The Jury Hangs - Justice Delayed

[calgary123]

This is too bad, at a minimum its a waste of resources. Its pretty interesting that the jury started out split 6-6, that's remarkable.

Imagine if JY had given a deposition if he disputed custody? This would have given the prosecution advance notice of everything they needed to rebut in advance and the case would have gone quite differently IMHO.

Some of you think JY giving up custody was a sign of guilt. I'm not so sure about that. I think the other evidence is sign of his guilt. He followed prudent legal advice to shut up and he followed it precisely. BC on the other hand spoke under oath in a custody deposition and that came back to haunt him, a decision he'll regret for, literally, the rest of his life.

I think both BC and JY did it, but look how much harder things are to prove when you don't know the story you're ultimately going to face? BC testifies in a related civil case and gives the prosecution complete notice as to his alibi, does not testify at trial, and is convicted. JY clams up until the last minute and gambles to testify, and is not convicted.

In a retrial the prosecution will have a major advantage in knowing the JY story. I expect the 2nd time around they'll get it right.

I also think the prosecution had a lot more on BC than they did on JY, but a lot of that originates in the information they got from the deposition which made it an easier prosecution in terms of anticipating the defence. This also led to a longer prosecution but ultimately it worked.

I feel sorry for the family of MY, they are going to have to relive this again.

EDIT: For example, second time around, send a detective to every gas station and find out how many had cameras, how they were set, etc., how many staff on duty at the relevant times, ask how many customers per day during the relevant time, ask about how many times people steal gas from them and are never seen on camera (this happens a lot, daily where I live, and shows that its pretty easy for a gas clerk not to notice you, I'm not suggesting he stole gas, just that the clerks miss even thefts often, they aren't going to remember every customer). In short, only finding one gas attendant who sold him $15 in gas is not demonstrative of anything. The clerk only remembered him because he threw a fit.

 

[rockin10]

Every time I start to write, I go back and delete, as I just don't have the words to express my frustration and sick feeling for what happened today,but I am going to try..........

I have been a lurker and have been following some of your comments since December of 09 and have never stopped following this case from as far away as Oregon all of these years. My heart is broken for Cassidy, Meredith, Linda and all of those who knew and loved her, but mostly for Michele herself and all that was lost in the midst of her "picket fenced" dream turned bloody nightmare.

She did NOT get the justice she deserved today and I am disgusted, outraged and sick that, that monster and his wicked brilliance is potentially getting away with murder! I either listened or watched most of this trial and was actually frustrated throughout. I wanted to jump through the screen and ask questions myself and make points that were either barely touched on or were left for the jury to infer??!!

I don't see how anyone can look at all the evidence and actually believe that there is ANY possibility that he didn't commit this heinous act!

Like many of you, I have looked at all the circumstances (which are abundant), but I won't take your time to reiterate all of it, but a few things that recently really have stood out to me:

-Upon hearing of his wife's unexpected death, JY "dropped to his knees"??? As an actress that would be how I would play that if someone told me that my husband was dead and I was in a production. But in real life if someone informed me that my husband was dead it would actually play like this, "What? What did you just say? What are you talking about? When? How do you know? Who told you? What happened? What?? Give me the phone, let me call him, let me call my house." All followed by getting right back in my car and rushing to his side, if at all possible, even if I decided to retain a lawyer in transit, I would still be desperate to get home to my loved one and have some answers.

ALL missed in his cross examination, imo I would have hammered the unlikely response he had and have asked him point blank why he immediately believed she was dead and dropped to his knees, why he asked no questions right in that moment unless of course he already knew all the answers!!!!!

-Why was Meredith's phone number written on his maps unless he was planning on forgetting the ebay print outs? (also not really hammered in cross either)

-interesting that he decided not to talk to family and friends before he was actually advised by an attorney but told LF that he couldn't talk to her which only shows that HE chose to not talk LONG before he was counseled. And his actual statement to her is a lie, He was not advised to not talk to family at that point, he was simply choosing to not talk to his and her family. The pros began to to down that line and completely dropped the ball and let it go!!! Which all goes to WHY?? Why could you not talk to your loved ones and how could you have the presence of mind to have such a firm plan in the midst of shock and mourning, unless it was indeed planned??

