GUILTY PA - Ellen Robb, 49, beaten to death, Montgomery County, 22 Dec 2006

  • #261
ohdear said:
Bruce Castor is strongly considering a run for county commissioner. He isn't going to put himself out there on a huge murder case- saying that the Dr. Robb is the main suspect if he didn't have a good amount of evidence not yet shared with the public.
I agree. Let's just hope he is arrested sooner than later. Any chance he'll get the death penalty???
 
  • #262
fran said:
I believe that I read that her body temperature had already started to drop and rigor mortis had already begun.

JMHO
fran

Now factor in the broken window cooling the house (body) and possibly forcing the furnace to run constantly. Heat rises and the upper levels would be warmer than the downstairs. This could throw off the time of death looking at body core temp only and might effect rigors some. The Prof.s delay in calling the police may have been used to vent off some of the heat upstairs and a final check to see if he missed anything.
 
  • #263
LA2RK said:
fran said:
I believe that I read that her body temperature had already started to drop and rigor mortis had already begun.

JMHO
fran

Now factor in the broken window cooling the house (body) and possibly forcing the furnace to run constantly. Heat rises and the upper levels would be warmer than the downstairs. This could throw off the time of death looking at body core temp only and might effect rigors some. The Prof.s delay in calling the police may have been used to vent off some of the heat upstairs and a final check to see if he missed anything.
Temps that day around here were unusually warm- I doubt any furnaces were running.
 
  • #264
I am also wondering about this attorney Dr. Robb got. He's with a good-sized firm in Norristown and used to work on "the other side" (for the DA). Beyond that, does anyone know his track record? Has he had any other high-profile criminal cases? If so, what was the outcome? Let's just hope he's charging the good professor big bucks -- it must be so-o hard for Dr. R to think about paying his hard-earned $$ for this. Wouldn't it have been easier just to pay it to Ellen and let her get on with her life?
 
  • #265
Neighbor2 said:
I am also wondering about this attorney Dr. Robb got. He's with a good-sized firm in Norristown and used to work on "the other side" (for the DA). Beyond that, does anyone know his track record? Has he had any other high-profile criminal cases? If so, what was the outcome? Let's just hope he's charging the good professor big bucks -- it must be so-o hard for Dr. R to think about paying his hard-earned $$ for this. Wouldn't it have been easier just to pay it to Ellen and let her get on with her life?


Genovese is experienced in prosecution, less so in defense, although he is "death-qualified" according to his bio, which I posted earlier. Google doesn't turn up much on the defense side.

I hope that Ellen's brothers push to have some of the assets frozen so that Raffi can't spend all of what should now go to Olivia.
 
  • #266
http://www.legalassistantblog.com/node/15666?PHPSESSID=bce599b55de5e1ad84189a40a5ce7c95

Home

Guilty verdict in shooting death of Norristown man, TaDarrell ......

Posted in by admin on Fri, 2006-12-01 09:05
Montgomery County Judge Steven T. O'Neill convicted Darnell Foster Woods of first-degree murder in connection with the Nov. 30, 2005, gunshot slaying of TaDarrell Jones, of Norristown. Ironically, the verdict came on the first anniversary of the shooting that occurred in the 300 block of Walnut Street in Pottstown.

Jones' relatives clasped hands as the verdict was announced and Jones' mother, Jackie, sobbed.

"God was in it from the beginning to the end," said Jackie Jones, a deeply religious woman who expressed forgiveness for Woods. "I still believe in God and I'm still going to trust him."

Woods, 28, of Locust Street in Reading, showed no emotion as the verdict was announced. Woods' friends and relatives appeared stunned and disappointed about the verdict and left the courthouse without commenting.

The judge also convicted Woods of charges of lying to authorities and several weapons offenses.

Woods, who remains in jail pending sentencing, faces a mandatory life prison sentence without parole for the first-degree murder conviction. The judge could impose additional, consecutive jail time for the other offenses, which would make it more difficult for Woods to ever win a commutation of his sentence from a future governor.

"It was a senseless killing," said Assistant District Attorney Carolyn Flannery. "For the victim's family the verdict doesn't bring their loved one back, but it does give them some sense of justice."

Defense lawyer Frank Genovese declined to comment about the potential for an appeal.

Woods had waived his right to a jury trial and instead opted for Judge O'Neill to act as the sole fact-finder.

During the non-jury trial, Flannery and co-prosecutor Geoffrey Hood urged O'Neill to convict Woods of first-degree murder, which requires a specific intent to kill. Flannery claimed the fact Woods shot Jones three times - the final two shots fired as Jones lay on the ground wounded - was evidence of Woods' specific intent to kill.

"We have not one, not two, but three shots to vital parts of the body. Each one of those shows specific intent to kill," Flannery said.

However, Genovese argued Woods did not intend to kill Jones and that he acted in self-defense or in a heat of passion, findings that would have allowed for convictions of third-degree murder or voluntary manslaughter.

Genovese implied Woods was acting under the belief he was in danger and that the shooting was justifiable. Woods reacted to Jones punching him during a confrontation, Genovese maintained.

Prosecutors alleged Jones, 29, of the 800 block of Cherry Street, Norristown, was shot three times by Woods as the pair engaged in a verbal confrontation on Pottstown's Walnut Street.

