Trial - Leonard P. Gonzalez, Jr. UPDATE -- Found Guilty
 

Live trial on In Session Next Week! Florida v Leonard Gonzalez Jr.
http://insession.blogs.cnn.com/2010/...d-gonzalez-jr/

I do wish that the media AND LE would stop labeling LPG, Jr. as the "mastermind", triggerman yes, mastermind IMO no.

Thanks, Miss. Kitty, for starting this thread.

http://www.escambiaclerk.com/xml/xml...se_id=29346966

Billings Murder Suspect Scheduled To Stand Trial
*snip* The judge has allowed News Five inside the closed door conference.

State Attorney Bill Eddins says prosecutors will call 40 witnesses during the trial. Ashley Markham, Melanie Billings' daughter, will be the first witness to testify. Eddins told the judge he expects the state to take 2 1/2 to 3 days to present their case.

http://www.wkrg.com/florida/article/...-2010_6-38-pm/

I am surprised that Eddins predicts only a 2-3 day period in such a convoluted case. Let's see if a change of venue is granted.

Geez, the discrepancies between media reports is scary....

ABC 3 Top Stories
Billings Murder Suspect's Trial Starts On Monday
*snip* The pool of potential jurors will start at 200...
That number will be whittled down to 12 over two days.
Gonzalez's trial will start after that... and is expected last two weeks.

http://www.weartv.com/newsroom/top_s...id_11688.shtml

I possibly could be too particular, but all media reports that the trial begins tomorrow. The jury selection has to come first so personally I find the reports misleading!

http://www.pnj.com/article/20101025/...sed-ringleader

Billings homicide: Jury selection begins for accused ringleader
Kris Wernowsky • kwernowsky@pnj.com • October 25, 2010
*snip* Circuit Judge Nick Geeker ordered 100 citizens to the courthouse this morning for jury selection. Members of the media are confined to an adjacent courtroom to observe the proceeding via a closed circuit television feed.
Last week, the members of the jury pool received questionnaires with two pages of questions that asked them to address their feelings on the death penalty and their knowledge of the case at hand

Jury selection began this morning in the trial of Leonard Patrick Gonzalez Jr. the man accused of shooting and killing Byrd and Melanie Billings.

Circuit Judge Nick Geeker ordered 100 citizens to the courthouse this morning for jury selection. Members of the media are confined to an adjacent courtroom to observe the proceeding via a closed circuit television feed.

Opening statements could begin as early as Tuesday depending on the speed at which the attorneys select their 12 jurors and two alternates.

(snip)

http://www.pnj.com/article/20101025/...sed-ringleader

Misskitty - Either I owe you a coke or you owe me one. LOL :)

http://ricksblog.biz/?p=12969
Monday October 25th 2010
Blog week will be busy
*snip* TruTV’s In Session has asked that I provide commentary on the trial...

:dance: It's on me!

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories...TAM&SECTION=US
Oct 25, 11:17 AM EDT

Trial start in Fla. slaying of pair with many kids
By MELISSA NELSON
*snip* ...none of the young children who were in the home the night of the slayings are expected to testify about what they saw that night...

...have asked Circuit Judge Nicholas Geeker to move the trial out of Pensacola. They say extensive local and national media coverage has tainted the jury pool. They point to national appearances by the slain couple's adult daughter on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" and by Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan on CNN and other national television shows...

A jury was picked this afternoon in the trial of Leonard Patrick Gonzalez Jr., the man accused of shooting and killing Byrd and Melanie Billings.

Opening statements are expected to begin first thing Tuesday morning.

(snip)

http://www.pnj.com/article/20101025/...sed-ringleader

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories...TAM&SECTION=US

Trial begins in Fla. couple ninja attack slayings
By MELISSA NELSON
Associated Press Writer
Oct 25, 6:29 PM EDT
*snip*..."I am happy they were able to pick a jury in one day and they didn't have to move the trial out of this area," said Andrea McDermott, a friend of Melanie Billings...

...Ashley Markham, the couple's adult daughter, is expected to be among the first defense witnesses...

http://www.fox10tv.com/dpp/news/loca...-begins-monday

Jury seated in Billings murder trial
Updated: Monday, 25 Oct 2010, 5:34 PM CDT

With video.........*snip* News agencies from across the country are here to report on the fate of Gonzalez, Junior; a trial that could last for weeks.

WOOHOO He is going down! That was surprising quick (jury selection).

Surprising - absolutely! A process that was allotted 2 days took less than a full day! One commentator on an article hinted that perhaps a mistrial could come of this. Is that true? I do find it difficult to understand how that jury could be chosen so quickly on a case that's been broadcast nationally.

Here is a link to live video of the trial. Prosecutor just started his opening statement.

http://www.pnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/art...ate=livestream

"The proof will show that the defendant is not the smartest person in the world." :)

Won't take much to prove that! :-)
Watching opening statements on TruTV.
Where is David Rimmer? There was an article (don't know where link is) that stated David Rimmer was going to be on the bench, not Geeker.

I haven't heard anything about another judge, only Geeker.

I believe it was a PNJ article - I'll see if I can find it later today, if PNJ hasn't already deleted it. I remember I was surprised at the time because Geeker has been on this case since the beginning.

Aaargh, does TruTV have to play that music before and after commercials?!

daisy7, hope you're feeling better!

"Humdinger" has already popped up!

Defense opening statements paraphrasing:

When you hear the evidence, you're going to ask yourself why if Jr. did this crime would he do such and such? If you have any doubt, you must return a not guilty.

They're done. Ashley's coming on the stand.

Ashley is describing the night of the murders. My heart is breaking for her :(

Jr.'s wife just came to the stand and before she started testifying, the judge called for a 15 minute break. I'm gonna take this opp. to go pick up my son from pre-K a little early :)