Where do you stand now?

Is Raven guilty or innocent?

  • I always believed that Raven is guilty, and I still do.

    Votes: 35 87.5%
  • I always believed that Raven is innocent, and I still do.

    Votes: 1 2.5%
  • I used to believe that Raven was guilty but after all of this time, perhaps he is not.

    Votes: 2 5.0%
  • I used to believe that Raven was innocent but now believe he may be guilty.

    Votes: 2 5.0%

  • Total voters
    40

OriginalJerseyGirl

CERTIFIED FLYERS FANATIC!
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I'm interested in everyone's opinions now that so much time has passed without an arrest. Do you still feel the way you initially did about Raven's guilt or innocence?
 
Just for clarification -

I'm interested in how the 18 months without an arrest has affected your opinions on Raven's guilt or innocence. Has the length of time changed your mind?
 
Hi Jersey,

I desperately WANTED Raven to be innocent. After coming off of the Peterson case and Hacking case, I could name more but you can look at the forum list here and gather names, I just wanted it NOT to be the lying, cheating, azzhole husband again. Then the details started coming in. Now, IMO, it IS the lying, cheating ,azzhole, embezzler, blogger, I-Love-My-VX-More-Than-My-Family, husband, AGAIN.

One question, are divorce lawyers hard to find? Just wondering because sometimes it feels like rather than dealing with a divorce these days guys are opting to just kill their wives and babies.

Edited to add: No, the length of time has only made me more and more frustrated because if you read the Durham news it's all about the incompetant DA and the crooked cops.... and who's Not saying what. I'd like to know if they are even still working on Janet's murder with all the other crude that is going on. Mr. NiFong PROMISED me to my face he would not forget about Janet and he would not let this case go cold. I doubt that he even remembers the conversation now. It breaks my heart.
 
I'm just having real trouble with the fact that a year and a half has passed and Raven has not been arrested. It has me rethinking the whole guilt thing. Sure, he seems quite jerky, and Janet certainly deserved better, but maybe he's not a killer. After 18 months, surely LE could have gone for 2nd degree by now if it had been Raven.
 
Can't get him for anything if there isn't enough evidence. The DA's office would just send the case back to the detectives and say bring me more evidence.


disclaimer: everything I know about the law came straight out of Law & Order or the Laci Peterson case.... so I could be way off. :eek:
 
The moment I heard about this case and started reading about it, I knew something was wrong and I suspected Raven. They were classmates of mine in college, and Raven was nothing but a jerk to the core. There are no doubts in my mind who did this--it was Raven Abaroa. Unfortunately, I think that either LE dropped the ball the night 911 was called and they missed something--like the murder weapon--and Raven had time to dispense of the evidence. He's a liar, a cheat, and worst of all a murderer.
 
Raven did it. He doesn't live in NC, so it's not a high priority imo.

Politics is a major problem in Durham, and I believe the District Attorney, the Governor of North Carolina, LE and those involved should be carrying a heavy burden on their shoulders and in their conscience for their actions and inactions.

As far as 2nd degree, I say NO way. I would rather they wait and get him fully on everything.

I believe he deserves the death penalty, but Life Without Parol will suit me just fine. He killed two people, the baby Janet was carrying and Janet. He tried to destroy many lives, The Christiansens all Janet's friends and family, he has hurt Kaiden and is hurting his OWN family and friends, because those that trust him and believe in him now, will be extremely burdened and hurt when the truth comes out.

He's a freeloader, a sociopath, a CHRONIC liar, a thief, yet he's charming, he's pursuasive, narcissistic, and he's a murderer. I believe that he is a danger to society, his child, and believe that he can and believe fully that he may kill again.

He belongs off the streets forever. 2nd degree, not good enough for him.
 
Realistically speaking, after 18 months, I don't think that it's a matter of making a case for first degree. I'm starting to believe that it's that they can't make a case at all.

If you want an example of LE making a case for 1st degree, check out the Debbie Hawk case. LE has just now named her husband the number 1 suspect and while it took a while, it was only about 4 months. There is still not a suspect or even a POI named in Janet's case after a year and a half. I think it's time for those that seek justice for Janet and her baby to take matters into their own hands.
 
JerseyGirl said:
Realistically speaking, after 18 months, I don't think that it's a matter of making a case for first degree. I'm starting to believe that it's that they can't make a case at all.

If you want an example of LE making a case for 1st degree, check out the Debbie Hawk case. LE has just now named her husband the number 1 suspect and while it took a while, it was only about 4 months. There is still not a suspect or even a POI named in Janet's case after a year and a half. I think it's time for those that seek justice for Janet and her baby to take matters into their own hands.
Jersey... would you like to throw up a post qualifying that last statement? For some reason an image of Elmer Fudd "huntin' wavens" popped into my head.... and I know that's not what you had in mind. LOL!

