Closing Arguments- Chase Merritt Charged W/Murder of Joseph, Summer, Gianni and Joe Jr McStay #2

[MissJames]

Ita. This DT used the affirmative defense, imo, by telling this jury what they were going to prove to them.

Which the DT failed miserably doing on every level.

They made promises they alteady knew in advance they couldn't produce.

Imo the DT built their entire case around cards of lies, and unbelievable illogical asumptions.

Jmo

I don’t understand why they would bother with expert witnesses who

Ita. This DT used the affirmative defense, imo, by telling this jury what they were going to prove to them.

Which the DT failed miserably doing on every level.

They made promises they alteady knew in advance they couldn't produce.

Imo the DT built their entire case around cards of lies, and unbelievable illogical asumptions.

Jmo

The DT was it’s own worst enemy . CM put the nail in the coffin with those jail house visits with CJ.
Putting on expert witnesses who could easily be debunked by the State. The accountant was the worst . Much of the DT’s case gave the State more ammunition , IMO.
Years of appeals ahead if there is a guilty verdict .
I wish we knew how much of that fiasco was based on CM over riding his lawyers advice.
Maybe when that documentary comes out .........

 

[MissJames]

Don't know to whom you are addressing question. It appears more guilty people get off than innocent people are are convicted.

Often never even making it to trial .

 

[la2cabo]

Especially in this particular case, the crime was likely committed by multiple people. Those people got off, while one scapegoat is being tried.

A few things I question about the SODDI theory (especially more than one person) is:

1) Why were Gianni and Joseph, Jr. killed? IMO it's because they could ID the killer;
2) Why were the bodies moved from the house and buried? To create a story the family uprooted their lives and moved away?
3) Who on earth (especially more than 1 person) would bash in the heads of toddlers?
4) What motive would "multiple people" have for killing the entire family?

If someone can get me past these hurdles with compelling answers then I might consider a different theory. As it sits, Merritt is the only plausible killer in my opinion.

 

[Niner]

@missy1974 - Sorry - I don't do Twitter or any kind of "apps". Tech savvy illerate.... LOL!

 

[la2cabo]

Regardless of what the final verdict is I hope the jurors speak out about their vote(s).

 

[asyousay]

So today is just a waiting game?

 

[la2cabo]

So today is just a waiting game?

Unfortunately yes.

 

[Mony Mony]

Praying for a guilty verdict today.

 

[MsFacetious]

I don't want a verdict today, that isn't long enough. They need more time than that. They have a lot to go over and go through.

The thing is it was a relatively small amount to steal and I'm not sure Joey would have told anyone about it, thinking he could handle it himself and not wanting to infuriate Summer anymore than she already was, particularly given her stress levels that week. I think it was carefully contrived by Merritt to be an amount that Joey wouldn't start calling people for advice, or immediately report to the police.

That's what I've always thought too. Then, how did they all end up dead and buried?

For you and for anyone else that might be interested, if you are on twitter, Law and Crime has a twitter account specifically for verdicts. Verdict (@LawCrimeVerdict) | Twitter If you follow that twitter page and then go into the settings for that page and click "Turn on mobile notifications" you should get a notification on your phone (providing you have twitter set up on your phone lol) They ONLY tweet verdicts on that account!

They only tweet when a verdict has been REACHED. They don't appear to tweet the actual verdict. So it's good for knowing to go to other sources but unless you are in a place to watch the live feed, it won't give you the verdict itself. I still might do it though.

 

[MsFacetious]

Regardless of what the final verdict is I hope the jurors speak out about their vote(s).

I agree. It's very frustrating when they never do and we don't know their thought process. I've got a case right now where only one alternate would talk. She totally disagreed with the jury verdict... but none of the jury will talk to explain their verdict. So frustrating.

 

[MrsPC]

Possible early verdict...Richard K. De Atley is tweeting that Merritt's presence in court during deliberations was waived last Thursday but the Judge ordered Merritt to court today. Prosecution & Defense are also at their tables. !!!!!

Richard K. De Atley (@RKDeAtley) | Twitter

 

[MrsPC]

Darn it! 2 alternate jurors were approached & asked questions/attempted to be interviewed by the Documentary team. Not an early verdict.

 

[Recidivist]

Darn it! 2 alternate jurors were approached & asked questions/attempted to be interviewed by the Documentary team. Not an early verdict.

I don't mean to be argumentative or anything, but the tweet says the jurors approached the doc team asking if they wanted an interview.

 

[MrsPC]

I don't mean to be argumentative or anything, but the tweet says the jurors approached the doc team asking if they wanted an interview.

but the next tweet says
Smith tells the man who approached the jurors, identified as working for the defense team, that his inclination is to hold him in contempt. I am uncertain of name spelling -- he is before the court, but has not been sworn, where the name is spelled.

Smith directs defense attorneys and the man for affidavits about the incident, especially how the man came to contact the alternates. Smith orders the man not to be at the courthouse for the rest of the trial.

 

[scandinavian girl]

Richard K. De Atley‏Verified account @RKDeAtley 9m9 minutes ago
Smith directs defense attorneys and the man for affidavits about the incident, especially how the man came to contact the alternates. Smith orders the man not to be at the courthouse for the rest of the trial.

Richard K. De Atley on Twitter

 

[Recidivist]

but the next tweet says
Smith tells the man who approached the jurors, identified as working for the defense team, that his inclination is to hold him in contempt. I am uncertain of name spelling -- he is before the court, but has not been sworn, where the name is spelled.

Smith directs defense attorneys and the man for affidavits about the incident, especially how the man came to contact the alternates. Smith orders the man not to be at the courthouse for the rest of the trial.

Thank you. I guess refreshing is always a good idea prior to being argumentative. So... the defense is responsible. Those dirty dogs.

 

[MrsPC]

Defense asks two days to submit affidavits. By Thursday. The two alternates will be questioned about what happened later today. Smith says issue not up to level to exclude documentary film company from courtroom.

 

[mrjitty]

That's what I've always thought too. Then, how did they all end up dead and buried?

BIB

IMO if you see Chase as more like an abusive, sociopathic husband - you have the genesis to the murders

These behaviours exhibit more rarely in other relationships like siblings, parent/child, and rarely "friends".

As rational humans we are always tempted to look for the wins and the gains. But the abuser often starts entirely self destructive conflicts because they feed on the emotional drama.

My 02c is that the exercise of power is at the heart of all of it. In the theft, in the hanging about, in the rape, and especially in the hammer.

What was happening before the murders was classic grappling behaviours where he inserted himself directly into the relationship of Joey and Summer - directly into their domestic lives to cause trouble.

Ultimately he decided to take away everything that Joey had, to punish him.

 

[mrjitty]

Thank you. I guess refreshing is always a good idea prior to being argumentative. So... the defense is responsible. Those dirty dogs.

Wow

If true this is a new low

 

[Recidivist]

The man who approached the two alternates is named Robert Wallace. He has been in the court audience during the months-long proceedings. All attorneys remain in court, they are trying to see if the alternates are in the courthouse to question them about Wallace.