Laura Babcock Murder Trial 12.05.17 - Closing Arguments - Day 1

[DeaconBrodie]

So it appears that DM is going with the "is Laura really dead" defence. Good luck with that DM.

MOO

I suspect h he's going with he shotgun defence. Blast away blindly and hope that a least one pellet hits something.

 

[redheart]

Lisa Hepfner‏ @HefCHCHNews
1m1 minute ago
Issues of reliability exist for Austerweil, though, #Millard says. "It takes time to have transcripts written," he says. Austerweil's transcription wasn't ready yet. "Something occured," he says during the cross. The video of #LauraBabcock played, & Austerweil didn't recognize LB

Lisa Hepfner‏ @HefCHCHNews
now7 seconds ago
Millard is playing audio of Austerweil's testimony, when he didn't seem to recognize #LauraBabcock in the video shot just before she went missing.

BBM. This seems....counterintuitive. :facepalm:

 

[meterclicks]

Millard plays an audio recording from Austerweil's re-examination, when he played a video of Babcock, taken by a friend on July 1, 2012.

Millard asks, "Do you recognize that person?"

The witness said, "No, no."

Code then asked, "You don't recognize this person?"

On the recording, Austerweil seems to struggle, then says, "Here yes, it looks like Laura."

Millard says he didn't hear that part when Austerweil was in the witness box, but the court microphone's picked it up.
by Shannon Martin 10:44 AM

 

[Kamille]

Lisa Hepfner‏ @HefCHCHNews
2m2 minutes ago
We haven't seen many photos of #LauraBabcock in this trial, #Millard says. He tells jury she was getting heavily addicted to cocaine in July of 2012. He's playing the audio again of Austerweil testimony

Lisa Hepfner‏ @HefCHCHNews
1m1 minute ago
Austerweil said, after "no, no," that the video did look like #LauraBabcock. #Millard says he didn't hear that the first time when Austerweil testified.

 

[caseyjonesin905]

Lisa Hepfner‏ @HefCHCHNews
3m3 minutes ago
Witnesses can be credible and, or reliable. Austerweil was credible, #Millard says. He had no motive to be dishonest. #LauraBabcock

Would the crown be able to bring up the possible vendetta he MAY have against Laura for charging his son with assault?? Would that not be motive to be dishonest?

 

[DeaconBrodie]

Would the crown be able to bring up the possible vendetta he MAY have against Laura for charging his son with assault?? Would that not be motive to be dishonest?

Too late to introduce new evidence now.

 

[Kamille]

Lisa Hepfner‏ @HefCHCHNews
1m1 minute ago
Laura Babcock had lost weight and changed her hair colour since dating Austerweil's son. #Millard says his evidence unequivocally, is that he saw #LauraBabcock in a nut store in Oct 2012. Or the following spring.

Lisa Hepfner‏ @HefCHCHNews
1m1 minute ago
The evidence of Bradley Dean, now, "the first person I challenged, whether they were telling the truth," It was his first ever cross examination, #Millard tells jury. #LauraBabcock


Please jury. Disregard all that other evidence and rely heavily on notoriously incorrect witness sightings.

 

[Kamille]

Lisa Hepfner‏ @HefCHCHNews
31s31 seconds ago
Dean testified re speaking to Shawn Lerner about #LauraBabcock, #Millard says. "There's a lot about the call we didn't learn." In the first police statement he was shown a photo of Laura Babcock with dark hair, and "it didn't resonate," #Millard says Dean knew Laura thin & blond

Lisa Hepfner‏ @HefCHCHNews
1m1 minute ago
Austerweil only knew #LauraBabcock as less thin and with darker hair. Her appearance changed quite a bit, #Millard says. That makes Austerweil more credible, he says.

 

[DeaconBrodie]

Lisa Hepfner‏ @HefCHCHNews
31s31 seconds ago
Dean testified re speaking to Shawn Lerner about #LauraBabcock, #Millard says. "There's a lot about the call we didn't learn." In the first police statement he was shown a photo of Laura Babcock with dark hair, and "it didn't resonate," #Millard says Dean knew Laura thin & blond

Was this in evidence? I don't recall any of this coming up at the trial.

 

[meterclicks]

Millard tells the jury he finds Austerweil to be a reliable witness, he hopes they do too.

Millard now switches to Bradley Dean. He spent time with Babcock in June 2012. Court previously heard Dean knew her through her brief work as an escort.

ICYMI Scroll to the bottom of this article:

Stranger gave Laura Babcock a place to stay in days before she disappeared

The ups and downs of Laura Babcock's life, and the final days before her disappearance in the summer of 2012, are again scrutinized as the trial into her alleged murder continues in Ontario Superior Court in Toronto.
by Shannon Martin 10:50 AM

 

[redheart]

Lisa Hepfner‏ @HefCHCHNews
1m1 minute ago
Laura Babcock had lost weight and changed her hair colour since dating Austerweil's son. #Millard says his evidence unequivocally, is that he saw #LauraBabcock in a nut store in Oct 2012. Or the following spring.

Lisa Hepfner‏ @HefCHCHNews
1m1 minute ago
The evidence of Bradley Dean, now, "the first person I challenged, whether they were telling the truth," It was his first ever cross examination, #Millard tells jury. #LauraBabcock


Please jury. Disregard all that other evidence and rely heavily on notoriously incorrect witness sightings.

