And the State has rested its case.

6/20/2011 1:06:57 PM

^ so judging from what you've repeatedly posted (and the fact you/no one has posted any new evidence that was revealed), do you think he should be found 'not guilty?'

6/20/2011 1:56:52 PM

My opinion is that there is likely enough for a jury to vote guilty, and have the conviction stick (i.e., not appealed). I personally would want a little more if I were on a jury, but the reality is--most jurors don't understand "reasonable doubt" and really want the defendant to prove he's not guilty. I see holes in the timeline. It's a 2 hour 40 minute drive (at a minimum, 3 hours at most) to and from the hotel to the Young house. He's seen in the hotel at 11:59pm. And he's back before 5:30. That's cutting it quite close for me. I don't see the gas station attendant as 100% believable. I'd put her maybe over 50%, but that's not really enough to convince me. No cameras, no receipt, no *proof* it's actually him. No blood, fiber, or bodily fluid transfer. But they also didn't find his clothes (and they actually looked). The shoe print match is pretty compelling. As is the computer evidence. Unless the defense has some pretty good explanations for the above things, I'm just slightly over into the guilty category.

[Edited on June 20, 2011 at 2:22 PM. Reason : Not that my opinion matters in the least bit... but you asked.]

6/20/2011 2:04:15 PM

Quote :

" It's a 2 hour 40 minute drive (at a minimum, 3 hours at most) to and from the hotel to the Young house"

169 miles? i don't know how that could be considered a 3 hour drive at that time of day. why couldn't he average 80 or more for a good portion of it and make it in less than 2:40? Isn't the speed limit 70 through much of the trip anyway (meaning he could probably average near 85 without being accosted)? Heck the cop says he can make it in 2.5 hours...so maybe faster if jason had of sped more.

Quote :

"And he's back before 5:30. "

I haven't paid *that* close of attention to this case, but where is it shown that he was back at 5:30? I thought the receipt for the gas purchase shows him in King at 5:37am?

Quote :

"shortly before 11 p.m. on Nov. 2, 2006, after stopping for gasoline in Raleigh and dinner at a Cracker Barrel restaurant, Spivey said."

did they ever do any analysis on the mpg of his vehicle, and if he had of made that drive back to raleigh, approximately where he would have had to stop for gas on the drive back? that should be easy enough to determine if he filled the tank in raleigh.

also did he or his lawyer ever offer any explanation for the disappearance of the clothing he was seen wearing leaving the hotel?

Quote :

"Oh, and he also tracked blood around the house after the murder with shoes he bought on his rewards card, then those shoes mysteriously disappeared (although they found at least one pair of other shoes he bought that same day.) He replaced the shoes he used for the murder on Nov. 7th, four days after he killed her, with a pair that look almost exactly like the pair he used to murder her (different brand, but same style leather men's casual slip on.)"

Is this all true, as far as the shoes go (obviously not asking about him doing the killing)? i've heard most of that before, but didn't know he had 'replaced' the missing shoes with another similar pair 4 days later. has he offered any explanation on where those shoes went?

Quote :

"Spivey said he checked the surveillance camera records at the Hampton Inn. The camera in the west stairwell goes black at 11:20 p.m. on Nov. 2 (when someone unplugs it in the back). It is turned back on at 5:50 a.m. on Nov. 3. At 6:38 a.m. that morning, Spivey testified, the camera is discovered pointing at the ceiling."

Never read this before. So maintenance dude plugs the camera back in (noting that an incident like that had never happened before), presumably leaving it pointing in the proper direction, then at 6:38 it is discovered pointing at the ceiling? When was it shoved towards the ceiling....or did maintenance dude leave it like that?

Quote :

"The shoe print match is pretty compelling."

When looked at as a whole (shoes that weren't widely sold used during murder, jason's are lost, he buys similar ones 4 days after murder)...it sure is. Who goes shoe shopping 4 days after their wife is brutally murdered?

Quote :

"Unless the defense has some pretty good explanations for the above things, I'm just slightly over into the guilty category....Not that my opinion matters in the least bit... but you asked."

