GUILTY TX - Dana Edwards, 32, murdered in her Alamo Heights home, 1 Jan 2009

[joe jones]

defence has come prepared, and is not afraid to really go after witnesses, plus the issue of the cell towers dropping 911 calls and misdirecting them will become an issue, the defence is going somewhere with that line of questioning,

 

[wfgodot]

And here's Craig Kapitan's article about today's proceedings:

Expert: Cell towers undercut murder defendant's alibi (San Antonio Express-News)

---
[AT&T engineering director Ken] Doll admitted during cross-examination that cell towers do sometimes pick up calls from other areas, but it happens rarely, he said. Using a map of AT&T's cell tower ranges, Doll concluded that Ford's phone couldn't have used the tower near Edwards' home if he was at his own home.

The map is a “predictive tool” and is therefore fallible, the defense suggested. But Doll disagreed.

“In this case, I'd say you have a very high degree of accuracy,” he said. “This predictive tool has been calibrated with actual drive-test-collected data. We make multi-billion dollar decisions based on what this tool tells us.”
---

And the prosecution won that point, certainly.

the rest at the link above

 

[wfgodot]

Big point of contention:

Craig Kapitan @HearsaySA seven minutes ago
Edwards says daughter was very precise. Would make sure she or part-time maid cleaned sheets & towels once a week.

Craig Kapitan @HearsaySA four minutes ago
Bloody towel containing trace DNA from Ford was found on Dana Clair Edwards' body. Defense said DNA could be because he used to stay there.

 

[wfgodot]

Lunch break time. According to tweets, the mother's testimony so far hasn't been over-emotional. (Yet anyway.)

 

[fran]

defence has come prepared, and is not afraid to really go after witnesses, plus the issue of the cell towers dropping 911 calls and misdirecting them will become an issue, the defence is going somewhere with that line of questioning,

The cell tower accuracy was a big issue in the Laci Peterson case trial. But with the preponderance of the evidence that pointed towards the cell ping's accuracy rather than an error, IMHO, was in part what help convict Laci's murderer.

Let's hope juror's understand the jury instructions of the circumstantial evidence.

I still recall that one Texas case where the guy admitted he killed the victim but claimed self-defense. After the accused was found not guilty, one of the jurists said 'I didn't think you could convict someone for murder if the victim (body) didn't have a head.'

JMHO
fran

 

[wfgodot]

And, getting right back into action:

Craig Kapitan @HearsaySA 1 min ago
Edwards says that towels weren't just washed every week by daughter--they were bleached. Sounds like tough regimen for DNA to survive.

 

[wfgodot]

Tweeted in chronological order; Dana Clair's mother is on the stand:

Craig Kapitan @HearsaySA 7 min ago
Edwards: "I went straight up the stairs thinking I'd find her there in the bedroom. It was totally dark except the television was on."

Craig Kapitan @HearsaySA 5 min ago
Mother: Husband yelled he'd found her. (crying) "I ran in there." Moved towel over her face. "I just couldn't believe she was so cold."

Craig Kapitan @HearsaySA 3 min ago
Edwards: "Your life just stops. It just stops. I remember kneeling there until policemen came & told me I had to get up."

Craig Kapitan @HearsaySA 30 sec ago
Heartbreaking look on Edwards' face as asked to look at close-up photo of daughter. "I just moved the towel up so I could see her eyes."

 

[wfgodot]

Possible murder weapon?

11m Craig Kapitan @HearsaySA 11 min ago
Edwards says a few days after the discovery she realized a "really large 3-hole punch" that was passed down from her parents was missing.

Best for prosecution to introduce this evidence by victim's mother so it can be disputed on cross-ex only if defense is willing to be seen contending against victim's mother in open court:

10m Craig Kapitan @HearsaySA 10 min ago
Edwards: Locked door & left daughter's condo about 6:30 next morning. Called police for escort when went back to retrieve funeral dress.

Craig Kapitan @HearsaySA 9 min ago
Edwards says they never went to their daughter's apartment w/out police until month after death. Crime scene was secured.

Mom still on stand highlighting instances of meeting with defendant soon after her daughter's death.

 

[wfgodot]

One of first, if not the first, mentions of Grit the Jack Russell terrier during prosecution case; sure not to be the last, I'd think:

Craig Kapitan @HearsaySA 11 min ago
Edwards: Ford still asked "not one question" about daughter's death. "It was upsetting." Mentioned helping to find Grit, but didn't.

for Grit's heartbreaking role in the case, see #1 post above and ff.

 

[wfgodot]

Eventually (besides Grit, who was a dog, not a "thing") two things, according to Express-News couthouse reporter/tweeter supreme Craig Kapitan, were discovered missing from Dana Clair Edwards's residence: the large old three-hole paper punch, and an....

electrical cord from her office. (Edwards was bludgeoned & strangled.)

