GUILTY KS - Evan Brewer, 3, Wichita, 6 July 2017

[imstilla.grandma]

Bodine's ex-girlfriend - who did not want to be identified on camera - said Evan would clench his teeth and walk with his eyes closed around Bodine.

The defense asked her if she remembered injuries on Evan or violence, and she said no.

A little later, we the court room heart-felt testimony from Miranda Miller's landlord, who discovered the concrete block with Evan's body inside.

He told the court, noticeably emotional, that he was inside the home because he was changing the locks.

"It seemed like a little coffin to me...um...so...." said Miller's landlord. "Yeah I needed to know what was in there...i broke it open and it took me about 7 or 8 swings on the corner, got the corner chipped off and i smelled an odor."

Testimony will continue on Friday. KSN will continue to update this story as new details emerge.
https://www.ksn.com/news/local/-it-...ues-in-the-evan-brewer-murder-case/1534078516

 

[perfectingpink]

Monsters. His mother should serve life in prison, there should not have been a plea deal. Our DA really irks me with these horrific cases.

Detective on Evan Brewer photo in court: 'Standing there clad...with a chain around his neck'

"Standing there clad...with a chain around his neck. Did he have any clothes on...during the whole video that you see? Pause...no," said Detective Christian Cory, Wichita Police Department.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

On the fifth day of the trial of the man accused of killing three-year-old Evan Brewer last year, prosecutors took jurors out of the courtroom on a trip to see the concrete structure they say held the boy's remains.
The picture of the boy was the last photo of Evan the jury saw during the trial Friday. Previous testimony in the trial this week details how Evan was being abused in the home on South Vine, nearly to the point of death.
Toxicology results did show the the presence of Diphenhydramine, or Benadryl, While the coroner said it wasn't a lethal amount, the drug is used as a sleeping aid.

Evan Brewer's mother, Miranda Miller is expected to testify against Bodine. She has yet to take the stand in the trial that will continue next week.
Jurors see concrete structure that contained Evan Brewer's body

 

[imstilla.grandma]

These so-called parent’s people’s words are so words are so vile, indifferent and unfeeling- I made myself watch this video of little Evan’s mother thing describing the death day of this little innocent child. It’s not easy but I needed to be reminded of the atrocity committed that rageful day.

 

[Niner]

Hey all - I have apologize for not putting up the tweets yet for Friday. My bro fell & broke his kneecap, so was busy in ER & then when I got back I had to catch on Heather Elvis' trial - which had about 1600 posts to read!!!
And then I was going to start on the tweets here - but the clock said 11pm last night - so here I am!
Tweets coming....

 

[Niner]

Well it looks like the tweeter I've been re-doing didn't even show up in court Friday. So I went hunting for another one - found this one.

link: Amy Renee Leiker (@AmyReneeLeiker) | Twitter

Amy Renee Leiker Retweeted
Kerri Rawson
‏ @KerriRawson
Oct 18

Kerri Rawson Retweeted Amy Renee Leiker

A journalist I follow with the Wichita Eagle is doing the difficult but important job covering a murder trial, if anyone is interested in following along.

Kerri Rawson added,
Amy Renee Leiker
@AmyReneeLeiker 10/18/18
Day 3 of testimony in the child abuse and murder trial of Stephen Bodine is getting underway now. The 41-year-old is charged with torturing and murdering his girlfriend's 3-year-old, Evan Brewer, then encasing the boy's body in concrete to hide the death.

10/19/18
Amy Renee Leiker
‏ @AmyReneeLeiker
Oct 19

I'm in court for Day 4 of testimony in the child abuse and murder trial of 41-year-old Stephen Bodine, who is accused of killing his girlfriend son, 3-year-old Evan Brewer.

me: I don't know "why" this says "Day 4" - but the date is Oct. 19th - "Day 5" for me/us. Day 1 was 10/15 with finishing up jury selection & opening statements, so maybe she isn't counting the 1st day since witnesses actually started on Day 2/Day 1 for her. She has lots of video & pictures at the link.

Jurors today will continue to hear testimony about the events surrounding Evan's death and his burial in a concrete tomb that was left in the Wichita rental home where he lived.

They'll also see what's left of the tomb in person today.

