GUILTY NC - Kathy Taft, 62, Raleigh, 6 March 2010 - #6

Jason was an unemployed local, amateur musician, at best. This isn't just my opinion, it's a fact: he sucks. He had a bumper sticker on his car for "The Authority." I looked it up, way before he was arrested. He was the bass player in this band. Terrible, mindless tripe.

LOL! Consider the source of these opinions. Dan the friend who lives at home, drinks all the time, and has mommy calling/texting him to get home. I forget who else opined on JW's musical talent, but it surely wasn't anyone with a real ear for music.

I still can't understand what Jessica ever saw in him. He is such a dumb, clueless, warped, useless slug, at best. And we've seen what he is at his worst. In what universe does a sane female look at JW and think, "yeah, this is my prince charming...this is who I always wanted to marry." And why did she wait until recently to start divorce proceedings? If I were her I'd try for an annulment.
 
Thank you no1 for your insider info. I am so glad you are okay. I can't imagine how shaken up you must be!!

I think it's ironic that when I watch the video on wral there is an ad for Mellow Mushroom.

To me, the fact that JW supposedly used a security sign to break in proves he'd been there before b/c he clearly knew that the security system wasn't activated.

Am I correct that no one who has relayed JW's side of what happened mentions the sister?? Did he hear her call out or notice her turning on the outside flood lights? Also, how did he see KT if the house was dark? After listening again to Dr. Hilkey, he says that JW say her. I thought this trial would be so much different b/c we know so many answers, but I am still haunted by lots of ?s.

Very good points, Rigby -- I did not pick up on the M. Mushroom ad... how 'bout that??!! And yes, listening to the "he said/he said" Dr/patient exchange, it didn't sound like JW had the slightest hesitation about breaking & entering the Geil house. And why didn't he use the rock to break into that house? Familiarity, perhaps? He didn't discard it, either,,, Why? The specter of premeditation again creeps in here... And malice aforethought... Deliberation (planning) and premeditation were there the minute he left his house & walked down Cartier, or I'll wager, the path by the creek.

And why didn't he see DH on his way out? Was she upstairs? If he saw KT, why couldn't he have seen DH? And hearing DH say, in the re-enactment, that she told KT that she wouldn't sleep there unless they could lock the door, why didn't she have the floodlights blazing that night? Wouldn't you have? No doubt I would have. Somehow DH survived that horrible night -- besides losing my sister in such a senseless, cruel way, I would probably still be shaking and wondering, "Why not me, too?"

Yes, we should get a verdict (please no jinx), and it should be 3 Guilty of First Degree decisions, but a lot of the answers to our questions :waitasec: will die when JW does.
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:justice: for Kathy Taft.
 
LOL! Consider the source of these opinions. Dan the friend who lives at home, drinks all the time, and has mommy calling/texting him to get home. I forget who else opined on JW's musical talent, but it surely wasn't anyone with a real ear for music.

I still can't understand what Jessica ever saw in him. He is such a dumb, clueless, warped, useless slug, at best. And we've seen what he is at his worst. In what universe does a sane female look at JW and think, "yeah, this is my prince charming...this is who I always wanted to marry." And why did she wait until recently to start divorce proceedings? If I were her I'd try for an annulment.
I can't speak for Jessica but I did see some of what her life was like while she was here. I think she got swept up in the idea that this guy was a cool dude who played in a band she liked to go see at local bars. It's impossible for any of us to understand what her life has been like but I think it's really important to remember that Jessica is and was very young. (I'm not exactly sure of their ages but she's several years younger than Jason. The media keeps saying Jason is 32. He was 32 when he did what he did and I believe Jessica is in her mid-to late 20's now.) She had a decent job and was trying to get herself and Jason in a better position in life. After a few short months of marriage, her husband got arrested for rape and murder. I don't know about you but that would be a pretty devastating turn of events for me. After Jason was arrested, her world was turned completely upside-down. She lost her job because of this, she had to hide from the media and the neighbors' judgmental eyes, she had to deal with police, lawyers, etc. while still being responsible for all the bills and rent. I'm sure that was just the tip of the iceberg of all she had to deal with. We were all surprised that she continued to live here until late last summer (a year-and-a-half after Jason was arrested.) She obviously had to eventually come to terms with the reality she absolutely did not believe was the truth right after Jason got arrested.
I can't begin to imagine what that would be like. As you can tell from her testimony, she's not a fan of Jason's anymore. I'm proud of her for getting herself going in a better direction now. From what I understand, in the State of North Carolina, you have to file for a separation a full year before you can file for divorce. Not sure when she filed for separation but it was, at the very least, a year ago. I can tell you from talking to her, she was reeling, confused, shocked and extremely upset for a long time. Understandably so. Given the hand she's been dealt, I don't think two years is a terribly long time for her to get to the point where she's divorcing him and moving forward.
 