 

[wfgodot]

....and this evening's San Antonio Express-News article about today's proceedings:

Witness: defendant showed no surprise at news of death

---
Suspecting Ford had answers to the unsolved slaying, Edwards said she began sending him Valentines Day and other holiday cards, and began driving by his house, one time leaving a pile of her daughter's photos in the street.

“I just said (in the valentines card), ‘I'm thinking of you,'” Edwards said. “I know it was a little crazy but I was feeling pretty bad.”
---

more at link above

 

[wfgodot]

Today the defense is confronting the victim's mother with a variety - 30 in all - of messages she sent the defendant or his family, including a Valentine's Day card to him; a Mother's Day card to his mother; an email from Dana Clair's account ("How long were you planning this murder - Dana's and Grit's?"); an invitation to him (as tweeted by Craig Kapitan) to "connect with his dead ex-girlfriend at Yahoo"; another saying he's "been added as her Facebook friend," and more. Prosecution asks for time to review the evidence, as they have not yet seen these exhibits, which were not given them as a part of discovery.

Craig Kapitan @HearsaySA
Edwards: "At that point I was just grieving." DeGuerin: "Grieving & harassing." Edwards: "No."

 

[wfgodot]

Dana Clair's mother is denying leaving any of the alleged phone messages to Ford's mother on 28 November 2009, which defense attorney DeGuerin is now reading aloud.

Craig Kapitan @HearsaySA
Alleged message: "Hello, Nancy. Happy Thanksgiving from my daughter Dana Clair...."
...
"She can't call you personally, of course, bc of you & your insane son...I hope you enjoy the agony. My life is hell."

Craig Kapitan @HearsaySA
Next alleged message: "If you think it's a safe place, don't think it's over until you're dead, b i t c h."

Craig Kapitan @HearsaySA
Next alleged message: "Hello, Nancy. You're just a little hayseed from the Hill Country...Things are getting ready to change quick."

Craig Kapitan @HearsaySA
Next alleged message: "Everybody knows you're crazy." Puts down her country club. Edwards continues to deny any of the messages."

Again - these are alleged phone messages the defense is questioning Dana Clair's mother about sending.

(Also, the "puts down her country club" is very "09er"-ish, lol. [see above, #2] Also the "hayseed from the Hill Country" thing.)

 

[wfgodot]

The alleged messages above are evidently only typed transcripts; no recording of them has been entered into evidence.

Another that Mrs. Edwards did admit having sent from her daughter's phone to Jon Ford: "Enjoy the sunshine while you still can."

Perhaps a bit obsessed with their daughter's unsolved murder....BUT WHO WOULDN'T BE?

Craig Kapitan @HearsaySA
DeGuerin pointed out that Edwards & husband met w/, called or faxed lead detective on case 28x from Jan. 7-Dec. 11, 2009. Also met w/chief.

 

[wfgodot]

Prosecution now examining its witness for first time all day.

Observation about the degree of difficulty inherent in the querying of Mrs. Edwards, mother of the victim:

Craig Kapitan @HearsaySA
DeGuerin doesn't seem to be bearing his teeth nearly as much w/Edwards as w/other witnesses. Trying to walk a fine line, I'm guessing.

 

[wfgodot]

Craig Kapitan's Express-News article summing up today's court session:

Victim's mom tried to haunt suspected killer

 

[wfgodot]

Craig Kapitan @HearsaySA
Bench conference w/Judge Herr. Both sides actually agree on something. They'd like to have the thermostat turned up. #TweetFingersNumb

.....

 

[wfgodot]

Today's wrap:

Defense faults CSI work in Ford murder case

In hindsight, former police crime scene technician Jose Cruz II told jurors Thursday, he probably should have collected as evidence a blood-stained towel, askew slippers, a “kind of odd” pink pill, a rolled up carpet and a vase smeared with blood on the morning he was called to Dana Clair Edwards' condo following the discovery of her body.

The towel, which is considered a critical piece of evidence in the murder case against Jon Thomas Ford, wouldn't be secured for another five days. In three different crime scene photos, it appeared to be slightly moved each time.
---

more at link above

 

[wfgodot]

Very slow day in court after a quick start to the proceedings this week.

Grainy security video might have shown woman's killer (San Antoino Express-News)

Bexar County court watchers, though, have been treated to a wealth of interesting trials and hearings this week - this one, the old-money Alamo Heights murder case; the nouveau riche, and thus downmarket, Yuchnitz divorce hearing, in effect a pre-trial on murder-for-hire charges; the Scientology hearing; and the Ybarra intoxication manslaugher trial - all fascinating stuff, all in one courthouse.

 

[fran]

.....

:floorlaugh:

Well, that's a start!


fran