-why was that child untouched in such a violent murder?? (why didn't the pros touch that in cross?)

-I would have inquired about his little nap on the way back to his murdered wife and have asked him why he was so tired???????? I would have been either crying my eyes out, or I would have been the one of the phone and for the avid phone user that he was, why the sudden change and not interested in phoning his friends and her family like crazy on his way home??? Especially because THAT would have been in character and not calling people was NOT in character!!

-I would have asked him if he grabbed those cigarette butts as he was leaving the hotel on his way back to kill his wife to incriminate someone else and to complement his "away on business" alibi???

I could go on for at least an hour and I have not even touched on the most impressive evidence and I am an absolute nobody in this case!! I, as a wife and mother could have cross examined him better without ANY notice, simply because I have been invested and watching for so long!!! 50 minutes was a travesty of justice imo! I bet there were alot of investigators watching that go down and wish they could have had him handed to them on a silver platter as he was to BH and I am sad to say she didn't just drop the ball she threw it back to the bad guy!!!!!!!

I pray to God they retry this case and get a prosecutor with an evidenced passion, with some grit and who sounds like that actually passed high school speech class. JY is smart and savvy, that is why this has been so difficult from the beginning. They need a team of people who can outsmart him and play a little dirty with The King of the Dirtbags if they want to nail him!!!

Feeling really really angry and frustrated, but am hoping he is somehow feeling the same way. With his obvious obsession with sex, it warms my heart that he hasn't even had a hug from his mom and certainly no sex with any pretty stupid girls of recent! That will simply have to do for now and hoping that this will end, as it should: with his nasty and sick *&!@*& self in jail for the rest of his life!!!

Not trying to offend just feeling to need to express something in the midst of this mess!!

 

[annalyzer]

"I pray to God they retry this case and get a prosecutor with an evidenced passion, with some grit and who sounds like that actually passed high school speech class. "

Love it. She is such a disgrace.

 

[piedmont]

There are people out there who would act like Jason, whether guilty or not guilty. (I think he is guilty.) People who are very intelligent, have iron wills, #1 priority for them at all times is self-preservation. They do not ask questions of others in most situations, so even if not guilty, knowing details is very low priority for them. IOU, they don't care about details of what happened-they care about self-preservation and avoiding anything that makes them look bad.

Another thing that strikes me and makes me wonder if he's possibly innocent (although he's probably guilty) is that all this would take a lot of thought and planning. Isn't he more a passionate, spontaneous person? It could be he's capable of both. The calm, calculated planning, being a naturally lucky person who generally does get away with things. Then the extreme over-kill would come in when it was rougher than you expected but you were extremely determined to accomplish your goal.

In court, he seems such an emotional person, but yet that does not line up with the ability to stay silent for years. The emotional part is quite deceiving when you match it up with actions or non-actions of his over time.

One question-do we know if Michelle knew of the affairs?

 

[NCEast]

Who do you think should prosecute the next case? And what order would you put them in?

This time it was:

1. Becky Holt
2. David Saacks
3. Howard Cummings

My recommendation would be:

1. David Saacks
2. Boz Zellinger
3. Becky Holt

I agree with your recommendations Madeleine but only if BH is in an advisory position, with her experience with the case, and with Boz and Saacks in the 1st and 2nd chairs. I need to go back to the Wake County web site to see who else may be qualified to retry this case. My adopted daughter is an attorney in the Attorney General's office and she knows all of the ADAs in the Wake County office. May try to get some advice from her as to who would be the best to retry this.

 

[NCEast]

Every time I start to write, I go back and delete, as I just don't have the words to express my frustration and sick feeling for what happened today,but I am going to try..........

I have been a lurker and have been following some of your comments since December of 09 and have never stopped following this case from as far away as Oregon all of these years. My heart is broken for Cassidy, Meredith, Linda and all of those who knew and loved her, but mostly for Michele herself and all that was lost in the midst of her "picket fenced" dream turned bloody nightmare.

