Another week comes to an end

Well, folks, another day, another week, and still no word if Jerry Anderson is guilty or innocent of killing his wife. The jurors were told at 5 p.m. to go home for the weekend. Deliberation will begin at 9:30 a.m. Monday.

My heart just aches for Emily's and Jerry's families and friends. Especially, their siblings. All are traveling from Kentucky, if I am not mistaken. I know, at least with Emily's relatives, they have been going back home over the weekend and coming back down on Sunday. What a lot of traveling. I know that can just add to the exhaustion. I notice tissues in hands, somber looks on the faces of many close to the victim and defendant.

For Jerry, this means another weekend in jail. Like I observed, his spirit seemed high today. He just came from his holding cell smiling and talking to his council. Earlier in the week, his attorney said he was doing OK, just ready for the end.

I think we all are, just maybe not quite as anxious as those with personal connections to this case. Well, I will be back Monday. Will the end be then?

Check it out

http://bloginterviewer.com/crime/murder-in-sawmills-jennifer-menster


You might have to copy and paste the link into your address bar, if you are interested.

Jurors ask for more exhibits

Oh my goodness. Is the red light not working? They are saying something is wrong with the buzzer. I've been watching the red light box since 2, literally that is about all there is to do. Just wait.
I've heard folks talk about retirement and taxes. We've talked about horoscopes and what not. Several media folks are on the back row with me. We've all got our lap top computers. My dad the fireman would not be happy with all the wires thrown out like this.

The judge is here... Requesting more exhibits. No verdict. Dang it.
Here's what they asked for: The family photo of Mike, Dee and Emily; photos taken from the Holiday To Go, where Steve Killian testified he saw Emily with another man (mullet man) the day after Emily was reported missing; weather reports, which I assume are from Duncan, S.C.; photos of Emily's sweatshirt; and photos of the office, dairy, equipment and Ray Wilson's property during the Jan. 18, 2006, search of the property.

So what does all this mean? I guess they are still going through evidence and deciding if Jerry Anderson committed this crime. I'm beginning to think, as time goes by (sometimes slowly) and as they call for more evidence, that we might not no anything by today's end. The jurors are getting a 15 minute break. They will return deliberation at 3:45, with an hour and 15 minutes left in the day. We will just have to wait and see. I will blog later.

Deliberation breaks for lunch

Well everyone, I wish I had something interesting to tell you. There is no decision. The only decision to decide upon now is what's for lunch. I heard Western Sizzler and Tequilas (a local Mexican restaurant) discussed among everyone in the courtroom.

We all just wait, still. It's been more than six hours of deliberation now. I am leaning toward a hung jury, but you never know. Most likely if the jurors come back and tell Judge Cayer they can't make a decision, he will remind them of their duty and ask them to come to a conclusion - at least that's what happened in one other case verdict I've covered.

I will try to write something this afternoon. More thumbtacks needed or maybe a stapler or sticky pads. Seriously, hopefully, we will have some type of verdict this afternoon. Despite the seemingly upbeat attitude folks in the courtroom have, everyone seems to be anxious for an answer. Jerry seems positive. He's smiling, talking to his attorneys, sometimes laughing. The last three days, he has sat in between his council. During all testimony, he sat on the outside, beside Campbell.

Well, the jurors are getting the usual instructions - don't discuss the case outside the jury room, do not listen, read or watch any media coverage, and don't have any contact with anyone involved in this case. The jurors look, well nothing, maybe tired, like they are working hard. I bet they are working hard, at least I hope so. This is a big decision. I'm glad there doesn't appear to be any rush to judgment.

No verdict yet, just thumbtacks

Thumbtacks, ladies and gentlemen. For a minute there, I didn't know what was going on. I thought the moment could be upon us. Jerry came back in. The judge came back. But, the red light never came on. Turns out the jurors wanted thumbtacks, and Cayer wanted to put it on the record. Man, my heart started racing. What would you need thumbtacks for? Maybe the large map they have of the Sawmills community? I hope they don't poke each other. "I'm right." "No, I'm right." Poke.

I really hope a verdict comes back today. Do you think they would want to go over the weekend? I don't know, though. It seems they are taking this really seriously. They've been at it since 9:30 a.m. this morning. They went 4 hours and 15 minutes yesterday.

