CA - Joey, Summer, Gianni, Joseph Jr McStay Murders - Feb 4th 2010 #9

[Emi]

 

[mothwings]

Cathy Russon‏ @cathyrusson[/URL] 12m12 minutes ago
McStay - Prosecution recalled Det. Edward Bachman. Bachman participated in Merritt's arrest on Nov 5, 2014. From Merrit's home they seized an Apple Iphone 6. On 10/2/14 there was a captured image showing search "us border?" and "can u get to alaska after going through canada"

These searches are the indicators of a man who knew the ranks were closing in, not someone writing a book.

 

[missy1974]

These searches are the indicators of a man who knew the ranks were closing in, not someone writing a book.

If you keep reading the tweets, they were not actual searches, they were screenshots of searches, not even taken by his phone by the sounds of it? Will be interesting to 'hear' this.

Cathy Russon‏ @cathyrusson 16m16 minutes ago
#McStay - Bachman says under cross exam some of the screenshots of images of searches testified to earlier on Merritt's phone were taken by an IPad,he doesn't know who took those and/or sent to Merritt. Merritt's phone never actually had web searches for change your identity, etc

ETA: I'm not sure if this includes the Alaska searches? But going to Alaska, is that really leaving the country? LOL He also had family there.

 

[geevee]

audio's of the testimony is uploaded!

McStay Family Murder Trial - YouTube

scroll wayyyyyyy down the list

Thank you, Missy!

 

[JMarsh]

Well recently the pros was arguing that Chase's phone went off the grid on certain days and for certain times - A.K.A, when he was commiting this crime, burying the bodies and cleaning up the crime scene. However, the jury now has heard that his phone had a tendency to have connectivity issues, so that portion of the evidence may not be rock solid for them.

So far, I agree with another poster --the most incriminating evidence is the backdated cheques.

All JMO

Got it. That's what I thought you meant, but I wasn't sure.

 

[JMarsh]

I would like to see someone who is following this trial more than me make a list of the circumstantial evidence presented so far. ie vehicle leaving on the 4th, back dated checks, pings, etc.

Then I would ask someone who believes CM is not guilty what do you do with the circumstantial evidence presented so far in this trial? Do you just poo poo it, say State is lying, what the heck do you do with it?

I’ve always wondered about that.

Thanks in advance

Basically there is only one thing the DA has to show, convincingly, in order to get a conviction: The DA has to tie or connect Merritt to the act of murder.

Not to gambling, or bad money management, or even fraud, but to the act of murdering this family.

That can be done by connecting him to the means, i.e. the murder weapon. OR the crime scene at the time it is believed that the family was murdered, for example the home, on February 4. OR to the location where the bodies were buried.

So let me ask you this, what evidence, so far, conclusively ties Chase Merritt to the act of murder?

Not just the possibility that he could have murdered, but to any thing definitive that shows, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Chase murdered this family?

 

[JMarsh]

These searches are the indicators of a man who knew the ranks were closing in, not someone writing a book.

Can you elaborate on that?

 

[JMarsh]

I'm so disappointed that no one seems to be covering this trial. I wonder how different it would have been if the bodies were found shortly thereafter?

I guess there's a reason defence Attorneys like to stall. Apparently, it works.

There has been more coverage of this trial than any other I've followed in California. Not quite sure what you mean.

 

[JMarsh]

There are absolutely legitimate reasons for a defendant to allow delays. Even when they are innocent and incarcerated. Especially then.

I'm dealing with two right now who have trusted their counsels advice. Both are now at the point where the delays are no longer helping their case and so we are pushing for trial.

Both would vastly prefer prison to being held in jail. They have agreed to the delays to increase their chances of an acquittal. A few years in jail before exoneration is better than life in prison after wrongful conviction.

The prosecution has been the one to request every delay in these two cases. One 2.5 years and one 3 years. They have delayed because they realize they are screwed. A more ethical prosecutor would have dismissed a long time ago when the case started falling apart.

We used the delays to further investigate and prove lies or alibis. Now we are done allowing delays and the prosecution is upset we want to go to trial, because they don't have a case.

They were told by the judge this month that the cases will be dismissed with prejudice if they cannot go to trial as scheduled. There have already been misconduct issues with the prosecutor, the judge is fed up.

