GUILTY Jennifer Blagg - Re-trial of Michael Blagg 20 February 2018

[Tortoise]

The defense will be allowed to present testimony from two witnesses who claim to have seen Abby in Utah after she was reported missing.
Prosecutors also previously revealed they plan on using new DNA evidence, confirmed to be of Abby, to test unidentified blood stains found in the Blagg's Redlands home and the family's van in 2001.

http://www.nbc11news.com/content/ne...for-Michael-Blagg-in-new-trial-474522063.html

 

[Tortoise]

https://twitter.com/mclea1re/status/965993426771623936

I'm not sure how to copy the tweet over but there is a handy timeline at the link (copied into post below).

 

[Tortoise]

 

[Tortoise]

A timeline put together in this article with some interesting info and photos.

Telling that he ran home to mother 2 days after they started searching the landfill, 6 months after the disappearance.

He didn't testify at his first trial.

http://denver.cbslocal.com/guide/timeline-michael-blagg-murder-trials/

I'd love to see his original plea for their return. I wonder if it's on youtube.

 

[Henry2326]

Feb 20

GOLDEN — The judge overseeing Michael Blagg's second murder trial has ordered strict constraints on public access following an argument from defense attorneys that having cameras in the courtroom would make it difficult to keep jurors from being exposed to the years' worth of media coverage in his case.

First Judicial District Judge Tamara S. Russell on Feb. 14 denied requests from two media outlets to record video and audio of the trial for Blagg, who is charged with first-degree murder in connection with the 2001 killing of his wife, Jennifer.

https://www.gjsentinel.com/news/wes...cle_6f7d07c2-16d5-11e8-b3fa-10604b9f6eda.html

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[Tortoise]

Jefferson County District Judge Tamara Russell, who has been presiding over the case since Blagg's original conviction in Mesa County was reversed due to juror misconduct, took the unusual step of barring the public from attending individual voir dire questioning expected to take place today.

Prospective jurors will be questioned in a group setting Friday in open court, although the courtroom may be closed if it is too crowded.

Pickarts' office sent out 1,000 summonses to prospective jurors in connection to Blagg's case, and many who reported for duty filled out questionnaires Wednesday.

https://www.gjsentinel.com/news/wes...cle_94c11180-179e-11e8-96c9-10604b9f1ff4.html

 

[Niner]

This is the only tweet I could find from yesterday.

Gabrielle Porter
‏ @gabyreport
10h10 hours ago

Jury selection began in the #MichaelBlagg case today; a scheduling conflict apparently prompted proceedings to be moved to a different courtroom, without notice, which left me and two members of the public waiting in the wrong place for several hours.


In the article (post #24) from cbs local:

In March, the trial gets underway for Michael Blagg. He faces four charges: first degree murder, two counts of theft and abuse of a corpse.

Is he charged with these same counts? Or just 1st degree murder & abuse of a corpse?
TIA!

 

[Tortoise]

This is the only tweet I could find from yesterday.

Gabrielle Porter
‏ @gabyreport
10h10 hours ago

Jury selection began in the #MichaelBlagg case today; a scheduling conflict apparently prompted proceedings to be moved to a different courtroom, without notice, which left me and two members of the public waiting in the wrong place for several hours.


In the article (post #24) from cbs local:

In March, the trial gets underway for Michael Blagg. He faces four charges: first degree murder, two counts of theft and abuse of a corpse.

Is he charged with these same counts? Or just 1st degree murder & abuse of a corpse?
TIA!

No that was March 2004.

Good question though. I'll see if I can find the charges.

 

[Tortoise]

I haven't found the current charges yet but I came across this and it made me laugh. The defence had tried last August to introduce an alternate suspect responsible for the murders:

She dismissed the defense's theory that the suspect also drove the Blagg family van, which contained evidence of Jennifer Blagg's blood and DNA, to the Mesa County Landfill, where Jennifer Blagg's remains were found, leaving his car behind in the Blaggs' neighborhood and then "charitably" driving the van back to the Blagg home to pick up his car.

https://www.gjsentinel.com/news/wes...cle_f93dfa48-0ec8-5cb6-86b4-bbfdcaf6f256.html

 

[Tortoise]

Nope I can't find the current charges.

