Deceased/Not Found NJ - Sarah Stern, 19, Neptune City, 2 Dec 2016 #3 *Guilty*

New Posts

NEPTUNE - Sarah Stern was an aspiring artist when she was killed at 19. Now the arts department at her former high school is raising money for a scholarship in her memory.

Teams comprising teachers from the district's middle and high schools will face off at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the football field at Summerfield Elementary School, 621 Highland Ave., according to an email from Karen Watt, chair of the district's visual and performing arts department.

The scholarships will go to a student or students from Neptune High School who have shown proficiency in fine, visual, media or performing arts and intend to keep studying the arts in college, Watt wrote.

Stern "was an active member in the Arts Department bringing her tremendous talent to any course she took. Sarah loved to draw and was an incredible portrait artist," Watt wrote. "Her sense of humor brought contagious joy to classroom settings and to her friends. Sarah's artistic adventure was cut far too short in December of 2016."

This is the third annual fundraiser and the second time the fundraiser was a flag football game, Watts said. The committee raised $1,000 in 2017 and $1,200 in 2018. Teachers Mary Dansereau, Marisa Montemorano, Alex DiGiovanni, Tammy Lascar and JT Fryer and former teacher Amanda Fitzpatrick organized this year's fundraiser.

Tickets are $2 for students and $3 for adults, Watts said. Those who wish to donate but cannot make the event can send checks or money orders to Neptune High School, 55 Neptune Blvd., Neptune, NJ 07753.

The fundraising committee asked that checks be made payable to Neptune High School with a memo "Sarah Stern Scholarship."

Sarah Stern arts scholarship: Neptune teachers raise money with flag football
 
This is tough. He really has nothing to lose by continuing to make arguments, and the attorney is legally obliged to represent him to the fullest extent of his 7th amendment rights. May the Judge do the right thing, that's really what we can hope for now.
 
Friday, May 24th:
*Sentencing was supposed to happen/Motions Hearing (instead) (@ 8:45am ET) - NJ - Sarah Stern (19) (Dec. 2, 2016, Neptune City; not found) – only for *Liam McAtasney (21/19 @ time of crime) charged (2/1/17) & indicted (2/2/17) with 1st degree murder, 1st degree robbery, felony murder, robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, desecrating human remains (2nd degree), tampering with physical evidence & hindering his own apprehension. Plead not guilty. No bond. DA seeks Life.
Trial started 1/23/19 and ended 2/26/19 with a guilty verdict on all counts.
Trial days 1 (1/23/19) thru Day 13 (2/25/19) reference post #124 here:
GUILTY - NJ - Sarah Stern, 19, Neptune City, 2 Dec 2016 *Arrests* #3
Sentencing was to be on May 24.
5/16/19 Update: In a 20-page letter to Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Richard English, defense attorney Carlos Diaz-Cobo outlined his reasons as to why McAtasney deserves a new trial. Among the reasons was Diaz-Cobo’s failed attempt to get a mistrial after the infamous “LMAO” juror was dismissed from the panel. McAtasney was scheduled to be sentenced May 24. But that date will now serve as an opportunity for Diaz-Cobo & prosecutors to argue their briefs. The state was expected to file its response Wednesday. Sentencing for McAtasney has been postponed until Judge decides on Defense motion for new trial.
His accomplice:
?? Only for *Preston Taylor (19) faces up to 20 years in state prison and is subject to the No Early Release Act. (Was facing up to life in prison on the felony murder charge and 51 years for the additional charges). He pleaded guilty (4/27/17) to 1st degree robbery, 2nd degree conspiracy to commit robbery, 2nd degree distributing or desecrating human remains, 2 counts of 3rd degree hindering apprehension& 4th degree tampering with physical evidence.
Will be sentenced on May 24. Sentencing has been postponed due to motions filed by McAtasney’s defense.
 
