State v Bradley Cooper - March 22, 2011

[Maja]

It takes at LEAST 7 days. Nancy was cremated after the M.E. released her body. Nancy was killed 7/12. The autopsy was completed on 7/15 by 1pm. She was likely cremated before 7/19 (i.e. before 7 days post mortem).

Wow. I wasn't aware she was cremated. Who knows what technology we may have in the future - in the event this ends in a hung jury.

 

[TigerBalm]

All the non-evidence today was "we tested it and found nothing". The only things really collected were some dirt by his shoes, her shoes and the couple of hairs. None of that seemed likely to amount to anything in my opinion.

What did they collect in your opinion (that was discussed today) that would incriminate Brad? The one thing they could have collected that might be relevant was the shopvac bag...but CPDs and CBBIs finest chose not to collect that.

I could be wrong but I heard him say several times HE not they ... there is a big difference in what the witness up on the stand at the time was able to test at the crime scene and what was sent for future testing.

Certain tests can be performed at the scene, such as phenolphthalein, alternate light source (luminol), to determine if an item of evidence should be collected for future testing at a LAB.

 

[lib's mom]

The spilled gas in the trunk...what would Brad have used the gas for? Did he have a lawn mower?

IIRC, BC said in his child custody deposition they had a push mower. I do remember Ms. Stubbs asked him a few questions about lawn care.

 

[otto]

Did someone hijack your account? After Mrs. Rentz testimony, I thought you moved into the 100% guilty category. It was definitely compelling testimony...but now we are back to the nothing.

I was having an emotional moment. I was completely swayed by the sadness of Nancy's mother and Brad's poor treatment of his family. Today, I'm looking for facts and logic again. I see nothing. I think it's very likely that Brad murdered his wife, but it has to be proven. I'm not usually one to look at evidence in isolation (at least I try not to), but so far all the evidence, in isolation (looked at one piece at a time) means nothing. As a totality, it give the impression the police are really grasping to make Brad look guilty. So far, it's a failure.

I wonder if Nancys' father's testimony will be dropped in at another time, between police testimony, to emotionally sway the jury.

 

[Maja]

JMOO but I doubt there would be any deathband of the hair found on Brad's trunk lid..I think he scooted her over to the developement site long before that would be noteable..however, under microspope..they may very well see startings of such....We have to remember Nancy was last seen July 14th and was found July 15th.....I doubt very much Brad would have kept her body in his trunk very long..JMOO of course..Sorry I have my dates not so accurate..but I think I have the time lapse right..

Believe NC was last seen minutes in to 7/12 and found the evening of 7/14.

 

[otto]

IIRC, BC said in his child custody deposition they had a push mower. I do remember Ms. Stubbs asked him a few questions about lawn care.

Maybe he had an extra container of gas for Nancy, in case she ran out of gas somewhere (since he wasn't giving her money for gas).

 

[ncsu95]

They did not say they found "nothing", they said they did not find blood in the items tested for preliminary id. Unlike you, I don't have an opinion, I will actually wait to hear what the lab folks who performed the actual testing have to say, their results are after all, the results that actually matter. Strangulation seldom involves blood...as to what incriminates Brad that might have been discussed, no telling since the results of the actual testing have yet to be testified to.

But what did they collect that in your opinion, would link Brad to the murder? I'm just talking about the stuff they said they collected.

 

[raisincharlie]

I could be wrong but I heard him say several times HE not they ... there is a big difference in what the witness up on the stand at the time was able to test at the crime scene and what was sent for future testing.

Certain tests can be performed at the scene, such as phenolphthalein, alternate light source (luminol), to determine if an item of evidence should be collected for future testing at a LAB.

JMO, alternate light source used for trace hair and fibres finding nothing inside that car is a bit damning. Darn clean car compared to the house wouldn't you say ? Seems to me someone cleaned the heck out of that car and stuffed it in a garage to keep everyone away from it...

 

[SleuthyGal]

This "they have nothing" is akin to putting a cake in the oven (raw cake batter) and then announcing, after like 15 min, "this cake is terrible!" The thing isn't even baked yet! You have to wait until the baking is complete to ascertain if the end result gives you a tasty cake (or in this murder trial, proof of guilt).

 

[LaLaw2000]

It takes at LEAST 7 days. Nancy was cremated after the M.E. released her body. Nancy was killed 7/12. The autopsy was completed on 7/15 by 1pm. She was likely cremated before 7/19 (i.e. before 7 days post mortem).

Yes, Caylee was decomposing in a car trunk, so it is impossible to know when that hair fell out, but it was after death.

