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

[mickey2942]

I don’t know about Texas but in the Arizona case of Justin Rector who murdered little Isabella Grogan-Cannella the defense had to petition the court for funds for every service. It was originally a death penalty case but after years of delays he finally pleaded guilty in exchange for LWOP. But a lot of money was spent on ridiculous fees in the preceding years.

I’m still not clear why TH didn’t do similar via a plea deal to eliminate the death penalty.

Maybe it was not offered as an option. I can see how the District Attorney would take a lot of flack for that decision in Texas for a man who killed a little girl.

 

[twall]

Agree - I really like those WFAA reporters!
So, victim impact statements will happen after the jury deliberations? Maybe I am misremembering previous trials, but I thought impact statements are normally given before the penalty is decided - am I wrong about that?

Victim impact statements will be after the jury's decision is announced but before sentencing. If they happen before the jury deliberates they could influence the jury's decision so they would be considered prejudicial against the defendant and an appeal issue.

 

[twall]

Maybe it was not offered as an option. I can see how the District Attorney would take a lot of flack for that decision in Texas for a man who killed a little girl.

Yes, I believe this is the answer...a plea for LWOP was not an option. Texas doesn't play around! JMO

 

[Morequestionsthananswers]

Interesting commentary at the end of yesterday's proceedings on WFAA stream by reporter Rebecca who is in the courtroom, Tanya Eiserer and Chris Mulder (who is the late Doug Mulder's son, anyone remember him? from Darlie Routier case), starts at 5:34ish, says what will happen Monday, defense has 1 more witness, then rebuttal witnesses and 1 hour each for closing. 2 of Athena's relatives will give victim impact statements immediately after verdict is announced. They also talk about TH's brother and maybe a relative of TH's will testify for state rebuttal. I like listening to the WFAA commentators, they don't hold back!

6:09 mark. Tanner might live longer if he’s given the DP and segregated rather than LWOP and put amongst other prisoners. That could be far more dangerous for him, he’s got a target on his back. There’s a thing called prison justice.

Can someone please tell me whether TH lived with his fiancé in that shed or did she live elsewhere. And is she the mother of his son. And where did the son live?

 

[Megnut]

Ohhh Tanner might live longer if he’s given the DP and segregated rather than LWOP and put amongst other prisoners. That could be worse for him.

Can someone please tell me whether TH lived with his fiancé in that shed or did she live elsewhere. And is she the mother of his son. And where did the son live?

Iirc he trashed his own drum room (shed). At the time of his evil crimes, he was living with his gf's family in their house. And was bellyaching about it. Methinks a freeloader whose alternative is living in his garbage house didn't have any room for criticizing a real house with real walls.

JMO

 

[Bbgiraffe]

Did the fiancé testify or did I miss it? I read that TH says he had sex with the fiance after he killed Athena in order to "prove he wasn't a pedophile"

FedEx driver Tanner Horner killed girl, then had sex with fiancee, court told

FexEx driver turned child killer Tanner Horner was determined to prove he was not a pedophile, psychiatrist testifies. Learn more.

torontosun.com

I hope she testifies since she was most likely the closest person to him at that time, but in the article I linked the attorney quoted doing the questioning points out that they won't be giving the fiancé's name so it makes me think she won't be testifying.

 

[mickey2942]

https://people.com/tanner-horner-family-what-to-know-11956992

Really interesting that TH parents were both in prison.

I continue to wonder about genetic criminal behavior. Especially as TH did live with his Grandmother, who tried to give a normal life. TH did not spend much time with either one of his parents. His mother states that his father raped her in the article above.

I read that his son, lives with his fiance mother.

 

[RaspberryMama]

Victim impact statements will be after the jury's decision is announced but before sentencing. If they happen before the jury deliberates they could influence the jury's decision so they would be considered prejudicial against the defendant and an appeal issue.

So we will know that they reached a decision, we just won’t be told what that decision is until after the impact statements?

Or do you mean we will be told what the jury decided, then Impact statements, then official sentencing from the judge?

Sorry if I sound obtuse, lol. I’m just trying to figure out the order of events.

I think I’d like TH to hear how devastating his actions have been while he is still waiting to hear his sentence. If he already knows he’s been sentenced to death, the self pity (and possibly the shock) may keep him from really hearing what’s being said. And conversely, if he knows he’s got LWOP the relief I assume he’d feel may make take away from the effect of the impact statements. The people speaking deserve to have their impact statements… impact him, imo.

 

[PMJ]

It slays me to think that he’s afraid to die, but he’s okay with torturing a child to her death.

 

[PMJ]

Maybe it was not offered as an option. I can see how the District Attorney would take a lot of flack for that decision in Texas for a man who killed a little girl.

They probably didn’t want to give him that option. His crime was too heinous.

 

[PMJ]

Victim impact statements will be after the jury's decision is announced but before sentencing. If they happen before the jury deliberates they could influence the jury's decision so they would be considered prejudicial against the defendant and an appeal issue.

That seems so odd to me. Once we hear how the crime has affected other individuals lives,
that might be all it takes for a juror who might be on the fence with DP or LIP. Families and loved ones should have the right to have their voices heard and considered prior to a verdict, imo.
It might be just what a juror, who may be “sitting on the fence”, needs to hear before entering their verdict. IMO

 

[PMJ]

Well . . . in that case, let's just give him a pass. Let him walk free! (Plug Sparky in to test the electrical connections!)

Well with all of his claims of brain damage, AFS, autism, bullying, and now how the Devil made him do it, he sure sounds like one shrewd, manipulative, and resourceful murderer. IMO

 

[PMJ]

Or see a fedex truck without thinking of Athena. Just tears.

I walked past one parked outside of a store yesterday. It was an eerie feeling. It was large, had dark windows, I couldn’t see inside, but knowing a terrorized child was locked inside there with that big ugly monster. Unforgetable.

 

[su5ie]

The prosecutor’s very short, very effective cross with the grandmother starts about 1:47 at the link if you missed it. I have been very impressed with him during this sentencing trial.

The prosecutor is doing a brilliant job

 

[su5ie]

I walked past one parked outside of a store yesterday. It was an eerie feeling. It was large, had dark windows, I couldn’t see inside, but knowing a terrorized child was locked inside there with that big ugly monster. Unforgetable.

I sincerely hope the truck tanner drove Athena to her death in was taken out of service . I shudder to think it would still be on the road