She did NOT get the justice she deserved today and I am disgusted, outraged and sick that, that monster and his wicked brilliance is potentially getting away with murder! I either listened or watched most of this trial and was actually frustrated throughout. I wanted to jump through the screen and ask questions myself and make points that were either barely touched on or were left for the jury to infer??!!

I don't see how anyone can look at all the evidence and actually believe that there is ANY possibility that he didn't commit this heinous act!

Like many of you, I have looked at all the circumstances (which are abundant), but I won't take your time to reiterate all of it, but a few things that recently really have stood out to me:

-Upon hearing of his wife's unexpected death, JY "dropped to his knees"??? As an actress that would be how I would play that if someone told me that my husband was dead and I was in a production. But in real life if someone informed me that my husband was dead it would actually play like this, "What? What did you just say? What are you talking about? When? How do you know? Who told you? What happened? What?? Give me the phone, let me call him, let me call my house." All followed by getting right back in my car and rushing to his side, if at all possible, even if I decided to retain a lawyer in transit, I would still be desperate to get home to my loved one and have some answers.

ALL missed in his cross examination, imo I would have hammered the unlikely response he had and have asked him point blank why he immediately believed she was dead and dropped to his knees, why he asked no questions right in that moment unless of course he already knew all the answers!!!!!

-Why was Meredith's phone number written on his maps unless he was planning on forgetting the ebay print outs? (also not really hammered in cross either)

-interesting that he decided not to talk to family and friends before he was actually advised by an attorney but told LF that he couldn't talk to her which only shows that HE chose to not talk LONG before he was counseled. And his actual statement to her is a lie, He was not advised to not talk to family at that point, he was simply choosing to not talk to his and her family. The pros began to to down that line and completely dropped the ball and let it go!!! Which all goes to WHY?? Why could you not talk to your loved ones and how could you have the presence of mind to have such a firm plan in the midst of shock and mourning, unless it was indeed planned??

-why was that child untouched in such a violent murder?? (why didn't the pros touch that in cross?)

-I would have inquired about his little nap on the way back to his murdered wife and have asked him why he was so tired???????? I would have been either crying my eyes out, or I would have been the one of the phone and for the avid phone user that he was, why the sudden change and not interested in phoning his friends and her family like crazy on his way home??? Especially because THAT would have been in character and not calling people was NOT in character!!

-I would have asked him if he grabbed those cigarette butts as he was leaving the hotel on his way back to kill his wife to incriminate someone else and to complement his "away on business" alibi???

I could go on for at least an hour and I have not even touched on the most impressive evidence and I am an absolute nobody in this case!! I, as a wife and mother could have cross examined him better without ANY notice, simply because I have been invested and watching for so long!!! 50 minutes was a travesty of justice imo! I bet there were alot of investigators watching that go down and wish they could have had him handed to them on a silver platter as he was to BH and I am sad to say she didn't just drop the ball she threw it back to the bad guy!!!!!!!

I pray to God they retry this case and get a prosecutor with an evidenced passion, with some grit and who sounds like that actually passed high school speech class. JY is smart and savvy, that is why this has been so difficult from the beginning. They need a team of people who can outsmart him and play a little dirty with The King of the Dirtbags if they want to nail him!!!

Feeling really really angry and frustrated, but am hoping he is somehow feeling the same way. With his obvious obsession with sex, it warms my heart that he hasn't even had a hug from his mom and certainly no sex with any pretty stupid girls of recent! That will simply have to do for now and hoping that this will end, as it should: with his nasty and sick *&!@*& self in jail for the rest of his life!!!

Not trying to offend just feeling to need to express something in the midst of this mess!!

Good Morning Rockin10 and welcome! I am so darn happy you didn't delete your post this time as it is excellent. Continue to hang out with us, we are a terrific group of folks who sometimes do not agree with various aspects of things.... but are almost like family. As an aside, I love Oregon and the Pacific North West and I'm jealous that I don't live there!