So I can take all that text as a 'yes' then right?
I just wanted your opinion since you had said a number times that there isn't enough evidence for you to say he should be convicted (and you're very knowledgeable about the case)

Quote :

"Also, pretty sure I heard a guy testify this morning that there were at least 3 bloody fingerprints found that were exact matches to jason young"

This was posted earlier in the thread...I'm assuming that it isn't accurate right?

6/20/2011 2:41:21 PM

I haven't followed this case outside the occasional thread skim. What is the computer evidence?

6/20/2011 2:54:18 PM

I'm not following this case as closely, as a disclaimer.

Quote :

"169 miles? i don't know how that could be considered a 3 hour drive at that time of day. why couldn't he average 80 or more for a good portion of it and make it in less than 2:40? Isn't the speed limit 70 through much of the trip anyway (meaning he could probably average near 85 without being accosted)? Heck the cop says he can make it in 2.5 hours...so maybe faster if jason had of sped more."

I just got this from the Prosecution witness who testified today. No idea on accuracy.

Quote :

"I haven't paid *that* close of attention to this case, but where is it shown that he was back at 5:30? I thought the receipt for the gas purchase shows him in King at 5:37am?"

This is one of those discrepancies in the timeline I was referring to. The video camera they discovered was pushed up in the hallway of the hotel, that they are blaming Jason for, was discovered AFTER they discovered it was unplugged, and sometime before 6:00. I thought they had said 5:30. That means he would have had to push the camera up when he went back INTO the hotel.

Quote :

"did they ever do any analysis on the mpg of his vehicle, and if he had of made that drive back to raleigh, approximately where he would have had to stop for gas on the drive back? that should be easy enough to determine if he filled the tank in raleigh."

If they did, they didn't present it. If they did and it didn't fit their theory, we will likely hear it from the defense.

Quote :

"also did he or his lawyer ever offer any explanation for the disappearance of the clothing he was seen wearing leaving the hotel?"

They haven't presented their case yet, so we'll see I guess?

Quote :

"Is this all true, as far as the shoes go (obviously not asking about him doing the killing)? i've heard most of that before, but didn't know he had 'replaced' the missing shoes with another similar pair 4 days later. has he offered any explanation on where those shoes went?"

It is true that they've tracked down the shoe purchase on a rewards card, and that those shoes are the most likely match for a set of bloody footprints. But there are two different style footprints in the house. He did buy a different pair of shoes that looked very similar. But that doesn't matter to me--he's locked out of a house with all of his shoes, I'd buy new shoes too if I needed a pair.

Quote :

"Never read this before. So maintenance dude plugs the camera back in (noting that an incident like that had never happened before), presumably leaving it pointing in the proper direction, then at 6:38 it is discovered pointing at the ceiling? When was it shoved towards the ceiling....or did maintenance dude leave it like that?"

This is why I said 5:30. I thought it was discovered at 5:38, but I guess it was 6:38, which makes the timeline more plausible (if this is accurate). And they are going to say Young shoved it towards the ceiling to avoid detection on his way back in (from behind, before it gets him in view).

Quote :

"When looked at as a whole (shoes that weren't widely sold used during murder, jason's are lost, he buys similar ones 4 days after murder)...it sure is. Who goes shoe shopping 4 days after their wife is brutally murdered?"

Again, this doesn't bother me that much. If all I had was one pair of business dress shoes, and the rest were quarantined in a murder scene, I'd go buy a new pair too.

Quote :

"So I can take all that text as a 'yes' then right? I just wanted your opinion since you had said a number times that there isn't enough evidence for you to say he should be convicted (and you're very knowledgeable about the case)"

I'm not knowledgeable at all about the case, so please don't take my opinion as golden. I will say that you can NEVER guess what a jury is going to do.

Quote :

" "Also, pretty sure I heard a guy testify this morning that there were at least 3 bloody fingerprints found that were exact matches to jason young" This was posted earlier in the thread...I'm assuming that it isn't accurate right?"

That's definitely not accurate. IF that were accurate, I would be 100% in the guilty camp. His fingerprints were found in the bedroom that he slept in. They were not bloody fingerprints. Whoever did the murder was wearing gloves. There were also Michelle Young's fingerprints (not bloody), Meredith Fisher's (not bloody) and a few other unidentified (not bloody).

Quote :

"I haven't followed this case outside the occasional thread skim. What is the computer evidence?"

