State v Bradley Cooper 3-21-2011

[BrownRice]

It's her Darth Vader sound machine!

No...it's a STENOMASK

Thanks! You know everything.

 

[SleuthyGal]

Heart wrenching.

He is one cruel and souless cretin.

He couldn't muster anything to say to his mother-in-law about her loss?

 

[LaLaw2000]

Heart wrenching.

He is one cruel and souless cretin.

He couldn't muster anything to say to his mother-in-law about her loss?

No, BC couldn't/wouldn't say anything to Mrs. Rentz because he knew she would find out at some point he had killed her. JMO. It was coming.

 

[otto]

I didn't believe the neighborhood gossip, but I do believe mom. Brad sounds like he was controlling (no money, no gas, no passports) before the divorce papers were initiated. Heather was the straw that broke the camels back ... denial, then a lie about a one night stand, then a full blown affair that lasted a couple of years. I believe that Nancy was completely trapped by Brad and, based on the discussion yesterday about green cards and custody, I think she believed she had no choice but to return to Brad to sort things out.

I thought that Brad had some parental rights and that Nancy shouldn't be taking the children out of the country, but it doesn't sound like Brad cared about the children any more than he cared about Nancy.

 

[SleuthyGal]

I didn't believe the neighborhood gossip, but I do believe mom.

You realize that the friends' statements corroborate what Mrs. Rentz said today on the stand? Yet you don't believe the friends, but you do believe Mrs Rentz?

 

[otto]

If custody issues are still ongoing ... is there anyone other than Brad seeking custody? Are his parents?

 

[otto]

You realize that the friends' statements corroborate what Mrs. Rentz said today on the stand? Yet you don't believe the friends, but you do believe Mrs Rentz?

Please don't omit my name or change the content of my comments.

Past and present tense. I didn't believe the friends, I do believe the mom.

 

[NCEast]

If custody issues are still ongoing ... is there anyone other than Brad seeking custody? Are his parents?

I don't know but this I do know--if Brad is found not guilty I think the children should remain where they are--with Nancy's parents and sister. I don't think Brad has it in him to raise these children with the love and emotional support they will need for a lifetime.

 

[diphi]

According to the mother, Brad never contacted them about the disappearance of Nancy. Yes? They arrived here on Monday, got the news of a body being found Monday night, but they still had not heard from Brad? Am I hearing that right? If so, that's just incomprehensible.

I followed this case so very closely up until he was arrested, but now I find I have gaps in my memory as to what really happened. I bet the same is true for the witnesses, too.

Was it Jessica who called the parents?

IMO

 

[DogWood]

At about 48:00 minutes into this video Brad is having quite a conversation with Kurtz...that is going on while Mr. Hill is talking about the crime scene photos.

Then you can see Brad scribbling a note - he turns around to hand it to someone and then smirks...that's at about 50:04.

Anyone know who he handed that note to? When I was watching this morning I thought it was his Mom or Dad that he handed it to - now I'm not sure.

http://www.wral.com/specialreports/nancycooper/video/9304109/#/vid9304109

ETA: They are talking about the picture marked #136, #130, #132.

 

[sunshine05]

I didn't believe the neighborhood gossip, but I do believe mom. Brad sounds like he was controlling (no money, no gas, no passports) before the divorce papers were initiated. Heather was the straw that broke the camels back ... denial, then a lie about a one night stand, then a full blown affair that lasted a couple of years. I believe that Nancy was completely trapped by Brad and, based on the discussion yesterday about green cards and custody, I think she believed she had no choice but to return to Brad to sort things out.

I thought that Brad had some parental rights and that Nancy shouldn't be taking the children out of the country, but it doesn't sound like Brad cared about the children any more than he cared about Nancy.

I can't help thinking that....if only HC didn't feel the need to purge her conscience, NC may still be alive today. Both of them actually. What did either of them gain by telling her? Unless they were planning to start a life together they should have just let it go rather than hurt her with it. It reminds me of fatal attraction a little.

 

[NCB]

Mrs. Rentz came across as very credible. She didn't bash Brad and said some loving and kind things about him. That only makes the other details she added--like Brad threatening to sue HM for damaging his reputation--all the more credible IMO. Granted, I think Nancy was probably prone to exaggerate/omit some things, and she may have enhanced/left out some details to ensure her family was firmly in her corner. However, the things Mrs. Rentz witnessed herself, including his reaction to her when he first saw her, were credible and disconcerting. As a parent, it is absolutely gut-wrenching to imagine her pain. It hurts to watch her, but I don't think Cummings is abusing the "mother of the victim" angle at all.

 

[otto]

I don't know but this I do know--if Brad is found not guilty I think the children should remain where they are--with Nancy's parents and sister. I don't think Brad has it in him to raise these children with the love and emotional support they will need for a lifetime.