So, everyone is just waiting. Several folks are sitting in here, talking about life, reading the paper and just waiting... Folks are walking the hallways, just waiting. I sit here, surfing the Web, checking my email and working on other stories. Basically, I'm just waiting.

Well, I will be back later. Maybe next time they will go for something bigger like a push pin.

The day's over with no verdict

Well folks, it is 5 p.m. The judge is letting the jurors go home for the day. I guess that means we will be back tomorrow. Will a decision come tomorrow? I hope so. I think we all want to know - probably not as bad as Jerry or Emily's family. I wonder what this means - can they not all agree? I guess not. They've had the case for deliberations for 4 hours and 15 minutes.

This is hard for everyone. It really shouldn't be about sides. Anyone who cares about either of them just wants justice. Everyone involved deserves justice.

You know what I realized. Tomorrow is Friday the 13th. I am not big into superstitions, but isn't that just odd, especially if a verdict comes back. Will it be a curse for Jerry, or will 13 become his lucky number? We'll see. I will be back in the morning.

Break

I wish I had something to tell you. The jurors are taking the afternoon break. After 15 minutes, they will begin deliberation again. I wonder if we will have a verdict today. I want to know something. Anything. Now, the jurors can decide not guilty or guilty, or they can be split and it can be a hung jury. Still waiting... I will write when either the red light comes on or it's 5 p.m. I'm going back to waiting.

Asking for more evidence

Another request - second statement of Jerry Anderson, states exhibits 79-91, folder from defendant, phone books, Shelly Hartley's written phone number list, cell phone records of Emily and Jerry and autopsy report.
However, one statement of Jerry Anderson, the one taken by Det. Bennett, was not entered as evidence. The hand written statement was given to jurors earlier in their first request. Also, Jerry's cell phone records were not entered as evidence. Photos 79-91 are photos of Emily Anderson. The folder is what the defense gave jurors on Tuesday with documents and papers in it.
And, the evidence goes back to the jury room. More deliberation. What does this mean? Are they covering all the bases? Are they deadlocked? Do six believe guilty and six not guilty? We don't know, unfortunately. Only they know what's going on. I will be back later.

red light red light!! i will be back with something soon... verdict or more questions???

Lunch

Hey guys. We are breaking for lunch. The jurors will return at 2. So no worries about missing the verdict over your lunch break. I promise I will try to let y'all know something as soon as I know something. We're just playing the waiting game. At least now we can play the waiting game with food on our stomachs.

The jurors don't look anything. Maybe tired, maybe anxious themselves. Jerry smiled at his family and friends when he entered the room. I'm sure he's ready for the decision more than anyone.

Watch for the red light

The red light just came on. The jurors can apparently press a button when they have a question or a verdict. The judge is here. Let's see... A note that says we are requesting... a list of exhibits - map of sawmills, Jerry Anderson's statement, phone records of the dairy and resident, pictures of the truck at Waffle House and photos from Keith Keen's towing. So the jurors will take those exhibits back to the deliberation room. But first, the jury is coming back right now to explain the Keith Keen photos. They said in the note they wanted the photos and listed the specific exhibit numbers (states 20-37) which are different than the photos of Keen's towing... Let's find out... Turns out they want both - 20-37, which are photos from South Carolina, and photos from Keen's towing - which included the body.

Deliberation is underway

Well ladies and gentlemen, we are in deliberation mode. The jurors just went back to begin deliberation. Wow. This is it, y'all. We could know something soon or something later. You can never tell when a jury will come back. I have no idea. I really don't know y'all. I just don't know what to believe. Why would Emily Anderson not use her cell phone - or for that fact, if it was dead, why not make a collect call to a family member or friend. If she was still alive on Tuesday after reported missing on Thursday, as the Quality Inn employees said they saw her, why not call one person. You would know they would be worried about you. And if she was found in the same clothes she was reported missing in, who wears the same outfit for nine days in a row? Or was it a coincidence she had the outfit on again? And, this doesn't make sense, if Jerry killed her, why report her missing in the outfit he killed her in? And, if he did take her body to Duncan, S.C., how does his cell phone hit towers in Granite Falls at 2:56 and Lenoir around 5? There are so many questions - so what does that mean? Reasonable doubt? I just don't know. I am so glad I'm not a juror. What a hard decision, or maybe it will be easy for them. I think time will tell. I wonder this: Do you think they already have their minds made up? I know they are told not to have an opinion yet, but they are humans. But in that respect, I don't have my mind up yet. I have heard everything. Wow.