BBM. Unequivocally, eh? LOL, DM

 

[Kamille]

Lisa Hepfner‏ @HefCHCHNews
1m1 minute ago
Bradley Dean had three statements police, changing his story each time. Millard leans comfortably on the podium, tapping on it to make his points. He's made a couple light-hearted statements, looking for jury approval, but they have stayed stone-faced. #LauraBabcock

 

[meterclicks]

Dean had told detectives that he went on a date with Babcock on July 10, 2012, but he later told police he was confused about the timing, and he was dating several women at the time.

Millard says to the jury, "Is he a reliable witness? I say not."

He adds, "His story changes."
by Shannon Martin 10:52 AM

 

[Kamille]

Lisa Hepfner‏ @HefCHCHNews
50s50 seconds ago
"You might want to review the evidence of Bradley Dean carefully," #Millard tells jury, explaining why that witness was incredible. "His story changes." #LauraBabcock

marianne boucher‏ @CityCourtsTO
1m1 minute ago
Millard now talking about witness Bradley Dean, who gave 3 police statements. Says he saw Laura July 10 2012. Says she was thinner. Blond. "Her appearance changed quite a bit" is Bradley credible? No, he changed the dates and his evidence.

Credible, incredible? :dunno:

 

[Kamille]

Lisa Hepfner‏ @HefCHCHNews
23s23 seconds ago
Bradley Dean had a different description of #LauraBabcock's suitcases too, #Millard says. She had dark suitcases, "grocery-store variety" bags and a purse. Millard hasn't checked all the witness descriptions of luggage. "Again, I've only had a few days."

Um no...you've had a few years to get this together. :notgood:

 

[mimimic]

If he told the truth it wouldn't be so hard. DM =incredulous.

Lisa Hepfner‏ @HefCHCHNews
23s23 seconds ago
Bradley Dean had a different description of #LauraBabcock's suitcases too, #Millard says. She had dark suitcases, "grocery-store variety" bags and a purse. Millard hasn't checked all the witness descriptions of luggage. "Again, I've only had a few days."

Um no...you've had a few years to get this together. :notgood:

 

[Kamille]

Lisa Hepfner‏ @HefCHCHNews
2m2 minutes ago
"The red bag, over there on the exhibits table," #Millard starts, putting a photo of it on court screens. "It's not black, not dark blue, not a clam shell. No witnesses said she had a red bag," #Millard says the jury can draw the inference this was Laura's bag, but when?

Lisa Hepfner‏ @HefCHCHNews
24s24 seconds ago
The evidence was this was not the bag #LauraBabcock was using in July, #Millard says. He and LB had a "brief, sexual relationship" in 2009. From 2009 to 2012 his best friend Michalski saw her once a month. "Laura was still part of my life," #Millard says

marianne boucher‏ @CityCourtsTO
1m1 minute ago
Millard has his computer open on lectern, to check his notes but he's not reading from them, he's keeping the tone conversational. Hands folded until he makes a point.

Lisa Hepfner‏ @HefCHCHNews
22s23 seconds ago
There's a big window for "when this bag made it over to my side of the fence," #Millard says there's no evidence except that the relationship was there. But that red bag was not the bag that Laura had when she died." #LauraBabcock

 

[meterclicks]

Millard talks about his relationship now with Babcock.

"Laura and I had a brief sexual relationship in and around 2009. From that point forward, as witness Andrew Michalski pointed out, he then saw her at my house about once a month."

He points out a red bag of Babcock's, found in Smich's possession at his mother's home in Oakville, Ont. could've easily ended up at his place or Smich's given the length of his relationship/friendship with Babcock.
by Shannon Martin 10:59 AM

 

[dar107]

Lisa Hepfner
Lisa Hepfner
@HefCHCHNews
·
49s
There's a big window for "when this bag made it over to my side of the fence," #Millard says there's no evidence except that the relationship was there. But that red bag was not the bag that Laura had when she died." #LauraBabcock

So you just admitted she is dead? Good job DM.

 

[redheart]

Lisa Hepfner‏ @HefCHCHNews
2m2 minutes ago
"The red bag, over there on the exhibits table," #Millard starts, putting a photo of it on court screens. "It's not black, not dark blue, not a clam shell. No witnesses said she had a red bag," #Millard says the jury can draw the inference this was Laura's bag, but when?

Lisa Hepfner‏ @HefCHCHNews
24s24 seconds ago
The evidence was this was not the bag #LauraBabcock was using in July, #Millard says. He and LB had a "brief, sexual relationship" in 2009. From 2009 to 2012 his best friend Michalski saw her once a month. "Laura was still part of my life," #Millard says

marianne boucher‏ @CityCourtsTO
1m1 minute ago
Millard has his computer open on lectern, to check his notes but he's not reading from them, he's keeping the tone conversational. Hands folded until he makes a point.

Lisa Hepfner‏ @HefCHCHNews
22s23 seconds ago
There's a big window for "when this bag made it over to my side of the fence," #Millard says there's no evidence except that the relationship was there. But that red bag was not the bag that Laura had when she died." #LauraBabcock

BBM. What? So he's conceding that Laura is dead? I thought he wanted the jury to question that.

ETA: Ah, Dar, you beat me to it.