GUILTY FL - Craig Wall, 5 wks, & Laura Taft, 29, murdered, Clearwater, Feb 2010

[miss u daddy]

What happened to her other son the 6 year old. Where was he when his poor mother was being murdered? I hope he has loving family near by that can help him through this. May Laura and her baby rest in paradise. May God take care of the little boy left behind.

 

[WhyaDuck?]

My heart goes out to little Conner.

What a truly shocking story.

 

[Texas Mist]

miss u daddy, Connor - the 6yo - was with his dad when his mom was attacked.

http://www.tampabay.com/news/public...clearwater-was-mother-to-the-baby-who/1073861

And the monster's back in jail - no bond this time....too bad he had to take the lives of 2 before that.

http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2010/2/21/585686.html

 

[BeanE]

Rest in peace, Craig Wall Jr and Laura Taft.

I haven't found a picture of this little one yet.

Here is Laura.

 

[kbl8201]

gee only took two murders to convince people he was dangerous......

 

[Bobbisangel]

This is so sad. I just can't imagine what LE was thinking by not keeping him in jail. Guess they didn't have sense enough to see the hand writing on the wall. I wish she hadn't stayed in her place but had gone to stay with friends or relatives for awhile. Now there is a little guy with no mom but thank God he has a daddy. I hope his dad is a good loving dad.

Maybe this creep will get the death penalty beings he murdered two people. I can only hope.

 

[Texas Mist]

Clearwater man admitted he killed girlfriend, records say

CLEARWATER - Craig Wall, the ex-convict accused of fatally stabbing his girlfriend – and suspected in the death of their 5-week-old son – told his mother he stabbed the girlfriend, according to court documents released this morning.

Wall, 34, was booked into the Pinellas County Jail on Sunday on a charge of first-degree murder in the death of Laura Taft. He is also suspected in, but has not been charged with, killing the couple's son Craig Wall Jr.
...............
According to the court documents made available this morning, a neighbor of Taft's saw man matching Wall's description get out of a car at 470 Fairwood Ave. The neighbor, Christopher Thompson, who lived above Taft's apartment, heard a disturbance and went to Taft's apartment, the documents say.

Thompson pushed open the door and found Taft in the doorway, the documents say. He checked for a pulse but there was none. It was later determined Taft had been stabbed twice – once in the shoulder and once in the chest, documents say.

Thompson also saw the same man walking quickly from underneath a balcony, getting into the red car and driving away, the documents say. Thompson called to neighbors to call 911.

more here

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/fe...ted-he-killed-girlfriend-recor/news-breaking/

 

[WhyaDuck?]

Way to go, Mr Thompson! It is a hard thing to hear trouble in a neighbour's apartment and take it upon yourself to go see if help is needed. It is too bad this ended so badly, but I applaud his civic spirit.

 

[reen]

It's strange that they haven't released a cause of death for this poor baby. He was taken off life support while being treated in the hospital...for what?? Obviously the hospital would have known by then what these mysterious "health problems" were, or the autopsy could quickly determine what happened. Are they just not saying because they need to use that info to push a confession from him, or...???

 

[OkieGranny]

http://www.tampabay.com/news/courts...o-murder-and-get-the-death-penalty-in/2217579

Craig Wall, a Clearwater man accused of accused of killing his girlfriend and their infant child, is scheduled to appear in court this afternoon for a possible guilty plea, which could lead to a death sentence. It could become an extremely rare case of a murder suspect essentially trying to arrange for his own execution.

But Wall, 39, is known for erratic courtroom behavior, which makes the outcome of today's hearing hard to predict.

In previous court hearings, Wall has discussed the possibility of pleading guilty to killing his girlfriend Laura Taft, 29, and pleading no contest to killing their baby, and he has said he would prefer the death penalty. At various times in court he has blurted out that he did kill Taft, but he has denied killing their baby, Craig Wall Jr., also called "CJ."

 

[OkieGranny]

http://www.theledger.com/article/20...y-to-Murder-In-Hopes-Of-Getting-Death-Penalty

In a rare case of a man attempting to arrange his own execution, Craig Wall pleaded guilty to murdering his girlfriend, and also pleaded no contest to murdering their infant son...

Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge Philip Federico accepted Wall's pleas and scheduled a "penalty phase" trial beginning Feb. 23. Although Wall is now guilty of both murders, this next step is legally necessary so Federico can rule whether the death penalty is appropriate.

 

[OkieGranny]

http://tbo.com/pinellas-county/judge-will-decide-fate-of-man-who-killed-girlfriend-son-20150227/

The trial’s penalty phase began Monday; testimony wrapped up Friday and Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Court Judge Philip Federico at an unspecified date will decide what Wall’s punishment will be — life in prison or a death sentence.

 

[brighidin]

http://tbo.com/pinellas-county/judge-will-decide-fate-of-man-who-killed-girlfriend-son-20150227/

Thanks for posting the updates. 5 years is a long time for her family to wait for justice. I hope her other son Connor is doing okay.

 

[0101ABA]

Clearwater man seeking death penalty disrupts hearing with outbursts

Craig Wall's case has taken several twists and turns in the past six years.

He represents himself on the charges that he killed his girlfriend and their infant son. He has repeatedly said he wants the death penalty.

The latest twist happened Thursday: After he refused to leave his jail cell to attend a hearing, six Pinellas sheriff's deputies in tactical gear ushered Wall to Pinellas Circuit Judge Philip Federico's courtroom.

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Typically, during the penalty phase of a case, prosecutors present evidence in favor of the defendant's execution, called aggravating factors, and defense attorneys present evidence against the death penalty, like childhood trauma or mental health history, called mitigating factors.

In Wall's case, he is representing himself and wants to be sentenced to death. Federico assigned an independent counsel to present mitigating evidence on Wall's behalf since he declined to do that.

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In the past week, he filed an emergency motion to reschedule the hearing and withdraw his pleas, asserting that he did not get the chance to review new records filed in his case. Federico denied the motion.

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Wall cursed at Federico several times and disrupted the day's testimony, at one point bursting into laughter and clapping.

But Wall's tirade continued during the lunch break, when he slumped to the floor after being handcuffed. Four deputies carried him into a holding cell.

Shortly after 1 p.m., when Wall's outbursts continued, Federico could tolerate no more.

"You're done," the judge said. He appointed Wall's standby attorneys to represent him for the rest of the hearing.

"Later, dude," Wall said as seven bailiffs escorted him out of the courtroom, placing him in a nearby room where he could watch the proceedings from a TV.

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The hearing will resume today.

http://web.tampabay.com/news/courts...y-to-murdering-his-girlfriend-and-son/2273228

 

[0101ABA]

Craig Wall, who was convicted of killing his girlfriend and infant son in 2010, was sentenced to death by a judge Friday.

http://www.baynews9.com/content/new...cid=rss&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter