CLOSING ARGUMENTS (Tues 09/04/2012)

[WindyCityGirl]

In Session ‏@InSession
Lopez: "Circumstantial evidence is dangerous. That’s what this case is about, only this and nothing else." #DrewPeterson

 

[ohiogirl]

In Session “The other thing that’s very important with the presumption of innocence is you have to have this little voice in your head tell you, ‘Sgt. Peterson is innocent.’ That’s what you have to do, it’s the presumption of innocence. You have to weigh the evidence, and apply the standard ‘beyond a reasonable doubt.’ Those are the rules we live by . . . when you watch the Bears play football on the weekends, against the Packers, there’s rules: you can’t go off sides, out of bounds. There’s rules. There are rules . . . and we have to keep that in mind as we go through this process. It’s a tedious process . . . but you rely on your collective memories . . . you know why you’re here today? Because Sgt. Peterson exercised his right to a jury trial. That’s why you’re here today.”

I was thinking about this over the weekend. I might have not asked for a jury trial if it was me. I think a judge would be less able to be swayed by emotion and would have been a tough go for the pros. jmo of course.

 

[WindyCityGirl]

In Session “They can’t even tell you when she suffered these injuries . . . the science ain’t there! Dr. DiMaio is a renowned expert from around the world; he worked for the U.N. Think they just pulled up some quack to do that? Absolutely not!”

 

[Livingthedream]

I don't see the connection between all this and bringing blood stained clothing home from a crime scene to wash.

He had to get home as he knew SP was looking for him. At that point, what was he going to tell SP, that he was out shopping in the middle of the night? He had to wash the clothes, dispose of them and tell SP: 'This never happened".

This is what SP told the pastor.

 

[katydid23]

I don't see the connection between all this and bringing blood stained clothing home from a crime scene to wash.

The connection is that he is a sloppy, arrogant creep who takes a lot of risks. he was not worried about bringing the clothes home because he always got away with everything.

He killed Stacy while people were wondering if he killed Kathleen. What does that tell you about his risk taking.

He NEEDED to wash her bloody clothing. He could not just dump it anywhere or they would know it was not an accident. So it was worth the risk.

 

[Mama-cita]

I just can't get past the fact of him bringing home the crime scene and still having to dispose of the items.

I don't see why he would risk disposing of bloody clothing that could forensically be tied back to him. IMO

 

[WindyCityGirl]

n Session “Steven Maniaci asked Kathy if she could come over; he wanted to order Chinese food and order a movie. And she said, ‘No, I have to study.’ And Mary Pontarelli said she was invited to a party, and Kathy told her, ‘No, I have to study.’ That was the last time anyone had physically seen her. Maniaci had a phone call at midnight, and they had a fight; you can understand how upset she must have been, looking at her ex-husband down the block with a new family. And here was this guy who didn’t want to marry her. And they can’t even prove that Ms. Savio was the victim of a homicide, because it was an accident. They wanted to make it a homicide, but it was an accident. They talk about, ‘Oh, Stacy told Schori’ . . . that she gave this falsie alibi, that he coached her for four hours. All we heard was that Drew told her, ‘We made bacon and eggs, or whatever it was.’ “ The prosecution then has an objection, and the parties go to a sidebar.

 

[katydid23]

"She would've talked to anyone who listened" Lopez says, then mentions something barred by judge. Sidebar

Judge tells jurors to disregard Lopez' last comment

atty Lopez says none of the state's witnesses have explained how Savio got bruises. "It was the bathtub."

"You know how a water balloon falls and boom it explodes...the same thing with a head" [ wth?]

 

[WindyCityGirl]

In Session The sidebar ends, and attorney Lopez resumes his closing. “None of the State’s witnesses could tell you how she received the injury. What was it really? It was the bath tub, the curvature of the bath tub. What happens when you drop a water balloon? It explodes! The back of your head, same thing. Dr. DiMaio told you that . . . these experts can’t agree on anything, can they? Is the glass half full or half empty? That doesn’t’ meet the burden of reasonable doubt, it actually raises the level of reasonable doubt. They look at something, and they all see something different. That’s not beyond reasonable doubt, that IS doubt . . . that’s not proof beyond a reasonable doubt. That IS doubt . . . and this case is nothing but reasonable doubt, about what happened.”

 

[WindyCityGirl]

In Session “We didn’t want to hide Harry Smith. We put him up there . . . the most important thing you should remember is how it is that they made an accident into what they tell you is a homicide. They can’t tell you when it happened, how it happened . . . what evidence do you have that Drew Peterson murdered his wife? None. NONE! ZERO! The State wants you to rely on hearsay evidence . . . they had this big motive . . . there was no motive . . . he agreed to extend the pension date in the bifurcated divorce case? He was not a beneficiary of the insurance police, the kids were . . . even the showbiz doctor came in here [Dr. Michael Baden], Autopsies Gone Wild.”

 

[Wishbone]

The connection is that he is a sloppy, arrogant creep who takes a lot of risks. he was not worried about bringing the clothes home because he always got away with everything.

He killed Stacy while people were wondering if he killed Kathleen. What does that tell you about his risk taking.

He NEEDED to wash her bloody clothing. He could not just dump it anywhere or they would know it was not an accident. So it was worth the risk.

You make fine arguments, but I still have unanswered questions and that makes me have doubts about this case. I see so many loose ends that the prosecution has failed to tie up. I'm still playing devil's advocate and waiting until after the closings are finished. One thing though. Either DP was a smart cop able to make a murder look like an accident or he was just stupid. He can't be both and that's the impression I'm getting.

