Werter wants immunity for Tommy due to threats of felony murder charges

[Concerned Papa]

I've made numerous posts here at WS regarding the caliber of Mr. Werter's representation of Tommy Croslin. Notice what NG and her experts had to say last night:

GRACE: Hey, so now, still with no proffer of immunity, he just blurts it out? That doesn`t make sense. That doesn`t make sense, especially for the lawyer. I could see an inmate behind bars blurting something out, not thinking. But the lawyer to blurt it out when he says he didn`t say it before because he didn`t have immunity for his client, but now he blabs it to a reporter? Uh-uh! No! Something smells.

ALEX SANCHEZ, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: You know, the case is incredibly frustrating because of the reasons that you brought up. If she could not fend off this attacker, then how come she didn`t call the police and report immediately what happened? But I`ll tell you one thing. You brought this up, too. Tommy Croslin`s attorney revealing that Tommy Croslin was there and held the door open -- he may have helped build a case against his own client!

GRACE: He really did. But the problem is, you can`t ask a client if they take the stand -- you cannot ask the defendant about statements their lawyer made to the press.

SANCHEZ: No. No. But the lawyer could be called as a witness against his own client. Did your client tell you that he was there that night and helped escape with the body?

GRACE: Well, and another issue on that is, Sheryl McCollum, crime analyst, director of cold case squad, Pine Lake PD -- the problem with the lawyer blurting out the cause of death, according to his client, is that he`s now broken the attorney/client privilege.

SHERYL MCCOLLUM, CRIME ANALYST: Yes, he has.

GRACE: Now anybody can be -- it`s not protected anymore.

MCCOLLUM: That`s right.

http://archives.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1008/20/ng.01.html

I think Ms. Nancy is correct, SOMETHING SMELLS!

 

[SoSueMe]

I am at a total loss as to what these two attorneys are doing (Werter and Fields). Hasn't LE dismissed Tommy's story about Joe and Shell Harbor? If not, why hasn't Tommy gotten a deal?

Are Werter and Fields just trying to muddy the waters with this theory? Why the media blitz about it? JVM, Nancy Grace and Art Harris just keep feeding off of this story.

 

[Kimster]

Something is coming down the pipe, IMO. Why is he making all this fuss? Why is RC making deals about a case for Haleigh?

Hmmmm.

 

[passionflower]

IMO, give no immunity, let them sit and rot in jail.........eventually one will squeal on the others............can we believe any of them at this point??????
Charge them all and see what happens in the game...........JMOO

 

[krkrjx]

I do not want Tommy to have immunity. Not sure he did anything but if he did I would not want him immune to prosecution. Plus, if Tommy was involved on some level, he had valuable information from the beginning--info that might have assisted LE in finding Haleigh or finding forensic evidence, info that he purposely withheld.

For awhile I would have been OK with immunity for a witness who did not have an active hand in what happened but I have viewed some old video recently and I am disgusted all over again by what appears to be everyone's lack of concern for Haleigh. Misty flips her ponytail, struts around, shows off her engagement ring grinning like a school girl. I never saw actual mourning by Misty, and I would have expected that since she claimed to love the kids like they were her own. So at least for now I can't accept Misty or Tommy having immunity.

Neither Misty nor Tommy tried to help LE solve the Haleigh mystery until they were locked up many months later. This is reprehensible, and neither should be rewarded for this. It is bad enough the state has stooped to rewarding a missing child's father for offering to tell what he knows. IMO, an innocent father would have told long ago, freely, willingly, without a price attached.

 

[Maia]

I do not want Tommy to have immunity. Not sure he did anything but if he did I would not want him immune to prosecution. Plus, if Tommy was involved on some level, he had valuable information from the beginning--info that might have assisted LE in finding Haleigh or finding forensic evidence, info that he purposely withheld.

For awhile I would have been OK with immunity for a witness who did not have an active hand in what happened but I have viewed some old video recently and I am disgusted all over again by what appears to be everyone's lack of concern for Haleigh. Misty flips her ponytail, struts around, shows off her engagement ring grinning like a school girl. I never saw actual mourning by Misty, and I would have expected that since she claimed to love the kids like they were her own. So at least for now I can't accept Misty or Tommy having immunity.