This has been great. I know it has been hard, please don't think I am enjoying any one's misery, because I am not that kind of person. I love my job. I enjoyed a different aspect of it by being in court the entire time of opening statements to deliberation. I want to say thanks to everyone who viewed the blog. I want to thank all the commenters. Sometimes I wish we could have been a little nicer to each other. But I appreciate anything commented about the blog itself or me - mean or nice. Criticism is important in my job. But I hope this blog was helpful to y'all - to family and friends who loved Emily but couldn't be here because of distance - and I know there are many of y'all - and to those who love and support Jerry and can't be here, and for those who just are interested in this case. Thanks.

Now, I am going to blog the verdict. Unless, for some reason, the judge says no computers - but he hasn't the whole time - I will blog the verdict as soon as it comes out their mouths. I can't say when, but I will try to give y'all a heads up. It really could be by the end of the day or it could be next week... Like I said, time will tell.

A big question is finally answered

Man! A big question was just answered. Eric Bellas was explaining his case. He said Emily died Dec. 29, 2005. She followed Jerry to the remote pasture and Jerry shot her, twice, once in the front and once in the back. Then, he loaded her into the toolbox and went back to the farm. He asked the workers to clean the front-end loader and wash away the evidence, Bellas said. Then, he had Antonio drove him to the entrance of the pasture with a black garbage bag, not full, but stuff in it, Bellas said. He loads the truck into an equipment trailer and takes the trailer hooked up to the red Ford F350 that Jerry typically drove and goes to South Carolina. He's on the road, Bellas says, between 12:04 and 4:30. He stops at a truck stop, unloads Emily's truck and parks it at the Waffle House. He then drives back to Sawmills, drops off the trailer and fills his 350 up with gas at PD. He then proceeds to the dinner party to go on with his life. Between then and his arrest, he plans an alibi, Bellas says. He tells Antonio to tell law enforcement he was at the farm. He has Jose re-date the oil filters so Jose can say he and Jerry were changing them on Dec. 29 and he worries about Emily's cell phone, Bellas said. Because Jerry got rid of her purse; he got rid of the murder weapon, but he forgot the cell phone, and he was worried it was in the field. That's way, Bellas says, he asked the workers to look in that pasture for the cell phone. There's only one question, Bellas says, and Jerry answered it. When talking to Maj. Stafford before Jerry's arrest, Stafford tells Jerry we have a lot of evidence. And Jerry says, "And it all points to me." Those were the words on Bellas' PowerPoint presentation when he finished just now. So, we finally got an explanation of how Jerry got back from South Carolina. I've been waiting since Jan. 27, 2006, Jerry's arrest, to get some explanation. Interesting...

Well, we took an early break. When we get back, the judge will go over court instructions with the jurors and then they will be handed the case. I would guess within the hour. We will probably still break for lunch at 12:30, but you never know what the judge will decide. I will be back in a little bit.

