The Jury Hangs - Justice Delayed

[gracielee]

As was mentioned by Dan Boyce last night on WRAL, there remains the distinct possibility of an Alford plea deal for 2nd degree murder (20-25 years). JLY would admit no guilt, but would admit sufficient evidence exists that he could be found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. No way he is acquitted, but I could possibly see another hung jury. I could see the DA accepting a compromise to close the case.

He's never going to take that with the split of 8 to 4 for not guilty. Never is momma pat going to allow her baby to do that. As for BH, if she's doing the job of prosecuting capital murder cases, she better well expect to be held to a specific standard of jub duties IMO. Even my husband, who is not a typical follower of true crime, was horrified at her cross exam, if that's what *she* tries to call it. I was under the impression prosecutors ALWAYS prepare to cross examine the defendant, no matter how *remote* the chance is that they will take the stand. ALWAYS. She had those same 1600 plus days to prepare for that cross exam, and she blew it big time IMHO. :maddening:

 

[No Coincidence]

for tshirts - I'll take "If my spouse is murdered while I am away, I won't ask how..."

And welcome rockin10 - way to rock the house with your first post!!!!

Raleigh, you can have that one! Reserved. Ill give zelma "applebees sounds like the perfect place to eat on the way to pickup my daughter from her murdered mother."

 

[gracielee]

The wording of the jurors notes also means the jury foreman was in the 'not-guilty' camp IMO. I'm still speechess, hearing this latest news. JLY, the slime, was able to convince eight of twelve jurors he was 'not guilty'. No wonder Ann Miller Konce was offered a plea deal. WTF is wrong with the Wake Co. D.A.'s office? And why haven't we heard from CW? Hey, you reporters, get out there and dog him until he gives you a statement.

 

[dgfred]

I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND how ANYBODY watching him testify believes that was real and genuine. Really... ANYBODY??? It is sickening the fakeness of it IMO.

 

[lib's mom]

The wording of the jurors notes also means the jury foreman was in the 'not-guilty' came IMO. I'm still speechess, hearing this latest news. JLY, the slime, was able to convince eight of twelve jurors he was 'not guilty'. No wonder Ann Miller Konce was offered a plea deal. WTF is wrong with the Wake Co. D.A.'s office? And why haven't we heard from CW? Hey, you reporters, get out there and dog him until he gives you a statement.

I don't really think JLY convinced 8 jurors he was not guilty. I think it's more that the state was not able to convince 8 jurors that he *was* guilty. JMO

 

[iucpa]

I truly hope the investigators take a fresh look at everything. I think we all want justice, even if that means someone other than JY committed this heinous crime.

 

[NCB]

Raleigh, you can have that one! Reserved. Ill give zelma "applebees sounds like the perfect place to eat on the way to pickup my daughter from her murdered mother."

No Coincidence, love your t-shirt quotes!
I'd like mine to say, "If the tears don't fall, the tales are tall."

How's that? Ha!

 

[terminatrixator]

I truly hope the investigators take a fresh look at everything. I think we all want justice, even if that means someone other than JY committed this heinous crime.

I agree that the investigators need to take a fresh look at everything. They need to dig a little further.

The DA needs to know the case INSIDE and out. The Prosecutors should have hit the points made by members of Websleuths and other forums talking about this case. If the Prosecutors had any sense, whatsoever, they would have known this case inside out and been able to handle everything on the fly, like the members here. No excuse on the cross examination, no excuse for not hammering this case home. I felt like I was listening to the most monotonous an monotone prosecution of a case. No passion whatsoever.

Prosecutors should utilize everything at their disposal INCLUDING forums like WS that pick apart a case and look at every angle backwards and forwards. Shame on them for not doing that. Shame on them for not paying attention to Jason supporters and seeing things from their angle and covering their bases to answer the questions that still were not answered before trial.

There should have been a replaying and a rehashing of the 911 call so C was heard loud when Meredith asked C if she knew what happened.

Nobody else but Jason Young committed this crime. There is no murderer running around free right now. Even if he was acquitted, it won't change who actually murdered Michelle Young. It will have meant the jury acquitted and set free a murderer imo. Nobody wanted her dead but him. Nothing will change the truth. The truth as I see and believe it is Jason Young is the one and only person who committed the heinous and sickening murder of Michelle and her unborn son, Rylan.

