Wrongful death trial begins. Trial coverage and discussion #2

[Verboten]

I bet that RZ was NOT a soda drinker since she was so health conscious. Those things are horrible for you. I know that I won’t drink them for the sake of my health. I’d be extremely surprised if Rebecca drank them.

Excellent point. No way she was drinking soda. Whose soda was in the room and why in the world was that not tested?

 

[stmarysmead]

Rebecca obviously made bad decisions when it came to men, especially the last man in her life. Many women make bad decisions when it comes to men.

And so?

There’s no “and so.”

This was given in evidence in this trial. I’m asking if she was kidnapped, by this bad choice boyfriend, because, like some of the jurors may be, I’m certainly curious. Some of the jurors may have been taken aback as I have been. Why did the Defense find this realize if RZ was a victim?

Has it been discussed here over the years? Is this something this bad choice boyfriend did to her? Why would that be disparaging to RZ?

 

[justice be served]

There’s no “and so.”

This was given in evidence in this trial. I’m asking if she was kidnapped, by this bad choice boyfriend, because, like some of the jurors may be , I’m certainly curious. Some of the jurors may have been taken aback as I have been.

Has it been discussed here over the years? Is this something this bad choice boyfriend did to her? Why would that be disparaging to RS.

By learning more about Rebecca’s former romantic relationships, what do you think is the impact of the jury in deciding suicide or murder?

If she had some bad relationships, do you think the jury would feel she would be more likely to commit suicide? Would the jury think she was more deserving of being murdered?

It would be helpful to offer more than the BBM quote above.

 

[Seattle1]

There’s no “and so.”

This was given in evidence in this trial. I’m asking if she was kidnapped, by this bad choice boyfriend, because, like some of the jurors may be , I’m certainly curious. Some of the jurors may have been taken aback as I have been.

Has it been discussed here over the years? Is this something this bad choice boyfriend did to her? Why would that be disparaging to RS.

Please provide the source that there was testimony in the Trial that RZ was kidnapped.
It's the first I've read of this evidence so I guess I'm not following close enough! On what basis would such testimony be relevant?

 

[Imp]

There’s no “and so.”

This was given in evidence in this trial. I’m asking if she was kidnapped, by this bad choice boyfriend, because, like some of the jurors may be, I’m certainly curious. Some of the jurors may have been taken aback as I have been. Why did the Defense find this realize if RZ was a victim?

Has it been discussed here over the years? Is this something this bad choice boyfriend did to her? Why would that be disparaging to RZ?

BBM: I don't understand this question.

As to the rest of your questions, clearly the defense is trying to disparage Rebecca's character and state of mind by dredging up old boyfriends. It's what they're being paid to do. If you want to play along with them, that's up to you. I don't find her bad choices in men, other than her final bad choice, relevant in any way to what happened to her.

 

[stmarysmead]

By learning more about Rebecca’s former romantic relationships, what do you think is the impact of the jury in deciding suicide or murder?

If she had some bad relationships, do you think the jury would feel she would be more likely to commit suicide? Would the jury think she was more deserving of being murdered?

It would be helpful to offer more than the BBM quote above.

I believe many people come to WS to educate themselves about a case. Watching the podcast, I was stunned to hear there was testimony about Rebecca being kidnapped. Apparently, the Defense felt there was some merit FOR THEIR PURPOSES to bring a very serious former criminal act wherein RZ was the victim into this trial.

If the jury has not followed this case in detail, as I have not done, why would a crime against RZ be introduced at trial? Did she require therapy after this incident? Did she have emotional repercussions? Is that the inference?

I’m even more curious now because it seems that asking about this kidnapping is being treated as if it is detrimental to RZ.

It did seem in the podcast that somehow it might impugn her. Why if she was a victim of a crime? Did the Ex go to jail? This is kind of a bizarre piece of new information.

 

[stmarysmead]

Please provide the source that there was testimony in the Trial that RZ was kidnapped.
It's the first I've read of this evidence so I guess I'm not following close enough! On what basis would such testimony be relevant?

Tricia’s podcast.

 

[Imp]

Excellent point. No way she was drinking soda. Whose soda was in the room and why in the world was that not tested?

Wasn't it exactly the same soft drink, Diet Dr. Pepper, that was both in the upstairs bedroom and on the defense table in front of AS? Or am I misremembering?

 

[coastal]

Wasn't it exactly the same soft drink, Diet Dr. Pepper, that was both in the upstairs bedroom and on the defense table in front of AS? Or am I misremembering?

I remember it that way too, Imp. FWIW.

 

[Verboten]

Wasn't it exactly the same soft drink, Diet Dr. Pepper, that was both in the upstairs bedroom and on the defense table in front of AS? Or am I misremembering?

Yes. It is the same one.

 

[stmarysmead]

BBM: I don't understand this question.

As to the rest of your questions, clearly the defense is trying to disparage Rebecca's character and state of mind by dredging up old boyfriends. It's what they're being paid to do. If you want to play along with them, that's up to you. I don't find her bad choices in men, other than her final bad choice, relevant in any way to what happened to her.

I don’t understand how RZ being a crime victim disparages her. How am I “going along” with them by asking about this kidnapping? RZ was obviously a victim of a crime?

What am I missing here that the jury has heard?