Coincidence or first-degree murder

Well, folks, we did not finish with closing statements today. Eric Bellas was still talking when the judge recessed us for the day. The jury did not get the case. It will probably be mid-morning tomorrow, but again, that depends on how much longer Bellas talks. He began speaking at 4. He talked of "coincidence or first-degree murder." In fact, he raised 12 points and asked coincidence or first-degree murder. His first point, he said the last time Emily was seen alive was the morning of Dec. 29, 2005. Martin Tellas testified between 9 and 9:30. Antonio Reyes testified he didn't remember the time, but saw Jerry return from the field around 9:40 without Emily. Coincidence or first-degree murder, he asked, as he turned and stared at Jerry. Emily never returns and Jerry asks Antonio to tell the other workers to wash the front-end loader all over. Coincidence or first-degree murder, Bellas asks. At the dinner party, Jerry tells host Jenny Wilson that Emily's running late. He eats. He never calls her again after 5:30. He reports her missing later that night in a blue sweatshirt, a blouse or turtleneck, jeans and brown hiking boots. Guess what's she found in. Coincidence or first-degree murder, Bellas asks. The insurance policy is worth $4.5 million. Some is payable to Jerry, others Carolina Holsteins and lenders. Bellas said it's a win-win for Jerry - he is out of debt and gets money. The prosecution believes Emily died in the wooded area behind the farm, where grass was high and bush-whacked. When Emily's body was found, it was covered with dirt and grass, Bellas said. Coincidence or first-degree murder, he said again.
Bellas will continue tomorrow. Man, what do you believe? Campbell and Dubs put up great points. Bellas counteracts just as strong. It's not my decision to make. I just report what happens in court. The jurors will make that decision - possibly by tomorrow. I will be back then.

Defense just now finished, I'm for real this time

Boy was I wrong. Lisa Dubs just now finished. It's 3:40. I apologize for saying she was done by lunch. So, we will get back together in 15 minutes and Bellas will start. I bet we will not see deliberation today. The judge already said instructions would take 30 minutes. I doubt Bellas' presentation is shorter than 30 minutes. We'll just have to wait and see.
So, Dubs simply has gone over and over the facts of the case. She went over just about every single 39 witnesses the prosecution called to the stand. She mentioned Pyle testified he saw rigor mortis, but Stafford testified did not. "How can you people be completely satisfied and entirely convinced if they are not?" she asked the jurors. She pointed out that Kip Teal, Duncan, S.C., police officer, did not bring his notes when he testified. "Preachers don't go to church without Bibles. Do detectives go to court without files?" she asked. She questioned the decision not to have an interrupter when the Hispanics spoke, pointing out that even some jurors made it known they couldn't understand Martin Tellas. She pointed out that the first words out of Antonio Reyes' mouth were a lie when he did not give his true name.
And in the end, she talked about Jerry. She said Jerry has lost everything he's worked for since he was 13. He sat in jail and watched his farm liquidated. He dealt with not seeing his 12-year-old son and how to deal with that. "He watched his whole life be destroyed by their accusations," Dubs said. She said for the last 9 weeks, this has become the center of his universe. Now, the prosecution wants to make it smaller - an 18 x 18 cell. Then, they want to make it even smaller - the death chamber. She asked the jurors not to do that to Jerry. She asked them to look at everything in the box and know in the end, the state cannot prove murder, she said.
Bellas is up now. We shall see what he has to say to counter almost four and a half hours of defense closing arguments. I will be back around 5.

Correction, correction

Lisa Dubs is not done. She has more to talk about. I am sorry. She kind of paused and we braked for lunch, so I thought she was over, but I just heard differently. Well, this might change if deliberation begins today. Depends on how long she continues and Bellas talks. I better run. I will be back around 3:30.

What a powerful hour

Did Jerry Anderson cry? I am about a good 10 yards from Jerry Anderson, and as I said, it's a packed courtroom. But when Lisa Dubs was giving her powerful closing arguments, I saw, as did my fellow media, Jerry wipe his face. I didn't physically see a tear, but I saw him without his glasses and he wiped his face with a Kleenex. He's not the only one upset, but maybe the most shocking. I've seen very little reaction from Jerry this whole time. So, Dubs was talking about "How is he supposed to feel?" Law enforcement was telling him his wife ran off, that she didn't love him anymore. What was he supposed to do? What was he supposed to tell his son, Matthew? (Who is in the courtroom by the way.) His wife is missing and the people hired, elected, to protect and serve us are telling him Emily left on purpose, Dubs said. A passionate Dubs said how do you deal with that? How dare they accuse you of murder because they think you didn't get (the emotions) right? She questioned the alibi - about the oil filters. She pointed out that Jerry never said in his statements he changed oil filters. The dates on the oil filters were in Jose Garcia's hand writing. (Although Dubs said Martin Tellas, but I think she meant Jose. He testified twice about oil filters.) The fingerprints, Jose's. What a dumb alibi! she said. Dubs told the jurors early in her closing comments that the prosecution can't just throw up a case and ask you to figure it out. She said you have to believe beyond a reasonable doubt. She emphasized that it is the state's job to "fully satisfy" and "entirely convince" the jurors that Jerry did this crime. That it is not Jerry's job. Nor should he be punished or looked down upon because he did not take the stand. The law does not require Jerry to take the stand. The law says the state must prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.
Do you believe beyond reasonable doubt? Are you "entirely convinced" and "fully satisfied"?
The jurors aren't finished yet. At least, they shouldn't have an opinion yet. The defense is complete. Eric Bellas will begin his arguments at 2. I still believe the jury will begin deliberation today. I just don't know if it will be enough time to return a verdict, but we'll see. I will be back.