“I'm in Monmouth County Court today, where Liam McAtasney, convicted of strangling his friend Sarah Stern, is seeking a new trial.”
10:24 AM •5/24/19

“Arguments heard today are from a motion filed by his attorney, which @alexnapoNJ wrote about earlier this month”
He was convicted of strangling his childhood friend. Now, he wants a shot at a new trial.

“Judge Richard English has so far denied the counts that took issue with the felony murder charge, ruling that what took place did constitute a robbery.”

“McAtasney’s lawyer argued that the robbery charge should be downgraded to theft, because the nearly $10K from Stern was stolen after she had died. English said because McAtasney had planned to take the money, and murdered Stern in the process of trying to do so, it's robbery.”

“Now we're onto issues with a potentially tainted jury. Defense argued that social media posts by a juror, comments made by a passerby in the court regarding McAtasney's guilt and a question posed during jury selection all made the trial unfair.”

“English said he believes this is only the second time in Monmouth where a murder trial has taken place without a body. With that, he finds it was fair for the state to ask potential jurors if a lack of a body would impact their ability to return a guilty verdict.”

“English also said he did not believe a juror, who posted on social media about sitting on the case (she was dismissed) had an impact on the remaining 14 jurors.”
‘Sitting on the jury LMAO,’ juror in Sarah Stern murder trial posts on Facebook

“With all of that, the motion for a new trial was denied. McAtasney will be sentenced June 14.”
11:07 AM •5/24/19
Amanda Hoover on Twitter
 
inmyhumbleopinion said:
“#Breaking: Judge English has denied the defense's motion for a new trial in the murder case of Liam McAtasney. The new sentencing date will be Friday June 14, 2019 at 9a.m.”
11:04 AM •5/24/19
Monmouth Prosecutor on Twitter
Click to expand...

Thank goodness!!! Now please, let's get this vile creature sentenced to LWOP so Sarah's family and friends can move on with their lives and McNasty can rot away.
 
Niner said:
So, I'm guessing the Preston Taylor will also be sentenced on that day?

TIA! :) And thanks all for the updates!
Click to expand...
Yes:
“McAtasney and Taylor were both due to be sentenced Friday, but English postponed the sentencings so that he could instead hold a hearing on McAtasney’s motion asking to set aside his conviction and grant him a new trial.

After ruling on the motion, English scheduled McAtasney's and Taylor's sentencings for June 14.“ (BBM)

From the rest of the article:

Updated 20 hours ago
“[SBM]

[Defense attorney Carlos] Diaz-Cobo, also put forth four other reasons why [Liam] McAtasney’s conviction should be set aside in favor of a retrial, but [Superior Court Judge Richard W.] English agreed with prosecutors that all the arguments were without merit.

McAtasney appeared in court, not with the blond locks and sports jacket he wore during the trial, but with a crew cut and green jail jumpsuit.

E902B69A-DF79-4962-9D2F-DE99ADB0CF7C.jpeg 124BAB39-D597-46A1-A4F3-AA6A0105D0E6.jpeg

[SBM]

In addition to asking for a new trial on five separate grounds, Diaz-Cobo also asked the judge to acquit McAtasney of robbery and felony murder, despite the jury's verdict.

He argued that even if the state's version of events was true, the victim's money was taken hours after she was killed and, therefore, the requisite force needed to prove a robbery was absent. The robbery was a prerequisite for a conviction on felony murder — which is when a death occurs during the commission of certain other crimes — so that conviction, too, was invalid, the defense attorney argued.

Meghan Doyle, assistant Monmouth County prosecutor, said the state presented evidence at trial that McAtasney left Stern's house with a bag of money after he strangled her, and returned later to get more money and move the victim's body.

[SBM]

The state's position was bolstered by the testimony of Preston Taylor who, in addition to being McAtasney’s roommate and accomplice, was Stern’s date for the junior prom at Neptune High School, from which all three graduated in 2015.

Taylor, 21, of Neptune, testified McAtasney came home that day with a bag containing about $7,000 and said he had just strangled Stern.

