Found Deceased AL - Paighton Houston, 29, left bar with 2 men, Birmingham, 20 Dec 2019 #4

[ChuckInHouston]

WMBA ABC 33/40 NEWS has article from attorney.

I tried to post URL but alas no go on this Android system.

Perhaps someone could Google this and post link.
Thank you so much in advance.

Attorney refutes social media 'bashers' attacking friend of Paighton Houston

 

[TheExperience]

ABC 3340 has a new article out.

Basically an attorney says not to attack the friend (he named her) etc.

No, not any basic attorney. A hired attorney to be a third wheel between LE communications.

"I have been involved solely to facilitate the communication between Grace and law enforcement."

 

[bwt42]

"I have been involved solely to facilitate the communication between Grace and law enforcement."

Imo, this attorney is just that, a lawyer, and informs me that a non suspect is 'lawyer'd up.'

I question why this person being an ADULT in their 20s is being described as if they were a baby, young, etc.

This is the only case that I can remember, in which a person may potentially have been abducted, is missing for weeks, and there had been no pleas from the last persons to have seen PH alive, no concern in reaching out to whomever abducted her or knows of her whereabouts, to please bring her home unharmed. Or, a plea to PH to come home.They could have requested their face blurred and voice changed if privacy was more a concern of theirs than PH's regard and safety, of being returned unharmed. Unless, they were for certain she was already dead. Just my opinion and two cents.

This is exactly why it was a good idea for her to get an attorney.

 

[TheExperience]

Do you have an official LE

Not the only purpose of SM.


"I have been involved solely to facilitate the communication between Grace and law enforcement."

Imo, this attorney is just that, a lawyer, and informs me that a non suspect is 'lawyer'd up.'

I question why this person being an ADULT in their 20s is being described as if they were a baby, young, etc.

This is the only case that I can remember, in which a person may potentially have been abducted, is missing for weeks, and there had been no pleas from the last persons to have seen PH alive, no concern in reaching out to whomever abducted her or knows of her whereabouts, to please bring her home unharmed. Or, a plea to PH to come home.They could have requested their face blurred and voice changed if privacy was more a concern of theirs than PH's regard and safety, of being returned unharmed. Unless, they were for certain she was already dead. Just my opinion and two cents.

I think they did make a plea, but via social media only. A lot of accusations and threats were made directly and indirectly to this individual as well as assumptions very early on. I think it was probably in her best interest to have someone speak on behalf of her. I am sure there is also some level of guilt in that they either left her there or did not try to stop her from leaving, MOO. They might be ashamed to be visible. I know I would be feeling it hard if I left one of my friends/acquaintances and then they ended up dead, even if it was not my fault.[/QUOTE]

I understand 'I think,' and SM rumors are not allowed here.
I wrote my opinion from a non suspect's lawyer who is a just that 'being used as a defense attorney, dropping whatever that lawyer chooses to because that is what they are paid to do.'
We have life term convicted 11 year olds. I will stick to my initial guts of that word 'willing.' And now imo another calculating notion, 20s being used as some sort of excuse when a person in their 20s is an adult. PH was in her 20s too. 29 years of age when her dead body was rotting in a dirty nasty makeshift grave.

 

[Van Helsing]

From the article:
by ABC 33/40; Thursday, January 9th 2020
“[SBM]

Social media discussion groups about the case have debated multiple theories with some alleging Paighton's friends and co-workers had something to do with her disappearance.

ABC3340 News reached out to attorney Tommy Spina who is helping one of those individuals for comment:

Grace has been exceptionally cooperative with law enforcements‘ multiple agencies, that have been involved in the investigation of this case and has told them everything she remembers from that night. She is a witness and nothing more and I have been assured by law enforcement that there is not one ‘scintilla of evidence’ connecting Grace to any crime being investigated.

She is a very young lady, who’s (sic) father asked me to help the family and Grace navigate the process with her. I have been involved solely to facilitate the communication between Grace and law enforcement. When you are in your 20s and lose a good friend under these circumstances it is incredibly anxiety producing and unnerving. It’s a shame that some social media ‘bashers’ have elected to paint her as complicit in some way. Comments along those lines are not only untrue and baseless but are hurtful to Grace , who lost a dear friend in this process, and insensitive to Paightons family and Grace and need to stop.

We should all come together to support the family and friends of Paighton to assist them in getting through this terribly tragic loss”

-- Tommy Spina

[SBM]”

Maybe LE will see fit to make some kind of statement soon that will put a stop to all of that stuff.

 

[inmyhumbleopinion]

No, not any basic attorney. A hired attorney to be a third wheel between LE communications.

"I have been involved solely to facilitate the communication between Grace and law enforcement."

Which, IMO, is part of the job description of a criminal defense attorney:
Tommy Spina: Criminal Defense Attorney

And if I were this friend/coworker, I’m pretty certain I would have gotten myself a criminal defense lawyer, too, regardless of guilt or innocence.