The two cases I'm working on are both much much stronger because of the delays. The hope being that they will be out after a few years awaiting trial instead of life in prison. I feel much better about the odds now than I did two years ago.

If the defendant is guilty I'm sure it's different. However, YES there are perfectly legitimate reasons for an innocent man to remain in jail while his team builds a case. Absolutely.

"Do you want a quick resolution or an acquittal?"

This is a very complicated forensic case. There is simply no way to adequately prepare for a case like this, in less than a few years. Most DP cases take this long, or longer to get to trial.

 

[Plumeria5]

If you keep reading the tweets, they were not actual searches, they were screenshots of searches, not even taken by his phone by the sounds of it? Will be interesting to 'hear' this.

Cathy Russon‏ @cathyrusson 16m16 minutes ago
#McStay - Bachman says under cross exam some of the screenshots of images of searches testified to earlier on Merritt's phone were taken by an IPad,he doesn't know who took those and/or sent to Merritt. Merritt's phone never actually had web searches for change your identity, etc

ETA: I'm not sure if this includes the Alaska searches? But going to Alaska, is that really leaving the country? LOL He also had family there.

Hmmm....who is close to CM that he might ask to send him screenshot of searches? A girlfriend or relative?

 

[QueenBofOB]

There has been more coverage of this trial than any other I've followed in California. Not quite sure what you mean.

I live in S. Cali and have seen very limited mention of this trial, both on local tv news stations and in the newspaper.

 

[JMarsh]

Hmmm....who is close to CM that he might ask to send him screenshot of searches? A girlfriend or relative?

Are we sure there were searches to change your identity? Or were the searches related to the article on the McStays that addressed their going missing, and how to change your identity?

 

[katydid23]

Prob. Maline or McGee

Probably. Most of her tweets highlight points made by the defense, imo.

 

[itsbrookie]

Wow, the fact that he had screenshots of searches indicates that Chase didn't want them in his personal Internet history, IMO.

 

[missy1974]

Probably. Most of her tweets highlight points made by the defense, imo.

Could be that it's because the defense made good points? LOL I'm on to part 1 of today, just about done and on to part 2. Some good information in Part 4 of yesterday.

 

[missy1974]

Wow, the fact that he had screenshots of searches indicates that Chase didn't want them in his personal Internet history, IMO.

Sounds like they were sent to him somehow, by someone. Not at that testimony yet, so not 100% sure what these screenshots cover yet. Not sure what the difference would be? either he has the screenshots or the history, both can easily be found. IMO

 

[missy1974]

Are we sure there were searches to change your identity? Or were the searches related to the article on the McStays that addressed their going missing, and how to change your identity?

No clue yet. Basic tweet... will have to wait until someone listens to testimony! I'm taking a break LOL

 

[itsbrookie]

Sounds like they were sent to him somehow, by someone. Not at that testimony yet, so not 100% sure what these screenshots cover yet. Not sure what the difference would be? either he has the screenshots or the history, both can easily be found. IMO

I guess I was just thinking that he might've thought screenshots would be easier to get rid of/less likely to be discovered than searches in his Internet history.

 

[katydid23]

Basically there is only one thing the DA has to show, convincingly, in order to get a conviction: The DA has to tie or connect Merritt to the act of murder.

Not to gambling, or bad money management, or even fraud, but to the act of murdering this family.

That can be done by connecting him to the means, i.e. the murder weapon. OR the crime scene at the time it is believed that the family was murdered, for example the home, on February 4. OR to the location where the bodies were buried.

So let me ask you this, what evidence, so far, conclusively ties Chase Merritt to the act of murder?

Not just the possibility that he could have murdered, but to any thing definitive that shows, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Chase murdered this family?

BBM
I think the State has done a pretty good job so far connecting Chase to the McStay house on Feb 4th. I think the jury will believe it was Chase that created that check on Joey's desktop on the night of the 4th. JMO

 

[katydid23]

Could be that it's because the defense made good points? LOL I'm on to part 1 of today, just about done and on to part 2. Some good information in Part 4 of yesterday.

But I have watched the videos, and seen solid points made by the Pros, and she doesn't mention them. But does tweet about the cross examination highlights.