[SBM]

As he left the courthouse, the victim's father, Michael Stern, thanked reporters for coming to the hearing and said, ‘We'll wait for sentencing and we'll have more to say.'” (BBM)
Sarah Stern murder: No new trial for Liam McAtasney
 
Thank you so much for that info inmyhumbleopinion! Much appreciated!
animated-smileys-waving-003.gif
 
McAtasney, 21, of Neptune City, is expected to stand before a judge Friday to be sentenced for the strangulation murder of his former high school classmate and longtime friend.

When he does, Superior Court Judge Richard W. English has no choice but to sentence McAtasney to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Under the law, the fact that a jury found McAtasney killed Stern in the course of a robbery mandates that he be imprisoned for life.

That suits Michael Stern just fine, but it offers him little consolation.

“That’s what he should get," Michael Stern said of the life prison term his daughter’s killer faces. “He shouldn’t get any less, that’s for sure.

“I will feel that there is some justice, but other than that, it doesn’t bring Sarah back and it doesn’t make me feel any better," Michael Stern said.

“Sarah’s death just haunts me," he said. “It’s a horrible feeling."

Sarah Stern murder: 'Sarah's death just haunts me,' dad says as killer's sentencing looms
 
Last edited:
Friday, June 21st:
*Sentencing Hearing (@ 1:30pm ET) - NJ - Sarah Stern (19) (Dec. 2, 2016, Neptune City; not found) – only for *Liam McAtasney (21/19 @ time of crime) charged (2/1/17) & indicted (2/2/17) with 1st degree murder, 1st degree robbery, felony murder, robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, desecrating human remains (2nd degree), tampering with physical evidence & hindering his own apprehension. Plead not guilty. No bond. DA seeks Life.
Trial started 1/23/19 and ended 2/26/19 with a guilty verdict on all counts.
Trial days 1 (1/23/19) thru Day 13 (2/25/19) reference post #124 here:
GUILTY - NJ - Sarah Stern, 19, Neptune City, 2 Dec 2016 *Arrests* #3
Sentencing on May 24-delayed to June 14-delayed to June 21.
5/16/19 Update: In a 20-page letter to Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Richard English, defense attorney Carlos Diaz-Cobo outlined his reasons as to why McAtasney deserves a new trial. Among the reasons was Diaz-Cobo’s failed attempt to get a mistrial after the infamous “LMAO” juror was dismissed from the panel. McAtasney was scheduled to be sentenced May 24. But that date will now serve as an opportunity for Diaz-Cobo & prosecutors to argue their briefs. The state was expected to file its response Wednesday. Sentencing for McAtasney has been postponed until Judge decides on Defense motion for new trial.
5/24/19 Update: Judge English has denied the defense's motion for a new trial in the murder case of McAtasney. The new sentencing date will be Friday June 14, 2019 .
6/13/19 Update: Sentencing for McAtansey, originally scheduled for 6/14, has been rescheduled for next Friday 6/21 at 1:30pm. Preston Taylor will be sentenced on 6/28 at 9am.
His accomplice:
*Preston Taylor (19) faces up to 20 years in state prison and is subject to the No Early Release Act. (Was facing up to life in prison on the felony murder charge and 51 years for the additional charges). He pleaded guilty (4/27/17) to 1st degree robbery, 2nd degree conspiracy to commit robbery, 2nd degree distributing or desecrating human remains, 2 counts of 3rd degree hindering apprehension& 4th degree tampering with physical evidence.
Will be sentenced on June 14. Sentencing has been postponed due to motions filed by McAtasney’s defense. Sentencing to 6/28.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

DNASolves

Who is Escambia County John Doe (1989)?

Members online

... and 173 more.
Total: 3,233 (members: 174, guests: 3,059)

Online statistics

Members online
174
Guests online
3,059
Total visitors
3,233
Totals may include hidden visitors.

Forum statistics

Threads
592,502
Messages
17,970,018
Members
228,788
Latest member
Soccergirl500
Back
Top