Saturday, September 27, 2014
Good evening:
Crane and I are safely out of Kentucky and settling in at a new location that we are not going to identify due to continuing concerns about our safety. We still do not have ongoing reliable access to the internet, which is why you have not heard from us recently. We hope to have that problem solved within the next few days.
The most interesting incident today occurred when Judge Healey dismissed Juror #4 because of an article published in Folio Weekly titled, An Interview with a Dunn Jury reject.
Leslie Coursey at ActionNewsJax.com has the story,
A former Folio staffer who was a potential juror but did not make the final cut heard the juror criticize State Attorney Angela Corey during jury selection, according to Folio.
Here’s the quote from the Folio article:
“A 400-pound white schoolteacher who was sitting by me really hated [Corey’s] humor, and made the joke that ‘she would have a hard time proving to a court that I am fat; there would still be reasonable doubt.’”
The Folio writer confirmed to Action News at 12:35 p.m. that it was his article that led to the dismissal of juror #4.
The juror is a white male.
There are two black jurors.
Rhonda Rourer testified today, sobbing as she did before. In the unsurprising-news department, she is no longer engaged to Michael Dunn.
The trial, which is being live-streamed, will resume on Monday.
Ken Lescalet.
Yes! Corey was overheard to say maybe two witnesses.
Note surprise to Rouer,
Q re: did you tell defendant to leave gun in the glovebox at hotel?
NO!
Dunn also claimed that the gun expert was wrong about the 6+ lbs of pressure needed to fire his weapon. He says you can do a (snaps his fingers quickly) double tap technique of ‘trigger control’ where it’s half that pressure. Pull it once, then you only have to pull half the amount of effort. Duh. What’s he thinking.
Court back in session:
Defense will resume. And now side-bar re defense says state needs something.
Next state witness(es) if any will be to counter what Dunn claims, ie he didn’t now recall telling Rouer that he said “I hate that thug music”. And the key statement to Rouer that in Dunn’s newer version, he told her about seeing the gun.
(he’s been trying to discredit Rouer all morning, subtly, but trying)
Telling, that Dunn stated today, that self-defense is self-defence, whether he called police right away, or later the next day.
John Guy ended with questions about Dunn’s permitting requirements, his required knowledge of gun use and Guy ended with the regulations that Dunn would have had to know that if you have to discharge your firearm, the regulations say ‘call 911’ (whether or not you hit someone or something, it’s what you are taught is the rule).
Morning break, back at 11:20 EST.
Audio stayed on after cameras shut off, and Ms. Corey seemed to be speaking about another witness, ‘maybe two’, (can’t say for sure) but she did I’m sure, say ‘she’s here’.
Rhonda Rouer may be back.
In testimony, Dunn detailed the gun, saw something “metalic…. patina”, saw a barrel like object, thought his ‘stick’ idea to LE was a poor choice of word, you know, 2 hrs of sleep and all that.
The FCN Livestream link if anyone needs it:
http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid3160175235001?bckey=AQ~~,AAAACCo2HcE~,Xq6bv4z8O3Vaj6UDZnmOMh7Nt3neOJAb&bctid=2160442444001
Michael Dunn taking the stand at this time, he’s getting the little talk from the judge and will take the stand momentarily on his own independent decision.
Thanks for the running commentary, TO and everyone, didn’t watch that live. Will watch this part later, and btw, anyone count how many side bars (called by Judge Healey with court reporter) in as many of parent’s flying friends?
The good judge was not tolerating the slick bait and switch questions of the defense. Would love to know what the judge was telling the defense lawyers. Finally, the defense left the courtroom to collect the last witness, probably to warn her about mentioning the ‘last trial’.
Day ended in a multi-witness Wipe Out!
What he say’s doesn’t makes sense, how could the door be opened yet the dowels line up with the door being closed. But he’s saying that the window is out because the door was open makes no sense.
With Knox now admitting he read med examiner and crime scene reports, Guy now backshim into a corner on whether Knoxhole saw any crime scene errors or medical examiner errors. He’s saying “no” essentially — screwing up face to suggest a skunk smell. Were he to say yes, Guy would ask Wat exactly.
Sidebar now ….defense doesn’t like how things are going. Guy wants to know when Knox was first contacted on the case.
Knoxhole admits he hasn’t read depositions of the three kids or others.
Guess that didn’t come within the $6,500 his company got paid for this lunacy. If Dunnster had more bread, he might have taken the time.
