CrimLaw

Death and the Law:

(1) Eric Rudolph: The Defense has asked for more time than the prosecution had asked for to prepare for trial:

"The government is seeking to kill Mr. Rudolph. ... Our investigation must be exhaustive. ... [I]t is totally unrealistic to expect the four members to review in the five months since their appointment what it has taken the government five years ... to collect, decipher and interpret."

(2) Robert Durst: On the stand Mr. Durst claimed that he did not remember cutting up his friend but he did remember his efforts to clean up the scene. In closing arguments the prosecution claimed Durst planned the killing even though they couldn't provide a rational reason/motive for it. The Defense claimed that the prosecution's case didn't make sense and that "[t]his is an odd situation. It's not a murder situation." There was some interesting evidence excluded by the judge. While deliberating the jury gets a nice meal to start with and then the judge starts to pressure them with crummy food and long hours. The jurors tried to have some of the testimony reread to them but the judge told them they must be in conflict about the testimony before any of it can be read back and told the attorneys she will not actually rule on the request until the jurors have narrowed it.

(3) Scott Peterson: A Defense expert took the stand to testify as to the errors in the testimony and techniques used to ID a single strand of hair found in Scott Peterson's boat. There was absolutely no indication of a struggle when the detective came to the Peterson household to take a report on his missing wife. Further testimony outlined Scott Peterson's behavior during the investigation. Cross revealed that Peterson's hands had been swabbed but the swabs were never tested and that Peterson told them about his gun.

(4) Gary Leon Ridgeway: Mr. Ridgeway was a pleasant client who pled guilty to 48 counts of aggravated murder. And here's his statement to the court admitting each and every murder.

(5) In Illinois they are having problems getting their death penalty system back on track because the governor caved on part of the bill which would hold police accountable for perjury.

(6) The Brits appear on the verge of revamping their manslaughter charge.

(7) Prosecutors in the News: (a) A grand jury chose not to press charges that a prosecutor knowingly used false scientific evidence to convict a man of murder. (b) A prosecutor is sued after evidence was withheld from the Defendant leading to his release 25 years later and the prosecutor holds a press conference to announce he will not retry the matter but has no doubt the Defendant is guilty.

(8) How could they not have been insane when they decapitated children?

(9) Georgia killed James Willie Brown - a man whose own brother called him the Devil's son - for his murder of a topless dancer in 1975.

(10) Arkansas is inducing "artificial sanity" in order to kill a man.

(11) Gotta' give these prosecutors credit - they stood up and told the courts that this man should be freed after 14 years because of things which were done improperly during the prosecution.

(12) Shoot your husband as he walks in the door (twice, once after he is helpless) and you may only get 8 years for voluntary manslaughter.

(13) Order a murder in Staunton, Virginia and you get 22 years in prison.

(14) "A violent loner with delusions of building a "crazy artist" image was jailed for life yesterday for stabbing a young cabaret dancer to death and cramming her body into a refuse cupboard." Life in prison - perhaps even with a mandatory minimum.

(15) The Weird/Sick: (a) Driving four blocks with the man he hit protruding thru his windshield; then dumping him on the street and going to find a phone to call it in. (b) Killing someone with a sword. (c) It took the prosecution 10 months to bring these charges after the body of young boy was found decomposing in a box in his family's basement.