Trial Thread, May 1, 2012 Defense begins it case in chief

[robynhood]

London Free Press
‏ @RaffertyLFP Follow
Cancel Court resuming, jury not in.

11:55 AM - 1 May 12 via Twitter for iPad · Embed this Tweet

 

[jenniferleia]

The only thing....if she picked Tori right out from the inside of the school how did she know that Tori did not have a parent waiting outside. Did she just chance it?

 

[Dmman]

Were staff members walking with VS down the sidewalk........in an identical coat?

What I am wondering about now is the VS teacher's testimony.

If she saw VS going out and then back to the classroom for her earrings, and then out again...............why didn't she see TLM?

There is no reason to disbelieve this witness. She has no credibility issues and no reason to hide anything or lie.

She was at the school often picking up her own grand kids.

Posters are making derogatory remarks about her......and don't even know anything about her........including her age.

If she says she saw TLM walking in the front door of the school...........TLM walked in the front door of the school.........IMO.

Believe the witness or TLM?...........................JMO.

You are absolutely right. But Grandmom wasn't too sure on some things as the crown has pointed out. I was implying that maybe she was mistaken about who she thought entered the school as opposed to who she saw walking with Tori.

 

[~n/t~]

I didn't see any derogatory remarks being made about this witness. Some are questioning her memory which is what the Crown is doing.

Next.....


Is it over? Closing statements this afternoon, perhaps? We could be on verdict watch by tomorrow!!

Justice is coming Tori. Hope you're smiling down from heaven!!

 

[robynhood]

...looks like ready to start again soon....IMO...the circus will begin again...Hold on to your hats my friends..robynhood....not liking this IMO....what is DENFENSE trying to prove...????....IMo..seems ridiculious ...we shall see..I presume ...OMG..robynhood

 

[Bravo]

There is no ineffective counsel here. Derstine is doing his best. What that tells us is there there is nothing, except one witness' statement, that indirectly conflicts with Tori's teacher's statement, to help.

Derstine cannot present character witnesses, because if he does, the Crown can rebut and I have a feeling that wouldn't be pretty.

All the other evidence corroborates what TLM said -- the videos, the BB, the women.

Certainly I don't have a reasonable doubt at this point.

Salem

Agree. He is doing his best with what he has to work with.

 

[Wondergirl]

I cannot believe Derstine had 4 day's to prepare...and he gave us Grandma

Guess they couldn't pry Rafferty's fingers off the jail bars to testify how horrified he was

jmo

4 Days??!!

He had 3 years! ;-)

 

[Sailor Bug]

where can I find the evidence files on the LFP website -

you'll have to sift through these galleries: http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/raffertytrial/2012/04/18/19651801.html

 

[Kamille]

TLM said she was outside and took a child at random.

She lied..............about the abduction and the murder.

JMO.

Victoria's teacher testified that she left the school...out the doors and outside...alone.

The grandmother saw a woman in a white coat (with no distinctive stripes) enter the school. She did not see her leave. There is no proof that she saw TLM enter the school. Random witness testimony is notoriously inaccurate.

So wherever Victoria met up with TLM, it was outside.

No proof that TLM lied about anything.

MOO

 

[crazyladi]

TLM said she was outside and took a child at random.

She lied..............about the abduction and the murder.

JMO.

How do you know that isnt true? We are taking information from a citizen that couldnt remember details from one interview to another. Sorry she didnt lie in my eyes.

 

[myzzy]

TLM jacket - is it a full winter jacket or could it be used in the spring normally anyone happen to know, I believe it was a winter jacket ( snow jacket). just would like clarification if possible?

 

[Wondergirl]

I can't really believe all Derstine has is Grandma!

What about the experts, to refute the hard physical evidence, placing MTR at all the different scenes? TLM being a liar doesn't refute THAT.

At the very least I expected an expert to refute the blood and video evidence.

Nada.

 

[paris_paris]

I don't think TLM ever went inside the school. The grandmom has a faulty memory MOO. She even admitted she thought TLM was Tori's Mom.

I remember when the video first came out... and then the sketch. We all thought the sketch looked like Tara, and Tara's friend. Tara even made a point of wearing her white coat to one of the early PC's. As we saw more video of the searches, we saw more and more women who had white coats and had long dark hair pulled back so tight it raised their eyebrows.

 

[nursebeeme]

I can't really believe all Derstine has is Grandma!

What about the experts, to refute the hard physical evidence, placing MTR at all the different scenes?

at this point I am just surprised he didn't go with a plea deal vs sitting thru three months of testimony.

If that is all the reasonable doubt the defense team has to throw at the wall.. well, I just am not sure anything is sticking (but then again usually to get something to stick you need to throw more than one thing at the wall)

just saying.

 

[SideKick]

I can't believe there wasn't any other parents or teachers who saw McCL out there.. or if they did perhaps people generally think oh... no biggie, a babysitter for the day.
I think I am agreeing that we have no worries so to speak. We want MR looked after. Put away.. this will indeed happen if things con't to go this way.... shaking head for the millionth time.

 

[Wondergirl]

Stafford trial: Rafferty won't testify in own defence

Choosing to not make an opening statement, defence lawyer Dirk Derstine declared he would be calling just one witness.

Read it on Global News: Global News | Stafford trial: Rafferty won't testify in own defence

 

[myzzy]

What if its all true, the teachers version and the witness today?

Possible scenario but probably did not happen this way but the defence could spin it.

TLM walks into the school just as Tori is going back for her earnings, TLM spots Tori and tells Tori she will meet her outside as she is picking her up as Tori darts past to get her earrings but the teacher did not see TLM because the bell rang, TLM then walks outside and Tori spots her, and the teacher see's Tori leave the school alone, Tori is walking hastly and catches up to TLM and then are seen by the other witness

 

[Salem]

http://www.simcoereformer.ca/2012/03/06/tori-staffords-mother-to-take-stand
Tori Stafford's teacher breaks down in court

A couple of minutes before the dismissal bell rang, Victoria asked if she could go back in the class to get the butterfly earrings her mother had loaned her that day. Victoria came back after the bell had rung and the other children left, about a minute later.

Tori wasn’t wearing the earrings, so Murrell asked the girl if she had them.

Tori said “yep,” so the teacher assumed she had them in her backpack or pocket.

“OK, hon, we’ll see you tomorrow,” Murrell said.

“And then she went out the door,” she told the jury, her voice cracking with sorrow.

Which is much more believable than a woman's, busy with picking up her own grandchildren, somewhat confused and inconsistent testimony about seeing TLM go into the school. And even if she saw TLM go into the school, she did not see TLM come out. When putting the two testimonies side by side, it would be logical to conclude that TLM did NOT pick Tori up inside the school. Maybe because Tori was talking to her teacher?

Salem

 

[snoofer]

She is on the stand to put further doubt in TLM's testimony!! For ME it will never change what I believe are hard facts of this case. Neither of these adults returned Tori Stafford home to her parents on April 8,2009!!!!!!!!

that is the only defense witness???? Sorry, behind here. Not seeing the point or what it changes... MOO

 

[SideKick]

What if its all true, the teachers version and the witness today?

Possible scenario but probably did not happen this way but the defence could spin it.

TLM walks into the school just as Tori is going back for her earnings, TLM spots Tori and tells Tori she will meet her outside as she is picking her up as Tori darts past to get her earrings but the teacher did not see TLM because the bell rang, TLM then walks outside and Tori spots her, and the teacher see's Tori leave the school alone, Tori is walking hastly and catches up to TLM and then are seen by the other witness

..... If Tori was targeted. How would TLM know a mother or guardian wasn't outside waiting for her?