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

[Wondergirl]

Linda Nguyen‏@LindaNguyenP

In the meantime, court will hear some more legal arguments, which are unreportable

https://twitter.com/#

 

[KMouse]

If I were a juror I would be annoyed that I had to get out of bed for this witness.
Derstine would have been better off calling no witnesses and moving to the closing arguements.

How come the Crown didn't call this witness?

 

[Salem]

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.

It is always the client's choice (at least in US) whether or not to accept a plea deal. I would bet money that Casey Anthony was offered and refused several plea deals along the way.... worked for her

The lawyer can advise, but it is the client's choice.

Salem

 

[robynhood]

AveryFreeFMNews Defence's witness is excused. Jury is given a long lunch so that laywers can deal with some legal issues. #Rafferty..Not back till 2;30....Imo ...OMG ...that means another 2 hour delay ...right???...IMo I hope this will end soon...verdict needed...Imo..all those involved have been thru enough...I personally feel for TORI"S FAmILY ...terrible..IMO..robynhood

 

[Wondergirl]

Rafferty doesn't take the stand at Victoria Stafford murder trial

A man accused in the murder of eight-year-old Victoria Stafford will not take the stand as his defence lawyer opened and closed his case today with one brief witness.

The Crown wrapped up its case against Michael Rafferty last week, and today the defence called one witness who was one of the last people to see Tori alive.

http://www.680news.com/news/nationa...e-the-stand-at-victoria-stafford-murder-trial

 

[Hello_Kitty]

On top of this Derstine claimed publicly before the trial that there was alot we don't know and will be shocked about or something like that. I'm shocked, definitely shocked at the total lack of defense.

By this I think we now know he probably meant that it was TLM that wielded the hamme and not MR. However, he has come very short of what I expected, I really expected a fight from defense. I didn't see it atall.

 

[Sailor Bug]

It really is shocking that Rafferty didn't have even 1 person who knows him(family)...take the stand.

Speaks volumes

jmo

 

[~n/t~]

If I were a juror I would be annoyed that I had to get out of bed for this witness.
Derstine would have been better off calling no witnesses and moving to the closing arguements.

How come the Crown didn't call this witness?

IMO, because of her memory issues? Credibility? I'm guessing her interview with LE was wishy washy.

I don't mean the above in a mean way. Eye witnesses are sometimes unreliable and I think this may be one of those cases.

 

[OhSoCurious]

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

No proof the teacher could not have made an oversight that day either. She testified to the best of her recollection .... but ... I hope the fact that she broke down crying on the stand does not leave room for her questioning herself, deep down inside? MOO

 

[Sailor Bug]

The crowd in the overflow courtroom is thinning. Most of the extra observers today expected to hear Rafferty testimony.

 

[CarrieBean]

How the heck did it take 2.5 hours for this witness?

 

[CarrieBean]

No proof the teacher could not have made an oversight that day either. She testified to the best of her recollection .... but ... I hope the fact that she broke down crying on the stand does not leave room for her questioning herself, deep down inside? MOO

BBM

What about all of the other people in and outside of the school who didn't see TLM go in/out? I don't believe it was an oversight on the teacher's part at all. Had they called more witnesses to testify to that, then I would believe it.

 

[nursebeeme]

No proof the teacher could not have made an oversight that day either. She testified to the best of her recollection .... but ... I hope the fact that she broke down crying on the stand does not leave room for her questioning herself, deep down inside? MOO

are you meaning the teacher? That the teacher should be questioning herself on the inside?

you lost me

 

[Sailor Bug]

recap of what happened this morning

http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/raffertytrial/2012/04/30/19698706.html

 

[Sailor Bug]

So what does that mean for the case? Will the jury go into deliberations soon since Derstine only called one witness?

Mike Knoll: @guest - I believe it will take time to prepare closings and the judge needs time to prepare his charge to the jury - which could also take a day to deliver.

 

[nursebeeme]

oh that is true... they will want time to prepare closings... so most likely not this afternoon....

 

[Sailor Bug]

Will the jury be immediately sequestered once they go into deliberation?

Mike Knoll: - yes.


are they discussing legal arguments? or is court in general recessed until 2:30? why not just adjourn until tomorrow if there are no more witnesses to call?

Mike Knoll: @guest - legal arguments right now. then lunch. at 2:30 I assume the jury will hear the plan for the next few days.


will the closing statements be on this live update too?

Mike Knoll: @guest - absolutely.


Has any of raffertys family been in court during the trial?

Mike Knoll: - according to Rafferty's lawyer, no.

 

[Oldsoul2]

Hope so! Hope they can end today and start deliberations but I doubt it. Derstine will probably want more time.

To do what? He should know the law, he is a criminal defense lawyer, that if you are present you are an accessory to murder and if you do not come forward if you were in fact a pawn in the crime, you do not have a defense and you are just as responsible as the person you were with. Come on, law 101, I'm not a lawyer. This is probably why the first one walked IMO

 

[Sailor Bug]

just wondering but why couldn't the crown call rafferty to the stand?

Only defense is allowed to call accused Don't have to testify against yourself @bergie8ca why couldn't the crown call rafferty to the stand?

 

[Hello_Kitty]

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.

I never actually thought the sketch looked like tara at all, but it did look alot like tara's friend, and the lady at the candlelight vigil.