I would agree. The children were so young when their mother was murdered, and they have since established lives and routines with Nancy's sister. Their mom's identical twin is the closest they'll have to their own mother, and I think that's where they should stay.

Even if found not guilty, Brad would have to rebuild his life and I doubt he will do it in NC. The children don't need any more upheaval in their lives.

 

[NCEast]

According to the mother, Brad never contacted them about the disappearance of Nancy. Yes? They arrived here on Monday, got the news of a body being found Monday night, but they still had not heard from Brad? Am I hearing that right? If so, that's just incomprehensible.

I followed this case so very closely up until he was arrested, but now I find I have gaps in my memory as to what really happened. I bet the same is true for the witnesses, too.

Was it Jessica who called the parents?

IMO

That was my understanding. He never contacted them period. The first time there was any contact at all was at the Lutheran church gathering after her body was found. That's when Nancy's mother crossed the circle of people and peered under his ballcap and looked into his eyes.....and knew he had murdered her daughter.

 

[otto]

According to the mother, Brad never contacted them about the disappearance of Nancy. Yes? They arrived here on Monday, got the news of a body being found Monday night, but they still had not heard from Brad? Am I hearing that right? If so, that's just incomprehensible.

I followed this case so very closely up until he was arrested, but now I find I have gaps in my memory as to what really happened. I bet the same is true for the witnesses, too.

Was it Jessica who called the parents?

IMO

That's right ... he never contacted Nancy's parents and when he spoke to them, the only thing he said was not to believe what anyone said. Chloe ... didn't catch the name, something like that.

 

[otto]

I can't help thinking that....if only HC didn't feel the need to purge her conscience, NC may still be alive today. Both of them actually. What did either of them gain by telling her? Unless they were planning to start a life together they should have just let it go rather than hurt her with it. It reminds me of fatal attraction a little.

Maybe Heather's marriage was falling apart because of the affair, and she wanted to take Brad down with her, or maybe Heather and Brad had a deal to tell their spouses and Brad didn't follow though. For whatever reason, Heather did not tell Nancy about what was going on until it had been going on for a very long time, so she wasn't telling Nancy because she was a friend. I think she told Nancy to make a mess of the marriage, and she most certainly succeeded.

 

[NCEast]

At about 48:00 minutes into this video Brad is having quite a conversation with Kurtz...that is going on while Mr. Hill is talking about the crime scene photos.

Then you can see Brad scribbling a note - he turns around to hand it to someone and then smirks...that's at about 50:04.

Anyone know who he handed that note to? When I was watching this morning I thought it was his Mom or Dad that he handed it to - now I'm not sure.

http://www.wral.com/specialreports/nancycooper/video/9304109/#/vid9304109

ETA: They are talking about the picture marked #136, #130, #132.

I went back to the beginning of this segment twice and I saw two women behind him who I think are with the defense side. I didn't see his parents at the beginning of this segment behind him but they could have moved before the end of it. I couldn't see who he handed the note to but I did see somewhat a smiley smirk.

 

[SleuthyGal]

I went back to the beginning of this segment twice and I saw two women behind him who I think are with the defense side. I didn't see his parents at the beginning of this segment behind him but they could have moved before the end of it. I couldn't see who he handed the note to but I did see somewhat a smiley smirk.

The two young women sitting behind BC are part of the defense team. They work for K&B.

 

[SleuthyGal]

Maybe Heather's marriage was falling apart because of the affair, and she wanted to take Brad down with her, or maybe Heather and Brad had a deal to tell their spouses and Brad didn't follow though. For whatever reason, Heather did not tell Nancy about what was going on until it had been going on for a very long time, so she wasn't telling Nancy because she was a friend. I think she told Nancy to make a mess of the marriage, and she most certainly succeeded.

Testimony is that H.M., after a bit too much wine one night with a friend, told that friend (not Nancy) about her affair with Brad. That friend said she had heard enough, did not want to hear any more, and told H.M. that either H.M. tell Nancy about the affair or she (the friend) would tell her. So H.M. told Nancy. Brad denied the affair for over a year, finally admitting it (according to today's testimony) 12/31/07 AND admitted he was in love with H.M.

H.M. went on to get involved with another married man (apparently John Pearson) after Brad and broke up that marriage. J.P.'s estranged wife sued H.M. for alienation of affection. Around the time of the custody hearing I remember hearing that Brad was allegedly going to be called to testify for that lawsuit and it was as a result of learning he might be called that he (finally) admitted the truth to Nancy. I don't know if that is true, it's what I heard.

 

[sunshine05]

If he went to such great length to cover up this crime, why did he not even try to appear normal by informing her parents she was missing and talking to them as soon as they arrived, meeting them at the airport even? This is pretty telling.