CA - Joey, Summer, Gianni, Joseph Jr McStay Murders - Feb 4th 2010 #20

[smr]

<modsnip>

Anybody have a guess as to why Maline questioned Bachman on the investigational award they received? How could that line of questioning help the two timed felon?

There are people who put their own career advancement above integrity.

 

[Recidivist]

rsbm

snip

There are people who put their own career advancement above integrity.

And they give awards for that? Do you know who's career was advanced?

 

[missy1974]

Anybody have a guess as to why Maline questioned Bachman on the investigational award they received? How could that line of questioning help the two timed felon?

Because at that point, Merritt had only been charged and it had not even gone to trial yet. Implying that this case was more about advancing their careers than it was about getting it right. I am positive we will hear all about it in their closing statement. JMO

 

[MrsPC]

Anybody have a guess as to why Maline questioned Bachman on the investigational award they received? How could that line of questioning help the two timed felon?

The Judge wouldn't allow McGee to get into the details but IMHO it dealt with the investigation & particularly the Mitchley video & identification of Merritt's truck from that video (based on his questions to Bachman about the video/truck lights,) and defense was probably trying to assert that the truck wasn't Merritt's and so the award was based on faulty information.

 

[missy1974]

And they give awards for that? Do you know who's career was advanced?

Bachman was asked how many were promoted and that question was objected to and sustained. So we don't know.

Here is a facebook post from the SBSD FB page about the award.

San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department

 

[Recidivist]

Thank you, Missy!

 

[Mony Mony]

So career advancement is a bad thing? Ok. It is the defense's opinion the truck is not CM. The prosecution is of the opinion that it belongs to the two timed felon.
With the jury requesting to see the truck for themselves, I can imagine Maline in closing arguments saying, "Who are you going to believe? Me or your lying eyes?"

 

[missy1974]

The Judge wouldn't allow McGee to get into the details but IMHO it dealt with the investigation & particularly the Mitchley video & identification of Merritt's truck from that video (based on his questions to Bachman about the video/truck lights,) and defense was probably trying to assert that the truck wasn't Merritt's and so the award was based on faulty information.

It probably did, and McGee asked him about the application for the award but because Bachman said he wasn't involved in the application, we didn't hear what the application said lol

On another note.... the video I posted last night from the hearing on 5/21, it ended with a 15 minute break and they were coming back after that... I just went to the L&C chat to ask Addi (who uploads on youtube) if she has more, and she doesn't I continued listening last night and I actually think that either Imes had a personal lawyer, or there was a lawyer there for the prosecutors. Where that hearing left off, the pro's and this lawyer wanted the judge to rule that there was no misconduct, but the judge wouldn't, it's in regards to courts Exhibit O (communication between Rudin/Imes, a text message) I would have liked to have heard the rest of it because during that hearing for a motion for mistrial, the judge did say they will have a hearing in regards to that exhibit, just not in the middle of Rudin's testimony. I hope we get the audio for that LOL

 

[missingm]

I'm sure the defense will hammer home that there's no evidence the murders happened in the home. And the clutter. And the dirty surfaces. Etc. They have really little foundation imo to build on. There are so many unknowns of how things happened in this case that the jury won't care about that, that there is enough evidence to support Merritt is responsible.

"We don't have all the answers to what happened" - Sean Daugherty

If I were the prosecution I would start off listing the promises the DT made in opening versus what they brought. That would segue into DK and their crackpot theory that was based on nothing. Finally I would go through the evidence, lack of alibi, and lies, wrapping up with the cheques. All with pictures of the family.

 

[missy1974]

So career advancement is a bad thing? Ok. It is the defense's opinion the truck is not CM. The prosecution is of the opinion that it belongs to the two timed felon.
With the jury requesting to see the truck for themselves, I can imagine Maline in closing arguments saying, "Who are you going to believe? Me or your lying eyes?"

If we go back to when they were investigating, before Merritt was arrested, they matched the truck using that back marker light on the top of the box. At the beginning of the trial, the State was still using that back marker light to match the truck. At the 402 hearing with Rudin, they were still using that back marker light to match the truck. When Dr. Rudin informed Imes on February 15th that there is no way that it can be that back marker light, the State changed it... they then said, nope, not the light, it MUST be a reflection and it's the latch and they hired a new expert that would go with that theory because Rudin doesn't believe it's the latch or a reflection on that latch and the measurements still don't match up anyway.

As for what the jurors wanted to see or what they did see, we have no idea what it was that they wanted to see. Maybe it was the headlights and running lights, maybe it had nothing to do with that back light or latch. JMO

I don't know about anyone else... but since this trial started.... I look at stupid lights on vehicles.... I have asked my hubby endless stupid question about vehicles (I am sure he's happy this trial is over haha) LOL

 

[smr]

I actually think that either Imes had a personal lawyer, or there was a lawyer there for the prosecutors.

If Imes or the prosecutors had a lawyer there, they'd seem more guilty than Chase Merritt, who voluntarily went for questioning about his best friend's family disappearance without a lawyer.