The tomb is so heavy that it won't be brought into the courtroom. Jurors will be taken to an off-site area to view it. Bodine's defense attorney is pointing out that jurors saw "30-some" crime scene photographs of the tomb in court yesterday.

He's concerned that jurors may discuss case - which is prohibited until deliberations - during the trip to/from site. Judge says he had that concern, too - but that it's same concern court always has when jurors aren't in jury box. Judge plans to accompany jurors to/from the site.

I tweeted extensively yesterday about the tomb including snapshots of the crime scene photos of it and efforts authorities took to chip away the concrete to remove Evan's body.

First witness called this morning is Lindsey Weller, a @WichitaPolice crime scene investigator. She was working on Sept. 2, 2017, the day landlord of rental home where Evan lived with his mom and Bodine found tomb in laundry room of the home after his mom and Bodine were arrested

Weller dealt with the bedding and materials that were wrapped around Evan's body before he was buried in cement. She was trying to remove fabric from the concrete after authorities removed Evan's body from it.

She says "some of the materials kind of bleed over onto the concrete surface." She's talking about materials being transferred - or leaving marks and impressions - on the concrete.

Firefighters had to help remove Evan's body from the concrete because they had some of the tools that were used to do it, such as the jaws of life, according to testimony given yesterday.

Evan's body was wrapped in towels, tar paper, a Ninja Turtle bed sheet and duct tape before being buried in cement. Weller is describing those items as the jurors are seeing her crime scene photographs.

Here’s some of what jurors are seeing:

 

[Niner]

Amy Renee Leiker‏ @AmyReneeLeiker Oct 19

Some explanation from Weller. What you’re seeing here are the fabrics Evan’s body was wrapped in.

Prosecutor Justin Edwards just moved to admit the concrete slab into evidence.
Defense attorney Casey Cotton doesn't object.
Again, jurors will go view the concrete at an off-site location later today.

The pieces of concrete chipped off of the tomb were stored in these three barrels, Weller says. They’re heavy - hundreds of pounds. Jurors will see these in person, too, today.

Prosecutor Justin Edwards asks Weller to describe the smell jurors will experience when the barrels are opened for them later. They've been sealed for over a year. Here's what she says: “There’s a smell of decomposition. It was very strong when we were processing the scene."

More from Weller: "We wore our respirator masks at that time (we collected the evidence) … It’s the kind of smell that stays with you after you’re finished.”

Weller's advice to jury: “If you haven’t smelled it before you may try to breathe shallow breaths through your mouth a little bit. But it will have a strong smell.” Prosecutor asked Sgt. Christian Cory to go open barrels before jurors arrive to help some of scent dissipate.

Jurors will have up to 30 minutes to look at Evan's concrete tomb in person - walk around it, but not touching. They can't take photos or videos or anything recordings, though. No testimony will occur during this time. Weller will open the barrels.

Bodine will be at off-site location w/his attorneys, prosecutors and judge to view tomb w/jurors. He’s been unrestrained in court - no handcuffs or ankle shackles. But sheriff’s office asked for ankle restraints during trip for safety reasons. But they’ll be hidden from jurors.

Here’s what Evan Brewer’s tomb looks like now. When it was found it had wood around it. It was about 2 feet x 3.8 feet x 1.7 feet deep.

 

[Niner]

Amy Renee Leiker
‏ @AmyReneeLeiker
Oct 19

Jurors actually got to go into the room with the barrels and tomb to get a close-up look. New media had to stay back, out of the room and look at it from a distance.
Media was able to view the tomb and barrels because court proceedings are open to the public.

Next witness is Dr. Scott Kipper. He works for Sedgwick County Regional Forensic Science Center as deputy coroner & medical examiner
He's going to testify about what Evan's autopsy found. Jurors will view autopsy photos. I won't be tweeting those. But I'll share what Kipper says

Kipper says that when the Forensic Science Center got the body, they thought it was Evan's but they didn't have a positive identification.
As I tweeted yesterday, Evan's body came to the center in the concrete block. Efforts had to be taken to remove him.

Kipper performed the autopsy the day after Evan's body was removed from the concrete. Kipper says this is the first autopsy he's done where a body was encased in concrete. He's says this is unusual. "In over 3,000 examinations I've never had that presented to me."

Evan's body was decomposed when Kipper received it, in part from the concrete encasing, he says. That made the autopsy more difficult than typical.