 

[Madeleine74]

Thank goodness for the 4 who stuck to their guns! I'm just glad JLY was not acquitted. The state should not give up. This was a truly heinous and cruel murder. Two lives were brutally taken. It's important to learn whether these 8 NG's actually believe JLY was innocent or if they felt he might be/probably is guilty but the state failed to prove it beyond a reasonable doubt. Big difference I think.

 

[No Coincidence]

No Coincidence, love your t-shirt quotes!
I'd like mine to say, "If the tears don't fall, the tales are tall."

How's that? Ha!

I love love that one. On the back we can each wear a letter that spells out guilty, so wherever we sit, the whole world knows that were committed to justice. A friend of mine emailed me and said shed like hers to say, ”I always call my mom 28 times, when I’m on my way to pickup used furniture at the spur of the moment which takes me 9 hours out of my way with company coming the next day.” ITA x 1000000000

:crazy:

 

[lib's mom]

Well, I'll say it one more time. The next time the state really needs to address the witness testimonies. Gracie's testimony had HUGE problems and by the time I heard Det. Spivey address her testimony I completely tossed it. Make no mistake, I don't think Gracie was lying...I think somebody cussed at her, but I am far from convinced it was JLY. I don't like she was only shown one picture ("Is this him? Yep, that's him! Awesome!") and then a regular customer was there with her (who they never could find) then it changed to a newspaper delivery person (who they also could never find.) That's not even speaking to how her physical description of him in court. Weak, weak testimony.

And, I know it doesn't make me popular on this board but, I fully believe C. Beaver's testimony that the house was lit up and she saw two people driving out of the driveway. Then you have the NY Times delivery lady and the written testimony that was stipulated to by the defense and the state and that makes 3 people that saw something there that morning. And, no, bringing in the N&O delivery man ("Did you see anything? No. Awesome! Holla back!") didn't answer it for me. I love me some D. Saacks, but he didn't get me there on that issue.

I was irate with BH the day of her cross of JLY, but I surely can't lay this whole mess at her feet alone. Det. Spivey's testimony was lacking. I've seen more passionate testimony in traffic court.

*All quoted testimony is only how it sounds in my own head today, because I'm in a really snarky mood over this whole mess right now. It is by no means represents any real testimony.

 

[TruthBTold]

When Kathy Taft was murdered-everyone thought is was her sister or someone she knew because of the viloent nature of the murder. She was staying at her boyfriends house, he was in Florida. If he had been in Wilmington, or anywhere in NC-he would have been suspect number one. But it was not someone she knew-it was a random neighbor down the street-there were so many strange "coincidences" with her sister-who was there during the murder-it was hard to believe it was not her-
The police need to look past JY-at this point the Pros. have pretty much excluded him as a suspect.

 

[otto]

A disgrace to who? you?

You don't think the evidence or lack thereof had anything to do with it?

As it turns out it was a tougher case to try than most anticipated.

You have no idea what was and wasn't discussed in advance of the trial and during the lunch prior to the JY cross. Are you sure you want to put that all on her?

I'm sure BH feels horrible, but to label her a disgrace....?

I seem to recall that the prosecution was reluctant to try the case (thus the 3 year delay in arrest) even though many observers thought the evidence was overwhelming. I think that when a case is split 6-6 and then shifts to 8-4 with a deadlock, then there is most likely a weakness in the evidence. Other than Jason's alibi and the apparent shock throughout the courtroom about his decision to testify, I think the argument of tunnel vision was reinforced by the prosecution and then hit home by the defense. In the one year anniversary clip posted by JTF on the weekend, we hear the police emphasizing that Jason wouldn't talk to police - a point that is used to imply that he is guilty. The prosecution needs to come up with an entirely different strategy that does not include Jason's silence as a factor implying guilt.

 

[cityslick]

I don't see how you don't blame the prosecution for 8 people who believe in a NG. It's all about the evidence and how it's presented. The jury does not have the advantage of forming a preconcieved opinion based on years of investigation. They only have what is presented to them. Obviously, a majority of them didn't think enough was presented to them to make them think 'guilty'.