You are so much fun to post with! I'm still lmao.

Seriously, I know what you did mean. Let's streatch our imagination, pretend I am a long lost family member of the Christiansen's. I'm not but go with me here.... what would you sit me down and suggest that I pass on to my family as "taking matters into my own hands?" Let's put our heads together and think about some possibilities of what they really could do at this point Let's see what others think. Hopefully we can stir up some dust in this forum. Maybe get some fresh opinions coming in. I get really lonely sitting her alone some days.

I would love love love to hear from Raven's camp. I promise to be really nice if you would log in and talk to us.
angel.gif
 
L L & S said:
Jersey... would you like to throw up a post qualifying that last statement? For some reason an image of Elmer Fudd "huntin' wavens" popped into my head.... and I know that's not what you had in mind. LOL!

You are so much fun to post with! I'm still lmao.
While I'm certainly happy that my post gave you a laugh, I really didn't mean anything funny at all by what I said. I was and am completely serious. I'm not sure exactly what you mean when you ask me to "qualify" my last statement.

I think that I've been pretty clear with what I'm saying. Whatever people have been doing for the past year and a half has not only not produced an arrest, it has also not produced even the hope of an arrest. You and I both know it.

What can the family do? I don't know. But I do think that it is time for people to start thinking about ways in which we can help this family to find the justice that the "justice system" itself has not given them in 18 months. The first thing that comes to my mind - no, not "huntin' wavens" but doing something that I thought would have been obvious to many of us familiar with cases like this - go to the media. With all of the publicity that Durham has had recently, I'm sure that this case could get a lot of attention just by the location where it occurred.

I'm sorry if this post sounds short but I'm actually surprised by the tone of your last post to me. I'm frustrated with this case, I do believe 100% that something different needs to be considered, and I didn't expect a long-time comrade that I've known from this site and other sites to mock me.

Take my ideas for whatever they're worth but 18 months worth of other ideas haven't solved this crime yet either.
 
Wow Jersey, I had no intention of offending you at all. I only wanted to point out to you that that last line could be mistaken for something that you didn't mean by a reader or poster that doesn't know you. My intention was to stick up for my friend before someone came on and accused you of threatening somone. I thought you would see that I was lightly making fun of your sentence in order to give you the heads up. That's it.

I apologize for the mix-up. You can feel assured that I take your
posts very seriously.
redface.gif

 
If you are truthful about what you are saying, LL&S, then I not only accept your apology but also apologize to you for flipping out over your post. But even now when I read it, it sounds mocking. It's probably just because I'm ultra-sensitive right now over the fact that this case seems to have gone cold and this forum has gone quiet.

In any case, no - I don't mean my statement in a threatening way at all. I believe that Janet's killer should be dealt with in a court of law. The problem is - how do we get him there?

It really is time to brainstorm, folks. With no public word from LE in months and months, an arrest is not forthcoming, IMO.
 
JerseyGirl said:
If you are truthful about what you are saying, LL&S, then I not only accept your apology but also apologize to you for flipping out over your post. But even now when I read it, it sounds mocking. It's probably just because I'm ultra-sensitive right now over the fact that this case seems to have gone cold and this forum has gone quiet.

In any case, no - I don't mean my statement in a threatening way at all. I believe that Janet's killer should be dealt with in a court of law. The problem is - how do we get him there?

It really is time to brainstorm, folks. With no public word from LE in months and months, an arrest is not forthcoming, IMO.
We are all frusterated with this case, and it makes it real easy to fall into an exchange like we just had. Two hearts longing for justice, and two heads in completely different places. Of course I accept your apology, without reservation. If you really have doubts that I would be anything but completely honest with you then I've done a terrible job presenting myself on this and other boards. I'll have to do better.

Have a peaceful night Jersey.
2.gif
 
I'll add my 3 cents....

I think the family is doing what they can. WE are doing, in my opinion, all that we can do. It's up to the l.e. and the d.a. & the d.a. apparently doesn't want to try a case that isn't slam dunk or one that could cause notariety to his "fair" city...it's the Michael Peterson case again. Heaven forfend, another wife killer tried on seemingly c.e.
They don't seem to have the murder weapon, and I'd say that somewhere along the line, dna evidence was botched, lost, or not even looked at. And they don't try cases based upon gut instinct. WE all know in our heads & in our guts that raven did it. Fortunately, or unfortunately, (however you look at it) in a court of law, that doesn't count.

fwiw
 
LTUlegal said:
It's up to the l.e. and the d.a. & the d.a. apparently doesn't want to try a case that isn't slam dunk or one that could cause notariety to his "fair" city...
Well see - how do we possibly know that to be true? Look at the Duke Lacrosse rape case. That certainly is not a slam dunk and it is one that indeed has been bringing notoriety to his city. So I don't necessarily see the above as being the problem.