Jurors are only going to see a portion of the autopsy photos that were taken of Evan. They'll see about 8.

Kipper says Evan wasn't mummified - because that's a drying of a body. Kipper is pointing out some dark coloring of skin around Evan right eye. It's unclear exactly what caused that. There's also discoloration near one of his ears that might be a bruise or a superficial mark.

Kipper is pointing out a mark that he says is likely a bruise on the back of Evan's head. There's discoloration. Kipper described that mark on the autopsy report as a blunt force injury to Evan's head. The eye and ear injuries were also possible blunt force injuries, he says.

Kipper did an x-ray of Evan's body but didn't find any broken bones or skull fractures. He also didn't notice any healing bone breaks or fractures. He didn't note any nose injury. Some of the DCF reports about Evan mentioned concerns that he had a broken nose.

The condition of Evan's brain at autopsy couldn't explain what had happened to him. His heart, lungs looked normal, other than decomposing.

Prosecutor asks if there's a way to determine a time of death. Kipper: "No." Contrary to what you see on TV, there isn't a way to determine that with scientific accuracy.

Prosecutor Alice Osburn asks if anyone could determine the time of death. Kipper's answer is that it's highly, highly unlikely.

Kipper's goal in the autopsy is to determine cause and manner of death: What kills a person and how it's done.
Kansas has 5 manners of death: accident, suicide, homicide, natural death, and undetermined. Undetermined means autopsy couldn't figure it out.

Kipper says several causes of death in Evan's case can't be ruled out including strangulation and some natural diseases like lymphoma. But some can be, like stabbing. Kipper couldn't tell if injury on back of head killed Evan because condition of brain didn't allow for that exam

Kipper says he also couldn't rule out a chance that Evan might have been poisoned.
Someone else conducted toxicology testing on Evan. Evan had Benadryl in his system, the toxicology testing found.

Kipper testified that Evan was 34 1/2 inches tall. That's night quite 3 feet. His body weighed 31 pounds at the time of autopsy - a little less than what he would've weighed when he was alive. The pajama pants Evan had one his body were a size 12M - twelve months.

Kipper testifying that a person can cause brain injuries without causing skull fractures through a variety of means including strangulation, drowning & shaking. Again, Evan's skull didn't have any fractures & his brain wasn't in a condition that could show injuries at autopsy.

Prosecutors brought this exhibit into court to show jurors Evan’s size:

 

[Niner]

Amy Renee Leiker
‏ @AmyReneeLeiker
Oct 19

Here Kipper is showing jurors the location of the marks on Evan’s body using a diagram. Note: There aren’t any autopsy photographs here.

Prosecutors brought the pajama pants and diaper that was taken off of Evan during the autopsy into court for jurors to see in person. The clothing is double bagged to help suppress the odor. Evan was positively identified using DNA testing of some bone material, Kipper says.

Quick courtroom observation: Some of the jurors had to look away for a bit while they were being shown Evan's autopsy photos.
Evan's family got to see them yesterday evening in a private setting so they'd be prepared for what they'd see in court today.

I'm sitting several yards away from the witness stand, in the front row of the courtroom gallery near the jury box. I just caught the scent of Evan's clothing that was double bagged.

Interesting detail just now: Defense attorney's wife came into court during Kipper's testimony, sat in front row not far from me. She pulled out her phone and snapped a photo of her husband, Casey Cotton
The judge just said the photo captured some of jurors - which you can't do

Cotton told her during the break to delete the photos, and she did, the judge said. She's now sitting in the back row, no phone in hand. Again, you can't photograph the jurors in court. Media can't photograph or film jurors, either. It's against court rules.

Next witness is Christian Cory, a @WichitaPolice homicide detective who was the lead detective on Evan's death case. He's talking about finding some receipts to the Royal Lodge and the Value Place, hotels in Wichita where Bodine and Miranda Miller stayed.

Cory said he was trying to find out Bodine and Miller's whereabouts and when Evan might have died. He's talking about the receipts he found now.

Receipt 1: Royal Lodge receipt is dated 6/25/17, that's the check out date. The hotel cost $180. It's on Kellogg and Topeka Street in downtown Wichita. Cory says the cost likely represents a weekly rate.

More on receipt 1: Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Bodine rented the room. They gave the Vine Street address. Stephen Bodine signed the receipt and the registration but used Miranda Miller's credit card to pay for it.

