Opening Statements 03/05/2012 in MRT's Trial

[matou]

Vinnie N. didn't mention Tori in his opening. Have any of the HLN shows mentioned that Tori's trial is coming up?

OT: If anyone is following, Jason Young was found guilty. A largely circumstantial case.

I doubt HLN will cover this case since it's Canadian but you never know.

 

[Hello_Kitty]

I believe that Tori was drugged, as well. The question is when and in what order the events happened. She could have been drugged before the sexual assault. (I hope so!) If she was, it was not out of compassion, or even cowardice, but for practical purposes. That feisty child had to be kept quiet all the way from Woodstock, through Guelph, and several stops before the Mt. Forest destination. Maybe she was drugged immediately, but it wore off and they went to get more from BA. Maybe her protests got worse by Guelph and that's when they felt the need to silence her.

If BA interacted with both MTR and TLM, that would mean that Tori would have been left alone in the car. They'd never do that, IMO, had she been conscious. If BA was MTR's friend and not TLM's, it would make sense that she'd stay behind while he picked up the drugs. Otherwise, Tori could have escaped or screamed. The other possibility is that BA is lying and Tori went into the house with them. BA could then be charged as an accessory and for withholding evidence.

There are many more possibilities here. We'll have to wait for the defence's statements and evidence to hear another side to this story.

All above JMO

You could be right AG that she was drugged before hand. I think that would be the only way to keep control of a child, to keep her from crying and screaming. (poor baby). But if she was indeed sexually assaulted, wouldn't her being unconscious defeat the purpose of keeping control by fear over his victim? Ultimately, sexual assault is about control yes? I'm not a psychologist, but I've read enough to know that it most often is. D'you understand? I'm french, so I may be explananing this all wrong

 

[daisy.faithfull]

I doubt HLN will cover this case since it's Canadian but you never know.

I thought I remembered them (or maybe it was just NG back then) covering her disappearance. You're probably right though. I wish they would follow up on more stuff.

 

[~n/t~]

I'm surprised by the defense not doing OS. Strange.

 

[~n/t~]

I thought I remembered them (or maybe it was just NG back then) covering her disappearance. You're probably right though. I wish they would follow up on more stuff.

I think they'll probably mention it when the trial is over and a verdict is read but I doubt they'll do any trial coverage.

 

[Hello_Kitty]

I'm surprised by the defense not doing OS. Strange.

What is OS?

 

[maxfactor]

I'm surprised by the defense not doing OS. Strange.

I was too but I'm wondering if their strategy is to say as little as possible.

 

[maxfactor]

What is OS?

Opening Statement, I think the defense usually does it after the Crown.

 

[daisy.faithfull]

Opening Statement, I think the defense usually does it after the Crown.

Yup. Nobodyzgirl said:
"Defence will give their opening statement when the Crown has rested their case."

 

[maxfactor]

Yup. Nobodyzgirl said:
"Defence will give their opening statement when the Crown has rested their case."

I always thought they both did opening statements on the first day, didn't realize the defense does it after the Crown rests.

 

[Sparklin]

The stopped for drugs, an atm, went shopping, used cell phone, while abducting and murdering this little girl. My head is spinning at their cold and in my opinion nonchalant attitude and my heart is breaking once again for Tori and her family.

Don't forget stopping at Tims for tea!! Maybe at that point Tori was still thinking she was going to see a puppy and they bought her a warm drink to mix drugs in??

The fact that he had a smile on his face today makes me ill and shows no respect for any of these proceedings.

I remember how intensely EVERYONE was looking for that back car seat. There were tons of them reported, but we never heard anything about whether they were 'the one'!

I thought they did have TLM's coat? I thought she had tried dying it pink?

 

[Sparklin]

James may have testify which is could be why he was not there. Or perhaps no camera "caught him on tape". I hope Daryn does not have to testify. Maybe some legal eagle can assure us that there would no need for Daryn or James to be called as witnesses.

The only reason I can see James NOT testifying is if the Crown thinks he will be a slight against their case. There was the info about him and Tara going to the police about TLM after he saw a white coat in her house no? I thought that was reported.

Seems TLM's mom moved away and no one knows where she is ~ guess she wouldn't be a good witness anyway.

 

[flipflop]

Don't forget stopping at Tims for tea!! Maybe at that point Tori was still thinking she was going to see a puppy and they bought her a warm drink to mix drugs in??

The fact that he had a smile on his face today makes me ill and shows no respect for any of these proceedings.

I remember how intensely EVERYONE was looking for that back car seat. There were tons of them reported, but we never heard anything about whether they were 'the one'!

I thought they did have TLM's coat? I thought she had tried dying it pink?

I remember reading that as well. TLM's neighbours stated that they saw her white coat which she tried to dye pink. TLM's mother stated that TLM was taking clothes to drop off in London. In the end I thought too that LE had the coat.

What was with the hair dye that was tweeted today???? They found receipts in both MR and TLM's houses...who's hair were they dying...or did they try and dye the coat with it?????