There were a few searches on his computer that predate the murder. They don't have an exact time for the search, because it was deleted. Things like "anatomy of a blackout" and "blunt force trauma" and "strangulation." He'll likely argue it was work related, or anyone in the house could have searched it, not just him.

[Edited on June 20, 2011 at 3:16 PM. Reason : ]

6/20/2011 3:15:28 PM

Quote :

"This is one of those discrepancies in the timeline I was referring to. The video camera they discovered was pushed up in the hallway of the hotel, that they are blaming Jason for, was discovered AFTER they discovered it was unplugged, and sometime before 6:00. I thought they had said 5:30. That means he would have had to push the camera up when he went back INTO the hotel."

The camera was presumably unplugged at 11:20pm when it goes black, found unplugged at 5:50am, and discovered pushed up at the ceiling 6:38am. So I don't think the prosecutions timeline has him back at 5:30am, just sometime before 6:38am (assuming maintenance dude didn't leave it pointed at the ceiling...which wouldn't make any sense).

Quote :

"And they are going to say Young shoved it towards the ceiling to avoid detection on his way back in (from behind, before it gets him in view)."

was there any way he could gain entry to the building without a camera being on it? I wonder if the prosecution had to deal with that point (him pointing it up while re-entering) during the trial...guess if he had it back before 5:50 he wouldn't have to worry about it...or if he had set up some way of re-entering. did he have a ground floor room?

6/20/2011 3:45:42 PM

No ground floor room. And he could enter the building without the camera, but just a few feet. It pointed down the hallway, instead of out the door. So, walk in, push it to the ceiling, and then continue walking to the stairwell to get up to his room, is the visual I got from the testimony.

Mama Young is on the stand now.

[Edited on June 20, 2011 at 4:24 PM. Reason : ]

6/20/2011 4:04:34 PM

Quote :

"He called Michelle Young's sister later that morning and left a message for her to stop by his house to retrieve some printouts he said he left concerning a belated anniversary gift for his wife."

Was this ever fully explained? Why would he need printouts in the first place? If you're buying something on ebay, you just buy it...printouts??? Did her sister testify as to what Jason said when he asked her to get these printouts? Without a solid explanation it just appears that he wanted someone to take care of his daughter (and obviously discover)

6/21/2011 9:32:58 AM

The explanation in the opening statement was that Jason wanted Meredith's opinion on the which purse to buy, and Meredith testified to this. But why print out? Why not send a link?

6/21/2011 9:35:36 AM

What about the medicine dropper in the daughter's bedroom with traces of pain killer/sedative. Its hard to believe a random break in/robber would sedate a 2 yr. old child. Seems like that/gas station/shoe evidence/hotel camera/missing clothing should be enough to sway the jury in my opinion. Best you can do I guess w/o firm dna evidence @ the scene.

6/21/2011 9:38:39 AM

Quote :

"But why print out? Why not send a link?"

Eesh yeah that's pretty weak. He could have sent a link or he could have described to her how to find it online.

Did you watch the mom's testimony? help or hurt?

6/21/2011 9:39:02 AM

The "print out ebay/amazon receipt" excuse is super weak. That was someone who was worried about his daughter sending someone in to find the crime scene.

Also the fact that only the ring/jewelry box was stolen is solid circumstantial evidence. Especially with his former fiance testifying that he ripped the ring off of her at the wedding in texas.

6/21/2011 9:43:43 AM

^^Neither. His Mom is always going to be, his Mom... And frankly, I don't care how awesome he is if he's guilty, or how horrible of a person he is, if he's innocent. So I, in general, don't care for character witnesses as a rule.

6/21/2011 10:00:59 AM

^agreed....this is pretty ho hum testimony. Its already been stipulated that he loved his daughter, and that he was a funny, good hearted prankster.

Although I guess the prosecution got their chance to call witness after witness for how bad a guy he was, so the defense deserves the same latitude

[Edited on June 21, 2011 at 10:22 AM. Reason : .]

6/21/2011 10:11:30 AM

After watching the Cooper trial, there's no doubt this guy is going to get convicted.

6/21/2011 10:13:53 AM

Mom, Step-Father, and now sister. I think they should have started to hammer at the evidence instead of starting out with character witnesses...this would appear desperate to me as a juror.