Receipt 2: The Value Place receipt was found in the basement of the Vine Street rental house where they lived with Evan. Receipt is dated 7/4/17 to 7/18/17 - two weeks. The room was rented to Miranda Miller. The receipt didn't have a signature on it, Cory says.

Based on those receipts, Cory asked for surveillance video from the hotels. Royal Lodge didn't have any. Value Place did.

Officers watched the Value Place film from nine cameras movements for the two-week period in 24-hour shifts, Cory testifies. He watched part of it. Prosecutor: "What were you looking for?" Cory: "We were looking for Evan."

Cory is describing still surveillance photos from Value Place. They show Miranda Miller and Stephen Bodine in hallways, stairwells and the hotel laundry room during the two-week period, 7/4/17 to 7/18/17. Sometimes they were carrying bags, backpacks, laundry basket.

But there's no sign of Evan, Cory says. There's no sign of anything a child might need or use, either, like a child's backpack or toys in any of the two-week time period.

Miller and Bodine left the Value Place early morning on 7/18/17, Cory testified. A surveillance photo shows them in a hallway, carrying their stuff. Some of it looked like it was tied up in white trash bags.

Cory is now testifying about the video surveillance system that Bodine and Miller set up around the rental house. It was a motion-activated system that used old cellphones to record video footage. Some of that footage was then uploaded to a Cloud.

Some phones were set up in the front & other windows of the home to catch outside movement. Prosecutors showed jurors a few photos Cory took of outside of the house showing their locations. Others were set up inside of the house. (I saw some of that footage in court in April.)

I expect jurors will see some of the video footage captured by those home surveillance photos after their lunch break. Court just recessed until 1:30 p.m. I'll be back in court to continue coverage then.

 

[Niner]

Amy Renee Leiker
‏ @AmyReneeLeiker
Oct 19

I'm back in court now for more of the murder and child abuse trial of 41-year-old Stephen Bodine. For those just joining, Mr. Bodine is charged with torturing and killing his girlfriend's 3-year-old Evan Brewer.
Evan's body was encased in concrete to conceal his death.

So far this morning, jurors have seen what's left of Evan's concrete tomb, seen his autopsy photos and heard testimony from the coroner and a crime scene investigator. The lead homicide detective on the case, Christian Cory, was on the witness stand when we broke for lunch.

Cory is back on the witness stand now. Jurors have just filed into the courtroom.

Well, Christian Cory was recalled to the witness stand only briefly. Prosecutor had no additional questions for him. Defense attorney had no questions. He's excused for now but can be recalled again later in the trial. I'd expect that to happen.

The next witness is Timothy Rohrig, who is the head of the Sedgwick County Regional Forensic Science Center. He'll probably talk more about Evan's autopsy and the toxicology results.

Rohrig tells jurors that the center is a medical examiner's officer, coroner's officer and a crime laboratory. He's the director of the entire building and is over all of the employees who work there.

Prosecutor Alice Osburn says she's planning to ask him about the toxicology results. Rohrig signed off on Evan's report. The drug found in Evan's system is diphenhydramine - Benadryl. It's one of the drugs Bill Cosby used to drug a victim in his case, Rohrig says.

It's an over the counter cold medication. But it's also a sleep aid. Rohrig says some therapeutic uses of the medication would be to relieve cold symptoms and to help people fall asleep and maintain sleep.

Rohrig says they found 0.07 mg/kg in Evan. "That would be in a therapeutic concentration" like if it was used as a cold medication or sleep aid. It's not a fatal amount, though, he testifies.

It's a sedative so "it will make you sleepy even at therapeutic concentrations," Rohrig says.

Prosecutor is now asking if table salt could poison someone. Rohrig says yes. She asks if they can test for it. Rohrig says they can under certain circumstances.

Prosecutor is asking about salt because Evan's mom at a hearing in April testified that she thought Bodine fed Evan salt as a punishment. Rohrig says if you ingest too much salt, you'd get thirsty. You'd also get lethargic, You might have muscle twitching and heart problems.

Seizures, coma and death are possible if not treated. You might feel nauseated if you ingest too much, too.