 

[NCEast]

One item, and I'm sorry to resurrect it again, but I think the bloody size 10 footprints in the bedroom could have been, and may be, a sticking point for some jurors. I can easily understand that because I don't think the ADAs did a good job of showing an alternative to a 2nd person in the house. This 2-perp possibility is large part due to the size 10's -- and there were indeed 2 sets of footprints in blood.

They need to show the picture of JY's foot with its blisters, red places and the bruise. And they should show the HP next to the Franklin to further show the difference in the actual size of the shoe. "Ouch." They should have the jurors think about wearing a pair of shoes 2 sizes too small for perhaps 30 minutes or so. "What do you think your foot would look like? To me, that takes care of this 2nd person in the murder room, ladies & gentlemen of the jury."

Agree, agree, agree about the too-small shoes. They should have drilled down on that, shown the pictures of his bruised and blistered feet several times, and driven home the idea that he wore both pair.

 

[NCEast]

OT///The last two witness yesterday in the Anthony trial were somewhat elderly private investigators. One was obviously almost deaf and the other mumbled so badly nobody could understand him. I know it's a terribly serious trial but I laughed so hard, especially with the second one, that I wore myself out and fell asleep on the sofa around 9pm. I have not laughed so hard in many years. It was a culmination of stress and worry from both this Young trial and the Anthony trail and almost all of the WS'ers on the Anthony thread needed, badly, the comic relief these two witnesses innocently brought to the trial. If any of you have an extra hour or so, check out the raw video from late yesterday afternoon.....it's better than Who's on First.

 

[jrb0124]

Who do you think should prosecute the next case? And what order would you put them in?

This time it was:

1. Becky Holt
2. David Saacks
3. Howard Cummings

My recommendation would be:

1. David Saacks
2. Boz Zellinger
3. Becky Holt

Why limit the pool to those 4? There are 8 other ADAs just in SC + the DA.

If its that important for them to retry: Willoughby (yes, the DA), Waller, Fitzhugh.

 

[jrb0124]

"I pray to God they retry this case and get a prosecutor with an evidenced passion, with some grit and who sounds like that actually passed high school speech class. "

Love it. She is such a disgrace.

A disgrace to who? you?

You don't think the evidence or lack thereof had anything to do with it?

As it turns out it was a tougher case to try than most anticipated.

You have no idea what was and wasn't discussed in advance of the trial and during the lunch prior to the JY cross. Are you sure you want to put that all on her?

I'm sure BH feels horrible, but to label her a disgrace....?

 

[cody100]

Why limit the pool to those 4? There are 8 other ADAs just in SC + the DA.

If its that important for them to retry: Willoughby (yes, the DA), Waller, Fitzhugh.

I think that CW should try it himself. The buck should stop with him.

 

[happy2binNC]

I posted this late yesterday in the other thread but will add it to this discussion of changes we'd like to see in the retrial. Specifically I'd like to see the state introduce evidence on these points:
- the garbage bags on the kitchen counter/trash cabinet left open
- emails to JLY's sister where he says he hopes there will "never be an arrest"
- any information about this accident JLY supposedly witnessed. There has to be a record of it, and if he was really the "first responder" his name should be in a police report or insurance record somewhere
- more emphasis on the missing clothes. Bring in an expert if needed to show the different necklines. I realize the pros was caught by surprise on that one -- that photo was introduced just before the defense rested
- info on the $2M insurance policy I've heard existed

And also the blisters on his feet related to the possibility of wearing shoes that were too small. Surely there's a foot expert somewhere who can testify about this!

 

[RaleighNative]

Every time I start to write, I go back and delete, as I just don't have the words to express my frustration and sick feeling for what happened today,but I am going to try..........

I have been a lurker and have been following some of your comments since December of 09 and have never stopped following this case from as far away as Oregon all of these years. My heart is broken for Cassidy, Meredith, Linda and all of those who knew and loved her, but mostly for Michele herself and all that was lost in the midst of her "picket fenced" dream turned bloody nightmare.

She did NOT get the justice she deserved today and I am disgusted, outraged and sick that, that monster and his wicked brilliance is potentially getting away with murder! I either listened or watched most of this trial and was actually frustrated throughout. I wanted to jump through the screen and ask questions myself and make points that were either barely touched on or were left for the jury to infer??!!