 

[alsleuther]

Tommy Spina clearly advertises as a criminal defense attorney. What innocent bystander/witness to the missing person case of their friend/coworker hires a criminal defense attorney?

IMO, one that is concerned about her potential criminal liability in this situation. While I don't think Grace dumped that body at Chapel Drive, I think maybe she's sweating the return of those toxicology results, if LE decides to pursue anyone that provided PH with drugs anytime that day (heroin, pills, etc.)

And it will be interesting to see who these 2 heavyset men that have supposedly been questioned. I suspect they all run with the same party crowd......MOO

 

[Seasleuth]

I have had a thought that I don't want to bring up but makes some sense to me. I don't know many of us moms that under similar circumstances would actually say, "Oh, yeah, my daughter would leave with two heavyset black guys she didn't know." I mean, that sounds ridiculous. Now I am NOT saying the family was in denial, but I am wondering if there was something underlying that they were thinking but didn't want to say. Possibly, because of something in her past, PH was distrustful of black men (and there's even more underlying there as to why that could be) and so they say within the family, " We all KNOW that the last people PH would ever leave somewhere with would be two BLACK men." I'm not trying to say that PH was racist or anything like that. Just that maybe some trauma or experience made her feel a certain way that convinced her family even more that the "story" was not true.

I misread Glynngoble's post. I apologize and remove my reply.

 

[TheExperience]

Which, IMO, is part of the job description of a criminal defense attorney:
Tommy Spina: Criminal Defense Attorney

And if I were this friend/coworker, I’m pretty certain I would have gotten myself a criminal defense lawyer, too, regardless of guilt or innocence.

Not me. We differ in this. I would be out with a group of friends searching for my friend and on the news pleading for PH to please call if she left on her own terms, we are worried. And a plea if someone has her to please not hurt PH and return her home safe.

She was imo treated prematurely as dead when she could have left on her own free will to Kentucky for all these bar attending friends knew!

 

[Mert]

Glynngoble,
I may have missed it, was their a reference that PH or her family has a distaste, dislike or distrust for blacks? Would the headline "Left with two heavy set white males" or "Left with two slender Asian males" before going missing have been more palatable, or easier to accept by PH's mom, in your opinion? If it were my daughter, the pain would not be any less, but I'd like to know where you are coming from.

I am guessing the original post is simply a thought. Some people do have bias. I don’t believe anything hateful was meant.

 

[inmyhumbleopinion]

Not me. We differ in this. I would be out with a group of friends searching for my friend and on the news pleading for PH to please call if she left on her own terms, we are worried. And a plea if someone has her to please not hurt PH and return her home safe.

She was imo treated prematurely as dead when she could have left on her own free will to Kentucky for all these bar attending friends knew!

Agree to disagree. I, too, would be searching for my friend and pleading for their her return, but only if my lawyer thought that was a good idea. I would also make myself available to the authorities and assist with the investigation in any way I could, but only with counsel present.

I would advise my children to do the same. It’s just the prudent thing to do, IMO. That’s just how I operate. I don’t know why the friend/coworker has retained an attorney.

 

[Tupelohoney]

Yes, and that makes me think that she has been interviewed once or twice and are now trying to get her to come in for another. Read those words carefully "facilitate the communication between Grace and law enforcement" . If you are truly just a witness, and your girlfriend is dead, wouldn't you be at LE's beck and call to help out? This sounds like Grace did NOT want to talk to police and the father sought legal advice as to what her actual rights are.

MOO

Tommy Spina is certainly one of the biggest, most sought after Criminal Defense attorneys in Alabama. <m0dsnip: not allowed>

 

[TheExperience]

She is a witness and nothing more and I have been assured by law enforcement that there is not one “scintilla of evidence“ connecting Grace to any crime being investigated.

Scintilla? I personally would butt kick out the door a hired attorney using this word and this entire statement is disturbing to me...I cannot be clear to the exact reason. So, little to nothing was mentioned by this criminal lawyer about the anxiety, fear, and pain, that PH must have endured, before being placed in a muddy grave.

LE is not always forward with showing all their cards. I remember when they swore up and down to the 'BTK Killer,' he was safe and gaurded to send some floppy disks. Oops, they lied.

 

[glynngoble]

Glynngoble,
I may have missed it, was their a reference that PH or her family has a distaste, dislike or distrust for blacks? Would the headline "Left with two heavy set white males" or "Left with two slender Asian males" before going missing have been more palatable, or easier to accept by PH's mom, in your opinion? If it were my daughter, the pain would not be any less, but I'd like to know where you are coming from.