How much salt would a child Evan's size have to swallow for it to be lethal? Rohrig says 9 grams of salt would cause issues. Some studies indicate in small child, about 20 grams of salt - a little less than an ounce - likely fatal. That's a few tablespoons, 2-4, Rohrig says.

Asked whether Benadryl is recommended for kids Evan's age, Rohrig says he's seen the drug in kids younger than Evan. But it's something that should be administered to younger children with a doctor's oversight, he says.

Prosecutor Edwards reading some information regarding DNA testing of Evan's remains into record now. You'll recall, DNA had to be tested to positively identify his body. Bone was used to test plus DNA from his mom and dad. Probability that body is Evan, DNA wise? 99.9999%

Next witness is Cassidy Coberly, another Wichita Police crime scene investigator. She was the first CSI to go into the rental house where Evan lived and died at 2037 S. Vine in Wichita.



Me: Be back in a few - need to help bro! Feed his cat!

 

[Niner]

Amy Renee Leiker
‏ @AmyReneeLeiker
Oct 19

Coberly is going through photos that she took at the house after Evan's concrete tomb had been removed. A lot of the pictures are of the exterior of the house and its contents. There's a mini fridge in one photo with two bottles of bleach and a bottle of lysol on top.

Some photos show the area where the concrete tomb was stored in the house - in the laundry room. The tomb was a concrete and wood structure on casters, but it was so large it wasn't easily moved. Police took it out of the house with a forklift.

Coberly's photos also show scuff marks on the floor and concrete pieces lying around. She's also got photos of the yellow concrete bucket that prosecutors think the cement was mixed with water in to make the concrete tomb and carpet pieces

Coberly just showed jurors a photo taken of the living room coffee table. Prosecutor asks what's important in it. Coberly: "There's drug paraphernalia." She points out a glass pipe in an open eyeglasses case next to an ash tray.

CSI photo of a hatchet that was lying on top of a shelf in the house. (Bodine is charged with chasing Evan’s dad with a hatchet and slashing a tire with one in Aug. 2017 when the dad went to the house asking about Evan’s whereabouts.)

There's also a photo of a bathroom shelf.
A spray bottle on it is labeled: "Evan water," Coberly says when prosecutors ask about it.

Neither of the bedrooms in the house had beds in it when Coberly photographed it.

Coberly took dozens of photographs from all around the house - kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, closets, hallway included. Lots of clutter, furniture.

There are some children's items in the house. There's a blue tarp with what looks like concrete dust on it, Coberly says.

Photos of the basement being shown now. Basement walls are painted concrete. It's not fresh paint, Coberly says; some paint is chipping off. Lots of clothes, toys and clutter in the basement. There's a bed, too, in a bedroom.

Judge just announced jurors will take their afternoon break a bit earlier than usual. Typically they do that about 3. They've left the courtroom.

 

[Niner]

Amy Renee Leiker
‏ @AmyReneeLeiker
Oct 19

Court is back in session. Coberly, one of the @WichitaPolice CSIs, back on the witness stand to resume her testimony.

She's explaining the crime scene photos she shot inside the rental house Evan lived in with his mom, Miranda Miller, and her boyfriend, Stephen Bodine, to jury.

Coberly is going through some photos she took in that basement bedroom. Lots of clutter. There's an air soft gun, peanut butter jar, soda bottle, two drug pipes, case for the hatchet, bleach bottle, bucket and crate with wood boards, tool boxes, roll of duct tape.

Some of those photos of duct tape, wood and a Ninja Turtle shirt.

Various child’s Ninja Turtle clothing and bedding found in the basement. (Evan’s body was wrapped in Ninja Turtle bedding.)

Coberly also photographed scraps of a yellow and black Quikrete bag, a concrete trowel and a pair of tan coveralls that had what appears to be concrete dust or residue on them.

Coberly's photos also show Miranda Miller's drivers license, her credit cards and some of her mail.

Coberly is going to now open envelope and bags containing some of the items she photographed inside of the house: mail, a purple notebook with writings in it, original Westlink Ace Hardware receipt (where the concrete and tools used to build the tomb were purchased) ...

.. receipt to Value Place hotel (one of the places Miller and Bodine stayed after Evan's death), two glass pipes and a eyeglasses case, the hatchet, a trowel...

Coberly showing jurors one of the concrete trowels taken into evidence while Bodine looks on (he’s in white):
It's a video, so can't for some reason to bring it over...