No. And they never found Kathy's underwear, either. The creek bed back here is extremely densely-wooded and difficult to navigate. It's not just a creek but a run-off. The cops had dogs back there but I didn't see any dogs around where we live until after Jason was arrested, which was about 6 weeks after he attacked her. I figure, by then, whatever he left had probably been washed away forever. As far as I know, the dogs/cops never found anything in these woods.

I explored that creek bed area right behind JG's house a bit in the late spring after KT was killed in March. By then the trees, vines, and brush were completely leafed-out. It is dense, for sure; I didn't get very far. Is there a trail/path at all that runs beside the creek that would make it easier to walk beside it?
 
seriously off topic, but where would you bury a great dane? I'm one of
"those" who cremates her pets and puts them on the mantle in an urn. I'm sure I will do the same with my ex-husband.:boohoo::boohoo::boohoo::boohoo::dance:
 
No. And they never found Kathy's underwear, either. The creek bed back here is extremely densely-wooded and difficult to navigate. It's not just a creek but a run-off. The cops had dogs back there but I didn't see any dogs around where we live until after Jason was arrested, which was about 6 weeks after he attacked her. I figure, by then, whatever he left had probably been washed away forever. As far as I know, the dogs/cops never found anything in these woods.

Thank you so much for your conversation about all of this. It's scary enough for those of us removed from the neighborhood and folks involved. Another item I am wondering about: I don't remember hearing that underwear was missing - but I recall all the stuff they found at JW's house...Do we know for sure that she wore some to bed under her pajamas? And about the door lock...KT's sister spent a lot of time demonstrating to the detective regarding the door. Do you know if it is just a turn-lock doorknob? He was prepared to break in, I am just wondering if he actually did find the house unlocked. Dr. Hillkey was a little confusing about that matter. :doorhide:
 
seriously off topic, but where would you bury a great dane? I'm one of
"those" who cremates her pets and puts them on the mantle in an urn. I'm sure I will do the same with my ex-husband.:boohoo::boohoo::boohoo::boohoo::dance:

He was cremated, though I don't know if they kept his ashes or not. It would be like trying to bury a pony--not very practical. I have my golden's ashes, which I plan to have buried with my ashes when I go. (LOL @ ex-hub comment)
 
I can't speak for Jessica but I did see some of what her life was like while she was here. I think she got swept up in the idea that this guy was a cool dude who played in a band she liked to go see at local bars. It's impossible for any of us to understand what her life has been like but I think it's really important to remember that Jessica is and was very young. (I'm not exactly sure of their ages but she's several years younger than Jason.

All very good points. It's true what we find exciting and cool in our early 20's changes drastically over time. I can't imagine the horror of going through all of that. I didn't realize she lost her job because of him. That's doesn't seem fair, since she didn't do anything wrong. At what point did she realize he really was guilty? Was it upon the disclosure of a DNA match that connected him to Ms. Taft and the scene? Or was it something else altogether?
 
Given JWs supposedly pharmacological and psychological state the night of KTs murder and rape, how was he able to be so quiet walking thru the house not to mention "perform"? I'm not buying his incapacitated state not one bit. Premeditated rape and murder. He deserves death. And I contend he's playing a game in court and with the head doctors.
 
I believe his biggest (medical field) advocate is supposed to testify tomorrow. I am assuming she's his advocate, anyway, since she is being called by the defense. Nicole Wolfe. They have been talking about her throughout the trial, it must be she who will testify tomorrow, yes?

According to Hilkey, she contends JW could not plan, whereas he (Hilkey) believes JW could plan, but could not deliberate the consequences of his actions.

I wonder if the defense will call any other witnesses.

So far, I believe the defense has done a very good job of making the case that JW is very mentally ill. I also believe that ritalin and alcohol made him very wacked and more impulsive than normal (not an excuse). I also believe he entered the JG house because that's what he did for thrills. I believe he used the ADT sign to trip the lock. I do believe he thought the house was empty. I don't think he stalked KT and DH.

Based on what I have heard so far, IMO, this is probably what happened: DH, wherever she was, was deeply asleep or out of it for whatever reason and that, unfortunately, KT heard him because he was making noise. When he walked by the room, she yelled out, something like "who are you? what are you doing...?" (Maybe that's where DH got those words, perhaps she subconsciously heard this, because I don't believe she (DH) got up, opened the door and yelled, "Who are you?" I think DH was very confused about the events of that night.)

And I think when KT called out and challenged JW, it was completely unexpected and he reacted in a violent rage. I also believe he hit her first and then raped her. (Read about anger-retaliatory rapists, that's their MO.)

