The first day of testimony is over

Man, a lot is going on. It's exciting and interesting. My hand is hurting just scribbling away.
The day is over. This morning we heard opening statements - the state says it will have witnesses that will testify they heard gun shots and saw Jerry come out of the woods, but not Emily. The state says folks will testify that Jerry was not a grieving husband. They will say that Jerry said to a SBI agent that even before Emily's body was found was found he thought she was with Jesus.
The defense illustrated Jerry as an excellent father. He loved his son and his work. In fact, he thought life was work. The defense will say that neighbors heard gun shots often in the woods near the Anderson farm and that it was hunting season. Lisa Dubs said the evidence presented will leave reasonable doubt in the jurors minds and Jerry Anderson should be found not guilty.
We heard from eight witnesses today. The state seems to be going in order of the investigation. The first witness was Jennie Wilson, who has a dinner party scheduled the night Emily went missing. She talked of actions that night. Teresa Ward testified to Jerry coming to the Granite Falls police report to look for Emily. She said Jerry didn't seem concerned, but seemed calm. Deputy Kenneth Bentley testified next. He was the deputy assigned to fill out the missing person's report. He said he took down all the information to give to his communications office. Robert Church and Doug Young of Martin Marietta talked of Emily's actions on the day she went missing - she stopped by the office, sometime between 8:30 and 10 to pay a bill. A copy of the bill was faxed to the Salisbury office.
Tim Wilson described seeing Emily around 7 a.m. the day she went missing. He said she seemed her normal self. She bought a pair of gloves, he said. The day before she was in the Hardware store he operates with his family. She seemed fine that day, not buying any thing out of the ordinary.
Becky Rector a communications officer at the sheriff's office spoke of the actions she took to help find Emily Anderson. She entered her description and vehicle in the national database so anyone who comes upon Emily or the vehicle would know Emily was missing.
Capt. Chris Brackett finished up the day. He will be the first on the stand Monday. He was talking about his steps to locate Emily Anderson the day after she was reported missing. He contacted the cell phone company and family and friends of Emily's. He was working with another detective on the case.
We'll hear the end of his testimony Monday at 9:30 a.m. I'll be back then. I will also have updates in this weekend's papers.

I want to give you a picture of what it's like inside the courtroom. The 16 jurors are sitting on the right hand side, if you are entering the door facing the judge's bench. His bench is sort of catty-cornered on the left. The state is on the right and the defense on the left. There are five rows each on the right and left sides. About three rows on the defense side are folks from Sawmills. Some here to support Jerry. Some here to testify. They all want the truth. On the prosecution side sits Emily's sister and her husband. Also seated there are witnesses and media - although we aren't on any one's side. We're here to learn what happens. The benches are wood. My bottom is started to take a toll.
Jerry is dressed in a blue dress shirt with a tie and khaki pants. He watched intently. He almost looks anxious. I can't begin to imagine his thought process.
Several folks have testified since lunch, including representatives from Martin Marietta and Sawmills Hardware. I will have more details after we recess at 5. Gotta get back.

The first witnesses take the stand

Between 11:20 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. we saw three witnesses take the stand. The first was Mrs. Jennie Wilson. Wilson and her family own Sawmills Hardware. The Wilsons were throwing a dinner party on Dec. 29, 2005, the night Emily went missing. Jennie Wilson testified that she called Emily twice that evening. The state played the messages Wilson left for Emily.
One around 6:30ish said the food was getting cold and to call her (Wilson) back. The second call was around 9:30, and Wilson told Emily on her voice mail she was keeping the food warm for Emily to stop on by. She said she would talk to her later. Wilson never received a call from Emily. She said Emily was planning to attend her dinner party. Jerry, who was at the Wilson home that evening, said Emily was running errands and would be late. When she didn’t show up 30 minutes later, the ladies at the dinner party started calling around. Jerry and another man went out to look for Emily.
Wilson described Emily as friendly and always laughing. She had lunch with Emily and a few friends the day before. She said Emily was normal – laughing and chatting it up with her friends. She also said Emily was at the hardware store the morning of her disappearance. She bought a pair of gloves. The invoice was entered as evidence.

At noon, Teresa Ward took the stand. She is a communication operator for the Granite Falls Police Department. She said Jerry Anderson and a second man came to the police department around 9:15 or 9:30. Jerry asked if his wife had been in any accident. Ward said she called around Caldwell County law enforcement agencies. She said she called Hickory police and the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office and three local hospitals. No sign of Emily. Ward said Jerry did not seem concerned or worried, but calm, she said.

The witness currently on the stand is Caldwell County sheriff’s deputy Kenneth Bentley. He was the responding deputy to the Anderson home Dec. 29 when Jerry reported Emily missing. He asked Jerry and several friends at the home questions. He said he went with Jerry to the couple’s dairy farm to get Emily’s pertinent information. He then said we went back to the office to enter Emily in NCIC – the national data base for law enforcement.

