Will there be an arrest very soon?

[loves2bmom]

Innocent or guilty, I'd hate to be in her shoes. Can you imagine how persecuted and paranoid one would feel every minute of every day?

If she is guilty, I hope she feels every minute of that persecution and paranoia!

 

[human]

They will find out what they can, once the lawyer starts investigating, and they will look for any exculpatory evidence they can find. They will start with TH's story and work from there, for sure.

If SM said that she left the school without him and the attorney doesn't know , for example, that she was seen leaving with him, all that investigating would be for naught.

She can and will do what she wants, but it's going to cost a huge amount of money.

I imagine that the only funds she will have will come from her parents or if her friends make a legal defense fundraiser for her.

What are people's best guesses as to what a defense would cost?

 

[nursebeeme]

I wanted to weigh in on the "arrest soon":

I think it will be soon.. but maybe not this week... soon like within the following month.

jmoo

((ets: my jaw is still on the floor after getting home to hear the murder for hire news. Anyone got a fork lift?? For as many times in this case that my jaw has hit the deck it is pretty stuck this time!))

 

[liz b.]

If SM said that she left the school without him and the attorney doesn't know , for example, that she was seen leaving with him, all that investigating would be for naught.

She can and will do what she wants, but it's going to cost a huge amount of money.

I imagine that the only funds she will have will come from her parents or if her friends make a legal defense fundraiser for her.

What are people's best guesses as to what a defense would cost?

TH would have paid a retainer to be represented. The amount of the retainer is solely at the discretion of her attorney. Most ethical defense lawyers will subtract the huge amounts of free advertising that a national case brings them from their eventual fee.

As to the witness saying he/she saw TH leave the school -- eyewitness accounts are almost always subject to brisk cross examination in court.Eyrwitness testimony is considered weak.

At this time I suspect TH's attorney is only working on the custody issue between KH and TH ; any investigation (and it will be going on ) will probably be focused on KH at this time.... IMO

All JMO

 

[Noway]

http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2009/04/can_oregon_afford_the_death_pe.html

Average cost to defend a murder case $24,876

Average cost to defend a murder case with a possible death penalty $213,232

http://blog.oregonlive.com/news_impact/2009/04/numbers.jpg

(graphic of facts blows margin, so I just linked; if you open and then click on it, it magnifies)

 

[gwenabob]

http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2009/04/can_oregon_afford_the_death_pe.html

Average cost to defend a murder case $24,876

Average cost to defend a murder case with a possible death penalty $213,232

http://blog.oregonlive.com/news_impact/2009/04/numbers.jpg

(graphic of facts blows margin, so I just linked; if you open and then click on it, it magnifies)

The firm I work for just defended a multi-million dollar business contract case. It cost our defendant over $125,000, and it was only in arbitration, not court. We did not have any expensive experts, and we charged a cut rate. I really believe a case like Terri's would run even higher than the price quoted above. Way higher.

Terri's parents are no doubt putting up the retainer. They are retired teachers, so I doubt they have loads of cash sitting around. Terri has never really worked, so she has no retirement fund, and the house is in her husband's name only, so no source of cash there. She is really in a bad place as far as coming up with money for this high priced attorney.

 

[RoughlyCollie]

What are people's best guesses as to what a defense would cost?

$100,000 for first degree murder, arrest through sentencing, not including expenses. The cost of private investigation is an expense, and would cost at least $100/hour. The cost of a forensic psychiatric examination + testimony of the psychiatrist can cost $50,00 and up (depends on whether it is a "high profile" forensic psychiatrist).

I have no clue what to estimate for an additional amount for defending a case in a death penalty state, or what premium to add for a famous or high profile attorney.

My best reasonable guess for all the costs of the defense is at least $250,000, ranging up to $400,000.

The smart criminal defense attorney charges a flat rate for legal fees + expenses, contracts for representation from arrest through sentencing, and makes sure the defendant pays it all in advance, including a hefty retainer for expenses. Additional money must be paid for expert witnesses (psychiatrists) and for private investigators, unless those people make direct arrangements for their fees and expenses to be paid directly by the defendant.