Guy: “So what part of his torso was outside the car.”
Knox writes his report based on Jordan being outside the vehicle or at least partially outside.
Guy tearing Knoxhole a new one on cross. ,,, Have a feeling he’s just getting started.
I am hoping that the state has a rebuttal to him, because they sure didn’t do a rebuttal in Zimmerman case. And any fool can see this as is twisting truth & grasping at straws with a whole lot of ” if this than that” remarks.
Here comes Michael Knox — that asshat from the Zimmerman case.
Love the way Dunn started to do a Roto-Rooter on his left ear during a sidebar, but then apparently thought better of it and stopped.
missed that. gack!
Very glad that I missed it!!
I think Team Corey has been doing a great Job – with Corey being very thorough and precise in her direct and redirect.
Special high-five for Ms. Erin Wolfson. By taking sworn statements from Ronda Rouer and Mr. Atkins on day-1, Ms. Wolfson literally locked them in and put Ronda on a leash she cannot force off her neck without getting seriously hurt. Smart lady who thinks very far into the future! Definitely a go-getter!
Agreed.
Motion for judgment of acquittal re 1st degree murder – Denied!
The Court reasoned that:
• No time limit required for premeditation (case law)
• Defendant said “you ain’t going to talk to me like that!”, then proceeded to
• open the glove of his car
• get his gun out
• un-holster his gun
• cocked his gun and
• started shooting.
These more than meet the preponderance of evidence standard required to send the case re 1st degree murder to the jury.(I think that there is more evidence of 1st degree murder and hope that Corey will dig deeper during closing arguments).
Are they seeking the death penalty or no?
Let’s hope they nail him on 1st degree murder. I have no info as to whether or not Prosecutors will be seeking anything more than a life sentence if he is convicted on 1st degree murder. I would prefer to see Dunn die in jail – gradually.
I agree on hoping they nail him on 1st degree murder. Let him rot in prison and from there to hell.
‘no” DP
Thank you.
No, Corey said the death penalty is not on the table.
State has rested its case in the case of the State Of Florida vs. Michael Done ….eeh…Dunn
Here’s more on the dismissal topic from News4Jax, but still doesn’t address my question on how Judge Healey learned about the Folio piece.
From report:
On Saturday morning, a juror in the retrial was excused because of a quote in a Folio Weekly article criticizing State Attorney Angela Corey that the juror said during jury selection.
According to the article, Richard David Smith III, a prospective juror and former Folio writer who was part of the jury selection process, relayed a quote from a man who made it onto the jury. According to the article, the quote reads, “A 400-pound white schoolteacher who was sitting by me really hated (Angela Corey’s) humor, and made the joke that ‘she would have a hard time proving to a court that I am fat; there would still be reasonable doubt.'”
That juror was described as a white man who is married with one young child. He is a teacher who has lived in the Jacksonville area for 44 years and has many friends in law enforcement. He was dismissed.
Smith said he was surprised to get a knock on his door from a Jacksonville police officer, who escorted him to the trial Saturday morning. Smith said Judge Russell Healey asked him to explain what Smith told Folio Weekly.
“It probably made his day,” Smith said of the juror who was dismissed. “He was saying — and this was on record to everybody — he was concerned about missing the football games this Saturday. So he probably owes me a beer at this point.”
Smith said he didn’t tell anyone about the juror’s joke sooner because others, including law enforcement, heard the remark, and Smith figured one of them would have said something if they thought the joke was that serious.
Smith also said everyone had opinions about this trial, and the judge was aware of that.
Healey said he excused the juror, erring on the side of caution to make sure Dunn gets a fair trial. He said the juror was very apologetic, saying he took this trial very seriously, and was concerned about how he may have disrupted the proceedings.
Wonder who brought the Folio piece to court’s attention. This slam at Corey and the subsequent dumping of Juror #4 — apparently a white male mysoginistic asshat — seems like a godsend break for the prosecution.
It was a person who was summoned for jury service, but was not selected for the pool of jurors for the Dunn retrial.
Thankfully the word conscience comes to mind. Most of them would wait until it’s over then sell their story the the National Enquirer or something.
Not the Enquirer’s kinda thing.
Unless I’m seeing this wrong, though, the white male obese juror was criticizing Corey essentially for her failure in the Trayvon Martin case, and in that sense, what he said was not only spot-on accurate, but quite possibly a sign of a real critical thinker there. Might be he would have been a wonderful juror, using actual data to form logical conclusions, and all like that.
