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Joe Friday thought he had seen everything, but Thursday January 29, was a doozy. First in the morning, lots of quibbling among the lawyers with the jury outside the courtroom. I think Spector's attorney won something, but the arm wrestling between DA Alan Jackson & Doron Weinberg just about ended in a draw.
Back on the stand now, Mr Stuart James, remember, he's the the defense forensic science witness that has charged Team Spector $70,000 so far for his "expert analysis". Alan Jackson had this guy on the ropes from Round 1. He shot down material even published in the expert's OWN Forensic Science Book. Mr James responded and admitted , "well that paticular passage has come under some fire".
Alan Jackson is the pro's pro. He just has a way about him that is so believable and then he puts the hammer down. His often funny remarks, along with his down home humor, and good guy style, makes this cat unstoppable. Don't know what they pay AJ, but he desrves a raise.
He still has Mr. James on the stand, and buddy, let me tell you he is getting Mr James to say all the right words...and this is a DEFENSE witness!!! Then Mr Jackson, whips out his new toy, a plum bob. He makes Mr James demonstrate to the enraptured jurors, what happens to blood when it is dropped straight down, as in this plum bob. Brilliant demonstration.
Then the real fireworks begin involving guess who....that's right Ms. Rachelle Spector. The "bad girl" of Room 109 seems like she wants to make this trial disapear, like in a mistrial maybe?
Seems Chelle' was taking pictures in the courthouse again and this time it did not go unoticed. The Public Information officers said Ms Spector was AGAIN observed taking photos in the courthouse and has been told not to by the Judge. Taking pictures outside the courthouse is ok...inside..izxnay on the camera.
Ms Spector NEVER ONCE stood up as the Judge addressed her. ER, Ms Spector, I don't think Judge Larry Paul Fidler is kidding this time. Your butt is going to jail if there is one more incident.
Meanwhile something that rarely happens..PHIL " FREAKIN" SPECTOR WANTED TO SPEAK!!!!
In his low, raspy shaking voice, Phil tells the Judge he has been coming to the court for 2 years now ( Wonder why? ) and has been taking pictures with lawyers, deputys, so called fans, MY SPACE followers, sympathetic wellwishers, and judges ( JF quickly throws in a "not with this Judge " comment).
Spector says he doesn't think it's anybody's bizwack to try and take poor Chelle's camera. (BTW there was a slight scuffle in the hallway as the Public Information Officers tried to inspect Chelle's camera and Phil's body guard acted like he wanted to throw his weight around.) So scuffle, scuffle, scuffle, I want the camera, Rachelle at the same time, scrambling to delete the pictures she just took inside the courthouse ...what a remarkable scene and Judge Fidler is waiting inside and he is PISSSED.
"Mrs Spector, this is the second time with the pictures." Ms. Spector, never stands up to address the court in a respectful manner. She smuggly denies taking the first pictures of the first incident. The Judge says next time it happens, "SOMEBODY'S GOING TO JAIL".
AJ is on a roll. Every question, every answer make this DEFENSE witness sound like he's a prosecution witness.
Next..the camera fight begins.......claws are up in this one AND has anyone noticed that on www.Rachelle Spector.com, the nasty comments about LA's most famous crime blogger are gone? Bout time. It took them about a month to take down. Now, it's an almost a blank page, cept for the Mrs Rachelle Spector headline, and I love my husband...he's innocent...and we've been together for five years, yeah us, blah, blah, blah.. This is such childish stuff, Jeez Louise.
Joe's prediction...Rachelle Spector will soon be spending time in a orange jumpsuit and no blankie......If Phil got up and spoke today...does this mean that he will take the stand in his own defense, as he did in defense of his wife's silly camera? Cmon Phil, batter up!
Badge 714 JOE
Just the facts Ma'am, just the facts...
Ya Gotta give it to Spector attorney, Doron Weinberg. He made defense witness Stuart James actually do a blood splatter 101 class for the entire court to see. Not only that, they brought it the ACTUAL CHAIR LANA CLARKSON WAS KILLED IN!
Mr. Weinberg felt a little drama was due, but one look at Lana's Mom, Donna, and you knew it was gruesome. Ms Clarkson had to put up a kleenex to her face...the actual chair that her daughter was last sitting in. Wow, and guess what, Joe's position in the courtroom is good and I swear I saw a tear run down her eye.