What I don't know (and I really don't care) is whether this is first degree or not in terms of the technical legal definitions. But I firmly, strongly, adamantly believe this case should have been plead and never brought to court. I think it's someone's personal and/or political agenda/vendetta to pursue the DP for this, and that's damn unfortunate, IMO, because it has dragged everyone through he]] and back. And for what? No one gets executed anyway, and it costs us, the taxpayers, hundreds upon hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not millions, for the appeals processes. By the time they figure it all out (it would get vacated anyway), he'll be dead of natural causes, or close to it. And it just keeps the families involved, and they need to get this over with and move on with their lives as best they can.

What I DO believe is that, regardless of the conviction, this guy needs to be locked up forever with the key thrown out. It's just too bad they wouldn't come to the LWOP agreement before a trial. I have no factual knowledge of this, but IMO, the prosecution would not make that deal, and if they would have, the defense would have accepted it. I doubt Mr and Mrs Williford ever want their son out of prison. They know he belongs there. Everybody does, probably including the defendant.

While it would be fascinating (from a true crime follower's perspective) to know what precisely happened and why he did what he did that night, as borndem said, we'll never know. And I guess it doesn't really matter now, just as long as he never gets out of prison.

Am I correct that the jury decides the sentence if they decide 1st degree murder, that the jury would decide DP vs. LWOP? I don't know what their verdict will be about the degrees, but if it's 1st, I don't think they will go for the DP.

I just hope that if they find 2nd degrees or some other variation which does not automatically default to LWOP, that they somehow arrive at that sentence. Because this guy is dangerous and can never be allowed to walk free again.

/the end
 
No. And they never found Kathy's underwear, either. The creek bed back here is extremely densely-wooded and difficult to navigate. It's not just a creek but a run-off. The cops had dogs back there but I didn't see any dogs around where we live until after Jason was arrested, which was about 6 weeks after he attacked her. I figure, by then, whatever he left had probably been washed away forever. As far as I know, the dogs/cops never found anything in these woods.

You're right, IMO, because we would have seen it presented as evidence in the PT's CIC. Evidence could come in during rebuttal, I guess
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, but if it's good evidence such as a bloody or stained sock or panties, it would already be on the table. Of course they had to take any & all underpants when they did the S/W since they had no idea which ones might have been KT's. (Still don't, I guess..). One more we'll-never-know piece of this mystery.

Diminished capacity, my azz....
 
And also totally OT about dogs, while I suspect mine would roll over and show her belly to a human intruder, I am 100% certain that I will be effectively protected from any and all attacks from....squirrels. How comforting! ;)
 
I explored that creek bed area right behind JG's house a bit in the late spring after KT was killed in March. By then the trees, vines, and brush were completely leafed-out. It is dense, for sure; I didn't get very far. Is there a trail/path at all that runs beside the creek that would make it easier to walk beside it?
Diphi, no, there isn't a beaten or paved path that runs along that creek. The creek bed is a fairly wide swath of what I call "jungle" between the backyards on either side of it. To be honest with you, I've never gone down into that jungle the 7 or 8 years I've lived here because I'm afraid of what snakes and ticks I'd encounter. Nobody goes down there. I can't imagine anyone would have a reason to unless they were hiding from someone.
 
Did anyone on either side testify whether mail was found in the mailbox? Blood on the ritz cracker package? And before the trial, many people were talking about the corners of some baggies which were listed in the SW. Was anything ever testified to about these? What's their significance?
 
no1, you must have been terrified when all this was happening. I'm sure glad you remained safe from any physical harm! I can't imagine how scared I would be if a detective told me that I should be afraid! You have guts for staying in your place.
 
All very good points. It's true what we find exciting and cool in our early 20's changes drastically over time. I can't imagine the horror of going through all of that. I didn't realize she lost her job because of him. That's doesn't seem fair, since she didn't do anything wrong. At what point did she realize he really was guilty? Was it upon the disclosure of a DNA match that connected him to Ms. Taft and the scene? Or was it something else altogether?
From what Jessica told me, she fully realized he was guilty during a conversation she had with him after his arrest. She asked him, point blank, if he'd done this. His response wasn't a confession, per se, but it was enough to convince her he was, in fact, guilty. She told me she's never spoken to him since and has no interest in speaking to him ever again. I can't tell you the exact date of when that occurred but I know it was in the near weeks following his arrest. That is when her world really fell apart.
I believe she told me that her workplace couldn't hold her job for her any longer and she was too distraught to return and be able to do that job effectively so they let her go after a while. Understandably, she was a complete mess for quite a while before she started to try to get her life back together. But I think she's doing a good job moving forward now and all of here at Wayland who knew her are rooting for her, big time.
 