I know I’m writing a lot, but so much is going on. It’s incredible. I would describe it like the Batman TV show that stared Adam West. You know when Batman gets in a fight and it would show POW! in that bubble. Then when the villain struck back it would say WHAM! in that bubble. Well, I’m not indicating anyone is the villain in this, but that’s what it’s like. That state (because it always goes first) will say something. Then the defense has a chance to say something to defend that back.
For example, during opening statements, Eric Bellas said a neighbor heard two shots come from the wooded area were Jerry and Emily reportedly were. Then during Dubs statements she said that it was hunting season and that a hunting stand is in that area and that neighbors hear gunshots all the time. It’s very back and forth like that.

Court continues at 2 with Deputy Bentley back on the stand. The defense will begin to question him. I should be back around 3:30.

Opening statements

The first official day is underway. It began with Eric Bellas and his opening statements. His comments lasted about 10 minutes. He told the jury, of 10 women and 6 men, to listen to the evidence. He says it will not show a grieving husband. That Jerry's actions are not consistent with a grieving husband. He says Jerry and Emily argued the day Emily went missing and folks at the farm can testify to that. Eric Bellas told jurors that a neighbor heard farm equipment going into the woods near their pasture. That same neighbor said he heard two gun shots. He said to pay attention to Emily's life. She was friendly and outgoing. She lived by her cell phone and called friends and family almost every day, but yet, Bellas says, no one heard from Emily after Dec. 29.
Lisa Dubs' arguments lasted almost an hour. She spoke with passion as she told the jurors that law enforcement had a theory that Jerry was guilty and did not look at any evidence that Jerry was not innocence. She told jurors to listen to the facts that no gun was found, no blood sampled and no DNA tested. She said investigators ignored folks who said they saw Emily (often with unknown men) days after her disappearance. Lisa Dubs said if the jurors listen to testimony they will learn Jerry and friends learned that Emily was consulting an attorney; that Emily was unhappy in their marriage - and that law enforcement did nothing. Jerry thought something awful happened to Emily. Law enforcement, even Emily's family, Lisa Dubs said, thought Emily just went away for a while. Lisa Dubs said the jury will hear the evidence and have reasonable doubt and will find Jerry Anderson not guilty.
Wow, folks. This is unbelievable. The attorneys, especially Dubs, are so full of passion and excitement. This isn't like anything on TV. This is for real.
Everyone involved in this case and the nearly two dozens folks here to support Jerry have put their hearts into this. Things are just getting underway. We have a lot to learn.
I'll be back around 1, hopefully, with more information and more time. Gotta run. 15 minutes is almost up.

Let the games begin

Opening statements will begin tomorrow. The final alternate juror was chosen today. The state will begin its opening comments tomorrow at 9:30. Then the defense will have its chance to start. Then, we'll begin to see the state's evidence and testimony.
It's exciting. It's been a long four weeks, but that was expected of both sides. Attorneys are anticipating another four weeks of testimony and evidence presentation.
So, I'm hitting the road. I'll be down there tomorrow. I'll try to blog four times, around 10:30; 1; 3:30 and 5:15. Spread the word. I'm here to tell y'all, the folks who can't be there, what's going on. I'm ready.

Only one more to go!

I just found out from my good buddy Rob Eastwood with Foothills Radio Group in Lenoir that three alternates were sat yesterday. That's really good news to hear. They could possible select the final alternate today. That means opening statements could begin tomorrow! The judge could decide to wait until Monday, but I know they want to get this case on the road! How exciting. We could be hearing opening statements tomorrow!
I don't want to get mine or any one's hopes up. As we know, they've gone days without selecting jurors.
So, come back this afternoon, hopefully I'll know something no later than 7 p.m. Hopefully, I will get in touch with someone and found out what's going on. Hopefully, we'll get to the interesting stuff real soon.

No news

Well folks, your fearless blogger does not have an update for y'all tonight. I have not heard from anyone about how court went today. Maybe I will still get a call back tonight. As soon as I learn something new, I'll post. Sorry.

No alternates yet

Well, no alternator jurors were chosen today. It was a day filled with a lot of questions, but not much progress, but as we've learned, it's a long process. Do you realize we are on week four? Wow. Attorneys will be back at it again tomorrow. The prosecution is currently asking four potential alternates questions - the same questions they've asked sine day 1, such as knowledge of the case and knowledge of possible evidence, including cell phones, farm equipment and computer software. Each side has three remaining challenges.
Whenever I speak with Robert Campbell he says Jerry Anderson is holding up pretty well. Campbell, who has experience defending capital cases, says a trial is a stressful time for everyone involved. I can't imagine. My heart goes out to the families and friends on both sides. I know it's a tough situation, just waiting on an answer. Maybe before the end of July we will know something. It's going to be a hot summer.

We have 12 jurors

Well, ladies and gentlemen we have 12 jurors who will decide Jerry Anderson's fate. Attorneys must now decide on four alternate jurors. I spoke with Robert Campbell today and he is hopeful that opening statements will begin by the week's end. We'll see. Just based on how long it took them to pick 12 (10 days) it just seems like it would be hard to pick four in four days, but I could be totally wrong. They picked five in one day a couple Monday's ago. They could pick all four tomorrow. I don't know. I'll find out tomorrow and try to let y'all know as soon as possible.