Ok so back to Mr James. He makes $ 250 an hour to give results that favor the truth.
He charges $ 250 per hour plus expenses like airfare, hotel, meals, etc.
He works for the DA's office 20 % of the time and 80% for the defense. Nice averages!
His price so far????Anyone? Anyone?? Bueller?? Ok, he has billed Mr Spector $70,000 so far.
Joe knews this dude James is qualified, but some of the questions he was asked were so lame.
DW: You're a member of the Forensic Scientists or whatever it was , correct?
James: Well, "we haven't actually met in the two years", but when we do, we yippee tie one on. Ok so he didn't say the last part...but "haven't met in 2 years" strikes Joe, odd????
I mean DW was fishing today...trolling the expert for theories....trying to shoot holes in Dr Lyn Herold's conclusions..the only problem..this witness has had training in small cities you may never have heard of. Yes he did work in Tucson, but that's about it.
By the way some individual left the courtroom in a hurry because thier cell phone beeped and wasn't allowed back in . Joe's advice to all the non-pros out there.....Leave youre cell phones out. Later!
Joe
Badge 714
Just the facts ma'am, just the facts....
Court suspended, Ms Truc Do is sick. In an unusual turn of events, today's day in court was abbreviated to little more than an hour of arguments. DW presented points of law that appeared to Joe to be a desperate attempt to persuade the court to allow a "psyche autopsy". Then DW, in another feeble attempt, also stated that Dr Lyn Herold had not been keeping up with her hours, so why should he have to do the same? The Court quickly said, then send me any relevant information about this and I will have it subpoenaed. And that was it.
Man, that In N Out Burger was good……but Joe must tell you that later on in the day, he needed a Pepcid to make it. Lots of chatter around the courthouse about the upcoming site visit...keep your ears to the ground and your eyes on this site.
Holy Moly Joe!!! Opening day for the defense!!!Exciting stuff.! Chelle was there with a few friends and the tension rose as Dr. Lakkshnanan was the first witness to be called. Joe wonders the choice, but Mr Weinberg is Phil's expert!.. Hans Solo..
Phil's hands shake when the jury walks in....Weinberg grills the Dr. (as a good defense attorney should do) and guess what..it took 30, maybe 45 minutues to for Mr Weinberg have the good Dr. agree to the terminology of the location of one speck of blood that was maybe on the inner wrist, outer wrist, dorsal wrist, palm of the hand, center of the hand, ...whatever.....Where does the hand start and the wrist stop..or was it where does the wrist start and the hand stop. I don't know about you my friends, but the last time I saw a dorsal , it was attached to a botlle-nosed dolphin that I saw doing a back flip as I stood watching the sunset off the end of the Santa Monica Pier. Speaking of sunsets...oh never mind.
Court resumes...
Joe's take is , DW is trying to poke holes in the MOD ( Mode of Death ) He tries to make an end run but over the objections of DA Alan Jackson. Stopped on the ten yard line!
It's like trying to basically accuse the Dr's staff of being incompetent.
Suddenly, at one point, the jury was ordered out of the room, Since the end run did not work, a serious discussion followed..END result, the Jury was sent home since it was almost 4PM...I knew the Judge was getting hungry and the jury getting bored..Me thinks..
Joe Badge 714
Just the facts ma'am, just the facts...
More on Tuesday...
News Flash Is this really true?????
From: PHILLIP SPECTOR
Subject: Re: FW: Site visit
Sate: August 9, 2007 7:41:07 PM PDT
To: ROGERJROSEN
Cc: rgabriel, kennybaden, dnacjp, sbrunon, brunonlaw, chelle@rachellemarie.com, michelle@btprods.com, jennifer.barringer, tawni.tyndall
roger: re richard's email below. the prosecution is not allowed to bring anything. i won't allow it. it's still my fucking house. evidence, and exhibits are not prosecution props. and the prosecution will do no leading around. or rachelle and i will join in too. i am warning you now. this is still my house. not the judges. you better take control of this situation or i will. i will not have dickhead or jerkoff running things. or they will run into me. tell me now. or i will have four bodyguards here. not that i need them. i have a big mouth. and nobody with substitute anything for the mercedes. the mercedes is gone. phillip.