 

[WindyCityGirl]

In Session ‏@InSession
Lopez: "They can’t tell you when it happened, how it happened...what evidence do you have that Drew Peterson murdered his wife? None."

 

[lonetraveler]

If I was one of the jurors I would be insulted to be talked down to like he is doing.

 

[katydid23]

Lopez: Experts can't agree on cause of Savio's death. That raises bar of reasonable doubt, he says. ..

Lopez: "This case is nothing but reasonable doubt."

Lopez: "We put Harry Smith on the stand!.we didn't hide him, did he say some things that hurt us, yes but we didn't hide it.."

"What evidence do you have that #DrewPeterson murdered his wife? None."

atty Lopez refers to Baden autopsy as "autopsy gone wild" in apparent wink to barred Girls Gone Wild reference.

Lopez tells the jury #DrewPeterson and Kathleen Savio didn't live on Wisteria Lane.

prosecutor Glasgow objects when Lopez tells jurors he "used to love watching" King of the Hill on Sunday ...

[Iin the last few minutes, Lopez has referenced Girls Gone Wild, Wisteria Lane and King of the Hill.]

Lopez talks about Savio argument on phone w/Steve and Steve said she "was a basket case"

Lopez reminds jurors that, according to testimony, no dogs barked and nothing usual was seen/heard on night Savio died.

atty Lopez asks jurors why a used condom was found upstairs in Savio's home if she and her boyfriend had sex downstairs Friday..


.[ maybe because your client moved it there himself..?]

 

[WindyCityGirl]

In Session “How does Drew even know she’s home? She could be over at Maniaci’s house . . . she doesn’t discuss her plans with him . . . remember that show that used to be on Sunday nights, that cartoon show where the guy used to hang out in the back yard and drink with his neighbors? . . . King of the Hill . . . I used to love that show! The neighbors go over to Kathy’s, and tell her about this party . . . she goes to the Samba Room with Maniaci, they return home and have sex, and the condom is discarded. Remember Maniaci is the guy who slept in the bed with her, and he never says anything about this giant knife; wouldn’t he be the first to know?”

 

[katydid23]

You make fine arguments, but I still have unanswered questions and that makes me have doubts about this case. I see so many loose ends that the prosecution has failed to tie up. I'm still playing devil's advocate and waiting until after the closings are finished. One thing though. Either DP was a smart cop able to make a murder look like an accident or he was just stupid. He can't be both and that's the impression I'm getting.

Of course he can be both. that is how it usually happens. People don't often get ALL of the details right when planning a murder. JMO

 

[Livingthedream]

You make fine arguments, but I still have unanswered questions and that makes me have doubts about this case. I see so many loose ends that the prosecution has failed to tie up. I'm still playing devil's advocate and waiting until after the closings are finished. One thing though. Either DP was a smart cop able to make a murder look like an accident or he was just stupid. He can't be both and that's the impression I'm getting.

WB, believe me when I tell you that if the dots did not connect here, no matter how I felt about the person on trial, I could not find him/her guilty.

I just think that there is so much threatening history in all of DP'S relationships, you really have to have your head in the sand (generally speaking) to not conclude he did it.

I also think Lopez is doing a decent job in his closing and if I were on the jury, I could see some of his points. That said, at this point, I can't see it going DP'S way come verdict time.

However, it would also not totally stun me if he walks. We have plenty of past cases where most thought the defendant was going down only to be shocked at the verdict that was handed down later.

 

[WindyCityGirl]

The more Lopez carps on about Maniachi having sex with Kathleen, the more I hear DEFLECTION, DEFLECTION......that had nothing to do with this at all.

 

[WindyCityGirl]

In Session “Kathy and Steve had a midnight quarrel, and Kathy hung up on Steve . . . that’s around midnight [on Saturday]. We know the Pontarellis come home, in two different vehicles at two different times . . . they saw the light on from inside the bedroom. And Mary [Pontarelli] is her best friend . . . so Mary assumes she’s studying. That evening, no dogs bark, no neighbors overheard [anything]; the neighborhood is nice and quiet. Those houses are very close together, not a lot of side yard . . . but nobody hears anything coming out of that house. It’s peaceful and it’s quiet. Sunday, Drew and his family go to the Shedd Aquarium . . . he tries to return the kids on Sunday, but there’s nobody there. It’s a three day weekend, so that’s why there’s no attempt to call anybody; Tom Peterson agreed with that . . . you are the judges of the facts, you’re mini-judges, just like the judge. Sunday, Mary tries to contact Kathy to invite her over for spaghetti and meatballs; Nick also tries to contact Kathy in the afternoon. He went to the house, banged on the door, and didn’t see anything unusual. Steve Maniaci didn’t attempt to call her on Sunday, or on Monday, either. We don’t even know if she’s home when Nick goes over there. Maybe she already slipped and hit her head. Nobody knows if she’s in the house or out of the house. Nobody knows that. She’s not answering her phone; we don’t know where she’s at. The State doesn’t know where she’s at. And, again, Monday, Drew’s looking for Kathy again. He finally calls Kathy . . . everybody’s looking for Kathy . . . she doesn’t have to account for every move to her ex-husband; she can do whatever she wants. [But] no one can find her.”

 

[katydid23]

Lopez says about day of Savio's death "Everyone's looking for Savio" Drew didn't call her because "it's a holiday weekend"

SeidelContent: Lopez: It took a trained locksmith six minutes to open Savio's door. #

Jury is exiting courtroom because of objection during Lopez's closing arguments.