GUILTY TX - Athena Strand, 8, Abducted & Murdered by FedEx Contract Driver, Tanner Horner, Paradise, 30 November 2022 #2

[browneyes]

I get the feeling this was a case of a narcissist trying to teach a psychopath how to behave.

My thoughts exactly.

 

[su5ie]

Which he did as an infant.

Will this slow moving Defense ever finish?

One more witness , the midwife who delivered him

 

[Leilei]

One more witness , the midwife who delivered him

And possibly the elementary school lunch lady.

 

[Megnut]

People like TH are a dime a dozen in prison.

Swallow that, TH.

 

[Leilei]

People like TH are a dime a dozen in prison.

Swallow that, TH.

Prosecutors need to drive that home during closing.
"You aren't special"
"You aren't smart"
and... "The only person that will be remembered after this is over is ATHENA. Not you."
IMO.

 

[mickey2942]

People like TH are a dime a dozen in prison.

Swallow that, TH.

I worked in a prison, teaching school. If you have an IEP, the state has to provide Special Education to eligible students age 18-22 birthday.

And it was remarkable, how similar the kids life stories were. Pretty much, like TH. Disorganized family life. I noticed, no Daddy around? Just a mean Grandpa?

Of course, there are outliers in prison, people who grew up in nuclear families. But they are few and far between.

 

[kaen]

I had a number of screaming moments while watching the testimony of Beth. I work with young adults with a wide range of disabilities, including ED and Autism.

Most illuminating of the whole testimony was her cavalier and informal interactions at the DEATH PENALTY phase of a trial. Making small talk about the people questioning her and chuckling when the family of the murdered child sits in the courtroom tells me all I need to know about her.

Her testimony about this killer is based on months of work 20 some odd years ago. Nothing she said could be extrapolated to him and his decision-making on the days surrounding the murder. He was never been determined to be unable to make decisions for himself (no one had guardianship of him, no SSDI as far as we know). He has/had a drivers license.

He was able to understand the cause and effect of having cameras on his van-- he knew to cover them up in order to do what he wished in the van on any given day. His interactions with Athena show he knew his actions were wrong---- he took her surreptitiously, he told her to stop whining and crying (not confused why she was scared or protesting), and as she was dying he sang songs to drown out her cries/whimpers. On the previous day, he was crafty enough to test whether adults were home.

There is no excuse. He is a person who may have had gaps in his development but he is responsible for his action. It is notable that the defense team did not tell Beth that he did not hit her AND that there is evidence of a brutal murder and rape.

Ughhhhh.

 

[Morequestionsthananswers]

Maybe they'll bring all of our middle school teachers to testify to nothing today.

Who cares about TH now or as a child. This is soooo tedious. Let’s just get to the DP. Can’t wait to see his face then.

 

[su5ie]

Who cares about TH now or as a child. This is soooo tedious. Let’s just get to the DP. Can’t wait to see his face then.

The penny might finally drop for the Demon on what has been a hard swallow for Athena's family

 

[gucci2times]

Finally finished today. I see ya’ll hating on the witnesses but I found them pretty interesting!

Per childhood interventionist, there were clear deficit areas but they were pretty typical of the diagnosis and nothing that couldn’t improve with proper intervention.

Per brain imaging, there were clear deficit areas but nothing markedly outside of normal.
(Side note FYI it’s actually unclear if low function areas result from structural deficits or vise versa… if low use of that brain area atrophies the structure).

All in all, today no profound neurological disability that excludes him from capital punishment was reported or demonstrated.

 

[Morequestionsthananswers]

Now for an appropriate song for everyone to sing to TH while stomping on his head as he carks it.

 

[Megnut]

BPFinally finished today. I see ya’ll hating on the witnesses but I found them pretty interesting!

Per childhood interventionist, there were clear deficit areas but they were pretty typical of the diagnosis and nothing that couldn’t improve with proper intervention.

Per brain imaging, there were clear deficit areas but nothing markedly outside of normal.
(Side note FYI it’s actually unclear if low function areas result from structural deficits or vise versa… if low use of that brain area atrophies the structure).

All in all, today no profound neurological disability that excludes him from capital punishment was reported or demonstrated.

And, conveniently, no mention of neuro damage brought on by drug use.

Really rough childhood is no excuse for destroying Athena's.

No doubt the jury will remember that TH isn't a disadvantaged 5th grader, but was a grown adult living in the adult world who intentionally stole a child and did the unthinkable.

JMO

 

[su5ie]

And, conveniently, no mention of neuro damage brought on by drug use.

Really rough childhood is no excuse for destroying Athena's.

No doubt the jury will remember that TH isn't a disadvantaged 5th grader, but was a grown adult living in the adult world who intentionally stole a child and did the unthinkable.

JMO

When is the jury expected to convene and discuss a verdict ?

 

[gucci2times]

Okay seriously, its not like prosecution is asking that a guy who escaped from a mental health facility inpatient status, be sent to death row. The guy had a job a fiancee, a son, a mum, a grandma, an aunt, stable albeit messy home. He has taken a kid off outside her house and he didn't laugh hysterically in a fugue state when cops caught him, he tried to cover up , make excuses, ask to see his son.

Is DP even a remote possibility even without this days/weeks long defense? I mean usually at least one juror is opposed to DP on principle right? And all of them need to unanimously vote for DP right, otherwise its auto LWOP for pleading guilty to this ?

You have to be open to DP to be seated on a capital jury. A potential juror opposed to DP would not be seated.

 

[mickey2942]

Is this "LoveFest" for TH seriously going to go on for another week? I honestly did not think anyone was credible or provided meaningful testimony regarding why TH should be spared the death penalty. And if they bring up the fact that he has a kid, that will disgusting. He isn't fit to be a father, or example for a child.

 

[RaspberryMama]

I was just thinking about the desperate lengths the defense team seems to be going to, and how badly they are failing. I think it’s obvious we are seeing the witnesses that we are because better ones refused to be part of this. Compare anyone we’ve seen on the stand this week to the witnesses we saw for the prosecution - Ranger Espinoza, that amazing ME (who rocked the short blonde hair and black glasses), the man who went above and beyond to find and protect the video and audio from the delivery van, Mom, Dad, stepmom - I mean, I was truly impressed with the caliber of these people; they were all so respectful. They each had something important to say, something really meaningful and to the point of this case… not just the big nothing that doesn’t matter that we’ve seen from the people this week.

Does anyone think TH will testify?