Trial Thread 10 May 2012 - Judge's Instructions and maybe deliberations!

[~n/t~]

Steven D'Souza ‏ @cbcsteve
Another break, this time 15 minutes. Judge aware of jury's ability to retain information coming at them


Avery Moore ‏ @AveryFreeFMNews
Justice Heeney is moving through a summary of evidence on #Rafferty's post-offence conduct. Evidence is circumstantial, he told the jury.

 

[Oldsoul2]

LONDON, ONT.— Science took centre stage at theTori Stafford murder trial Wednesday as the Crown presented, perhaps, the single most important piece of evidence in the case: a mixed sample of DNA found from Michael Rafferty’s blue and green Goodlife Fitness gym bag.

Blood stains on the bottom surface of the bag were determined to be a mix of DNA from three people, two of those nearly certainly Rafferty and Tori, said a scientist with the Centre for Forensic Sciences in Toronto.
Rafferty can’t be excluded, Tori can’t be excluded from the sample, Jennifer McLean said in forensic lingo. She added the chance that it was from anyone other than Tori was 1 in 28 billion.

http://www.thestar.com/news/crime/ar...y-s-trial-told

This has always peeked my curiousity....three people? who is the other persons dna? Was it cross checked by LE in their database?

 

[CarrieBean]

First degree murder is LIFE.. no chance to apply for parole for 25 yrs.... period

Yes, but "Life" around here isn't really life. He'll be young enough still when he gets out to do something like this again.

What I was wondering if he'll get double time served for the last three years.

 

[giantalkinghead]

... gotta go do some gardening.... checking in later - please the light on !

 

[Oldsoul2]

LONDON, ONT.— Science took centre stage at theTori Stafford murder trial Wednesday as the Crown presented, perhaps, the single most important piece of evidence in the case: a mixed sample of DNA found from Michael Rafferty’s blue and green Goodlife Fitness gym bag.

Blood stains on the bottom surface of the bag were determined to be a mix of DNA from three people, two of those nearly certainly Rafferty and Tori, said a scientist with the Centre for Forensic Sciences in Toronto.
Rafferty can’t be excluded, Tori can’t be excluded from the sample, Jennifer McLean said in forensic lingo. She added the chance that it was from anyone other than Tori was 1 in 28 billion.

http://www.thestar.com/news/crime/ar...y-s-trial-told

This has always peeked my curiousity....three people? who is the other persons dna? Was it cross checked by LE in their database?

 

[otto]

Guilty of first degree murder is....

The crown and the defence can appeal the decision based on legal arguments. The defence will have to have grounds to appeal, as will the crown, but the defence choice to present one witness does not constitute grounds for appeal.

 

[CarrieBean]

This has always peeked my curiousity....three people? who is the other persons dna? Was it cross checked by LE in their database?

I don't recall anything ever being said about that. It sounded like there were 3 DNA profiles they were concerned with.

Who knows what else could have happened in that car.

 

[Sailor Bug]

Rafferty judge charges jury
May 10, 2012 11:35am

http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/raffertytrial/2012/05/10/19740536.html

 

[JayFriend]

It's usually double time for time served before conviction.

I thought that was abolished, but I guess it's still in the works.

http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/news-nouv/nr-cp/2009/doc_32346.html

The idea originally was to encourage the system to proceed without unnecessary delays, but instead it was getting dragged out so the accused when convicted could get out in half the time.

 

[Sailor Bug]

what does the jury consist of, regular appointed citizens?

Mike Knoll: - 9 women and 3 men - yes they are regular citizens.



Did jury members take their own notes, occasionally, during the trial?

Mike Knoll: - they are allowed to, yes.


Mike Knoll: Just a reminder that Randy Richmond will be hosting this live feed tomorrow from the courthouse while the jury deliberates. He has been our lead reporter on this story since Tori vanished. He will answer all your questions about the trial and the things the jury didn't hear.
Randy's chat will start at 10am.

 

[Thinkzerz]

Will he get 25 years per charge?

 

[Thinkzerz]

Was TLM also charged with kidnapping ?

 

[~n/t~]

Mike Knoll: Just a reminder that Randy Richmond will be hosting this live feed tomorrow from the courthouse while the jury deliberates. He has been our lead reporter on this story since Tori vanished. He will answer all your questions about the trial and the things the jury didn't hear.
Randy's chat will start at 10am.


Yay!

 

[otto]

I thought that was abolished, but I guess it's still in the works.

http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/news-nouv/nr-cp/2009/doc_32346.html

The idea originally was to encourage the system to proceed without unnecessary delays, but instead it was getting dragged out so the accused when convicted could get out in half the time.

You're right! That law was changed shortly before MR was arrested so he was not grandfathered into the previous law. That's good news.

 

[CarrieBean]

Apparently I'm totally clueless about sentences, lol. I always thought Life was a maximum of 25 years. Glad to hear that may not be the case.

Can't say I know anything about this stuff first hand. I've managed to avoid the law all my life. In a good way.

 

[Sailor Bug]

Is jury is sequesterd until a verdict is reached, then they may need to deliberate into the weekend I assume. Will court reconvene on weekend if a verdict is reached? Will Randy be covering weekend as well?

Mike Knoll: - yes.



Jurors back.

Heeney going over which evidence he will reference during the charge.

RaffertyLFP: Jury back in Heeney with a review of the"parties to the offense" and how it relates to the Rafferty case

 

[Sailor Bug]

RaffertyLFP: Heeney says you are guilty if you committed the offense or "aided and abetted" the offense

Heeney tells the jury that for a guilty verdict don't need to take the same path on decision tree. Just need the same conclusion on a charge

 

[crystalsleuth]

She was 8. I'm not sure what it could be other than blood.

JMO...saliva or tears?

 

[CarrieBean]

I don't usually get on here much on the weekends, but try to check my email a few times a day.

If a verdict is reached on the weekend, could someone pretty pretty please send me a PM to let me know?

PRETTY PLEASE!

 

[~n/t~]

It's relevant in the instruction to the jury. We certainly won't have a situation where 12 people decide the accused is not guilty because they can't figure out what specific injury resulted in death ... like the CA trial.

Sorry I still don't see the relevance to recap his POF girlfriends. I don't understand this part of the jury instructions by the Judge. Evidence is evidence and the jury should request clarification if and when they deliberate, if needed. They took notes, I believe they can ask for a part of a transcript to be reread to them, or video or whatever. Why waste all this time recapping witness testimony? It's no wonder it'll take a full day.

bbm

Linda Nguyen ‏ @LindaNguyenPN
Court is on another 15 min break. Judge has just finished recapping stream of ex-girlfriends who came to testify against #Rafferty in trial