 

[IzzyBlanche]

IANAL but can we suggest to Mr. Greer that in his closing statement he repeats every. single. discrepancy between AS and JS's depositions, the 911 call, and what they said in the courtroom?

 

[MrsThreadgoode]

I don’t understand how RZ being a crime victim disparages her. How am I “going along” with them by asking about this kidnapping? RZ was obviously a victim of a crime?

What am I missing here that the jury has heard?

Further to all your questions about RZ’s kidnapping:

Would someone on the board please be kind enough provide the full story about RZ’s kidnapping? (When this happened, who the boyfriend was, how long before she was found, was the boyfriend charged, was she harmed in any way, etc., etc. Any/all details and hopefully a link, would be greatly appreciated.)

I have never heard about this before, and I am sure many others would like to know as well. I sure would. [emoji4]

Thank you for your time and help. [emoji4]


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[coastal]

THIS ⬆️ :gaah:

Would not have happened if SDSO/ME would have covered Rebecca’s body with a tent and secured the scene instead of leaving her nude body exposed for 12 plus hours. Unacceptable!

Since the evidence tech testified that sunlight degrades DNA (per Caitlin's report), and earlier testimony was that, besides her own DNA, only unidentified, mixed, and too-small-to-test DNA samples were found on the rope that bound Rebecca's body, we can infer that the act of leaving Rebecca's body uncovered in sunlight for 12 hours caused any other potential DNA evidence to degrade.

Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.

 

[minorone]

Coastal
According to the evidence tech, sunlight degrades DNA.

I googled the length of time DNA lasts outside exposed to sunlight, etc. Have been looking at some cases where they used DNA off cigarette butts to solve 30 and 40 year old murder cases, etc. The consensus seems to be that it will degrade with time, but am not knowledgeable enough to know what conditions for what length of time would be needed to destroy DNA. The DNA on the rope used to tie her hands was under her body should not be damaged by the sunlight. Seems like DNA which is dried is resilient to degradation, however, the DNA breaks down much faster if things get wet. Wish I had the knowledge to understand this.


Verboten –
2. LE used lack of other DNA as a rationale for their suicide determination, but their own experts state over and over many reasons someone might not leave behind DNA--non-shedder, specific surfaces, just washed hands. This seems a contradiction to me, are they not right there making the strong case that absence of evidence is not evidence of absence? Thus, zero basis to conclude suicide due to DNA evidence...

Safeguarding and protecting the crime scene seem to be very basis police 101 information. How could the police not have been aware of the potential to totally destroy evidence from the crime scene???

Rebecca’s feet were in a “v” shape on the balcony (45° degree angle). He did the drawing of where RZ’s bare footprints were on the balcony. But he stated that there were only toe prints and no heels marks.

If Rebecca hopped onto the balcony with her feet tied together, how did she only leave (left) toe prints.???? The drawing I viewed on line has two right foot toe prints, but no left print was visible. I also recall the officer who testified saying that it was believed to be his boot print on the blacony, but he could not say it was tested by the police. Do we know if the boot print was definitely confirmed to be his?

 

[coastal]

Further to all your questions about RZ’s kidnapping:

Would someone on the board please be kind enough provide the full story about RZ’s kidnapping? (When this happened, who the boyfriend was, how long before she was found, was the boyfriend charged, was she harmed in any way, etc., etc. Any/all details and hopefully a link, would be greatly appreciated.)

I have never heard about this before, and I am sure many others would like to know as well. I sure would. [emoji4]

Thank you for your time and help. [emoji4]


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I'm looking fr the details...will post when I find the earlier discussion.

 

[Imp]

Yes. It is the same one.

Maybe I watch too much Discovery ID on the tube, but seems to me this is one of those *clues* most real death investigators find tremendously important.

 

[Imp]

I don’t understand how RZ being a crime victim disparages her. How am I “going along” with them by asking about this kidnapping? RZ was obviously a victim of a crime?

What am I missing here that the jury has heard?

I wasn't aware of the ex or the kidnapping, and haven't listened to the latest Tricia-Rother interview, so if there are details of that crime that are important to the crime under consideration in this trial, I'm not aware of them and maybe you can fill me in? Just guessing here, but since normally, mentioning a former crime against the deceased would engender even more sympathy for her with the jury, I have to believe the defense has some other motive for bringing it up.

Do you have an opinion on why they brought it up?

 

[stmarysmead]

I can’t have an opinion until I can understand what the testimony was. I do recommend that everyone listen to that Podcast. Tricia, thank you so much! WS, by providing that podcast, is giving all its readers a much broader view of how the case is progressing. I think the more we know about each testimony, the better we will understand the jury’s verdict.

But a kidnapping! Did she press charges? Is the idea that the kidnapper might have had a vendetta? With the doors being open, anyone could walk in.

Those of you that are insiders must know the details. Kidnapping of a loved 8ne is not something that goes unmentioned. That’s a huge thing to have endured. For Rebecca and the Zahau family.

 

[Betty P]

Was Rebecca kidnapped? Was she held by a boyfriend? Or by someone else? Was there a police report? Is this something Greer was able to discredit on cross?

Who was this second boyfriend?

I didn't hear anything about a kidnapping in the podcast. Can you grab a quote for us? TIA.