There is a good reason for this, and that is that the defendant and his supporters won't have any incentive to pay their bills if the defendant is found guilty. They will be busily locating funds to pay for an appeal, unless they have an appointed lawyer. Plus, of course, the risk is high that any criminal defendant will not have the financial resources to pay the legal bill in full if it is contracted to be paid in installments.

In most places in the U.S., a person can easily buy a 3 bedroom, 2 bath house, with attached 2-car garage, in a safe middle-class suburban neighborhood, for what defending this case will probably cost TH, if she becomes a defendant. Gosh, in some places, a person can buy a nice car, along with the house.

I forgot to add that if convicted, especially of murder one, the defendant will appeal (it is required in some states, don't know about Oregon). A private attorney will charge about $50,000 for that, less if he is hungry.

Thank heavens we have government-paid attorneys for indigent defendants in the U.S. I mean that sincerely.

 

[RoughlyCollie]

Does anyone know what the total legal representation of Mary Winkler would have cost if she had had to pay it -- including psychiatric examinations and private investigators and all expenses?

I researched it, but I can't come up with a dollar amount.

 

[mchris1024]

here in Cincinnati we have had a case going for a couple of years 2 trials so far, wife "drowned" in bathtub and they have had experts etc. newspaper recently said his mother has spent over $300,000.....

 

[human]

There are lots of people for the attorney to have investigated at Skyline. Tha alone will be pricey.


A relative had an illegal firing case ( he was suing) and he quit at $30,000. So $24,000 for an ordinary murder case is quite a bargain.

 

[nurseratchett]

Wonder if those "averages" include all those who plea gulity, plea for lesser charges, etc.? That just seems way too low compared to other costs I've seen NOT defending a murder charge.

 

[Calliope]

Will there be an arrest very soon?

No.

Of course, I'm probably wrong

 

[soldiermedic335]

I really think they have the person. The Sheriff stated that they just wanted to make sure all the findings stand up in court. I believe they are in the process of making sure the charges stick. They may have even found Kyron and just not letting the public so not to "contaminate" the case. It's pretty strange that the husband left with the child and hurried to put up restraining order on her. Someone had to have told him something or something broke in the case that week.

 

[ClueMeIn]

Did you hear about the murder for hire soldiermedic?

 

[GrainneDhu]

I suppose they can do that, but he may be looking for info on a "baseball game" and the game really is "tennis".. I'm trying to make an analogy here.

Until they know what LE has, what direction would they possibly go off on?

SBM

They have whatever information was in the RO, which TMH had access to, being as she was the target of it.

Whatever was in that RO was important enough that they didn't want it to be public knowledge.

 

[GrainneDhu]

Could they not go ahead and arrest her for Obstruction of Justice and Hindering a Criminal Investigation, since she has lied about where she was at that day and had apparently failed 2 polys....This would at least get her booked and in front of a Judge?

Can you provide a link for TMH having failed two polygraphs?

In any case, a polygraph or ten of them is not admissible in court. So they can't be used as the sole basis of a charge.

They may believe she lied about her whereabouts but how much proof do they have? If it is just the cell phone pings, how high is the accuracy rate? If it is less than around 95% or more, it won't hold up in court.

Without positive evidence of where she was, like video surveillance images, they may well strongly suspect she lied but still be unable to prove it in court.

 

[GrainneDhu]

deleted

 

[kbl8201]

Innocent or guilty, I'd hate to be in her shoes. Can you imagine how persecuted and paranoid one would feel every minute of every day?

if she's guilty, she earned it

 

[kbl8201]

And if she is innocent?

then this might go down as the biggest witchunt of all time

 

[soldiermedic335]

Did you hear about the murder for hire soldiermedic?

Yes, I heard about the Landscaper. It could have been for that very reason. My point is I think they have their person. But, they won't move until they have all their t's crossed and i's dotted. Plus, she hurried & lawered up with a high priced Defense atty. You don't do that unless, you are afraid of something.