I don't see how anyone can look at all the evidence and actually believe that there is ANY possibility that he didn't commit this heinous act!

Like many of you, I have looked at all the circumstances (which are abundant), but I won't take your time to reiterate all of it, but a few things that recently really have stood out to me:

-Upon hearing of his wife's unexpected death, JY "dropped to his knees"??? As an actress that would be how I would play that if someone told me that my husband was dead and I was in a production. But in real life if someone informed me that my husband was dead it would actually play like this, "What? What did you just say? What are you talking about? When? How do you know? Who told you? What happened? What?? Give me the phone, let me call him, let me call my house." All followed by getting right back in my car and rushing to his side, if at all possible, even if I decided to retain a lawyer in transit, I would still be desperate to get home to my loved one and have some answers.

ALL missed in his cross examination, imo I would have hammered the unlikely response he had and have asked him point blank why he immediately believed she was dead and dropped to his knees, why he asked no questions right in that moment unless of course he already knew all the answers!!!!!

-Why was Meredith's phone number written on his maps unless he was planning on forgetting the ebay print outs? (also not really hammered in cross either)

-interesting that he decided not to talk to family and friends before he was actually advised by an attorney but told LF that he couldn't talk to her which only shows that HE chose to not talk LONG before he was counseled. And his actual statement to her is a lie, He was not advised to not talk to family at that point, he was simply choosing to not talk to his and her family. The pros began to to down that line and completely dropped the ball and let it go!!! Which all goes to WHY?? Why could you not talk to your loved ones and how could you have the presence of mind to have such a firm plan in the midst of shock and mourning, unless it was indeed planned??

-why was that child untouched in such a violent murder?? (why didn't the pros touch that in cross?)

-I would have inquired about his little nap on the way back to his murdered wife and have asked him why he was so tired???????? I would have been either crying my eyes out, or I would have been the one of the phone and for the avid phone user that he was, why the sudden change and not interested in phoning his friends and her family like crazy on his way home??? Especially because THAT would have been in character and not calling people was NOT in character!!

-I would have asked him if he grabbed those cigarette butts as he was leaving the hotel on his way back to kill his wife to incriminate someone else and to complement his "away on business" alibi???

I could go on for at least an hour and I have not even touched on the most impressive evidence and I am an absolute nobody in this case!! I, as a wife and mother could have cross examined him better without ANY notice, simply because I have been invested and watching for so long!!! 50 minutes was a travesty of justice imo! I bet there were alot of investigators watching that go down and wish they could have had him handed to them on a silver platter as he was to BH and I am sad to say she didn't just drop the ball she threw it back to the bad guy!!!!!!!

I pray to God they retry this case and get a prosecutor with an evidenced passion, with some grit and who sounds like that actually passed high school speech class. JY is smart and savvy, that is why this has been so difficult from the beginning. They need a team of people who can outsmart him and play a little dirty with The King of the Dirtbags if they want to nail him!!!

Feeling really really angry and frustrated, but am hoping he is somehow feeling the same way. With his obvious obsession with sex, it warms my heart that he hasn't even had a hug from his mom and certainly no sex with any pretty stupid girls of recent! That will simply have to do for now and hoping that this will end, as it should: with his nasty and sick *&!@*& self in jail for the rest of his life!!!

Not trying to offend just feeling to need to express something in the midst of this mess!!

Excellent Rockin! You recapped every point which struck me in this trial. I hope the DA's office is reading this forum!

 

[cityslick]

OT///The last two witness yesterday in the Anthony trial were somewhat elderly private investigators. One was obviously almost deaf and the other mumbled so badly nobody could understand him. I know it's a terribly serious trial but I laughed so hard, especially with the second one, that I wore myself out and fell asleep on the sofa around 9pm. I have not laughed so hard in many years. It was a culmination of stress and worry from both this Young trial and the Anthony trail and almost all of the WS'ers on the Anthony thread needed, badly, the comic relief these two witnesses innocently brought to the trial. If any of you have an extra hour or so, check out the raw video from late yesterday afternoon.....it's better than Who's on First.