Closing statements get underway

What a long journey we've had together. Clearly the end is in sight. But it's the journey along the way that counts - Those were Robert Campbell's closing words this morning. He spoke from 9:45 to 10:55. We just braked for the mid-morning break. Campbell talked about pressure - the pressure the sheriff's office was under to solve this case and the pressure to win. He talked about how much evidence was ignored. Investigators ignored the medical examiner's opinion Emily died 2 to 4 days before her body was found. They ignored the phone calls Jerry made from the dairy the morning Emily went missing. They ignored Jerry's cell phone records that said he was in and around Sawmills all of Dec. 29, 2005. They ignored witnesses in South Carolina - not showing Bruce Bomar a lineup until a month before the trial and never speaking with Betty Dillard or Tammy Beltcher. Campbell talked about Roy McNeil's inconsistent testimony and the inconsistent emails he sent to Eric Bellas - one email says there was not hit of decomp on the tractor, a second email says there was a hit. Campbell used illustrations. He talked about things the prosecution wanted "left in the box," such as evidence like the rape kit that was never tested or the weather in Duncan, S.C., while Emily was missing and hair samples found in the truck that were never tested. He talked about the burden of proof and the state has not met that. He said the state has not proven behind a reasonable doubt Jerry did this. He said jurors should find Jerry not guilty. He said it is impossible Jerry committed this crime: Phone calls were made from the dairy in the 8 o'clock hour when Antonio Reyes originally said he saw Emily and Jerry go into the woods. Emily was seen with a man that morning, according to Steve Killian. Her truck was last seen at her house by a neighbor at 9 a.m. Jerry sent a fax to McCombs Oil at noon. He made phone calls that hit cell phone towers in the area throughout the day and he was seen at 4:30 at the local gas station by Walter Moore. It is impossible he got to South Carolina and did all those things, Campbell said.

Lisa Dubs will go next. I figure she will talk at least an hour. I bet Bellas goes (if he even gets started before lunch) into the afternoon. The judge said instructions will take 30 minutes. I still believe the jury will begin deliberation today. Hopefully, I will have a better idea at lunch. Be back then. Jerry just stares forward, listening and waiting. Man, this is exciting. It's a packed house. Every row is full. In fact, the deputies said no one else can come into this courtroom. I think everyone wants to know... Guilty or not guilty?

Jurors will have two options

No second-degree murder. Jerry can either be found guilty of first-degree murder or not guilty. Two choices to choose from. Wow. I was surprised when the judge ruled that the jurors can not consider second-degree. The defense argued that the state did not put up any evidence to show second-degree murder. Bellas said second-degree should be considered because jurors might say Jerry did not deliberate before committing the crime.

Other than that, in the last 30 minutes, the judge and attorneys discussed all the instructions he will go over tomorrow. Tomorrow will be an interesting day. The defense will go first in the morning. Both Dubs and Campbell will give statements. Then Bellas will give his closing arguments.

Oh I better mention. The defense did ask to dismiss the charges again. But Cayer denied the motion.

I will be back in the morning. I bet I have a lot to say. It's coming...

The defense rests

Since 11:25, jurors passed around photos, boxes of evidence and records the defense presented as its evidence. The jurors didn't show much reaction. They would look at something and then write down a note in the note pads they've kept since the trial began June 8.

The defense rested at 12:30. The prosecution said it has no further evidence. The judge told the jurors they will hear closing statements tomorrow and will get the case at some point. Could we hear a verdict by tomorrow? There is no way to tell how long deliberation will take.

