trial thread; 3/6/2012

[matou]

Ready for day 2. Rafferty is in the prisoners box, Heeney has also arrived.

https://twitter.com/#!/AM980_Court

 

[maxfactor]

Despite one of the most massive police searches in the province’s history — 900 cops involved — Tori’s body would not be found until July 19th.

It was not by accident or even a veteran investigator’s hunch, as originally reported by the media.

Police had obtained a court order to retrieve phone records from Rafferty’s BlackBerry, court heard.

OPP discovered that Rafferty had used his BlackBerry to check voice mail at 7.47 p.m., April 8, with that call pinging off a cellphone tower near Mount Forest.

http://www.thestar.com/news/article...etails-of-slaying-revealed-as-case-opens?bn=1

900 cops!!!! That's just unbelievable! I bet some of them are still looking for the things they didn't find.

 

[matou]

Delay was related to a Facebook posting that someone claiming to be relative of juror.

WTH??? https://twitter.com/#!/raffertylfp

 

[~n/t~]

London Free Press ‏ @RaffertyLFP
Delay was related to a Facebook posting that someone claiming to be relative of juror

London Free Press ‏ @RaffertyLFP
Judge Heeney explains reasons for why courtroom was cleared yesterday

 

[matou]

Jury entering the courtroom.

https://twitter.com/#!/AM980_Court

 

[maxfactor]

If Rafferty used his own hammer and bags (or if TLM did), the bags could be traced back to their homes and Rafferty would have to explain where is hammer went KWIM? With the purchase of the items, they could be used once and dumped. JMO

I also have to wonder if it took a while for him to talk TLM into helping him with this. Maybe something that day made her finally go along with him.

 

[~n/t~]

London Free Press ‏ @RaffertyLFP
Facebook poster was later found to be connected to perspective juror

London Free Press ‏ @RaffertyLFP
Posting said juror made disparaging about Rafferty. Jurors shown Facebook foot of poster No one recognized poster



Whew! Not one of the current jurors!

 

[matou]

London Free Press ‏ @RaffertyLFP

Facebook poster was later found to be connected to perspective juror

 

[Kamille]

I agree that buying the hammer indicates premeditation - I'm just curious about at what point the 'plan' was formulated. That they stopped for gas, for money at an ATM, at Home Depot for hammer/garbage bags (which as AG correctly points out would have been available in most homes) hints that it may not have been planned until last minute, once they had Tori - so perhaps more of a crime of opportunity - as opposed to picking up a little girl (or Tori specifically) with a plan already in mind. Or that perhaps MR was not aware of 'the plan' until things were already in motion.

MR drove past the school three times. Now we don't know what those times are yet but the fact that he did and then parked in the nursing home waiting for TLM indicates a plan to me. What I'm not sure of is whether the plan originally included murder. At what point was the decision made that Victoria was not going to be returned home?

And as has been pointed out by the Crown, it doesn't matter who made that decision and who carried it out as long as they were both there and it was carried out together. I think the evidence will show that they were both there.

MOO

 

[matou]

Not a single juror recognized the photo or name of the person on Facebook. Turned out the person was related not to a juror but to someone..

Facebook msg said that the "juror" had made disparaging comments about Mr. Rafferty. Judge showed Facebook to all jurors

https://twitter.com/#!/AdrianMorrow

 

[~n/t~]

London Free Press ‏ @RaffertyLFP
First witness is Jennifer Griffin-Murrell Tori's Grade 3 teacher - 8 years at Oliver Stephens in Woodstock

London Free Press ‏ @RaffertyLFP
The "Oliver Stephens" chapter - Tori's school -chapter of testimony begins Crown Attorney Brian Crockett leads

 

[matou]

Crown lawyer Brian Crockett has called Jennifer Griffin-Morrell to the stand.

https://twitter.com/#!/AM980_Court

 

[matou]

#Rafferty - sorry typo, last name of teacher is Murrell

 

[matou]

#Rafferty - Recess. math. Computer lab. Lunch, recess, art, this was what Victoria did at school on her very last day

https://twitter.com/#!/citycynthia

 

[robynhood]

OMg I feel the same my heart sickens with each tweet that I read and this the horrible details on this thread....I can hardly imagine how Tori's Parents feel sitting in that court room listen to such Horrible things that occurred during Tori's finally hours ....It saddens me greatly that such a beautiful young child would have had to endure such horror!

I want to give Tori's Parents strength to get thru thsi and I am like all of you here ....waitING FINALLY TO SEE justice DONE FOR OUR SWEET angel.....i CAN ONLY WISH WE COULD HAVE GONE BACK IN TIME AND hAD AN AMBER aLERT IN PLACE ....WISHING THAT ....ontario could have found her and rescued her from that horrible day ....I cried my eyes out that night as it was announced that a (9 year old girl Tori Strafford was missing....NOW may JUSTICE please be served!.....as we can never turn back that clock ....R.I.P our sweet little ANGEL !....robynhood!

 

[paris_paris]

MR drove past the school three times. Now we don't know what those times are yet but the fact that he did and then parked in the nursing home waiting for TLM indicates a plan to me. (snip)

MOO

Always disturbed me that Tara was at the nursing home that day. If I recall correctly, she'd only left there shortly before all this happened.

So many "what if's".

 

[matou]

I'm very curious about what Rafferty said about Tori after the murder and before he was arrested and who he talked with about Tori.

 

[matou]

#Rafferty-Tori's teacher explaining layout of school, what door students exit at end of day - door at side. Jurors shown photos of school.

https://twitter.com/#!/citycynthia

 

[matou]

She was discovered wearing only her Hannah Montana T-shirt and the butterfly earrings she had borrowed that morning from her mother, Tara McDonald, because she was going to christen her new bedroom in her mom's new house by hosting a movie night for some young friends.

"Excited by this prospect," Gowdey said, "Tori dressed up for school that day" and to make the outfit complete, McDonald allowed her to borrow the earrings.

Read more: http://www.windsorstar.com/news/Pai...d+meant+harm/6255909/story.html#ixzz1oLqiX6u7

 

[matou]

#Rafferty fidgets, purses lips. ‏ @CityCynthia