I've gotten roped into the ICA trial and let me tell you, to use the word 'circus' to describe that trial is being unfair to circuses IMO.

I'd never thought I'd see another spectacle that was the OJ trail. I was obviously wrong.

 

[borndem]

You've all got this down! Wonderful summary. The focus on how unreasonable it is for all of these "happenings" (I refuse to use "coincidence") to occur on the SAME night, is imperative. I'd pay for the shirts if you all want to meet at the next trial and wear shirts with all of the happenings on them? I'd like to be "I throw all my clothes away on business trips". I think GracieLee should be "I know of 153 places to get gas between Hillsdale and Birchleaf". Madeline should be "I saw 50 cigarette butts outside of this courthouse. That definitely means I'm not here". Fran: "You think I should help LE to find my wifes murderer? You came here for THAT?" Borndem "I'd give up my daughter, my assets, and the hunt for my wifes killer to protect myself, too." JTF: wears black tee with white stripe "I have 2 of these. One is with a bat, rings, and size 12 hush puppies in a dumpster." Lastly: BH wears "I'm bad, but someone here is worse."

Haha hope ya'll get a chuckle, and then realize that we should really do this. Ill drive from Michigan. :woohoo:

Bless your heart and thanks, Coinky-dink! I laffed out loud! And we'll be glad to have you down here in Raleigh, NC. Just don't run out of gas on your way down!

 

[cody100]

A disgrace to who? you?

You don't think the evidence or lack thereof had anything to do with it?

As it turns out it was a tougher case to try than most anticipated.

You have no idea what was and wasn't discussed in advance of the trial and during the lunch prior to the JY cross. Are you sure you want to put that all on her?

I'm sure BH feels horrible, but to label her a disgrace....?

It is easy to blame the DA, the judge, the jury, and anyone else who had a hand in this outcome. However, to call BH a disgrace is a bit much. I too am sure she is not happy with the final results of a long drawn out case. I agree that this case turned out to be much harder to try than most thought it would be. I sense that this jury held the state to a very high standard of reasonable doubt. Like it or not, JY apparently won some big points in taking the stand. I bet I know someone else who wishes he had done the same thing. I am betting no one in the DA's office thought JY would take the stand.

I hope the jury talks because we are all speculating on what went on during deliberations. My question is where do we go to get a group of jurors who do not know about this case?

 

[cody100]

I've gotten roped into the ICA trial and let me tell you, to use the word 'circus' to describe that trial is being unfair to circuses IMO.

I'd never thought I'd see another spectacle that was the OJ trail. I was obviously wrong.

I have gotten into the ICA trial as well. You have described it perfectly. There seems to be a new surprise each day.

 

[borndem]

Oh, and one more thing!

They need to call JTF and have them show them their pictures. Show them how to present evidence. Heck, they didn't have a VIEW of the back doors to see how it was impossible for him to have gotten 'TWIGS!' But JTF posted their's here on Websleuths.

And how JTF inhanced the photo of JY with the gloves! I can't believe the pros didn't inhance that photo!

JMHO
fran

Oh yes, Fran, the gloves! Why were there no bloody finger or hand prints of JY in the murder room? (and always call it the murder room, not the bedroom, IMO) Doesn't that prove he wasn't there? He!! no, it doesn't. He wore gloves. One more item in his bag of tricks. Then point out that there were NO bloody hand prints of anyone on the floors or the walls, etc.
Good one, Fran!

 

[azwildcat]

I did not pay as close attention to this trial as I have with previous ones, so forgive me if this is something I should know. But did the prosecution ever introduce the email exchange between JY and MY where J said "I could kill u for not letting me finish the yard work this morning"? This was quoted in the March 10, 2009 warrant.

It just seems to me that a lot of points could have been hit a lot harder.

 

[Just the Fax]

As was mentioned by Dan Boyce last night on WRAL, there remains the distinct possibility of an Alford plea deal for 2nd degree murder (20-25 years). JLY would admit no guilt, but would admit sufficient evidence exists that he could be found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. No way he is acquitted, but I could possibly see another hung jury. I could see the DA accepting a compromise to close the case.