 

[matou]

Don't forget stopping at Tims for tea!! Maybe at that point Tori was still thinking she was going to see a puppy and they bought her a warm drink to mix drugs in??

The fact that he had a smile on his face today makes me ill and shows no respect for any of these proceedings.

I remember how intensely EVERYONE was looking for that back car seat. There were tons of them reported, but we never heard anything about whether they were 'the one'!

I thought they did have TLM's coat? I thought she had tried dying it pink?

It was reported today the the car seat was not recovered and neither was McClintic's coat or the rest of Tori's clothes or her bag.

https://twitter.com/#!/AM980_Court

 

[antiquegirl]

You could be right AG that she was drugged before hand. I think that would be the only way to keep control of a child, to keep her from crying and screaming. (poor baby). But if she was indeed sexually assaulted, wouldn't her being unconscious defeat the purpose of keeping control by fear over his victim? Ultimately, sexual assault is about control yes? I'm not a psychologist, but I've read enough to know that it most often is. D'you understand? I'm french, so I may be explananing this all wrong

I do understand, Kitty. But it could be argued that sexual assault on a young child would involve control regardless of whether or not she was conscious. She would have no control under any conditions.

And then there are those who rape (the American word, not the Canadian) when their victims are under the influence of date rape drugs like Rohypnol. There is still control - only a slightly lesser element of sadism.

We still haven't heard evidence as to which of the two accused here committed the offence (and yes, I know which one was charged), nor has it been proven yet that the offence occurred. Until we hear what the Crown has to offer and after it is contested by the defence, we have only the opening statement. As Judge Heeney said, the statement is not evidence.

"He also cautioned them that the Crown's opening statement should not be taken as evidence."

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/03/05/michael-rafferty-tori-stafford-murder-trial_n_1320358.html

JMO

 

[matou]

Chances the blood belonged to someone not related to Tori is 1 in 28 billion.

https://twitter.com/#!/AM980_Court

 

[nonfictionrocks]

The only reason I can see James NOT testifying is if the Crown thinks he will be a slight against their case. There was the info about him and Tara going to the police about TLM after he saw a white coat in her house no? I thought that was reported.

Seems TLM's mom moved away and no one knows where she is ~ guess she wouldn't be a good witness anyway.

Rafferty's lawyer can subpoena witnesses too. I would imagine the Crown has a pretty good idea where Carol is right now but you are right, I can't imagine how she would be of any help, for either side.

 

[antiquegirl]

[/B]

I remember reading that as well. TLM's neighbours stated that they saw her white coat which she tried to dye pink. TLM's mother stated that TLM was taking clothes to drop off in London. In the end I thought too that LE had the coat.

What was with the hair dye that was tweeted today???? They found receipts in both MR and TLM's houses...who's hair were they dying...or did they try and dye the coat with it?????

IIRC, the "pink" coat was seen before TLM's original arrest. She may have had time to dispose of it between the time of the crime and the day she was thrown in jail. Or ... MTR could have gone to pick it up and disposed of it for her.

I thought TLM dyed her hair to look less like the suspect in the video. This info came from the neighbours. If the receipt was found at MTR's house, maybe they bought it together. How strange, though, that he would still have it three months later. (There should have been no need for MTR to dye his hair and none of his friends reported him having done so.) I wonder if the receipt could have actually belonged to his mother. There should be a date on it. If the date is later than TLM's arrest, they can't tie it to her.

JMO

 

[matou]

[/B]

I remember reading that as well. TLM's neighbours stated that they saw her white coat which she tried to dye pink. TLM's mother stated that TLM was taking clothes to drop off in London. In the end I thought too that LE had the coat.

What was with the hair dye that was tweeted today???? They found receipts in both MR and TLM's houses...who's hair were they dying...or did they try and dye the coat with it?????

I remember reading somewhere that he bought the hair dye for TLM. The receipt was found in his house so I guess it's true. Maybe it was on Facebook a long time ago. This is not new info to me at all.

He was in the process of trying to get another car when he was arrested. So I don't think he was at the gym when he was arrested. Trying to get another car as in borrowing a car? Buying a car? Trading one in?

"Rafferty went to Bell store in Masonville to get his Blackberry replaced Police spotted his car at his Woodstock home." Does this mean that while he was out trying to replace his phone that his car was spotted? So I guess LE had an idea of what vehicle they were looking for, etc.

https://twitter.com/#!/raffertylfp

 

[maxfactor]

Mr. Rafferty kept in contact by phone with Ms. McClintic, who was arrested on a warrant in a different case a few days after Tori’s death. The jury is also expected to see a video of him visiting her in prison.

Mr. Gowdey also tried to link Mr. Rafferty to the locales where the abduction and killing happened: he had lived and worked in both Guelph and Mount Forest, the rural area where Tori’s body was found, he said. Mr. Rafferty also had family in the area.
He outlined other pieces of evidence the Crown expects to present about Mr. Rafferty’s actions after the killing: a search of Mr. Rafferty’s home turned up a “missing” poster of Tori and Ms. McClintic, he said, had a script of what she was to say to police if they questioned her in the case.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...-blows-to-the-head-jury-hears/article2358818/