylar had anorexia or that the baby was still born. I'll have to go back and read about that.

I understand what the outcome was of the trial, but I was referring to Skylar's own account of the baby being alive.
She said she heard a gurgle and a little bit of crying while the baby was in the toilet. She thought she saw her moving.
She herself believed that by squeezing the baby a little too hard she may have caused her death.

I'm not saying she intentionally killed her. We weren't there, so we can only go by her words, if she is to be believed.

But I don't think there is much doubt that the baby was born alive. Imo

The jury went out of their way to write a note on the verdict form that Skylar did not hurt Annabelle.

I bet it burned the judge up to have to read that out loud, LMAO.

 

[AllyBeeUK]

I know that the judge and prosecutor have been elected, but do they stand for a particular political party, i.e. are they republican or democrat? Or are they independent?

 

[dixiegirl1035]

The jury went out of their way to write a note on the verdict form that Skylar did not hurt Annabelle.

I bet it burned the judge up to have to read that out loud, LMAO.

Yeah, reminded me of HHJP flipping through the verdict form, and his comments afterwards. He was shell-shocked as was I.

But for this case, I do not think I was as shell shocked as the verdict at all.

I did note that defense used the Cheney Mason tactic which is now popular amongst defense attorneys. E.g. Zimmerman trial.To show the Reasonable Doubt graph. See attached. Screenshot from live feed.

ETA Cheney Mason was the defense attorney, and HHJP was the presiding judge during the Caylee Anthony trial.