I actually will be back this afternoon. The attorneys and judge are going to have a charge conference at 2 - I believe that's when they will determine the charges and how to explain them to the jurors tomorrow. We'll see what Jerry possibly faces.

I will be back at some time.

Evidence presented to jurors

Man, my computer is going slow this morning. I bet it's getting tired from all this turn off and turn on from the last month. Anyway, it's been a semi-slow morning, but of course important, as everything is in this trial. The defense is in the middle of showing its evidence to the jurors. First, the jurors saw a folder full of evidence, including a letter from Dee Watson to Jerry, receipts from Saw Mills Hardware, a fax to Martin Marietta, an e-mail from Roy McNeil to Eric Bellas, two statements of Tammy Beltcher, a missing person's report and the Emily Anderson missing person's flier, just to name a few. Jurors began looking through the documents at 9:50 a.m. Some finished before others. All were done by 10:50 a.m. Right before this break, Dubs went over some more exhibits that's about to be passed to jurors. Those include the rape kit, phone books, weather report from Duncan, S.C., metal fragments from the bed mat from the truck, plastic chain links found at the spot where prosecutor's believe Emily died, photos from Keith Keen's garage, a box of hairs collected from the crime scene and tons and tons of photos, including the Anderson home, bumper with red paint, Dr. Marks' work and the dirty sheet.

Jerry looks down and reads something. Sometimes he stares forward, bouncing slightly in his chair. I bet he is getting anxious. I have a feeling the end is near. The attorneys just wait. the defense seems to be doing some type of research or preparation. Those in the crowd just wait. It's a small crowd today. Some watch the sketch artist - I do, too, a little bit. What a talent. I can't draw a straight line. He's excellent. Some folks whisper. Some read the newspaper. We all wait.

Remember, today is a half day, so we will finished up in the next 75 minutes. I will be back around lunch.

Another early day

Has the defense called its last witness? Will we hear closing arguments tomorrow? Will the jurors reach a verdict this week? Will found out next time. Same bat time. Same bat channel.
(Sorry, flashback to Adam West as Batman.)

Seriously, though, we are done for the day. The defense finished up with Jonni Joyce. The attorneys had a bench conference with Judge Cayer, and the jurors were sent home until 9:30 a.m. tomorrow. The judge said after the jurors left that the attorneys need to prepare evidence to pass to the jurors. The defense could possibly call another witness or so. The prosecution has the opportunity to call rebuttal witnesses - that was said in court just now so I know that is true. Then, Judge Cayer said something about a charge conference, when himself and the attorneys will discuss instructions to give to the jurors. We know closing statements will come sometime before deliberation. The question is when is all this going to happen? Sooner or later? Tomorrow also is a short day. One the jurors has a doctor's appointment tomorrow afternoon, so Cayer agreed to recess for the day at 12:30 tomorrow. This week might be the climax of this whole thing. How exciting.

So, Joyce remained on the stand for another 45 minutes. She talked about the video the sheriff's office took of McNeil and Kiser's search. Joyce viewed the video. She said it is inappropriate for a dog to perform multiple alerts at the same spot. She said then the dog is only alerting for a reward. She also said it wasn't proper to have a dog search an area already known to be a crime scene - in this, Kiser searched the toolbox and truck where Emily's body was found. She said that is only training. And she pointed out in this case did not alert at the toolbox until McNeil stood over the dog, which she says is cueing the dog to alert. On cross-examination, Joyce said dogs have a very well-developed sense of smell. She said a dog can alert to 1 ccs of liquid - about the bottom of an average cup - and 15 grams of weighted cadaver material. However, on re-direct, Joyce said it wouldn't matter how big or small of an amount of decomp there was considering the time frame of the crime (Dec. 29, 2005, in this case) to the search (Jan. 18, 2006) and considering it rained several times in between and it was windy the day of the search, Joyce testified. Joyce also testified during cross-examination, she herself hadn't done a cadaver search since 1998. She now makes her living off training handlers and dogs and teaching seminars and making public speeches.

Well, I will be back tomorrow to find out what's going on.