Nancy's hair could have fallen out when placed in the trunk. I, too, believe she was killed more around 3 to 4 in the morning. I would love to know if the spot on the sheet under the pillow was from beginning to vomit.

It was also testified to that there was a spot on the wood flooring in the master bedroom that was discolored. I wonder if that was cleaned up vomit.

Just speculating.

 

[ncsu95]

I could be wrong but I heard him say several times HE not they ... there is a big difference in what the witness up on the stand at the time was able to test at the crime scene and what was sent for future testing.

Certain tests can be performed at the scene, such as phenolphthalein, alternate light source (luminol), to determine if an item of evidence should be collected for future testing at a LAB.

But most of the stuff tested was not mobile items. They didn't collect the washer/dryer. They didn't collect the sink. Or the baseboard. Or the whatever. They did collect the rug (and this guy said he found nothing on it...but I guess the lab could). But most of what they tested for blood evidence was stuff they didn't remove from the house.

 

[raisincharlie]

But what did they collect that in your opinion, would link Brad to the murder? I'm just talking about the stuff they said they collected.

I already told you - I will wait for the lab results. I can't form any opinion about it as it stands other than the car was darn cleaned compared to his living conditions, which to me is suspicious within itself.

 

[ncsu95]

I was having an emotional moment. I was completely swayed by the sadness of Nancy's mother and Brad's poor treatment of his family. Today, I'm looking for facts and logic again. I see nothing. I think it's very likely that Brad murdered his wife, but it has to be proven. I'm not usually one to look at evidence in isolation (at least I try not to), but so far all the evidence, in isolation (looked at one piece at a time) means nothing. As a totality, it give the impression the police are really grasping to make Brad look guilty. So far, it's a failure.

I wonder if Nancys' father's testimony will be dropped in at another time, between police testimony, to emotionally sway the jury.

Okay. I was worried about you. :crazy: Seriously, that's where I am too. I think he likely did it, but haven't seen anything yet even remotely proving it.

 

[SleuthyGal]

I believe the ADA will present evidence of Brad searching on one of his computers for a place to dump Nancy's body...and I believe a map or area including Fielding Dr. will be revealed.

The defense will try and say it was the CPD or the FBI or someone in the 'hood hacked into his computer and did these searches.

That's what I am thinking we'll see in terms of 'gotcha' evidence.

 

[ncsu95]

This "they have nothing" is akin to putting a cake in the oven (raw cake batter) and then announcing, after like 15 min, "this cake is terrible!" The thing isn't even baked yet! You have to wait until the baking is complete to ascertain if the end result gives you a tasty cake (or in this murder trial, proof of guilt).

That's not what I've said. I said at this point, they haven't presented anything worth anything. If this thing went to jury right now, there is little doubt it would come back not guilty. Hopefully that will change and some damning evidence is coming up...but we keep saying that every day.

 

[JiminWilton]

Well, it appears that my decision to take the Harley out on this beautiful afternoon was the right one.

Thanks to all for the snippets of non-convincing testimony.

Should I ride tomorrow, or tune in. Methinks riding will be much less stressful.

 

[ncsu95]

I believe the ADA will present evidence of Brad searching on one of his computers for a place to dump Nancy's body...and I believe a map or area including Fielding Dr. will be revealed.

The defense will try and say it was the CPD or the FBI or someone in the 'hood hacked into his computer and did these searches.

That's what I am thinking we'll see in terms of 'gotcha' evidence.

And again, that would be damning evidence if the computer search occurred anytime the night of the 11th or morning of the 12th. I would be swayed by that (if that is what it showed).

 

[TigerBalm]

My greatest fear is there is not going to be a wow factor in this case.

Trials usually don't have a WOW factor to them, especially if you know all the evidence before hand.

This isn't Perry Mason!

Murder cases are more like puzzles, each piece of evidence by itself might not mean so much but when you put it all together it does. It will be the prosecutors job in closing to put all those little pieces together for the jury, in a nice detailed way.

Hopefully ADA Fitzhugh will be doing the closing for the state!

 

[SleuthyGal]

NCSU, I didn't direct my post to you, per se.

 

[ncsu95]

Trials usually don't have a WOW factor to them, especially if you know all the evidence before hand.

This isn't Perry Mason!

Murder cases are more like puzzles, each piece of evidence by itself might not mean so much but when you put it all together it does. It will be the prosecutors job in closing to put all those little pieces together for the jury, in a nice detailed way.

Hopefully ADA Fitzhugh will be doing the closing for the state!

Well everyone following this case has assumed there had to be a wow factor since this DA never arrests someone without a slam dunk case.