6/21/2011 10:54:08 AM

Quote :

"Why would he need printouts in the first place? If you're buying something on ebay, you just buy it...printouts???"

I'm definitely not saying this is the reason in this particular case, but I've often seen people (usually older) that are taking their first steps in getting familiar with a computer print nearly everything they come across.

I could do without a printer altogether, but them grannies love to print.

6/21/2011 10:56:06 AM

I am betting michelle young's sister wants to punch this bitch.

The 911 operator told her to have the daughter leave the room, and she did pretty much everything she could in shock, with an ice cold body, in a giant pool of blood.

^also this was a tech savy 30something year old that traveled for business. I see your point, but its far from applicable here.

[Edited on June 21, 2011 at 11:14 AM. Reason : .]

6/21/2011 11:14:05 AM

Apparently Jason was "sobbing" in the courtroom today. Wonder how that affected the jurors.

^Also, I don't think criticizing Meredith is coming as a surprise anymore. She's been blamed pretty badly by the defense, and she doesn't handle it well. She's slightly suspicious herself.

6/21/2011 11:24:45 AM

^^How tech savvy is Meredith though?

6/21/2011 11:48:36 AM

I saw this in the WRAL comments:

Quote :

""For the first 10-12 hours neither family knew it was a homicide, but Jason still didn't answer any questions." java323"

is that true?

6/21/2011 12:40:06 PM

^I wouldn't say 10-12 hours. I think for the first few hours, they weren't sure homicide or suicide or natural causes (heavy bleeding due to miscarriage or something). But by the time Jason arrived in Raleigh, he was called by a friend who said "You need to lawyer up before you come to the house." He didn't immediately lawyer up, but he didn't speak to the police without a lawyer first.

6/21/2011 12:41:40 PM

what friend?

6/21/2011 12:49:09 PM

Ryan Shaad (sp?).

Also, newspaper delivery person from the morning of the murder now testifying for the defense. She said she saw a light colored mid sized SUV (white/silver or yellow in color) at 3:30 or 4:00 parked in front of the house.

[Edited on June 21, 2011 at 12:57 PM. Reason : ]

6/21/2011 12:54:30 PM

This is what Shelly Schaad, Ryan's wife said on the stand:

Quote :

" Initially Schaad said she was not troubled that Young wanted a lawyer present before talking with police. She and her husband had told him they had briefed investigators about his rocky marriage. But she became suspicious, she said, as time went on and he still didn't talk with investigators. "

http://www.carynews.com/2011/06/10/v-print/38169/michelle-youngs-friend-tells-of.html

I can't find anywhere that Ryan Schaad told him to lawyer up, was this said in the court room? And is there a record of the Schaads calling him before he had informed the police he wasn't going to talk to them without legal counsel (search warrant says Young told them this while he was coming back to Raleigh with his parents after being informed of his wife's death)



oh and I don't know if it's been posted before but here's the search warrant
http://dig.abclocal.go.com/wtvd/youngwarrants.pdf

[Edited on June 21, 2011 at 1:31 PM. Reason : he not be]

6/21/2011 1:31:04 PM

^Testified to in the court room today. He's also in the court room, so he'll probably be called as a witness. Apparently he got a call from Ryan, who said lawyer up. They pulled into an Applebee's parking lot, and tried to find an attorney. Couldn't. Cops called and asked where he was. His Mom told the police he wasn't speaking with them until Jason got an attorney. Then they went to the house, and he refused to speak, but did not have an attorney at that time.


[Edited on June 21, 2011 at 1:43 PM. Reason : more detail.]

6/21/2011 1:42:08 PM

thanks! I wanna listen but I can't right now.

6/21/2011 1:42:57 PM

Actually, it might have been the tail end of yesterday (or the very beginning of this morning). Either way, WRAL will have the videos you can go back and watch.

6/21/2011 1:44:43 PM

So since the newspaper kid was called by the defense, I'm guessing the description of the SUV didn't match Jason's vehicle? What exactly did Jason drive then?