Coberly shows jurors the blue tarp with the gray dust that appears to be concrete dust:
another video

Showing jurors this kind of evidence can be time consuming.
Court in real life isn't quite like what you might be used to seeing on TV.

Jurors get to see so much evidence in a case like this in person - including things like rolls of tar paper, wire mesh and partially used bags of Quikrete that might have been used to build a concrete tomb:

And here’s some of the Ninja Turtle bedding found in the home on Sept. 2 and 3. Evan’s body was wrapped in a green Ninja Turtle bed sheet that appears to match the fitted, toddler-sized one Coberly has in her hands:
another video

Coberly's testimony is over. Jurors just took a brief afternoon break.

The next witness is Dr. Elaine Harrington. She's been a pediatrician for 25 years. She was Evan's doctor. She last saw him in July 2016 for a cold.

 

[Niner]

Amy Renee Leiker
‏ @AmyReneeLeiker
Oct 19

Harrington says he was up to date on his shots. He had no signs of any terminal illnesses at that time. "Just your typical toddler stuff."

He later saw one of her nurse practitioners in March 31, 2017, for cold symptoms, and he had wax removed from his ears. She also says "he fell off his bicycle and had some scrapes on his nose." Evan's mom told the nurse practitioner that Evan's had fallen off the bike.

Evan's height and weight was appropriate for his age, she says. His weight in March 2017 was roughly 28 pounds, Harrington says. He was 2 feet, 11 inches tall. "That's about average for a 3-year-old."

Defense attorney asks Harrington if, as a pediatrician, she would be a mandatory reporter - someone required to report abuse and neglect to authorities. She says "correct." Any reason to suspect neglect or abuse?, attorney asks. Harrington: "Not in the times that I saw him."

Dr. Harrington's testimony is over now. Next witness: Detective Jerry Manuel, who is with the gang and felony assault section at Wichita Police Department. He was the case detective on the hatchet assault involving Evan's dad and Stephen Bodine in Aug. 2017.

Video of Manuel's interview with Bodine about the hatchet attack was just shown to the jury. I'll upload some of that for you to see and hear.

Meanwhile... Next witness is Detective Justin Manning, with Wichita Police Department. He works in the Exploited and Missing Child Unit. He's asked not to be photographed, filmed or audio recorded so I won't be showing him. He worked on Evan's case.

Because Detective Manning doesn't want to be filmed, photographed or audio recorded, I also won't be showing his interview with Bodine about Evan. Manning says he never saw Evan or Miranda Miller while he was investigating. He did see Bodine, though, at the rental house.

Bodine and another officer talked to Bodine at the house but Bodine ultimately shut the door in their faces. Evan's body hadn't been found at that time.

Jurors to see portions of Manning & another detective's interview w/Stephen Bodine on Aug. 30, 2017 - the day of his arrest.

Detectives in the interview are now asking about discipline of Evan. Bodine says Miranda doesn't discipline her son. He says he's scolded Evan but that's it. He says the stories about other abuse are fairy tales.

Alice Osburn, prosecutor: "Did he every agree to help you find Evan?" Manning: "No." Did your interview end without learning Evan's whereabouts? Manning, says he never learned Evan's whereabouts from Bodine.

Manning's testimony is over right now. Detective Christian Cory is back on the witness stand again. He's the lead homicide detective on Evan's case.

Cory says he used search warrants to subpoena information from the Cloud that stored surveillance footage shot inside of the rental house where Evan lived. Remember, Bodine and Evan's mom set up a surveillance system with cellphones.

A photo from the Cloud in front of Cory right now is Evan Brewer, he says.
The photo was taken in the basement of the rental house.

A photo showing Evan in the basement on at 7:28 p.m. on March 12, 2017, is being shown to the jury. Evan is standing naked near a wall with his hands behind his back. He was something around his neck - a chain.

Prosecutor Alice Osburn asks Cory to describe what he sees & hears in some video that was shot around the time the photo was taken. He does. (I'll upload that in a minute.) Afterward, Osburn immediately asks if court can break for the day. She's emotional, tearful. Cory is, too.

Here’s what Cory said about that security footage that was taken the same time as the photo of Evan chained naked in the basement of the home on March 12, 2017:
video

Osburn grabbed a tissue and wiped at her eyes when she sat down after questioning Cory about the photo and associated video, which jurors will see next week. The judge agreed to break for the day. Jurors ordered back on Monday morning. The trial will resume then.

