TX - Jonathan Foster, 12, Houston, 24 Dec 2010 - #10

[Openmind]

Now this makes me wonder if she would have spoken to the 'Q' activist if she already had an attorney. Why is she not asking for an attorney?

Quannel is a powerful figure to this community. I would guess she thought he would get "her" story out when an attorney would keep her quiet. I don't think he helped, and in a city the size of Houston other violent crimes have moved this story from the headlines. My guess Monday she will get an attorney. It will be interesting to see if Quannel stays on board.

 

[jjenny]

Thanks! I couldn't help but laugh, despite the horror of this all.
I remember being amazed that SP was convicted. Okay, I'll wait and see.

At least they had a body in SP' case (no cause of death, right?). I was watching a case of Nina Reiser's murder (no body, no witnesses to the murder, etc) and the husband was convicted of first degree murder on what I thought was an extremely weak case. He testified at trial and denied the murder. His lawyer tried to argue how can anyone be sure she is even dead? But sure enough, after he was convicted for first degree murder, he confessed and showed where he hid the body in exchange for a lesser sentence. If conviction in a case like Nina Reisers's can be obtained, I think we should just chill and let LE do their jobs.

 

[Kimmer]

Scott Peterson is on death row. I think there was a hair found in the pliers and that's about it when it comes to the physical evidence. Listening to some of you I can't help but wonder how is that anyone gets convicted of anything?

There was a bit more evidence than just the hair on the pliers, let not forget the body of his wife and son washed ashore from where he had been "fishing" so I would say there was a bit more evidence that put him on death row where he belongs.

 

[Dear Prudence]

ITA Patty, it's like she just said OK...I'm done. She didn't ask for an attorney, actually do we know if she has one yet? She left all kinds of incriminating evidence in her apartment. She just let them do what they wanted to....I don't understand that. Most killers at least TRY to get away with it. She could have even took off, but nothing. Strangeeeeeeeeeeeee

Don't sociopaths often think they are smarter than everyone else? They lie easily thinking they can talk their way out of any jam. I don't have any research but have always heard killers often return to the scene of the crime. Does anyone know if this true and how prevalent it might be?

 

[BeanE]

That was my first thought. I'm sure LE has something besides the "look in her eyes" that leads them to believe that she has killed before.

I can't help but go back to what I posted this morning - I think they have slam dunk evidence because of the near record speed with which the DA went for capital murder charges.

It's not just a matter of what LE found - it's a matter of how confident the DA was, in reviewing that evidence, to say he'd go for capital murder.

He could have chosen to go for a lesser charge to hold her while he waited for forensics, but he didn't - he decided, extremely quickly, to go for the gold.

I think the evidence they found on Jonathan's body that linked the crime to Mona, and/or the evidence in the trash can, allowed the DA to feel it's a slam dunk.

 

[tehcloser]

Prudence, I have always heard about killers returning to the crime too, but I have never looked for any stats on it.....that might be interesting.

 

[jjenny]

There was a bit more evidence than just the hair on the pliers, let not forget the body of his wife and son washed ashore from where he had been "fishing" so I would say there was a bit more evidence that put him on death row where he belongs.

I am not arguing he doesn't belong on death row. But nobody saw him do it, and certainly he wasn't on tape dumping his wife's body. Prosecutors got a conviction anyway.

 

[Dear Prudence]

Quannel is a powerful figure to this community. I would guess she thought he would get "her" story out when an attorney would keep her quiet. I don't think he helped, and in a city the size of Houston other violent crimes have moved this story from the headlines. My guess Monday she will get an attorney. It will be interesting to see if Quannel stays on board.

I agree. She probably even thought Quanell X might help her get an attorney for free.

 

[Kimmer]

It would be interesting to see if LE has went thru the video from 6PM Friday till the tip was called in to see if IMN truck was seen around the area where she dumped his body during that time, my guess is Yes if she was willing to go to AD home on Christmas Eve and Christmas day, well then that is one messed up person.

 

[tehcloser]

I can't help but go back to what I posted this morning - I think they have slam dunk evidence because of the near record speed with which the DA went for capital murder charges.

It's not just a matter of what LE found - it's a matter of how confident the DA was, in reviewing that evidence, to say he'd go for capital murder.

He could have chosen to go for a lesser charge to hold her while he waited for forensics, but he didn't - he decided, extremely quickly, to go for the gold.

I think the evidence they found on Jonathan's body that linked the crime to Mona, and/or the evidence in the trash can, allowed the DA to feel it's a slam dunk.

Let me throw this out there...I really was not shocked with the speed of things. I think when the picture of Mona and the Mayor showed up - they felt the need for speed. Here they have this woman who supposedly killed this innocent little boy in the most horrid way imaginable, has a criminal record spanning years, and who knows what else. I think they knew exactly how fast they needed this woman to go bye-byes. Now don't get me wrong, I think they think they have a slam dunk - and the evidence will back it up, but I really believe that's the reason behind the speed of things. Image control and what not.........moooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

 

[Strawberry Fields]

I agree. She probably even thought Quanell X might help her get an attorney for free.

If this guy is so well known in the area, that makes way more sense to me why she actually "allegedly" asked to speak to him. Time will tell if he still feels like sticking his neck out for her.