Well folks Joe had to check in on another case the past few days. But I'm sure you've kept up with the happs, with all the other good blogs out there, I mean they FINALLY got Dr. Herold off the stand after Spector's attorney bored the jury to tears, and you could tell they just wanted out of the back and forth Herold vs Weinberg repartee'. Weinberg picks up 8 hours of more court time...$$$$
Joe is ready to report Monday. So stay close to your computer, subscribe to our blog and you get all the up to date information.
The San Francisco based Spector attorney Doron Weinberg now gets to show his stuff, but Joe thinks that since he is really the ONLY attorney Spector has ( as opposed to the 6 or so he had last time) DW will be up all night looking to pick the holes....but in Joe's mind, there's not many......we'll see.....
BTW, Joe ventured in to the now famous Westin Bonaventure Hotel and they have concocted a new drink in honor of Phil's $104,000 non-payment that they served The Spector's last week for lack of payment lawsuit. It's called
"I Need Money"(Beatles cover song). You have to taste it to believe it..
Joe 714
Just the facts Ma'am, just the facts
It's Thursday January 15th. Will somebody please wake Joe Friday up??? Dr Lyn Herold the LA. Co. Sheriff's Office senior criminalist is STILL on the stand. One can only suspect that Spector's attorney, Doron Weinberg is working by the hour, because the tedious questions that he asks over and over just get damn boring. Joe needed 2 Pepsi Max, 2 Vitamin Water Energy Drinks just to stay awake. Oh yeah Joe needed a chocolate fix as well, as the peanut M & M's from the 9th floor vending machine kicked in mid-afternoon.
Man Mr Weinberg is like the Energizer bunny...he just keeps charging ahead, tho, mostly to dead end streets. The jury looks freakin' bored to tears and obviously can't wait for the MLK holiday.
Finally Weinberg is OVER, (for now) and the made for TV prosecutor, Alan Jackson, goes back over some of Mr. Weinberg's assumptions. Trust me as I have said before, Dr Herold is asked one question and before she answers, she usually takes a second, composes herself and then gives a detailed explanation that could go on for minutes. Sure somtimes it's a yes or no, but she is unflappable.
Dr. Herold. SHE IS BELIEVAVBLE!
Alan Jackson continues and court is called for the day. Yes Dr Herold will be BACK on the stand next week and then, Joe hears that Lana's mom, Donna will take the witness stand. Last time she was only asked mostly about the shopping spree she and Lana went on the night before her murder. Joe thinks that buying 8 pairs of new, comfortable shoes for her House of Blues gig, is not a precursor or an indication of suicide.
Nor is the fact that she was just hired to do a print shoot in just a few short weeks.
This time on the stand Joe has a feeling she will be forced to testify to more....it's gonna get ugly, trust me on this. As other bloggers have told you, Donna Clarkson attends trial most every day and when the GRAPHIC photos come up on the big screen, she flinches, looks away and every once and a while you will see a tear. If Doron Weinberg presses to hard I guarantee there's a floodgate coming soon.
More from Joe later.....Badge 714
Joe
PS: I think Team Spector needs to go to Facebook rather than My Space, because the last recruitment call did not work. MYSPACE is old news, Facebook is the place.
Hey boys and girls,
Well we're at the Spector Trial today and Spector's attorney finally got Dr. Lynn Herold to say that there is a "possibility" that that because the pantyhose are "elastic" there "could" have been spatter there that FELL OFF during the moving of her body from the scene to the body bag and with the removing of her pantyhose at the cororner's office. Good grief...enough already Mr. Weinberg.
Joe knows you're putting in those long hours but STOP, please.A few more Spector "supporters" in court today, but can they stay for the afternoon break???? GRRRRRR...no more serving of papers, no more cat fights, at least before lunch.Just the facts ma'am, just the facts
More later,
Joe Friday Badge 714 (Roar)!!!
Well folks, Spector attorney, Doron Weinberg, took on Dr Lynn Herold, the lady with the credentials that stretch from here to New York ( Carlyle Hotel )?
Mr Weinberg is to be commended (by his client) as he tried his hardest ( Really hard) to make Dr Herold say, "Couldn't there be an alternative scenario"?
NO!!! She said. Convinced me.