No, Fred, that’s not what I meant. I know who (a rejected prospective juror) wrote it. I’m wondering who brought the Folio piece to the judge’s attention. Corey’s team? Healey’s pals? By some stretch, the Defense? Even if the courthouse was buzzing on Friday …. who exactly, said “Hey, Judge … “
Judge Healey speculated early today, for the record, that the two prospective jurors/juror both went public with media interviews, and he commented that the media apparently knew about all this even before ‘we’ (the court) learned about it.
Bet the media notified someone, maybe the prospective juror the third, did it, as he was obviously making a point to vet this guy later than never.
Thanks, ay2z … that sheds additional light.
No, Fred, that’s not what I meant. I know who (a rejected prospective juror) wrote it. I’m wondering who brought the Folio piece to the judge’s attention. Corey’s team? Healey’s pals? By some stretch, the Defense? Even if the courthouse was buzzing on Friday …. who exactly, said “Hey, Judge …
I thought it was interesting that when the defense objected to Rhonda being asked if she were still in a relationship with Dunnster. Healey sustained it before reversing himself to overrule.
Of course surprise, surprise, not only are they no longer engaged, they no longer “have a relationship.” Guess this means may no longer be sending her drink recipe instructions from jail.
I was wondering as well why Ronda Rouer wasn’t asked if Dunn said he saw a gun.
Actually she makes me sick and IMO they deserve each other.
Whiny sniffling idiots.
The parents had to sit through a trial and listen to the horrendous testimony of the death of their child and the kids who witnessed this didn’t get up there and act like this fool Rouer.
I believe the prosecution won’t because it give Duuhhhnn a defense. If the state brings it in, they open his door, now he doesn’t need to take the stand to say that crap, oh, and I was so scared…….
Now he has to take the stand for the mere mention of an alleged gun, or stick, as he said in his police interview, to be made. As of now, he has nothing for a defense. His lawyers opening statement is not evidence so the jury can’t even say, well she said on the 1st day he was scared because he saw…….
The state will recall Rhonda if he takes the stand and says he saw a gun, she’ll say, he never even mentioned it to me, at least until he said, Ummmmm hun….I need an excuse, er, an alibi so tell them…..
The state is playing it a little smarter this time.
I hope you’re right and I’m wrong.
malisha — remember, she was the rebuttal case last time? this is the same way they played it before, forcing dunn to take the stand.
Caution, this is on a playlist. It’s the juror issue, 3 minute clip.
sorry, playlist links aren’t selective. Go to the source and find ‘day 3 Juror Issue’
Looks like Dunn couldn’t keep “the love of my life” from jilting his sorry ass while he was in the slammer. On top of everything else he’s STUPID.
Did anyone notice the question not asked of Rouer this time? Is the state holding a card back for later? Perhaps to contradict the defendant directly.
Q: Did your fianceé say he saw a gun?
A: (last trial) No.
Maybe state plans to bring back this tearful fool for a grand finale with that pertinent question. It’s truly a killer question and and if she doesn’t say “no” this time, she’ll be opening herself up to perjury charges.
If state doesn’t bring her back to ask, I’ll be fearing a fix.
A fix as a possibility. Let’s not go there until if and when it goes there. Might have to be suspiciously superstitious about John Guy’s repeating to this jury, about using their hearts and guts to decide the case, they may not know how to handle it– again this time.
I nominate Gerrie Nels for the cross of Dunn, if Dunn dares!
I second your motion.
Oops, I smell a rat.
She should have been asked if he mentioned seeing a gun. That is NOT something you “hold back.” Now I am extremely suspicious of the prosecutor being in on another fix. Perhaps the deal was, “we’ll let you keep your conviction for attempted murder (until the appeal) if you hand us an acquittal on the real murder.”
Does not look good. Stinks already.
Malisha, it’s the same prosecutor!
I listened to the cross examination of the lead investigator. I swear the defense attorney was flirting with him.
that is because there is no testimony yet on record saying that dunn saw a gun and that needs to come from dunn.
remember, last time, rhonda was part of the rebuttal case? we need dunn’s testimony first.
Best wishes for your safety and sanity in your new home!
I’ve watched only the testimony of Rouer and Jordan’s friends so far. Both seemed equally as emotional to me now as they did the first time around. It’s hard to guess what verdict the new jury will settle on. As always, I hope that Jordan’s parents will have justice their justice at last and will find peace.