 

[BeanE]

It would be interesting to see if LE has went thru the video from 6PM Friday till the tip was called in to see if IMN truck was seen around the area where she dumped his body during that time, my guess is Yes if she was willing to go to AD home on Christmas Eve and Christmas day, well then that is one messed up person.

Good point. I would not be surprised if she was so proud of her handiwork she just had to go back and look at it a few more times. Those videos may prove very interesting.

 

[Openmind]

Scott Peterson is on death row. I think there was a hair found in the pliers and that's about it when it comes to the physical evidence. Listening to some of you I can't help but wonder how is that anyone gets convicted of anything?

I was just on jury duty and they made us watch a video on how to be on a jury panel. It would seem, all the crime shows are making juries expect Hollywood style evidence and drama. I heard a lawyer say once it is beyond a *reasonable* doubt not beyond *all* doubt.

I know I am really jumping ahead, but eventually, I bet she plea bargains to life to avoid the DP.

 

[BeanE]

Let me throw this out there...I really was not shocked with the speed of things. I think when the picture of Mona and the Mayor showed up - they felt the need for speed. Here they have this woman who supposedly killed this innocent little boy in the most horrid way imaginable, has a criminal record spanning years, and who knows what else. I think they knew exactly how fast they needed this woman to go bye-byes. Now don't get me wrong, I think they think they have a slam dunk - and the evidence will back it up, but I really believe that's the reason behind the speed of things. Image control and what not.........moooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

That's definitely a bit of a sticky wicket. The mayor must be apoplectic. And I'm sure a number of people have jumped to, to take care of that little problem.

 

[georgiajean]

I can't help but go back to what I posted this morning - I think they have slam dunk evidence because of the near record speed with which the DA went for capital murder charges.

It's not just a matter of what LE found - it's a matter of how confident the DA was, in reviewing that evidence, to say he'd go for capital murder.

He could have chosen to go for a lesser charge to hold her while he waited for forensics, but he didn't - he decided, extremely quickly, to go for the gold.

I think the evidence they found on Jonathan's body that linked the crime to Mona, and/or the evidence in the trash can, allowed the DA to feel it's a slam dunk.

I hate to ask this, but I need to... I am not trying to offend anyone, but could the slam-dunk, express lane to capital murder charges be at all race related? In Texas, black woman kidnaps, tortures, murders 12 yr old white boy. I'm not saying that the crime itself was race related. JF was targeted for his age and gender, I think. Does what I am asking make any sense?

 

[jjenny]

I was just on jury duty and they made us watch a video on how to be on a jury panel. It would seem, all the crime shows are making juries expect Hollywood style evidence and drama. I heard a lawyer say once it is beyond a *reasonable* not beyond all doubt.

...

Hollywood style evidence and drama, and gorgeous looking lawyers and forensic examiners too boot! In high hills and flawless make up, please! Or roller skating with a huge slurpy in hand while carrying out forensic tests!
:floorlaugh:

 

[Dear Prudence]

Hope this isn't too off-topic but thinking about Mona getting an attorney made me think of this. Houston just now got a public defender's office. They will start by representing mentally ill defendents who are indigent. Indigent defendents get an attorney assigned to them by a judge which has been criticized. This will probably happen at Mona's hearing on Monday.

Proponents of ending Harris County's distinction as the largest one in the nation without a public defender have suggested that attorneys dependent on judges for their jobs do not have the independence necessary to give their indigent clients a vigorous defense.

State Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, went so far in June as to call the system "sleazy" and "old-school." He authored the 2001 state law allowing counties to establish public defender offices and said he was "embarrassed" that Harris County still had not opened such an office.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7287211.html

 

[rotterdam]

Having spent time in working with kids in neighborhoods like this one, and observing people with similar backgrounds as SD (I swear I know him, but I live in California. I just know people like him), I can understand why he said that it was going to be bad. Jumping to worst case scenarios, jumping to conclusions, maximizing/minimizing events....these are characteristics of certain people. I don't want to say more, because we aren't sleuthing the family, or bringing up their pasts. But I recognize it, and it just helped me understand what SD's background might be.

We do not know Jonathan personally. AD and SD did. He had no reason to run away.He was undoubtedly eagerly waiting to open his Christmas presents, probably already knew what they were, by feeling the shape. I honestly think that AD and SD have no involvement in Jonathan's tragic death. Besides , when a loved one goes missing, does not everybody always anticipate the worst when there is no other logical explanation.?

 

[Strawberry Fields]

That's definitely a bit of a sticky wicket. The mayor must be apoplectic. And I'm sure a number of people have jumped to, to take care of that little problem.

For little Jonathan's sake, I sure hope this does not in any way turn into politics in prosecuting his murderer and getting justice.

 

[georgiajean]

We do not know Jonathan personally. AD and SD did. He had no reason to run away.He was undoubtedly eagerly waiting to open his Christmas presents, probably already knew what they were, by feeling the shape. I honestly think that AD and SD have no involvement in Jonathan's tragic death. Besides , when a loved one goes missing, does not everybody always anticipate the worst when there is no other logical explanation.?

Oh, I am definitely not suspecting AD or SD, either, and my post wasn't meant to do so. I was responding to posts questioning how SD was talking/reacting.