Neither Misty nor Tommy tried to help LE solve the Haleigh mystery until they were locked up many months later. This is reprehensible, and neither should be rewarded for this. It is bad enough the state has stooped to rewarding a missing child's father for offering to tell what he knows. IMO, an innocent father would have told long ago, freely, willingly, without a price attached.

BBM

ITA and IMO, HaLeigh's dissappearance, to an innocent father, should have been a wake-up call to remove himself from his current lifestyle and group of 'friends', but instead, it seemed to strengthen those bonds.

 

[dodie20]

After thinking about this thread, I have to wonder if Werter is from another planet. Does he really expect immunity? From where I come from, cops don't threaten murder charges one day, & then grant immunity the next. After the threat, things just go downhill & get worse & worse for the accused. Soon after, Tommy was named a suspect, & I fully expect to see him charged. Also, Werter needs to realize that LE may have threatened felony murder charges, because they know that's the best they can do right now. Tommy needs to understand that the reason for the hold out, may be that they're trying to build an even stronger case, & he needs to prepare for that. Maybe that's the real reason for Werter's ridiculous request? to give Tommy an out for no more talking to LE? If Tommy is lieing for anybody, including his sister, now is the time to come clean. before Ron has a chance to testify. I get the feeling that Ron has had a lot to add, & his details aren't matching up with Tommy's, & that's why Tommy is in the hotseat. I think Ron has been blabbing & snitching, & giving some concrete details. talking, & talking & talking...in other words...earning that deal.

 

[dodie20]

Oh blah, lets play hardball to oil up those jawbones. If I were SA for a day I'd charge Tommy with felony murder and Misty with accessory to.

I have no sympathy for them allowing Haleigh to be harmed that night and I think both have been placed at the scene of the crime Tommy has given statements was murder. Let the jury decide any lesser charges.

I would bet that LE has some evidence that we don't know about, so what are they waiting for? but, & here is where my problem is...was Misty really there, or is she just repeating what she was told? She seems a little vague on things that she should have no problem remembering. Also, I don't like the way that she is basically an out of sight bystander in a lot of these tales, (by her own & Tommy's accounts). she was asleep, or she was in another room, or she was hiding under the covers. I get the impression that someone(s), doesn't want her to be forced into too many details. But you're right. She has, by her own accounts, put herself at the scene of the murder & she should have to either answer to that, or explain why she lied.

 

[Concerned Papa]

Oh blah, lets play hardball to oil up those jawbones. If I were SA for a day I'd charge Tommy with felony murder and Misty with accessory to.

I have no sympathy for them allowing Haleigh to be harmed that night and I think both have been placed at the scene of the crime Tommy has given statements was murder. Let the jury decide any lesser charges.

Wow, what a mental image to run with for a little while!

WAIT! Better yet, Sheriff!

BBL.....

 

[LeLe1953]

No one in this case deserves a break. Charge them ALL with murder & see what falls from the tree. Anyone who killed this child, stood by & watched this child be killed, went along for the ride while someone dumped this child should be in prison the rest of their life. Anyone who knew about it after the fact & didn't come forward should join them. Hall the rest of the family in ( except for Crystal) put them in the hole & let them live with their own nasty smells for a month...see what shakes.

 

[dodie20]

No one in this case deserves a break. Charge them ALL with murder & see what falls from the tree. Anyone who killed this child, stood by & watched this child be killed, went along for the ride while someone dumped this child should be in prison the rest of their life. Anyone who knew about it after the fact & didn't come forward should join them. Hall the rest of the family in ( except for Crystal) put them in the hole & let them live with their own nasty smells for a month...see what shakes.

but the problem with this is...unless LE has some damning evidence they're not sharing, Joe is only being implicated by a couple of liars. If LE is gonna take their word on him being the murderer, then they have to take their word on them being scared defenseless. & it is a ridiculous defense. I think, but don't know, that the physical evidence is pointing towards Tommy...which I guess he can explain by saying that since Joe wasn't a resident, he forced him into going to his house to retrieve disposal items...whether it be a vehicle, bags, rope, blocks, whatever. But, I don't think LE would buy into that. It just raises too many opportunities for Tommy to have run, called 911, something. All of this didn't just take a few minutes, & there was plenty of time, to back out & scram, or catch Joe off gaurd & overpower him.