To me, it's pretty clear that the sister was completely knocked out by her meds and probably a mixture of meds and alcohol. Whatever her issues, none of what happened that night is any more her fault than it is yours or mine.
Jason said he broke in, went upstairs and thought it smelled like someone had taken a shower. It freaked him out so he ran downstairs. Now, I've never broken into a house but I'm sure that if I ever had, I wouldn't know what any particular part of the house smelled like normally unless I'd been there before. I think he'd been in that house many times and that scent set him off as being unusual.
In any case, he wasn't so freaked out that he left the house immediately. He came back downstairs and found Miss Taft. After he did what he did to her, he supposedly spent some time in the kitchen, found some disinfectant and went back to her body to try to cover up. I don't think he'd have been able to do any of that if he didn't have prior knowledge of the layout of that house, since it was reportedly very, very dark in there. My job requires me to travel a lot. I often wake up in places I am completely unfamiliar with. Stone sober, I couldn't have done all of what Jason did that night without turning on all the lights in the house, rifling around, making a LOT of noise.
Jason's defense, in my opinion, is a bunch of nonsense. I think he had been in that house many times before and when he found KT there, he saw an opportunity to a terrible thing he'd long had on his mind. We know from his own wife's testimony, that terrible thing was still on his mind weeks later. I hope this jury thinks about all the evidence and testimony and puts the pieces together.

If he indeed had hung out at that house before -- his "office" -- then did he have that address in mind when he left his apt? Took the back way and just went right up to the door? He was a criminal with a criminal mind. If he was as successful at B&E as he said he was - what'd the Doc say? 10--12 times w/o getting caught? - I certainly don't see him just walking down Wayland & Cartier. It's not a long walk, but it's full of houses on both sides, with streetlights. Especially if he was planning on a B&E. Was he that stoopid? I'll give him that amount of smarts; I think he took the shorter and the "under the cover" route. JMO.

And here's an article from WRAL on Friday's court session:


Did Taft's accused killer realize consequences of attack?
Depression along with alcohol and drug abuse significantly impaired Jason Williford's ability to think through the consequences of attacking Kathy Taft, a forensic pscyhologist testified Friday.


Justice for Kathy Taft
 
seriously off topic, but where would you bury a great dane? I'm one of
"those" who cremates her pets and puts them on the mantle in an urn. I'm sure I will do the same with my ex-husband.:boohoo::boohoo::boohoo::boohoo::dance:


Well, hello, nut-woman!
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Not a clue... Sounds like JW knows about burying things...
 
To me, it's pretty clear that the sister was completely knocked out by her meds and probably a mixture of meds and alcohol. Whatever her issues, none of what happened that night is any more her fault than it is yours or mine.
Jason said he broke in, went upstairs and thought it smelled like someone had taken a shower. It freaked him out so he ran downstairs. Now, I've never broken into a house but I'm sure that if I ever had, I wouldn't know what any particular part of the house smelled like normally unless I'd been there before. I think he'd been in that house many times and that scent set him off as being unusual.
In any case, he wasn't so freaked out that he left the house immediately. He came back downstairs and found Miss Taft. After he did what he did to her, he supposedly spent some time in the kitchen, found some disinfectant and went back to her body to try to cover up. I don't think he'd have been able to do any of that if he didn't have prior knowledge of the layout of that house, since it was reportedly very, very dark in there. My job requires me to travel a lot. I often wake up in places I am completely unfamiliar with. Stone sober, I couldn't have done all of what Jason did that night without turning on all the lights in the house, rifling around, making a LOT of noise.
Jason's defense, in my opinion, is a bunch of nonsense. I think he had been in that house many times before and when he found KT there, he saw an opportunity to a terrible thing he'd long had on his mind. We know from his own wife's testimony, that terrible thing was still on his mind weeks later. I hope this jury thinks about all the evidence and testimony and puts the pieces together.

BBM
Oh, so do I, no1. I agree with all that I bolded.

If his 1st girlfriend and/or JF had any limits to what they would do sexually, that may have been part of his reasoning if he did batter KT before he violated her in the ways he did. No matter, really, what happened first. If he had not gotten caught, he may have either hired more prostitutes or consulted Craig's list again, or gone on another "walk."

There is no telling what type of *advertiser censored* got him super-stimulated. I still wonder if the bottom role he requested with men was part of his fascination with **** ***, as well as part of his self-loathing (i.e. possibly painful sex). We've seen & read about people like this before, sadly -- people who haunt neighborhoods and like to take "walks." Further, as we have discussed, was KT his first rape?
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I think Saacks and Jacobs will have a lot of things to tell the jury during their closing arguments.
 
Wonder if JWs mother suspected him if /or when she heard of KTs rape/murder. Knowing the vicinity near where he lived and given her knowledge of his sexual deviance. Perhaps another denial. I dont remember but was there a composite drawing released before the arrest?
 

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