 

[Tortoise]

Opening statements are slated for next week.
Michael Blagg has been charged with first-degree murder after deliberation, use of a weapon in a violent crime, theft of $15,000 or more, theft of $100 to $500 and abuse of a corpse.
9NEWS will be covering the trial every day and posting updates to 9NEWS.com.

http://www.9news.com/article/news/c...01-murder-will-stand-trial-again/73-522112700

 

[Tortoise]

That 9news link I posted above contains a portion of one of his police interviews.

 

[Henry2326]

That 9news link I posted above contains a portion of one of his police interviews.

Thank you so much for your great finds. Hopefully it won't be so hard next week.

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[Henry2326]

Feb 21

DENVER – The jury selection has begun in the retrial of a man accused of his wife’s murder and the disappearance of his 6-year-old daughter more than 16 years ago.

The jury selection is set to occur through Friday.

https://www.thedenverchannel.com/ne...michael-blagg-accused-of-wifes-murder-in-2001

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[Henry2326]

Feb 21

CBS4 has learned a Montana man, Phillip Bruinsma who is now in prison, is the person the Blagg’s defense suggested may have committed the murder of Jennifer Blagg and the apparent kidnapping of 6-year-old Abby Blagg.

But the jury in the re-trial will not be allowed to hear that theory after the judge disallowed it.

The jury may hear the 911 calls made by Blagg on Nov. 13, 2001.

http://denver.cbslocal.com/2018/02/21/jury-re-trial-blagg/

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[Henry2326]

Feb 21

GOLDEN — Prospective jurors in Michael Blagg's murder trial who asked to be dismissed from jury duty for hardship or cause Wednesday are expected to be interviewed by attorneys and a Jefferson County district judge today behind closed doors, according to a court administrator.

Hundreds of prospective jurors reported to the Jefferson County Courthouse on Wednesday for the first day of proceedings in Blagg's trial for the alleged murder of his wife, Jennifer, in 2001.

Jefferson County District Judge Tamara Russell, who has been presiding over the case since Blagg's original conviction in Mesa County was reversed due to juror misconduct, took the unusual step of barring the public from attending individual voir dire questioning expected to take place today.

Voir dire is a form of questioning by attorneys and a judge to determine whether the prospective juror can deal with issues in a trial fairly.

Jefferson County District Court Administrator Gail Pickarts said Wednesday that Russell informed her voir dire will take place today with prospective jurors who have expressed concern that serving on Blagg's jury will cause a hardship or who have another reason to request not to serve, and that the questioning would be out of sight of the public. Russell did not issue a written ruling on the matter.

Pickarts said Russell and other judges told her that a judge may close individual voir dire without issuing a written order, and that the step is fairly typical.

https://www.gjsentinel.com/news/wes...cle_94c11180-179e-11e8-96c9-10604b9f1ff4.html

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[Henry2326]

Feb 21

Prospective jurors will be questioned in a group setting Friday in open court, although the courtroom may be closed if it is too crowded.

Pickarts' office sent out 1,000 summonses to prospective jurors in connection to Blagg's case, and many who reported for duty filled out questionnaires Wednesday.

The questionnaire included questions on whether the prospective juror had ever heard or read anything about the Blagg case; whether they, a close friend or a relative have ever had experience with domestic violence; and whether they have any attitudes or opinions about adult internet *advertiser censored* that would affect their decisions if they hear testimony on the topic.

https://www.gjsentinel.com/news/wes...cle_94c11180-179e-11e8-96c9-10604b9f1ff4.html

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[Niner]

Thanks for all the updated articles Henry & Tortoise!

So just more jury selection today in open court. I'll keep those tweeters' pages open today and will see if anyone tweets!

 

[Niner]

Do they have a jury? If so, does trial start Monday?

TIA! :wave:

 

[Tortoise]

GOLDEN — More than 100 potential jurors set to return to the Jefferson County courthouse Monday still face the possibility of spending the next month hearing evidence in Michael Blagg's murder trial.

Parties involved planned to have a jury seated by Friday evening, but after more than eight hours of selection proceedings, attorneys had yet to finalize the panel of 12 jurors and three alternate jurors.

https://www.gjsentinel.com/news/wes...cle_86e53772-1928-11e8-a98d-10604b9f7e7c.html