6/21/2011 1:59:27 PM

actually, the SUV looked suspiciously like a canoe, and it had some ethernet cables dangling off of it

6/21/2011 2:00:51 PM

That's what I can't understand. I thought he drove a white mid-sized SUV. (like Ford Explorer size, right??). And she described a "light colored SUV that's smaller than an expedition, medium sized, could have been blue, silver, yellow, or white."

I don't see how that rules him out. It is odd that it was at the front of the house (couldn't remember if in the street or on the grass, but parallel to the house). I think he would have pulled all the way into the garage for secrecy, if it were him.

^And you aren't listening. Clearly that router is in a lake, or hiding under some leaves for a jogger to trip over and get tangled in the ethernet cords.

[Edited on June 21, 2011 at 2:03 PM. Reason : ]

6/21/2011 2:02:17 PM

Vehicle coming out of driveway at Young residence that morning at 5:15am. Two people in the car. Bigger than a station wagon, "soccer mom type car" big and elongated, not a sedan. "Face turned away as she went by them. Caucasian man driving the car, she could tell by his hands. She thought the passenger was a woman, because of the thick and bushy hair. Thought they were a couple, not certain that the passenger was a woman."

Wow. This woman seems very credible. This could be that reasonable doubt.

[Edited on June 21, 2011 at 2:20 PM. Reason : ]

6/21/2011 2:17:24 PM

Quote :

"I don't see how that rules him out. It is odd that it was at the front of the house (couldn't remember if in the street or on the grass, but parallel to the house). I think he would have pulled all the way into the garage for secrecy, if it were him."

Calling that witness wasn't smart for the defense was it.

6/21/2011 2:44:00 PM

Actually, if you watched the last witness, it was brilliant. This last witness may have just pushed reasonable doubt into the scenario. And when you combine her with the newspaper delivery, it means there were either 2 vehicles at that house that night, or the same white SUV was there at 5:30 still. Either one screws up the prosecution theory, if believed.

[Edited on June 21, 2011 at 2:50 PM. Reason : ]

6/21/2011 2:49:44 PM

Missed the last witness, will rewatch that as soon as it is posted, but the first paper lady said she saw a vehicle, I think she even said probably a minivan parked across the street from the Young home. Now if some people came out of the house across the street and got in the van, maybe they needed to turn around in order to exit the street- after all if you continue South on Birchleaf it does dead end.

Are the motions, etc going on now in preperations for the judge to charge the jury?

6/21/2011 3:00:30 PM

Jury isn't charged I don't think until after the closing statements. There were some stipulations to fact (price of gas at the gas station on that date) and a statement of a witness who could not be in court to testify that was stipulated. Now the defense is introducing exhibits that were not admitted during the prosecution's case and publishing them to the jury. Likely, closing arguments tomorrow morning, and the jury will begin deliberations around lunch time.

6/21/2011 3:02:23 PM

Jason Young, ON THE STAND NOW.

6/22/2011 9:41:55 AM

I dont know why but he gives me the creeps....

If I was on the jury and he was talking to me like that..... creepy feelings

[Edited on June 22, 2011 at 9:46 AM. Reason : seriously talking about going to the bathroom... ]

6/22/2011 9:44:58 AM

I think he comes across as slick and well trained. I mean, you're supposed to look at the jury when you talk--that's what you're told to do. But usually defendants aren't so *good* at it.

6/22/2011 9:47:05 AM

Will he start blinking????????????

6/22/2011 9:56:37 AM

Now that you say that, I can't NOT see the blinking.

6/22/2011 9:57:16 AM

He's blinking like a mofo

6/22/2011 9:59:09 AM

omg holy blinking batman!




[Edited on June 22, 2011 at 10:03 AM. Reason : awesome drinking game though]

6/22/2011 10:00:09 AM

Damn buffering is awful today.

6/22/2011 10:16:16 AM

I lost the feed for about 5 minutes....I am guessing more folks are watching today.

6/22/2011 10:21:15 AM

Didn't want to buy Carolina Blue outfits for his son.

6/22/2011 10:22:24 AM

Did you see how the blinking changed when he asked about throwing the remote?

6/22/2011 10:28:16 AM

^I'm not watching the feed, just listening. What did I miss?

6/22/2011 10:28:56 AM

A lot of discussion about the first pregnancy, picking the house, then onto the arguments that they had some more.

6/22/2011 10:30:36 AM