GUILTY FL - FSU Law Professor Dan Markel Murdered by Hitmen #19

[IQuestion]

Thanks for this information. I knew the FBI had been probing SG's workplace and I'm sure that made him and KM nervous but I missed the fact that he was fleeing with luggage. Interestingly, Ruth Markel just said last week on the Surviving the Survivor (STS) podcast that GC and the State Attorney's office delayed the arrest of SG by a few weeks until after Ruth's planned visit to South Florida was finished, so that she could visit the kids. SG must have been under very close scrutiny during the waiting period.

Oh yes FERPO LE had eyes on SG for a long time! I have to give total credit to @Cedars who kindly provided a link to a news story about SG's arrest. (I remember the homeless man's account, but somehow forgot about it being for SG's arrest.) So I followed all the older links and came up with this. I must say, of all the suspects in this case SG is the scariest. His eyes and stare are so haunting...from day one. And, to Mr. Rashbaum assertion that SG was not Cuban (what difference does that make?) Oh well, he should have read this article: SG declares, "This is not my first rodeo!" Okay, I agree.

Markel suspect: 'This is not my first rodeo'

Sigfredo Garcia practically laughed at Miami cops as they tried to pummel him into submission during his arrest on robbery charges in 2012.

www.tallahassee.com

edited to add: "It wasn’t the first trip to county lockup for Garcia, a Miami-born man of Cuban descent. Jail officials said he’d been held there over the years no fewer than 25 times, on charges ranging from drug possession and trafficking to burglary and aggravated assault."

 

[Odeto BJ]

@Odeto BJ
do you mean shared illicitly via both lawyers?

Nah, Couldn't happen LOL

 

[amicuscurie]

Oh yes FERPO LE had eyes on SG for a long time! I have to give total credit to @Cedars who kindly provided a link to a news story about SG's arrest. (I remember the homeless man's account, but somehow forgot about it being for SG's arrest.) So I followed all the older links and came up with this. I must say, of all the suspects in this case SG is the scariest. His eyes and stare are so haunting...from day one. And, to Mr. Rashbaum assertion that SG was not Cuban (what difference does that make?) Oh well, he should have read this article: SG declares, "This is not my first rodeo!" Okay, I agree.

Markel suspect: 'This is not my first rodeo'

Sigfredo Garcia practically laughed at Miami cops as they tried to pummel him into submission during his arrest on robbery charges in 2012.

www.tallahassee.com

SG was Cuban. LR wasn’t. Guess Rashbaum got that wrong.

 

[flay012995]

I hadn't heard about any proffers to SG. I thought the deal with Riviere was enough to find SG guilty, and that KM was the focus of proffers, since she was the link to CA.

IMO, the state wouldn't want to make a sweet deal with the man who actually fired the bullets into Dan's head.

JMO

In the 2nd trial (Katie's retrial), the state/prosecutor mentioned that they also wanted Garcia to cooperate (Sanford is on the witness stand) but Garcia refused all those offers and chose to stay silent (Garcia's attorney confirmed this on a media interview). I bet Garcia does not even have the access to the news that Katie is convicted of all charges.

In the 1st trial, Luis Rivera testified that the state initially offered him 25 years for the plea and he denied it. He wanted 15 years for the deal, and argument continues between the state and his attorney, and they settled for a tentative deal which is 19 years concurrently with his RICO charges.

 

[flay012995]

100% The trigger man rarely gets an offer or a break. SG is truly in for life.

In another murder-for-hire case like Teresa Sievers case, the hammer killer chose to take a plea of 25 years in prison in exchange for testifying against the ex-husband of the victim (the mastermind of the killing). If the trigger man chose to take a plea, I think he would be offered the same, 25 years.

 

[Seattle1]

Oh yes FERPO LE had eyes on SG for a long time! I have to give total credit to @Cedars who kindly provided a link to a news story about SG's arrest. (I remember the homeless man's account, but somehow forgot about it being for SG's arrest.) So I followed all the older links and came up with this. I must say, of all the suspects in this case SG is the scariest. His eyes and stare are so haunting...from day one. And, to Mr. Rashbaum assertion that SG was not Cuban (what difference does that make?) Oh well, he should have read this article: SG declares, "This is not my first rodeo!" Okay, I agree.

Markel suspect: 'This is not my first rodeo'

Sigfredo Garcia practically laughed at Miami cops as they tried to pummel him into submission during his arrest on robbery charges in 2012.

www.tallahassee.com

edited to add: "It wasn’t the first trip to county lockup for Garcia, a Miami-born man of Cuban descent. Jail officials said he’d been held there over the years no fewer than 25 times, on charges ranging from drug possession and trafficking to burglary and aggravated assault."