All you have to do is look at the BC trial. The exact same outcome could of happened there. (how many would of been surprised with a hung jury in that trial) But the state presented evidence in a methodical manner, breaking it down piece by piece to show that only BC could of done that crime. I havenlt watched this trial but I get the impression that was not done here.

 

[gracielee]

I truly hope the investigators take a fresh look at everything. I think we all want justice, even if that means someone other than JY committed this heinous crime.

So are you also of the opinion the detectives in the Nicole Brown Simpson & Ronald Goldman murders, should also be 'taking a fresh look at the evidence' to find the real murderer?

 

[gracielee]

I don't see how you don't blame the prosecution for 8 people who believe in a NG. It's all about the evidence and how it's presented. The jury does not have the advantage of forming a preconcieved opinion based on years of investigation. They only have what is presented to them. Obviously, a majority of them didn't think enough was presented to them to make them think 'guilty'.

All you have to do is look at the BC trial. The exact same outcome could of happened there. (how many would of been surprised with a hung jury in that trial) But the state presented evidence in a methodical manner, breaking it down piece by piece to show that only BC could of done that crime. I havenlt watched this trial but I get the impression that was not done here.

This trial was tried on the 'fast track'. :banghead:

 

[TruthBTold]

OJ and an overwhelming amount of evidence were at the scene-with no eveidence of another party there-and don't forget his little white bronco drive...it is well known that Jury nulification and mistakes by the prosecution were the reason for NG with OJ.

 

[otto]

If the size 10 shoe print was a problem, then the jurors did not listen to the judge when he charged them, nor did they read through the written copy of those instructions that were provided for their use. There was a very clear description of acting in concert in those instructions. The size 10 is also counter balanced by the fact that JY's hush puppy was also present. Ciggarette butts and the single hair were found by friends and family members - who knows who really put that stuff there? The ADA needs to hammer that home, friends and family often do things they should not. This one is easily proven by simply pulling up their postings on various websites, specially Kim Young's, and the retired school teacher. Both of these folks should be on the ADA's witness list - they should be confronted with their actions undetaken on JY's behalf - there is plenty of reason to see they were quite capable of doing some things not exactly legally.

From my point of view, I do not think the prosecution ever thought JY would take the stand. I do believe they were totally caught off guard by him doing so, to the point they were hopelessly ill prepared. I also believe that while it may have helped JY this time, it will not be helpful the next go round. His testimony is now on the record and should he decide to take the stand a second time, he is absolutely stuck with what he said during this trial. The prosecution needs to focus on this and make proper adjustments and counter arguments. Something tells me, he will not take the stand on a re-trial but, the ADA should be glad he did this time. Now the areas of focus can be defined, isolated, and addressed. JMO.

The problem I see with the accomplice instruction and the 'could have purchased additional gas elsewhere' is that the prosecution did not present any evidence to support either theory. Furthermore, when the prosecution stated that Jason could have purchased gas after leaving Hillsville, they pretty much confirmed that there were problems with the gas purchases and mileage.

 

[otto]

I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND how ANYBODY watching him testify believes that was real and genuine. Really... ANYBODY??? It is sickening the fakeness of it IMO.

It's hard to read people when they are under multiple stresses. Jason could be guilty and therefore while testifying he's jumpy and nervous, or Jason could be innocent and fighting to prove his innocence and therefore jumpy and nervous. I thought he was very clear thinking. One point that stood out for me was when the prosecutor asked half a question, and he said 'no, he wasn't there', to which she responded "you were never ..." and he said "sorry, I interrupted, please finish your question". It was something like that ... point being was that he came across as not being defensive or argumentative, and that worked in his favor. Furthermore, he was wide open to having to answer any question that the prosecution wanted to throw at him, and he was prepared to answer them all. The jury could have assumed that he could not possibly have aniticipated and manufactured false answers to all possible questions.

 

[Prancy]

Has anyone considered that the state tried to figure a way to lay out the gas milage issue for the jury, but it never worked out right? You can't make it happen if it won't. You only have the facts you have to work with. In that case, you let the jury try to do it based on all the other evidence. That just didn't happen for some of them apparently.