Jones, who also was known by the nickname "Poncho," was unarmed, prosecutors alleged. Jones suffered wounds to his neck, left armpit and chest, and one of the bullets lodged in his spine, testimony revealed.

According to testimony, Woods, who was visiting a home at 308 Walnut St., confronted Jones while Jones walked along the street after Woods believed Jones had looked inside the window of the home.

Witnesses testified that after a verbal confrontation, Woods attempted to shake Jones' hand and Jones rebuffed the gesture. Jones, according to some witnesses, then punched Woods.

Woods then retrieved a handgun from his pocket and began firing at Jones, according to testimony.

Testimony revealed the shooting occurred as a woman was outside hanging Christmas lights on the porch at 308 Walnut St. Prosecutors previously theorized that Jones simply was looking at the woman hanging the lights when Woods reacted with violence.

Flannery argued that even if Jones did punch Woods, the shooting was excessive. Woods violated a legal duty to retreat and he could have left the scene without resorting to gunfire, Flannery alleged.

Prosecutors linked Woods to the killing with a bloody sneaker. Blood found on Woods' sneaker belonged to Jones, testimony revealed.

The projectiles recovered from Jones' body were of the same brand of ammunition that Woods was carrying at the time of his arrest. Prosecutors also linked a .38-caliber revolver found hidden in the rear yard of 308 Walnut St. to Woods. Woods also confessed to the shooting, detectives testified.



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  • #267
Neighbor2 said:
I am also wondering about this attorney Dr. Robb got. He's with a good-sized firm in Norristown and used to work on "the other side" (for the DA). Beyond that, does anyone know his track record? Has he had any other high-profile criminal cases? If so, what was the outcome? Let's just hope he's charging the good professor big bucks -- it must be so-o hard for Dr. R to think about paying his hard-earned $$ for this. Wouldn't it have been easier just to pay it to Ellen and let her get on with her life?
Heard thru another attorney that "Genovese" is a sleazy lawyer! Let's hope he's sleazy and dumb!
 
  • #268
Good news on that one is that Raffi beat Ellen beyond 'repeatedly'...implying 'intent to kill'....am I correct. And because he destroyed her, he certainly wasn't trying to defend himself. If only they could find the weapon he used.

Could this case go to trial???? I'm legally deficient!
 
  • #269
If Robb gets arrested, why wouldn't it go to trial?

Thanks to OhDear for finding that article about the case Genovese lost. The article certainly does not make him out to be a great criminal defense atty.
 
  • #270
Neighbor2 said:
If Robb gets arrested, why wouldn't it go to trial?

Thanks to OhDear for finding that article about the case Genovese lost. The article certainly does not make him out to be a great criminal defense atty.
If he takes a plea deal it wont go to trial. Only way I see it wouldn't.
 
  • #271
Based on everything I know about Raffi Robb, a plea deal isn't even a possibility. . .
 
  • #272
Neighbor2 said:
Based on everything I know about Raffi Robb, a plea deal isn't even a possibility. . .

Time will tell I guess, his attorney sounds as if he expects him to be arrested any day now.
 
  • #273
Neighbor2 said:
Based on everything I know about Raffi Robb, a plea deal isn't even a possibility. . .

I don't even know the guy and don't believe he'd even consider a 'deal.'

From what I've seen about the type of class he teaches about games or whatever, he considered all possibility and probability prior to committing the act. He's not going to 'give up,' by 'pleaing out.' IMHO

IMHO, to him this is a game and he's out to win. :mad:

I think he never thought he'd loose. But, IMHO, IF they arrest him and charge him, he will lose. :behindbar

JMHO
fran
 
  • #274
FactsareFacts said:
Time will tell I guess, his attorney sounds as if he expects him to be arrested any day now.


Like SP's attorney told him prior to his arrest, (you're playing) "A deadly game" with LE.

Robb thinks he's won because he obliterated his wife.

But he's wrong. The game hasn't ended yet. :furious:

JMHO
fran
 
  • #275
I don't think this DA would offer a deal!!
 
  • #276
lisafremont said:
I don't think this DA would offer a deal!!

IMHO, I believe they probably already have enough to convict him. I don't understand why they haven't arrested him YET, but perhaps they're just trying to give him a little more ROPE! :behindbar

JMHO
fran
 
  • #277
fran said:
IMHO, I believe they probably already have enough to convict him. I don't understand why they haven't arrested him YET, but perhaps they're just trying to give him a little more ROPE! :behindbar

JMHO
fran

You're probably right Fran. There is no statute of limitations on murder.

I think that was one of many mistakes made in the OJ trial. If they'd given him a little more time, OJ may have fashioned his own noose.
 
  • #278
Pepper said:
You're probably right Fran. There is no statute of limitations on murder.

I think that was one of many mistakes made in the OJ trial. If they'd given him a little more time, OJ may have fashioned his own noose.

I agree- he certainly likes to talk to the reporters! I was surprised he didn't get a big name lawyer---probably thought he could SAVE MONEY since he was being so smart about things anyway!!
 
  • #279
Has there ever been a time where the accused or "persons of interest" showed up on this board to defend themselves or talk about the case?
 
  • #280
Not that I'm aware of Ohdear. I'm sure their lawyers would have a stroke.
 

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