 

[Mony Mony]

If we go back to when they were investigating, before Merritt was arrested, they matched the truck using that back marker light on the top of the box. At the beginning of the trial, the State was still using that back marker light to match the truck. At the 402 hearing with Rudin, they were still using that back marker light to match the truck. When Dr. Rudin informed Imes on February 15th that there is no way that it can be that back marker light, the State changed it... they then said, nope, not the light, it MUST be a reflection and it's the latch and they hired a new expert that would go with that theory because Rudin doesn't believe it's the latch or a reflection on that latch and the measurements still don't match up anyway.

As for what the jurors wanted to see or what they did see, we have no idea what it was that they wanted to see. Maybe it was the headlights and running lights, maybe it had nothing to do with that back light or latch. JMO

I don't know about anyone else... but since this trial started.... I look at stupid lights on vehicles.... I have asked my hubby endless stupid question about vehicles (I am sure he's happy this trial is over haha) LOL

Lol, I discovered my vehicle has little lights in the bumper way below the headlights. Never noticed before!

 

[Bernina]

Because at that point, Merritt had only been charged and it had not even gone to trial yet. Implying that this case was more about advancing their careers than it was about getting it right. I am positive we will hear all about it in their closing statement. JMO

Sheriff's Specialized Investigations Division receives the IACP/Thomson Reuters Award for ... from SBSD - Headquarters : Nixle
Sheriff's Specialized Investigations Division receives the IACP/Thomson Reuters Award for Excellence in Criminal Investigation

"Judging focuses on contributions to the advancement of the art or science of criminal investigations and innovations in the development or enhancement of investigative techniques."

LE officers advance all the time, for most of them, that's their goal if it's their chosen career. This shouldn't even be an issue. How many involved LE officers advanced during the period between the murders and the arrest?
So what, they got an award because they went above and beyond their duty. Good for them. Hope what they contributed to the advancement of investigations helps other murder cases.

 

[missy1974]

Lol, I discovered my vehicle has little lights in the bumper way below the headlights. Never noticed before!

Last week after they brought up the McStay's dodge Ram... omg I was in my front yard, and every truck that went by I was looking at the lights haha One thing I have discovered... all these vehicles have different lights, different brakes, different running lights, etc.

Now, in a purely unscientific experiment with my husband.... I showed him the video's, he didn't know what was what that I showed him... but I did tell him that the Mitchley video was not very good quality, so he had to keep that in mind. First... he didn't think they matched, but whatever haha ... I was impressed that he could tell me the make and model of Merritt's truck (from the San Bernardino night time video they took of Merritt's truck).... I asked him how he knew... he said the headlights Someone on the last thread said they needed the chick from My Cousin Vinny... and I think they might have been right LOL No "vehicle" expert, just video experts in this trial!

 

[oceanblueeyes]

Imo the image of the truck will not be a deciding factor either way.

What the jury has to sink their teeth in goes far beyond how CM left the McStay home with his four murdered victims inside.

Imo, if they give it any weight at all ...now that they have seen his truck up close... they know it was more than sufficient to transport the four bodies to the desert.

The jury also knows the Trooper was removed from their home, and driven to the border. The very same Trooper that had stronger DNA in it of CM than of Summer.

So some could certainly believe this is CMs death transporting vehicle, and some may believe it was CM when he drove the Trooper to the border. They do not have to agree on which one they believe it to be. They are only required to be unanimous on the verdict.

In the end if the jury believes CM is guilty BARD then they will have the belief it was CM behind the wheel...no matter if it was his truck he was driving or the Trooper belonging to his victims.

Since the state has placed CM inside of their home on the 4th its totally logical the vehicle seen leaving was driven by CM. The very one who was known to be there the very day they were all murdered.

Imo, jurors are reasonable minded people who are fully capable of linking all of the evidence together its overall totality.

Imo, they will render a just, fair, and correct verdict, imo.

Jmho

 

[floridagrrl]

If Imes or the prosecutors had a lawyer there, they'd seem more guilty than Chase Merritt, who voluntarily went for questioning about his best friend's family disappearance without a lawyer.

BBM

Best friends are ones you trust and cherish above all other friends you have.

A best friend is someone you count on above all others, too.

A best friend does not steal from you. Impersonate you to try and ruin you financially. Forge your name. A best friend wants the best for you in life and genuinely cares and loves you. CM did the exact opposite of what a best friend would do when JM and his family were missing.

<modsnip: removed personalizing comment>

 

[citygirl]

He was my best friend but I wasn't his best friend.
Such a strange comment from a grown man.
MOO.

 

[floridagrrl]

He was my best friend but I wasn't his best friend.
Such a strange comment from a grown man.
MOO.

And how does that even work exactly?

Those are just words. It is just the most bizarre concept. Friendships do not work this way.

I want to add JMO but this is really just a fact.

 

[MsFacetious]

I know what he meant, it made sense to me. Joey likely considered Summer his best friend.

So while Chase may have referred to Joey as his best friend, he also knew he wasn't Joey's. I've known situations like that, makes sense to me.

 

[la2cabo]

If Imes or the prosecutors had a lawyer there, they'd seem more guilty than Chase Merritt, who voluntarily went for questioning about his best friend's family disappearance without a lawyer.

Because Merritt thinks he's the smartest man in the room. I'm sure he thought he could charm, connive and run the interview. Who needs an attorney when talking to law enforcement about your possible involvement in the murder of four people when you're Charles Ray Merritt? Pfft, after all it's only homicide detectives. Merritt has dealt with law enforcement his entire adult life.