In Joe's humble opinion, it was like a football game in which one team keeps running the ball and gobbling up the clock. One question to the well respected Dr Herold could result in a lengthy explanation that left Mr Weinberg perplexed. I know you tried hard Mr. Weinberg, but I think this round goes to the prosecution, although I will give you the fact that you still will be cross-examining her on Thursday. Joe expects it to go on for a few more days.....really.....AND
Joe didn't see it, but rumor has it that RS was snapping away with her cell phone camera OUTSIDE the Court House. We were told she was taking pictures of a someone as she was leaving the Court House. Notice, I said OUTSIDE. Will she put them up on her site?? let's see...and BTW did she really do what I was told she did?? Joe sure hopes not.
Just the facts, ma'am, just the facts.....
Badge 714 Joe
We wonder if the cameras at the building caught this on tape??????
Prosecution testimony today finished with Dr Lynn Herold. She is a tough cookie and I suspect Spector's attorney , Doron Weinberg, is pouring over right this minute every piece of miniscule portions & inconsistencies about her testimony.
Today, Dr Herold placed Lana in the chair and oriented her head, she placed the gun in her mouth and oriented it to upright, and she placed Spector within 2-3 feet of the gun discharging. The testimony about the gun and the evidence that supports it having been wiped is interesting to say the least. There was evidence of the gun being wiped on all sides: the front strap, right and left barrel, right and left handle, the chamber, the gun sight because all of these surfaces had areas, depressions where there was blood in the lower crevaces, but not on the upper crevaces. She also matched a blood transfer stain on Lana's left hand to blood on the left side of the gun.
Weinberg has his job cut out for him.....That's his job. No doubt, Joe Friday knows the guy is good, but I do not see him winning in a shouting match with Dr. Herold . He can be arrogant, smirk and throws his hand up when a ruling goes against him (and he has been told by Judge Larry Paul Fidler to stop).I think this goes against him and he doesn't have the support like the first trial.
Jeez, how many lawyers did PS have last time, let's see. Cutler came in, shouted, pouted and left. There was Roger "I'm heading to the South of France" Rosen, Chris Phourd, Linda Kinney Baden, Bradley Brunon, and I'm sorry, one of you will have to help me with how many he had.
Not this time...Weinberg is one overwhelmed dude, what with the molestation case in San Mateo looming, plus it looks like he is doing ALL the work here by himself ..but the calvary is coming. How many experts will take the stand for Phil?
Answer coming soon. We hear Donna Clarkson, Lana's mom will take the stand soon. Mrs Clarkson, your daughter was beautiful and loving and you will do well. Stay tough and Mr Weinberg, be my guest, because if you try and tear her apart, you will lose.
A few new people today for Phil but they left. No serving of papers today, no temper tantrums, just another day in a Los Angeles Courtroom...Joe wants the facts and nothing but the facts' ma'am...
Well Joe has told you that the Spector trial is wacky and getting wackier. Well today, the Westin Bonaventure legal department sent a server to Superior Court today to Floor 9.
"Mrs Spector, you've been served". and with that Rachelle Spector threw the papers down in disgust. It is alleged the Spectors' owe the downtown hotel over $100,000 for rooms etc, used by Team Spector at Trial #1. This demonstration was viewed by many people in the hall way during the crowded lunch hour today.
In the courtroom today, GRAPHIC, GRAPHIC Pictures dominated the afternoon session. On the stand Dr. Lynne Herold, LA. Co. Sheriff's Office senior criminalist, blood spatter expert and crime scene analysist. Dr Herold's resume would take me days to type, so let's say she's an expert. In the courtroom, Lana Clarkson's mom Donna, closed her eyes and looked the other way. I could have sworn I saw tears. Phil & Rachelle both stared at the photos, neither flinching at the gore and destruction that one bullet brought. Prosecutor Alan Jackson kept those photos on the screen most all afternoon. He is a brillant prosecutor who passed out pictures and posters of items he wanted to make sure the jury saw. They saw it all. Trust Joe on this.
The morning cross exam was mainly uneventful except Spector attorney, Doron Weinberg kept trying to poke holes in the testimony of Dale Falicone, a 22 year veteran of crime scene finger printing for LA County Scientific Services. Weinberg whined and got that accusatory tone going and made no progress in my opinion. Good try.
Oh yeah, 2 (two) more new people showed up to "support" Phil, but alas they left after the morning break. Oh well, maybe more tommorrow?
Just the facts, ma'am, just the facts
Joe 714