You can also take a look at my stories and videos of testimony: Evan Brewer, 3, refused to back down from abuse, prosecutor says. It killed him. … Father of Evan Brewer remembers the last time he saw Evan alive … Court shows cellphone video of Carlo Brewer confronting Steven Bodine … State worker saw Evan twice before he died. She believed mom’s story explaining abuse … Image of 3-year-old Evan in chains ends first week of murder trial … I'll be back in court next week as prosecutors continue presenting their case.


I believe I shall follow this lady on Monday. At least she gives names of the witnesseses!

 

[Whiskers16]

oh my goodness. I can't imagine being a juror. on this case. being asked to go smell a container for the odor of decomp?

 

[Tssiemer]

I wonder what “Evan water” was for.

 

[ksprincess]

Thank you Niner for the updates, for some reason I haven't realized the trial had started.

 

[MsJosie]

Thanks Niner! We appreciate all you do!

These children cases are so hard....

What was with Casey Cottons wife taking his picture in the court room during trial? Then getting jury faces in the shot? That is common sense not to use a camera in a court room in such a case. IMO she knew it too. Trying to get a mistrial? She never should have been allowed in.

 

[Niner]

Monday, Oct. 22nd:
*Trial continues (Day 6) (@ 8:45am CT) - KS – Evan Brewer (3) (July 7, 2017, Wichita; found encased in concrete Sept. 2, 2017) – *Stephen M. Bodine (40) (BF) indicted (12/5/17) with 2 counts of 1st degree murder & 1 count of felony child abuse & 1 count of aggravated child endangerment & 1 count of aggravated kidnapping. Indicted (11/7/17) with 1 count of aggravated assault & interference with parental custody & criminal damage to property (against Evan’s father); plead not guilty; $500K bond.
5/30/18: Trial was delayed from 5/20/18.
10/12/18 Update: Motion hearing 10/12: Motion in Limine. Motion for admission of evidence pursuant to K.S.A. 60-455. State's Moiton requesting jury to view evidence pursuant to K.S.A. 22-3418. Motion for Jackson v. Denno hearing. Motion to suppress all pre-miranda statements, ante mortem photos, to limit photo evidence. State's 2nd motion to endorse. Change of venue.
10/15/18 Update: Court site says trial starts 10/15.
Skipping Day 1 thru 4 - getting a bit long....
10/19/18 Update Day 5: State witnesses: Lindsey Weller, a Wichita Police crime scene investigator. Jurors left a Sedgwick County courtroom Friday morning to go view a concrete structure where the body of a 3-year-old Wichita boy was discovered. Jurors were taken to an evidence storage facility near City Hall. They saw the structure & barrels containing pieces of the concrete that had been chipped away. The concrete structure and barrels were too heavy to be carried into the courtroom. Witnesses: Dr. Scott Kipper, works for Sedgwick County Reg. Forensic Science Center as deputy coroner & medical examiner. Christian Cory, a Wichita Police homicide lead detective. Timothy Rohrig, head of the Sedgwick County Reg. Forensic Science Center. Cassidy Coberly, Wichita Police crime scene investigator. Elaine Harrington, a pediatrician (for 25 years & Evan's doctor). Detective Jerry Manuel, who is with the gang & felony assault section at WPD, was the case detective on the hatchet assault involving Evan's dad and Bodine. Detective Justin Manning, with WPD, works in the Exploited & Missing Child Unit. Det. Christian Cory, lead detective back. Trial continues to Monday, 10/22.

 

[Niner]

Lily Wu KAKE News
‏Verified account @KansasLily
5h5 hours ago

Jury trial continues for the man charged with abusing and killing 3yo Evan Brewer. Day 5 of the trial begins this morning.

Next witness is from Illinois but used to live next door to him and were in a relationship. They have a son together.

Bodine has two other daughters, Samantha and Elizabeth (Libby). This witness lived with Bodine and his daughters & says Bodine was violent to the kids.

