Trial Thread 7 May 2012 - Closing Arguments, Defense then the Crown

[~n/t~]

Linda Nguyen ‏ @LindaNguyenPN
There are about a dozen people, not including media, who are in the overflow room for the #Rafferty trial


Linda Nguyen ‏ @LindaNguyenPN
@Michelle1544 It looks like she is here with a man, possibly her partner


Linda Nguyen ‏ @LindaNguyenPN
#Rafferty's mother says she was here 2 days last week. She was quite reluctant and didn't want to say anything else

Linda Nguyen ‏ @LindaNguyenPN
This is the first time we have seen anyone from #Rafferty's family at #ToriStafford trial. She doesn't want to talk until the verdict

Linda Nguyen ‏ @LindaNguyenPN
There is a woman waiting outside the courtroom today who says she is Michael #Rafferty's mother, Deborah Murphy.

 

[~n/t~]

RaffertyLFP: Full media contingent in oveflow. About 30 members of public now [via Twitter]

 

[robynhood]

RaffertyLFP Full media contingent in oveflow. About 30 members of public now...well finally let this come to an end ...tweeter said defense should take half the day and than the Crown may proceed....we shall see...robynhood

 

[Jezbel]

Just a story I thought I would share with you guys. Yesterday my family and I were returning from grocery shopping. We pulled into our yard and there is this little girl just standing there in my front yard. I was like "whose that kid?" My daughter says it is So and so from school ( this kid is 5). I was like okay go see her I will be right there and find out what is going on. So I come up and she was telling me she followed her dog into our yard and that no one is at her house. I told her well lets go see because we do not want to scare your family because they can not find you. So I take her home and low and behold her mom is sitting on her front porch drinking beer with her boyfriend while her husband is working out of town. She was like oh did she come for a visit? I said no she was in our yard when we returned home and I have no idea how long she was there. Mom replies well I was calling for her (which she was not) and I told her to stay in the yard so now she is going to be in trouble (WTH?). The woman new I was pi**ed off. I just walked away. My daughter who is 11 was so upset. She was like mom some bad people could have took her and did bad things to her, you should really tell on her mom. I explained that kids wander sometimes ( I believe all parents have expereinced some sort of fear) however what bothered me was she did not know she was gone and then proceeded to give the child trouble when she neglected to be a parent. The other problem is we live in the bush by a lake. My back yard has a drop off to the lake and she could have been seriously injured. OMG it makes me soooooooo mad!

Wow that is awful, I hope that kid does not get a beating for wandering away. For the mother to sit there and make out she was calling for her daughter, very maddening. Your daughter is smart, she obviously knows the dangers out there. I would be keeping an extra eye on that little girl.

 

[Sailor Bug]

RaffertyLFP: Court ready to resume. Jury still out

 

[robynhood]

...hmm hi N/t ..you were faster than me on tweeter ..I am on tweeter to help today too...wow this is so nerve wretching!!!!....robynhood...Please dear god may we all see Justice of Tori !...I feel for Tara and Rodney and all of TORI"S Family TODAY @ this moment ...robynhood!...May they know we all are standing with them and my heart is thumping LOUDLY....real nervous...robynhood!./.back to tweeter...see ya all ..I shall be posting and trying to help the BEST I CAN TODAY !...robynhood...oh tweeter said Court IS READY tO START>>>NOW!

 

[jenniferleia]

Does anyone know if objections can be raised during closing arguments?

No, I believe they can say whatever they want. (meaning it is open for them to say whatever they feel they need to say).

 

[robynhood]

Still awaiting Jury to enter ...twiiter said...robynhood

 

[Alison]

Wow that is awful, I hope that kid does not get a beating for wandering away. For the mother to sit there and make out she was calling for her daughter, very maddening. Your daughter is smart, she obviously knows the dangers out there. I would be keeping an extra eye on that little girl.

The mother is a nutcase, however if I called the authorities they would do nothing as she was a child who wandered. It was very hard to remain quiet and not say anything cause she is the type to fight. Not that I am physically afraid but I would be the one who got in trouble would be just my luck.