SG and LR are both Miami born Americans -- I don't get the attorney's reference to their heritage either.

IMO, SG was a longtime street hustler and muscle who was brought in to the Miami jail no fewer than 25 times since age 15 but seldom convicted. He was no murderer (neither was LR) and SG's longest punishment before convicted of murder was 1 day in jail for robbing the victim in OP's quoted post. SG is not very bright and IMO, pulled the trigger because KM told him it was the only way to win her back.

Garcia neighbors in disbelief over murder charge

"Not my first rodeo" incident involved robbing a fisherman in 2012...

They ripped open his pants pockets, stealing cash and other property, before throwing him to the ground. The victim suffered only minor injuries and refused medical treatment at the scene.
Garcia posted bail and was released from jail a day after his arrest. He was sentenced on Oct. 22, 2014 — about three months after Markel’s murder — to one day in jail, with credit for time served. Montijo was sentenced to eight years in prison.

 

[amicuscurie]

SG and LR are both Miami born Americans -- I don't get the attorney's reference to their heritage either.

IMO, SG was a longtime street hustler and muscle who was brought in to the Miami jail no fewer than 25 times since age 15 but seldom convicted. He was no murderer (neither was LR) and SG's longest punishment before convicted of murder was 1 day in jail for robbing the victim in OP's quoted post. SG is not very bright and IMO, pulled the trigger because KM told him it was the only way to win her back.

Garcia neighbors in disbelief over murder charge

"Not my first rodeo" incident involved robbing a fisherman in 2012...

They ripped open his pants pockets, stealing cash and other property, before throwing him to the ground. The victim suffered only minor injuries and refused medical treatment at the scene.
Garcia posted bail and was released from jail a day after his arrest. He was sentenced on Oct. 22, 2014 — about three months after Markel’s murder — to one day in jail, with credit for time served. Montijo was sentenced to eight years in prison.

SG’s family had emigrated from Cuba, so he was an American of Cuban descent. According to LaCasse, Charlie had bragged about having friends in “the Cuban neighborhood” (cringe) who were “The criminal element.” When he was interviewed by police, LaCasse surmised that Charlie might have hired one of these acquaintances to do the killing. Rash seems to have been trying to argue that the killers were not, in fact, Cuban (which one of them actually was), in order to show that Charlie hadn’t hired them. He has to work with what he’s got, I suppose.

 

[Blue Shakehead]

SG’s family had emigrated from Cuba, so he was an American of Cuban descent. According to LaCasse, Charlie had bragged about having friends in “the Cuban neighborhood” (cringe) who were “The criminal element.” When he was interviewed by police, LaCasse surmised that Charlie might have hired one of these acquaintances to do the killing. Rash seems to have been trying to argue that the killers were not, in fact, Cuban (which one of them actually was), in order to show that Charlie hadn’t hired them. He has to work with what he’s got, I suppose.

Exactly. And I would bet my house that Rashbaum's mischaracterization of Garcia's Cuban descent was intentional. He saved that particular farce for closing arguments - never asked Sanford or anyone else about it. His strategy seemed to intentionally mislead and misquote witness testimony and use that falsehood to impeach other witnesses. One example that comes to mind is when he asked Magbanua if she remembered Charlie telling the hitman joke at Yardbird. And when she says she doesn't, he asks her if Jeffrey Lacasse was lying then in his testimony when he said Charlie DID make that joke. Except Jeffrey Lacasse said he did NOT recall that at all, but suspects he would if that happened.

Rashbaum did this pretty effectively throughout the trial. Its a gamble cause if the jury notices that he's mischaracterizing evidence - he loses all credibility. But if it can sow doubt into one or two jurors, he wins.

 

[amicuscurie]

Exactly. And I would bet my house that Rashbaum's mischaracterization of Garcia's Cuban descent was intentional. He saved that particular farce for closing arguments - never asked Sanford or anyone else about it. His strategy seemed to intentionally mislead and misquote witness testimony and use that falsehood to impeach other witnesses. One example that comes to mind is when he asked Magbanua if she remembered Charlie telling the hitman joke at Yardbird. And when she says she doesn't, he asks her if Jeffrey Lacasse was lying then in his testimony when he said Charlie DID make that joke. Except Jeffrey Lacasse said he did NOT recall that at all, but suspects he would if that happened.