 

[krkrjx]

After thinking about this thread, I have to wonder if Werter is from another planet. Does he really expect immunity? ...

When I read this I about died laughing because I have thought that exactly--that Werter must be from another universe.

As for immunity for his client, it probably won't happen; not sure LE or the SA or any judge in the state of Florida is too pleased with Tommy Croslin and unless there were absolutely no other way to get a conviction against a child killer, Tommy will be offered nothing, IMO.

However, if the situation becomes such that there is in fact no other way to charge and convict all the perps, Tommy could be offered immunity or something similar--such as a promise to not seek the death penalty.

That would suck, IMO...but some pretty baaaaad perps have gotten away with either immunity or drastically reduced charges.

 

[Bathbuddys]

No one in this case deserves a break. Charge them ALL with murder & see what falls from the tree. Anyone who killed this child, stood by & watched this child be killed, went along for the ride while someone dumped this child should be in prison the rest of their life. Anyone who knew about it after the fact & didn't come forward should join them. Hall the rest of the family in ( except for Crystal) put them in the hole & let them live with their own nasty smells for a month...see what shakes.

Why let Crystal off the hook? she is right in there with the rest of them?
I mean if we have no facts, then none of these people that let these children down should be let off the hook. She was at court for Ron yesterday?JMHO

 

[OneLostGrl]

hmm..

 

[1Chump]

I've made numerous posts here at WS regarding the caliber of Mr. Werter's representation of Tommy Croslin. Notice what NG and her experts had to say last night:



I think Ms. Nancy is correct, SOMETHING SMELLS!

The reason Werter is talking is because he KNOWS they cannot use it against Tommy. Ms. Nancy is so wrong on this. I HATE when she distorts the law like this.

Attorney-client privilege belongs to the client. No one can waive that privilege EXCEPT the client. The reason "privilege" belongs to the "client" and/or "defendant" is to keep someone from getting angry and breaking the privilege as revenge. Werter talking while it may violate the privilege, he CANNOT be called to testify about anything he learned as Tommy's attorney unless Tommy WAIVES the privilege.

The reason I say that Werter MAY be violating the privilege is two-fold. One, Tommy may have given him permission to release some of the facts knowing that anything Werter says it hearsay. Two, we have no idea of what Werter is saying came directly from Tommy himself or what he allowed Tommy to tell LE. We just do not know if that information is privileged to begin with.

IMO, Werter is an idiot but not for that. Werter trying to sell Joe as this scary, dangerous guy and using Joe's myspace pics of him "waving" a gun. If it is a gun, so what. The scary guys I know....don't need a prop to show how scary they are....people are scared of them without the prop. Seriously, Joe taking those pictures was Joe's way of trying to make people believe that he is some scary dude most likely because the wimp gets beat up/bullied all the time.

IMO, Werter believing that they are afraid of Joe is like me saying I am afraid of the bogeyman under my bed. The bogeyman under my bed moved to another kids room when I was 9. It was a childhood "fantasy." Misty and Tommy so afraid of Joe that they mentioned his name but NEVER told the truth because they were too afraid is fantasy also.

 

[dodie20]

The reason Werter is talking is because he KNOWS they cannot use it against Tommy. Ms. Nancy is so wrong on this. I HATE when she distorts the law like this.

Attorney-client privilege belongs to the client. No one can waive that privilege EXCEPT the client. The reason "privilege" belongs to the "client" and/or "defendant" is to keep someone from getting angry and breaking the privilege as revenge. Werter talking while it may violate the privilege, he CANNOT be called to testify about anything he learned as Tommy's attorney unless Tommy WAIVES the privilege.

The reason I say that Werter MAY be violating the privilege is two-fold. One, Tommy may have given him permission to release some of the facts knowing that anything Werter says it hearsay. Two, we have no idea of what Werter is saying came directly from Tommy himself or what he allowed Tommy to tell LE. We just do not know if that information is privileged to begin with.