Witnesses' testimony tries to refute cadaver dog handler

The defense has called two witnesses since our mid-morning break. Both are here to disprove Roy McNeil's testimony - or at least his expertise as a dog handler. Wayne Buford is a dog handler from Missouri. He works with FEMA, and was involved with the Katrina aftermath. He met Roy McNeil in May 2006 when McNeil came to help with recovery of bodies. On May 11, Buford gave McNeil's dog Kiser a test to make sure he qualified to search for bodies in the Katrina aftermath. When told the work, Kiser walked away, Buford testified. When told to search again, the dog again walked away, Buford said. Then, Buford said McNeil told him they had been traveling all night and Kiser was tired. Buford gave him the rest of the day to rest. The next day, McNeil was assigned with two other handlers who tested him. Buford read off a report that McNeil and Kiser were sent home because of failure of a second test and complaints from other handlers. Buford said McNeil was later argumentative and belligerent. Bellas asked him two questions on cross-examination. Buford confirmed he was not aware McNeil and Kiser had been driving all night before the first test, and Buford said he was not present for the second test the next morning.
Jonni Joyce retook the stand after Buford. This time she testified to her knowledge and experience with dog handling and training in front of the jurors. She originally spoke in the mini-hearing to try to disprove McNeil as an expert witness. Today, she told jurors about her years of experience with K9s and handlers. She talked of ways to train a dog. She said proving graves is not a proper way to train a dog (remember, McNeil said he did that). She also said there should be only one alert (remember, McNeil's dog has several, such as sit, lay, paw). And she harped on the importance of records, to help train your dog, go back and correct problems that arise and illustrate your dog is properly trained (remember, McNeil testified his records were destroyed in two rain storms. He said what he brought to court were his memories.)
The defense is still questioning Joyce. Then the defense will get a chance to cross-examine. We'll see how many more witnesses the defense has to call. Could you imagine this could all be over by the week's end? I don't know, though. We'll just have to wait and see.

A busy morning

What a busy and interesting morning. First thing this morning, Dubs said she expects to be done with evidence presentation either today or tomorrow... Ohhh, that means we could hear a verdict this week. It'll just depend if the prosecution has any more presentation (I think they get another opportunity, maybe someone can answer that), the length of the closing statements and the deliberation. I wonder how long it will take the jurors to decide.
So, this morning we've heard from four witnesses. Bill Ramsey was the first on the stand, briefly. He simply talked about Emily's miniature horses and the search the night she went missing. In his opinion, Jerry was concerned Dec. 29, 2005. Sandra Smith was Jerry and Emily's hair dresser. She got a laugh out of the jurors, crowd and even Jerry. She told of a story when Jerry and his son Matt came to get their hair cut. Matt asked her about color hair gel and wanted her to put some in his dad's hair. Jerry agreed. He walked out of the salon with either blue or green, she said, spiked hair - well as much as Smith could spike it. Jerry it bald on top, with reddish hair around the sides and back of his head. Smith also testified she did Emily's hair on Dec. 28, 2005. She touched up her roots, Smith said. Emily had pretty blonde hair. Smith also did her hair for the funeral. Smith said Emily's hair was darker than when she did it on the 28th. What does that mean? Did Emily die her hair darker or did it have something to do with her trapped in a toolbox? Bellas did not cross-examination on either of these witnesses. He asked the next witnesses just two questions on cross-examination. Teresa Hart, a former manager at PD Grocery on Sawmills School Road, saw Emily almost every morning, including Dec. 29, 2005. That was an odd morning, Hart said, because Emily was all dressed up. She was in khaki pants, a tucked in shirt, a belt and brown loafers. Usually, Hart said, Emily would be in work clothes. Hart said she asked Emily why she was dressed up, and Emily said she had errands to run. She confirmed that statement during cross-examination. Our final witness to take the stand this morning was Paul Reeves, an expert in thermodynamics and energy modeling. He reconstructed the toolbox temperature - inside and out - and the body temperature. He said the temperature inside the toolbox was about the same as the outside temperature after two days. He said it was impossible to make the body colder. During cross-examination, Reeves said he did not consider but two layers of clothing when Emily was wearing four.
I gotta get back. I will return around lunch.