Rashbaum did this pretty effectively throughout the trial. Its a gamble cause if the jury notices that he's mischaracterizing evidence - he loses all credibility. But if it can sow doubt into one or two jurors, he wins.

Absolutely. Drove me nuts during the trial. And the state hardly ever objected. “Assumes facts not in evidence!” Rash used that objection a ton.

 

[Misy]

Like many others I’m obsessed with this case and watch interviews & testimonies over & over lol. I heard something last night that floored me. I have to listen again today but I think there was a Perry mason moment when GC was cross examining CA. Hope I can explain this simply. On direct CA says that KM came over in a panic the night of July 18, told him about her “friend” and the extortion. CA went into his safe and grabbed all the cash he had in there and put the pile of $ on the dresser. KM took it when she left in the morning. KM testified that it was CA who was in a panic and that he gave her the $ … bills in a plastic bag inside of a paper bag inside of a grocery bag (the $ she says she later discovered was damp/moldy). CA says his parents never came over to his house that night but KM says he told her that his parents had been there. Remember he testified he got the $ out of the safe and put the stacks of $ on a dresser. Fast forward to GC cross. CA was talking about money he had given KM and during his sort of rambling says he gave KM an extra $300 when she “picked up the bag”. Oops… I think that was a major slip that was just passed over with another question. What bag? Oh you mean the bag that DA and HA brought over? What other bag could he be referring to if not the bag of $.

 

[Deleted member 302228]

Exactly. And I would bet my house that Rashbaum's mischaracterization of Garcia's Cuban descent was intentional. He saved that particular farce for closing arguments - never asked Sanford or anyone else about it. His strategy seemed to intentionally mislead and misquote witness testimony and use that falsehood to impeach other witnesses.

I suspect the jury saw him as transparently dishonest as a result of these embarrassing tactics.

 

[amicuscurie]

Like many others I’m obsessed with this case and watch interviews & testimonies over & over lol. I heard something last night that floored me. I have to listen again today but I think there was a Perry mason moment when GC was cross examining CA. Hope I can explain this simply. On direct CA says that KM came over in a panic the night of July 18, told him about her “friend” and the extortion. CA went into his safe and grabbed all the cash he had in there and put the pile of $ on the dresser. KM took it when she left in the morning. KM testified that it was CA who was in a panic and that he gave her the $ … bills in a plastic bag inside of a paper bag inside of a grocery bag (the $ she says she later discovered was damp/moldy). CA says his parents never came over to his house that night but KM says he told her that his parents had been there. Remember he testified he got the $ out of the safe and put the stacks of $ on a dresser. Fast forward to GC cross. CA was talking about money he had given KM and during his sort of rambling says he gave KM an extra $300 when she “picked up the bag”. Oops… I think that was a major slip that was just passed over with another question. What bag? Oh you mean the bag that DA and HA brought over? What other bag could he be referring to if not the bag of $.

Whoa! I think you could be right!

 

[flay012995]

Exactly. And I would bet my house that Rashbaum's mischaracterization of Garcia's Cuban descent was intentional. He saved that particular farce for closing arguments - never asked Sanford or anyone else about it. His strategy seemed to intentionally mislead and misquote witness testimony and use that falsehood to impeach other witnesses. One example that comes to mind is when he asked Magbanua if she remembered Charlie telling the hitman joke at Yardbird. And when she says she doesn't, he asks her if Jeffrey Lacasse was lying then in his testimony when he said Charlie DID make that joke. Except Jeffrey Lacasse said he did NOT recall that at all, but suspects he would if that happened.

Rashbaum did this pretty effectively throughout the trial. Its a gamble cause if the jury notices that he's mischaracterizing evidence - he loses all credibility. But if it can sow doubt into one or two jurors, he wins.

Rashbaum also misrepresent Rivera's testimony as well, and in his closing statements, he said he did not discredit Rivera's testimony (he praised him as the most significant witness) but he used to misrepresent the things he said on the witness stand.