IMO, Werter is an idiot but not for that. Werter trying to sell Joe as this scary, dangerous guy and using Joe's myspace pics of him "waving" a gun. If it is a gun, so what. The scary guys I know....don't need a prop to show how scary they are....people are scared of them without the prop. Seriously, Joe taking those pictures was Joe's way of trying to make people believe that he is some scary dude most likely because the wimp gets beat up/bullied all the time.

IMO, Werter believing that they are afraid of Joe is like me saying I am afraid of the bogeyman under my bed. The bogeyman under my bed moved to another kids room when I was 9. It was a childhood "fantasy." Misty and Tommy so afraid of Joe that they mentioned his name but NEVER told the truth because they were too afraid is fantasy also.

I agree about Joe's gun picts. Werter needs to realize that young people don't use myspace to advertise their criminal empires...they use them to show off to friends. That picture is boring & pretty generic-kind of like girls throwing up the deuces sign while making a trout pout kissy face. My daughter was a majorette at a college & these girls are good, hard working students. But one day, she was showing me one of their myspace picts, & there was one of her line mates, in a hotel room with some 'kids', all taking turns posing gangsta style with a gun. Now, I didn't like it, because it was some kind of automatic weapon, & the whole scene looked dangerous, but at the same time, I knew she wasn't a killer & was just dressing to impress, so to speak. They were all about 19 & retarded.

 

[drip~drop]

Why let Crystal off the hook? she is right in there with the rest of them?
I mean if we have no facts, then none of these people that let these children down should be let off the hook. She was at court for Ron yesterday?JMHO

I believe Crystal was in court for HaLeigh.

 

[Maia]

Why let Crystal off the hook? she is right in there with the rest of them?
I mean if we have no facts, then none of these people that let these children down should be let off the hook. She was at court for Ron yesterday?JMHO

BBM

Although, IMO, very few "facts" have been released, one of the "facts" that we do have is that Crystal has been cleared by LE and is not a suspect in HaLeigh's demise. (Gosh, I hate writing that word.)

 

[MADJGNLAW]

Why let Crystal off the hook? she is right in there with the rest of them?
I mean if we have no facts, then none of these people that let these children down should be let off the hook. She was at court for Ron yesterday?JMHO

I agree that the children were let down, not only by the parents but the State as well. There were several investigations, reports of abuse, and nothing was done. IMO, if DCF would of removed the children from Ronald's care Haleigh would still be here today..but they didn't do their job once again. Ronald was Haleigh's Custodial Guardian/Father and he was the one that left the children in Misty's care knowing she did not want to babysit, knowing she was a drug user, and knowing she left the children by them self in the past. Ronald IMO was abusive to the females in his life and I do believe the claims of him abusing his children as well. He is a drug user and pusher that had no business having custody of the children. The State/DCF was to step in and they didn't.
So, who is to blame? IMO, it would be Ronald for neglecting/endangering his children, lying, and Misty and Tommy for Lying and what ever role they played in this crime. Who harmed/took Haleigh I have no idea. But do feel IMO that three above had some part into what happen to Haleigh.
I feel CS was in court yesterday in hopes that Ron would of gotten his plea deal and LE would find out what/where Haleigh is. IMO, she is a devastated mother that is not perfect and does not deserve to have her child murdered/stolen because she has her faults. Nobody deserves this IMO. No child deserves to be abused or Murdered.

:cow:

Video Report/CS speaks out: Cummings Pleads Guilty To Drug Charges http://www.news4jax.com/video/24702620/index.html

PALATKA, Fla. -- Haleigh's mother, Crystal Sheffield, attended Friday's hearing, said she is holding out hope her daughter Haleigh is alive.


"I don't care if they're in prison or not, but the truth needs to come out to bring my baby home."

 

[Peliman]

I'll be honest, I have unanswered questions. I think more than Tommy and Misty are involved. I'm unsure about pointing at JO with what's been reported. Rons behaviours do not compute.

I just think a trial will bring out more information as they defend themselves.

Ron has made a deal to testify, I'm all ears. I think a trial starting with Tommy & Misty will bring charges against others. Maybe Timmy can testify on behalf of his sister.

JMO