VERDICT WATCH VA - Joseph Ryan shot, Christine Banfield stabbed, both deceased, in home - Herndon 24 Feb 2023

[ttjo]

Random musings:
I'm still scratching my head over how this plain, balding schlub had multiple affairs and that women were actually attracted to him .

I'm worried that if he's found guilty, he'll file an appeal based on ineffective counsel, win the appeal, and get a new trial. Since JM will be a free woman in Brazil, the CW no longer has any leverage to make her testify against him and that could put a damper on the CW's case. According to Peter Tragos, the CW has no case w/o JM. I'm not sure I agree.

Well I agree with your first point that’s for sure.

 

[Izzylizzy]

BB testified that Lily the dog was in the basement with her food bowl and blocked in with a gate so she couldn't get upstairs.
Did he say that CB did that, allude to it or neither?


Did Sands accuse BB of putting Lily in the basement so JR could safely enter the house?
Could you hear Lily barking in the upstairs bedrooms when she was in the basement?

 

[ttjo]

BB testified that Lily the dog was in the basement with her food bowl and blocked in with a gate so she couldn't get upstairs.
Did he say that CB did that, allude to it or neither?


Did Sands accuse BB of putting Lily in the basement so JR could safely enter the house?
Could you hear Lily barking in the upstairs bedrooms when she was in the basement?

And he testified that her dog dish was usually kept in the dining room, so WTH was it doing in the basement? And when did that happen if police arrived and he was holding CB’s neck. Oh the nanny must have taken the time to do that with the chaos going on, before she shot JR what a gong show.
Like seriously this guy is his own worst enemy.

 

[mickey2942]

And wouldnt it be hard to put on a rebut witness for something like that. I would think it’s private and possibly the witness is just not aware of it.
I mean I sure dont believe it, but its something that could be hidden .

Agreed. Who can testify to something like that? "She never said anything about S&M to me.".

We only show parts of ourselves to different people. Very few people show all of themselves to anyone.

 

[Izzylizzy]

Random musings:
I'm still scratching my head over how this plain, balding schlub had multiple affairs and that women were actually attracted to him .

I'm worried that if he's found guilty, he'll file an appeal based on ineffective counsel, win the appeal, and get a new trial. Since JM will be a free woman in Brazil, the CW no longer has any leverage to make her testify against him and that could put a damper on the CW's case. According to Peter Tragos, the CW has no case w/o JM. I'm not sure I agree.

JM's sentencing is on Feb 13 next week.
Chief Judge Penney Azcarate can sentence her up to 10 yrs.so it's not a slam dunk she'll be back in Brazil soon.

The CW agreed in the plea deal to recommend time served if JM testified etc which she did.

 

[Izzylizzy]

And he testified that her dog dish was usually kept in the dining room, so WTH was it doing in the basement? And when did that happen if police arrived and he was holding CB’s neck. Oh the nanny must have taken the time to do that with the chaos going on, before she shot JR. what a gong show.
Like seriously this guy is his own worst enemy.

When BB entered the house, followed by JM & VB Lily the dog was already in the basement with food bowl and blocked from going upstairs.
So BB and/or JM did that with Lily before leaving that morning so JR could get in the house and upstairs w/o Lily barking, maybe getting attacked and getting CB's attention.
imo

 

[ttjo]

When BB entered the house, followed by JM & VB Lily the dog was already in the basement with food bowl and blocked from going upstairs.
So BB and/or JM did that with Lily before leaving that morning so JR could get in the house and upstairs w/o Lily barking, maybe getting attacked and getting CB's attention.
imo

Oh 100% I agree.
I have to listen again to hear how he explained that one.

 

[Born2BWild]

If you google Eric Clingan, another Deputy Commonwealth’s attorney, you’ll get your answer. He was originally supposed to be handling this trial.

I do remember the situation with the prosecutor who was going to be representing the CW. So the attorney of record filled in on the fly and had a monumental amount of prep to do in a very short time.

There was also the big controversy within the CW regarding the digital forensics and there was a lot of cleaning up to do and personnel shifts.

I’m thinking the CW did a pretty decent job considering the variables. They couldn’t go forward with a DA who was drinking on the job and others who were banishing reports/experts who contradicted their case theory.

But I totally agree with everyone here who feel CB wasn’t portrayed as the loving mother and exceptional nurse and person she was.

I remember right after the murders, her FB/social media was available and she was so committed to being healthy and fighting her way back to the fitness she knew before pregnancy. She had a wonderful relationship with the first au pair (pre JM) and they remained friends. The former au pair had many FB tributes to CB.

All so painfully sad.

MOO

 

[Serononin]

Jury questions take a lot of time. In our case we had 2. One the deputy was able to answer (it was about getting copies of the jury instructions for everyone) and the other was about the definition of something, I forget what it the terms was now, but I remember saying at the time that there probably is no definition and that's why it wasn't included. And a note came back from the judge that just said there was no definition it was up to us to decide. At least we didn't have to file into the courtroom to get that non answer ;/

At least you didn't get "a reasonable doubt is a doubt which is reasonable" lol (famous line from a UK trial - I forget which - where the judge was so alarmed by some of the jury questions that he ended up dismissing them for essentially being incompetent)