You totally miss the point of my post. The discussion had been that her family kept saying that the behavior the witness described was not like Paighton at all. In trying to determine exactly what the behavior was that they do not believe Paighton would have exhibited, I was saying that it may have been that she had a distrust of black men (as I stated in my post) based on some trauma or experience made her feel a certain way. Maybe it wasn't that they were described as black. Maybe it was that she distrusted males completely and that was what made them question it. You seem to be wanting to cast me as racist because I was trying to determine why they were so sure she would not have left with the suspects. It has absolutely nothing to do with something being more palatable or easier for her mom to accept. The family is convinced she would not do that. I am asking why? Because they were black? Because they were men? Because she was afraid of the dark? You obviously have not read this thread in its entirety as I have made several posts and participated in several discussions and the last thing I am is a racist. I would like an apology just like the apology I stated should be demanded by the black community if these gentlemen did not exist.

 

[PezCandy]

Really.... she has an attorney. It don’t make her suspicious. With all these rumors circulating everywhere I’d get one too if I were her or her family. I feel for her honestly, it’s extreme stress to be constantly accused of something especially like a death. Try to see it from the friends point of view, she got that text then find out PH is missing then dead, incredible guilt, the “what if’s”, “what if I were awake and called 911 right away? Etc” you really don’t know what it’s like until you’re in their shoes.
it’s not uncommon for a lawyer to be involved and really should have known that the people that were involved even as witnesses would have lawyers to back their stories up. Everything is to make sure ducks are in a row. I think we’re getting close to a resolution you guys, just be patient. At least they have PH and didn’t have to wait years or decades to find her remains.

 

[Denniece]

Agree to disagree. I, too, would be searching for my friend and pleading for their her return, but only if my lawyer thought that was a good idea. I would also make myself available to the authorities and assist with the investigation in any way I could, but only with counsel present.

I would advise my children to do the same. It’s just the prudent thing to do, IMO. That’s just how I operate. I don’t know why the friend has retained an attorney.

I'd agree if she'd gotten an attorney earlier. He hasn't been "advising" her very long so anything she's done up until she hired him must have been of her own accord. Imo

I do agree that I'd hire an attorney though if everyone was coming at me or if anything I'd done even innocuously could hold me culpable, whether I was guilty of anything or not.
Imo and idk if that makes much sense.

 

[Denniece]

I don't like it either that there hasn't been any mention anywhere of how she'd get her car. Maybe they did discuss that before they parted ways, and it just hasn't been reported in msm. That's one thing my friends and I usually work out beforehand. Sometimes we will meet at a friend's and take one vehicle out, and all take a cab/Uber home or wherever, but we usually at least mention or ask how we plan get our vehicles back, especially if one of those s needs a ride the next day to get it.
Imo

 

[TheExperience]

I have to disagree here. Yes, there is “media” involved and yes we are “social”; however, WS is different in many ways. I don’t have time to elaborate atm, but I’m sure others may have some thoughts on this as well.


ETA:
I don’t do FB or any social media myself. I prefer to be here, where we do actual research, cite articles, confer with fellow academics and professionals, and provide sources for our information and discussions. No “rumors” allowed. Not only do rumors screw up cases, but more importantly, rumors hurt people. @Tricia, the Mods, and even us old timers go to great lengths here to ensure that “this” place is not like “that” place. Thank goodness for that, otherwise I wouldn’t be here.

ETA2: Thanks Mods for keeping this place garbage free.

ETA3 / Disclaimer:
Of course this is not to say that SM is not good for some things, because of course it is a very valuable tool and means of communication, etc. and sometimes the information on SM is in fact true, but as far as WS and “social media”, the big difference is we don’t do a bunch of here-say and bullying.

The only downside to this is for families with loved ones dead in which there seems to be no passionate hearsay and noise on Social Media that I ascertain their families would welcome to bring about much needed attention to a cold case. Arouse the public's interest and perhaps more interest on Websleuths of passionate posters demanding answers and giving their opinions to help solve other disturbing and sad cases.

With the mentioned of drugs and the area, it reminded me of a serial killer case at first that is cold and dead in Lumberton, NC. 3 women found dead in a span of a couple of weeks, 2 in trash cans, and another in a trap house, which the female cop who was witness to the scene mentioned it was the most gruesome of crime scenes she has yet to come across.

These young ladies had little to no chance from the beginning, imo. There is also another deceased months prior and 2 found disposed of a few years earlier from another area. And, one young lady still missing, supposedly got into a vehicle in broad daylight, and vanished into thin air.


Imo, if these young women were from an upper to middle class, perhaps more passionate noisy social media persons would be chattering non stop to perhaps drop some clues.

 

[Lesliebham]

What witness hires a defense attorney? A smart one! This witness has been suspected trashed on SM. Innocent or not, she’s gots e scared to death!!! If you think LE never overlooked the rights of witnesses, You are mistaken. If she’s innocent, it’s a comfort that someone is looking out for her.

 

[Ontario Mom]

<modsnip: quoted post was removed>

WS works best when members read, respect and follow the rules. When that happens, it runs quite smoothly.