Mark Sievers Trial General Discussion Thread

[BeachSky]

State is blowing wide open the theory floated by defense
that TS was worth more alive than dead IMO

 

[FelicityLemon]

Jake Allen‏Verified account @Jake_Allen19 40s40 seconds ago
Some of the assets in the irrevocable trust were to be distributed to the Sievers' daughters when they turned 35 but there was flexibility built into the way the trust was set up, Lyons said.

Age 35 - is this usual? More controlling, manipulative behavior. Yes, there's flexibility, but if you've raised your children well and taught them (and they can handle it) why not even age 25?

We've seen in the news recently about a father taking his teenage daughter who's now a legal adult, to the gynecologist to verify her hymen is still intact. Given MS preoccupation with sex, I wonder if he'll be checking his daughter's virginity. Not himself, via a doctor, but ew.

 

[noel leon]

Did I miss anything that showed the jury the state of the Sievers finances?WTF?

 

[Oregonmama]

Jury will deliberate tomorrow late afternoon. Mark will not testify, JMO. Sigh..... I had more expectations re this trial but it is what it is I guess.....

 

[TTF14]

Jury will deliberate tomorrow late afternoon. Mark will not testify, JMO. Sigh..... I had more expectations re this trial but it is what it is I guess.....

I think this case is going to come down to whether or not the jury believes CWW.

 

[Oregonmama]

I think this case is going to come down to whether or not the jury believes CWW.

Lyons really confused everyone which includes the courtroom audience and that was the plan from the defense. JMO

 

[chasing.halos]

Did I miss anything that showed the jury the state of the Sievers finances?WTF?

Unfortunately you did not. Nothing about it that I saw.

 

[Bobbywoo]

Unfortunately you did not. Nothing about it that I saw.

Nothing about the finances, nothing from team TS that supports marital troubles, a whole lot of lack of motive.

 

[Bobbywoo]

Lyons really confused everyone which includes the courtroom audience and that was the plan from the defense. JMO

She did! What a mess! Here's what I got out of her testimony "I LOVED TS, she was AMAZING! BUT.....Poor MS is going to have to live like a pauper on a measly $250,000 a year." as she stuttered around like she wasn't sure if she was pleasing the defense.

 

[JusticeOnly]

She did! What a mess! Here's what I got out of her testimony "I LOVED TS, she was AMAZING! BUT.....Poor MS is going to have to live like a pauper on a measly $250,000 a year." as she stuttered around like she wasn't sure if she was pleasing the defense.

This! She sounded like she was doing her best to defend MS. IMO

 

[Curious Me]

Lyons really confused everyone which includes the courtroom audience and that was the plan from the defense. JMO

True, it may have been the Defense's plan, but I didn't feel the State did enough to clarify the information. The State actually even confused the witness Attorney Lyons, but I guess to discredit her some, but still... Goodness, my head was spinning! The witness had trouble answering many of the questions. It left me feeling stunned by sheer boredom.

Is it safe to say Mark would have benefitted from the Trust and additional insurance policies to an estimated value of about what we've heard the $5 million??? I don't want to be involved in whether he'd pay taxes on it. MOO, that final witness was a waste of our time, but maybe everyone else, jurors included, got more out of it than I did.

 

[TTF14]

Lyons really confused everyone which includes the courtroom audience and that was the plan from the defense. JMO

Hmm, I don't know. I feel like the State did better with her. It was written all over her face that she couldn't say what the defense ultimately wanted her to say.

 

[Curious Me]

During the prosecution case in chief, defense is not permitted to ask witnesses any questions that are outside the scope of the direct examination.
If the defense has questions 'outside the scope', they must call that person as a defense witness.

RE: Outside the Scope Questions by Defense
I've been trying to find a way to say that. This is so clear. Thank You!

This is what you posted:

"During the prosecution case in chief, defense is not permitted to ask witnesses any questions that are outside the scope of the direct examination.
If the defense has questions 'outside the scope', they must call that person as a defense witness."​

 

[Arachne 1]

I guess it would've helped if we had sent our questions and concerns to the prosecutors, a few months ago. I still have Hope, though.

 

[FelicityLemon]

He has not one person to call that can help his defense except for MS of course, I could see him taking the stand...to help himself and clear his "good name" of all the bad things CWW said about him. Bunch of idiots. JMO IMO

Not one "character witness" for the defendant?

 

[Curious Me]

Posted by kaen on the Live Trial thread. I carried it over here because it made sense to me. I do think as a professional attorney and financial planner for many wealthy clients, Witness Lyons would have concerns answering questions that would make her appear incompetent or impact her client list, etc., Protecting her own reputation might have been a concern.

posted by kaen-- I also think that she is Team Attorney Lyons. She wrote the document (based on case law) and has to publicly defend it regarding her client on trial for murder. If she appears to have written something that would benefit him (a killer) it would have impact on her client list I am sure. She has to be Team "Good Trust Lawyer who followed the wishes of her clients" both Dr. Sievers and Mr. Sievers.

It was telling that the defense didn't come out and say MS was a life insurance beneficiary. Letting the prosecution do it was a mistake as it appears he was trying to hide that MS would benefit from the the death, an apparently shifty move.

 

[MsArk]

Anyone think Mark will testify?

I don’t think so but feel a bit better about the State’s case after Mummert putting up his defense today.

 

[Curious Me]

Not one "character witness" for the defendant?

This is why Mark doesn't need to get up there and save himself. Shh...continuing the reverse psychology.

 

[TTF14]

Can someone explain to me the line of questioning about Mark's condo in Missouri? I don't understand what point either side was trying to make by questions about it. Was it his love nest? Is that what the defense was trying to imply? That he went there to shack up with CWW?

 

[Wyle_E_Coyote]

Age 35 - is this usual? More controlling, manipulative behavior. Yes, there's flexibility, but if you've raised your children well and taught them (and they can handle it) why not even age 25?

We've seen in the news recently about a father taking his teenage daughter who's now a legal adult, to the gynecologist to verify her hymen is still intact. Given MS preoccupation with sex, I wonder if he'll be checking his daughter's virginity. Not himself, via a doctor, but ew.

Yes, it's extremely common for trusts to not pay out the principal until the beneficiary is older. Sometimes there will be staggered payouts, like 18, 25, 30. The idea is to allow the beneficiary to mature enough not to blow it all, and so that the inheritance doesn't serve to demotivate the beneficiary so he'll actually finish school, get a job, etc.