During a potty training incident,she says Elizabeth has an accident and Bodine took her to the back bedroom and saw him shake her and “slammed her down” on the couch. “She was screaming”

Witness says she saw bruising on their baby. Recalls incidents of baby crying and how he’d hit the child to try to make him stop. She moved out a few months after giving birth. She says “I didn’t look back”

Second witness is last witness’ brother. He was 13-14 (now 33yo) at the time he met him and interacted with Bodine at the house where his sister lived with Bodine. He says Bodine provides pot for them to smoke.

He recalls an incident when he called Bodine a “B” and he put him a “bear hug” where he couldn’t move. Recalls another incident of Bodine chocking him and he passed out. He says Bodine wasn’t upset when he didn’t that.

Recalls Bodine having a puppy and needing potty training. Puppy had an accident in the house. Bodine had a sword in his hand and threatened to decapitate dog (but Bodine ended up not doing that). Witness was terrified

Witness 3 is the mother of Stephen Bodine. She has requested no video or audio of her testimony.

She traded the house deed for giving up his parental rights of Samantha. She says Elizabeth was not his biological child because he was behind bars. She says there was mental and physical abuse (saw bruises and parts of child’s body were sore).

Bodine’s mother says none of this abuse was ever reported to authorities.

Witness 4: 23yo Samantha Johnson, Bodine’s biological daughter She is a state witness and will testify about what she endured as a child.

Bodine’s daughter, Samantha, is recalling that her biological parents always argued. She has a younger sister, Elizabeth. Samantha was eventually adopted by Bodine’s mother, after Bodine was given the deed to a house in exchange for the parental rights.

Samantha is now recalling how Bodine would punish her, including standing a corner with her nose against the wall and hands behind her back (something similar to what a witness remembers Evan having to do)

Samantha recalls being struck on various parts of her body with Bodine’s hands and various objects. She was spanked or hit quite regularly. “It was pretty violent in the home”

“I had bruises everywhere” and recalls having to wear long sleeves to school to hide them. He would poke her in the head or body. She remembers having to miss school twice because of the severity of the injuries. “What happened at home, stayed at home”

She was terrified of the water because she remembers being nearly drowned in the bathtub at the hands of Bodine. “He held my head under”

Samantha remembers reconnecting on social media with Bodine at 19yo. “I wanted to forgive him” and remembers asking him about the bathtub incident. “He thought it was a joke” and mocked her She went through counseling for this abuse

Consequences of not eating would be getting spanked or being put in the corner. “Drowning” was the hardest punishment, she recalls

“He didn’t like my sister at all” because she says Bodine didn’t believe that was his biological child
She remembers Libby getting poked, hurt by Bodine

“I was scared he was going to hit me bad” Samantha was afraid to tell anyone, including her grandmother who saw bruising on her. Samantha knew she was going back home so she didn’t want to get in trouble saying that Bodine hit her.

Samantha believes Bodine used drugs like meth around the house.
She recalls being spanked daily.

If she argued with Bodine, she would get “smacked”
She remembers trying to hide from him and even remaining quiet with her sister so they wouldn’t be noticed by Bodine.

She remembers the last time she ever went back to Bodine’s house, when she spent the night at Bodine’s mother’s place. The grandmother kept asking, when Samantha finally told her about the abuse. Counseling started in kindergarten and continued throughout her life.

Cross examination of this witness has started.

 

[Niner]

Lily Wu KAKE News
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3h3 hours ago

Witness 5: Bodine’s ex girlfriend who Bodine lived with. She has her own son.
She says Bodine was violent and that he beat her (black eyes, broken bones)
“He could be pretty mean”

Witnesses have been recounting multiple incidents of abuse and violence over the years (Bodine’s ex girlfriends, daughter)

Witness 6: WPD detective, Christian Cory, is back on the stand. He conducted interviews with Bodine.

Bodine was interviewed by Detective Christian Cory after he was arrested (Aug 2017) and concrete structure was found (Sept 2017). Video shown

Detective asks Bodine about the concrete structure. “It’s a barrier” and was supposed to be used for “burning things” Detective asks if Evan is inside. “You wouldn’t think so” ... and then says “are we done?”

Jury will take a long lunch break now due to the next witness not being ready yet. We’re expecting Miranda Miller, Evan’s mother, will take the stand this afternoon.

State prosecutors will call Miranda Miller, Evan’s mother, to the stand after lunch. Day 5 of this trial continues at 1:30pm


and that's all she has.... I shall be back probably in the morning & post the rest then.