Mike Nifong has already shown that he will take cases that aren't necessarily that strong so why would Janet's be any different? Don't get me wrong - sure there's a chance that this hold up is due to the DA. But we can't assume that. My only point is this -

There have been many, many cases in the past where LE could not, for whatever reason, be upfront with families early on and tell them "We're really sorry but there's just not enough to prosecute". Instead, the families are given the brush-off and non-answers. I originally stated all of this as my own personal advice to the family. If the family feels that progress is still being made, calls are still being returned, updates are still being given ... then stick it out with LE. But after 18 months without naming a POI, I don't believe that LE is going to be able to prosecute Raven. And if the family isn't being treated the way they should be, then it is time to do something else - go to the media. The angle that they might be able to take in regards to the Duke lacrosse case could prove to be invaluable. But that door won't be open forever. If the opportunity is missed to present this to the media as - "Look what Nifong's been doing about this case while going on a witch hunt over at Duke; look at the non-progress that's been made on this case in light of this other case ...", it could be forever missed.

I say find a media outlet a.s.a.p. to show how Janet's case seems to have been forgotten in the wake of this Duke mess. Like I said, once that opportunity is gone, it might be gone for good.

Anyway, I think that I've made my point abundantly clear. I'm not going to beat anyone over the head with it anymore. I see where you're all coming from; I just disagree. I think that it's time to stop pussy-footing around and demand that Janet's case get the same attention as the Duke lacrosse case.
 
I agree with you, Jersey. I do think that if LE is giving the family the run around, then it's time to take this case to the media. I think that if the media did get involved--bugging LE as they enter and leave work, calling until they get answers, etc.--this would put pressure on them. I also think that Nifong needs the media on his case (on something other than the Duke junk). He needs to be shown as incompetent, if that's the case.

But then again, I do believe that things happen for a reason. Jennifer Wilbanks running away on the night of her wedding and this Duke LaX thing taking the spotlight away from Janet's case give Raven to stew. Maybe something will come of all of this time, Raven might just start bursting at the seams and say something he shouldn't. Don't you think that it's hard for Raven to walk around knowing that you are the sole reason why you don't have a wife and TWO children today? I pray that he doesn't get a decent night's sleep because he is bombarded with images of that night. I'm going to guess that this might be a reason why he keeps traveling--keep his mind moving and not focused on what happend 18 months ago. I'd love to get a report from someone who's seen him recently. Does it look like he's sleeping? Is he taking care of himself? Do you think he might be using some help to sleep?

Anyway, I agree that 18 months is a long time to have nothing done in a case. Something's got to be done--if the family is not satisfied with what's being done. Has the psychic helped? We don't know and probably won't.
 
Great to see you, Jenifred. :)

Thanks for understanding what I mean. It's just that it's been SO long. I'm very much an optimist but recently, I have little to no hope that this case is going to see an arrest until a fire is lit underneath someone. I agree that the media could be the magic ingredient to bring that kind of pressure and finally get this case moving.
 
What if....

...L.E. is talking to Janet's family, but telling the family not to share anything?
--this family is, by all appearances, very law-abiding, and by all means wants to make sure that the killer of Janet is prosecuted. They aren't going to want to screw up whatever progress l.e. is making, just because they've got loose lips to someone on a message board, of all places.

...They're on raven like stink on a skunk, and they don't want him to know it?

...they've brought this to the d.a. & the d.a. doesn't feel it's a noteworthy enough case?
--I think Nifong thought the Duke Lacross case was a slam dunk, but once he'd already accepted it, it's blowing to bits right in front of him. That horse was let out of the barn way before he could reign it back in. Now it's time to just hold on for dear life. It's gained far too much notariety to quietly make it go away.
 
LTUlegal said:
What if....

...L.E. is talking to Janet's family, but telling the family not to share anything?
And what if ...

... they're not?
 
LTUlegal said:
They aren't going to want to screw up whatever progress l.e. is making, just because they've got loose lips to someone on a message board, of all places.
I think that many people on this message board "of all places" have gone above & beyond to help out in any way that they can, as you well know.

Look, I'm not going to argue with you. This isn't about you or me. This was about me expressing my opinion and giving what I felt to be heartfelt advice to the family. You don't have to agree with it.

As far as what the family is being told or not being told, despite all of the behind the scenes activity that happens regarding this case, the only people that really know what the family is being told or whether or not the family is being handled fairly is the family. If they choose to think about what I've said, great. If not, then that's okay too. I'm not looking to be a hero. I was looking to share my opinion on a message board - just like we used to do in the old days of this forum - back before everything was off-limits to discuss.
 

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