 

[Sailor Bug]

Jurors entering the courtroom.

RaffertyLFP: Jury coming in Dirk Derstine begins his closing

Mike Knoll: @guest - have updated our online story with a photo: http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/raffertytrial/2012/05/07/19725376.html

Picture of Rafferty's Mother above

 

[robynhood]

RaffertyLFP Jury coming in Dirk Derstine begins his closing argument..robynhood

 

[Sailor Bug]

RaffertyLFP: Justice Heeney cautions jury that closing arguments by defense Crown is not evidence

Heeney tells jurors they are in the argument portion of the case. Reminds them they are not evidence, just "brings evidence together".

 

[Yody04]

Just a story I thought I would share with you guys. Yesterday my family and I were returning from grocery shopping. We pulled into our yard and there is this little girl just standing there in my front yard. I was like "whose that kid?" My daughter says it is So and so from school ( this kid is 5). I was like okay go see her I will be right there and find out what is going on. So I come up and she was telling me she followed her dog into our yard and that no one is at her house. I told her well lets go see because we do not want to scare your family because they can not find you. So I take her home and low and behold her mom is sitting on her front porch drinking beer with her boyfriend while her husband is working out of town. She was like oh did she come for a visit? I said no she was in our yard when we returned home and I have no idea how long she was there. Mom replies well I was calling for her (which she was not) and I told her to stay in the yard so now she is going to be in trouble (WTH?). The woman new I was pi**ed off. I just walked away. My daughter who is 11 was so upset. She was like mom some bad people could have took her and did bad things to her, you should really tell on her mom. I explained that kids wander sometimes ( I believe all parents have expereinced some sort of fear) however what bothered me was she did not know she was gone and then proceeded to give the child trouble when she neglected to be a parent. The other problem is we live in the bush by a lake. My back yard has a drop off to the lake and she could have been seriously injured. OMG it makes me soooooooo mad!

Did you ever think about becoming a Block Parent? Tori gave me the energy to make this program working in my community. I love it and it's nice to see how more and more Block Parent signs pop up in our community.

 

[Sailor Bug]

RaffertyLFP: Derstine's podium faces jurors - speaking to them directly

Derstine says the trial will soon be over, notes they must be eager to get back to regular lives.

He thanks jurors for their service.

RaffertyLFP: Derstine thanks the jury for their service - and their good citizenship

 

[Sailor Bug]

RaffertyLFP: Derstine said the toughest part of their job is coming up - making a decision.

Derstine says their watching phase will soon be over. Their decision making phase will soon begin.

Derstine says different people seeing thing different ways is a strength of the jury system.

 

[Sailor Bug]

RaffertyLFP: Derstine said jury thier collective wisdom is valuable " you see different things .. you can't hoodwink everyone"

Derstine explaining how the next few days will work to the jury.

RaffertyLFP: Derstine tells jury that their memory of the evidence is the most important

 

[Oldsoul2]

RaffertyLFP: Derstine said jury thier collective wisdom is valuable " you see different things .. you can't hoodwink everyone"

Derstine explaining how the next few days will work to the jury.

RaffertyLFP: Derstine tells jury that their memory of the evidence is the most important

Exactly Derstine...lol

 

[Sailor Bug]

Derstine explaining first degree murder trials are settled by a jury. He says that's a freedom we enjoy in Canada.

RaffertyLFP: Derstine warms up by explaining the benefits of the jury system

 

[Alison]

Did you ever think about becoming a Block Parent? Tori gave me the energy to make this program working in my community. I love it and it's nice to see how more and more Block Parent signs pop up in our community.

I would but I live in a rural community and their are only two children under the age of 10 in our neighbourhood. One is mine and the other is the little girl who was in our yard.

 

[robynhood]

AveryFreeFMNews "You are the supreme judges of the facts in this case," Derstine tells the 12 jurors. #Rafferty...robynhood