 

[yazoost]

Interesting dynamic with Graber and Weinstein

GRABER ENDORSES WEXLER IN DISTRICT 19 RUNOFF

Years of friendship and political alliances ended Friday when state Rep. Ben Graber denounced the campaign tactics of state Sen. Peter Weinstein and endorsed his opponent in the Democratic runoff f…

www.sun-sentinel.com

FINANCIAL PROBLEMS PLAGUE GRABER AMID RACE FOR HOUSE DISTRICT 19 SEAT

Financial troubles continue to dog U.S. House District 19 candidate Ben Graber as the contentious four-way contest for the Democratic nomination heads into the final weeks of the primary race. The …

www.sun-sentinel.com

 

[cottonweaver]

Interesting dynamic with Graber and Weinstein

GRABER ENDORSES WEXLER IN DISTRICT 19 RUNOFF

Years of friendship and political alliances ended Friday when state Rep. Ben Graber denounced the campaign tactics of state Sen. Peter Weinstein and endorsed his opponent in the Democratic runoff f…

www.sun-sentinel.com

FINANCIAL PROBLEMS PLAGUE GRABER AMID RACE FOR HOUSE DISTRICT 19 SEAT

Financial troubles continue to dog U.S. House District 19 candidate Ben Graber as the contentious four-way contest for the Democratic nomination heads into the final weeks of the primary race. The …

www.sun-sentinel.com

Yep. He was probably on one of Markus's or MWeinstein's old lists.

Dr Graber didn't just wake-up this week and think ' Uhmmm... I think I'll scribble something down for the Tallahassee Democrat and then check to see if they're interested in printing it'

 

[Tanager]

I feel like the newspaper article just looks like another twist on their privilege and power. They have an unlimited number of "guys," including a rehab-the-narrative guy. The way you get guys is either through $ or social currency in the form of powerful relationships.

After listening to the inmate video I've been spending a silly amount of time trying to figure out how law enforcement could effectively bump CA and DA while in jail on the recorded calls, or via another inmate.

If inmates have access to news, a bump can't wildly misrepresent the publicly-known truth. However, maybe if there was a rumor about someone admitting something? I have less vague ideas, but I don't want to say them in case there is a similar effort underway, and someone involved is reading here. The beauty of bumping them in jail is that the A family does not control anything about the setting, and they will eventually drop their vigilance over time.

Just something interesting to think about. I will also admit that I feel like they deserve to worry about this relentlessly. The guilt belongs to them, and a fear of the truth coming out of their own mouth is just an inability to own their crime. We can't have people running around in society who violate the social contract on this level. If they would like to be free from the prison of this fear of the truth, they can do that by confessing. I don't want anything inhumane happening to anyone in jail, but I will not access a higher level of mercy for someone who won't even try to own their crime. Of course, I can feel sadness about the waste and tragedy of it all on behalf of everyone involved.

What I appreciate about the bump as a tactic is that an innocent person would not be distressed by real evidence of their guilt because it does not exist. It is like a crude filter that catches the guilty. Of course, an innocent person might be activated to move or talk given a bump that is menacing enough, but most people would move directly to involve police at that point. I can't picture a universe in which I'd respond in any other way.

 

[cottonweaver]

<modsnip: quoted post was removed> apart from Donna's arrest, if you're an Adelson what's the worst thing that happened this last fortnight?

 

[amicuscurie]

apart from Donna's arrest, if you're an Adelson what's the worst thing that happened this last fortnight?

I don’t know?

 

[cottonweaver]

I don’t know?

my two cents?

snitches in the Adleson circles. ( The Tip off. 'Hurry! Donna is off to the airport')

see something, say something. This time, somebody actually did. Well done that guy.

there's a ton of people across TA and Sth FLA who kept their heads down and mouths shut for years. they all have a snippet or two, even if it's just odd things that WA or DA said or did

If I was Wendi or Donna Adelson, I'd be worried that the dam might break, that loyalty falls away.
eg. I've got around 50 old pals on my old Team Wendi TA group and a similar number in the post 2014 Sth FLA group.
eg I'm Donna. Scores of friends of the family who might become less loyal now they see that sign approaching- 'Game Over'
Post a paean in that paper re Donna's frailty. She's a victim etc

 

[amicuscurie]

my two cents?

snitches in the Adleson circles. ( The Tip off. 'Hurry! Donna is off to the airport')

see something, say something

there's a ton of people across TA and Sth FLA who kept their heads down and mouths shut for years. they all have a snippet or two, even if it's just odd things that WA or DA said or did

If I was Wendi or Donna Adelson, I'd be worried that the dam might break.
eg. I've got around 50 old pals on my old Team Wendi TA group and a similar number in the post 2014 Sth FLA group.
eg I'm Donna. Scores of friends of the my family who might be less loyal.
Post a paean in that paper re Donna's frailty. She's a victim etc

Ohhhh. I didn’t think about that. And I definitely think people are starting to crack and talk. Donna’s arrest seems to have brought people out.