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Post by Scumhunter on Aug 3, 2022 5:33:59 GMT -5
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Post by Scumhunter on Aug 3, 2022 5:48:13 GMT -5
Also surprisingly the sexual abuse allegations against Yaser are being allowed at trial. I'm glad the Judge allowed it, since it shows his pattern of alleged abuse and control, just surprised it was since Sarah and Amina recanted. (They were forced to but unfortunately legally on paper the charges were dropped). I'm glad to see this since I would have predicted it wouldn't be allowed and I would have been wrong lol.
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Post by phishakid10 on Aug 3, 2022 6:34:56 GMT -5
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Post by phishakid10 on Aug 3, 2022 6:36:14 GMT -5
I can't tell you how much I hope this trial somehow gets charges brought up against Tissie... SO far the testimony is revealing her as an accomplice without question
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Post by Scumhunter on Aug 3, 2022 6:40:13 GMT -5
Like I said in the past, I feel Tissie is at the very least morally just as responsible and in my opinion criminally responsible as well, my worry has always been whether it can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt in court. If the trial leads to charges great, if not its unfortunate but I do feel she's been suffering in other ways with all the negativity surrounding her.
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Post by phishakid10 on Aug 4, 2022 7:03:30 GMT -5
So just a quick sum up of the first two days of trial in case anyone is interested but haven't tuned in... First we had a couple of motions that were basically police report related having to do with Edgar Diaz, and his father following Yaser and the girls moments before their murder. There was questions on if Erik was in the car too, who was sitting where, etc.... Openings Statements were interesting, the state's were brief and right to the point in an attempt to leave an element of surprise to their revealings during trial. The defense went up there and are using Said's muslim culture/background living in a post 9/11 world where the government treated people of his ethnicity unfairly and all as suspects. They went on to said Tissie hasn't told the same story more than once, and would basically incriminate herself and harm the State's case (which I can def see), and got warned for blending opening statements with closing statement before the close of trial. The State took exception to the Defense revealing what the State would try to uncover during trial (witnesses, culture specialists, etc.).
Witness #1 for the State was Officer Williams who was the officer who responded to the missing persons call once the kids and Tissie fleed to Tulsa. This testimony was merely to establish demeanor of Yaser the night/morning of the event. Officer Wiliams recalled Said as being "cold, not very concerned, and controlling". Witness #2 is Aunt Connie who is Tissie's younger sister who they had lived with for a time. This woman looked the even part of nervous and scared on the stand. For anybody who has watched the material out there on this case, Aunt Connie is very outspoken about the decisions her sister made as a mother. She was very emotional and timid with the State's line of questioning which was straight to the point, and broke down after viewing autopsy photos. Now it's the defenses turn to question and Aunt Connie wasn't so shy anymore. She would become argumentative at times, and ultimately proved the defense case here that she had no first hand factual knowledge of anything. Almost everything in her testimony fell under the legal definition of hearsay, which is a shame. Witness #3 is Sgt. Wragg who was the officer attempting to locate Tissie, and received the call from her stating she was ok. Not much to unravel here, quick testimony. Witness #4 was Caitlyn Rogers who was Amina best friend. The State was trying to prove how unconventional the home life of Amina and Sarah was here. How they couldn't date, socialize with friends after school etc. The defense attempted to turn that narrative to Yaser wanting the girls to concentrate on school and not boys, and was just an over protective parent. The State won points here in my opinion. Witness #5 was Mrs. Hopkins who was a teacher of the girls. In her testimony it was revealed that the girls had confined in her on many occasions about the unrest conditions, and abuse that went on in their household with their father. Then the first bombshell of the trial takes place where an email Amina wrote to her teacher days before being murdered is revealed and read out loud. Amina writes to keep this information confidential, but due to their fear of their father killing them for dating american boys and rebelling against their culture of arranged marriage they planned on running away. She begs for the help and advice of her teacher on what steps to take next. The defense asked if their were any records of previous talks with the girls and Mrs. Hopkins insisted that she had a chain of command and relayed any contact to the counselors at the school. Long story short for one reason or another these records don't exist, and Mrs. Hopkins got heated and defensive through this line of questioning. It almost seemed to me like she had def been carrying quite a burden on her shoulders for years, felt bad for her personally.
Witness #6 was Erik Panameno who was Sarah's boyfriend, and honestly the best witness for State on Day 1 in my opinion. He came off geniune, heart broken, and like someone who lost his soul mate. The guy told his story PERIOD, and wouldn't stretch in his answers. He would say I don't know, or I don't recall to the defense's line of questioning. Everything he said was completely aimed towards the fact that he cared about Sarah and her safety and was willing to do what she asked of him to keep her safe. LOVED THIS GUY. Day 1 ends with the States questioning of Edgar Diaz who was dating Amina at the time of her death and was a crucial participant in fleeing the state with the girls. He tells his story as well and Day 1 ends fine but the defense gets ahold of him to start Day 2 and he doesn't do himself or state any favors so stay tuned.
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Post by Scumhunter on Aug 4, 2022 8:57:51 GMT -5
I appreciate the break down and amazing details but respectfully this feels at times like we're discussing how the Washington Generals can beat the Harlem Globetrotters. (And we don't know if people will agree with your assessment or not on who scored points or won with certain witnesses). We're trying to create drama where the fact remains- Sarah and Amina said on the 911 call their dad shot them. They were in his taxi. He fled right afterwards.
I will of course gladly eat crow here but there is no way on God's green Earth Yaser is getting found not guilty. If he does, the DA's will replace Marcia Clark and Chris Darden as the worst of all-time.
This isn't a self-defense argument case.
It is still interesting and I appreciate you watching for us.
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Post by phishakid10 on Aug 4, 2022 9:10:47 GMT -5
Day 2 recap... I just want to note that I am shocked how argumentative to rulings Judge Anyiam is allowing the defense to be. There were a good three occasions during Day 1 where a legit argument broke out and the defense was coming off almost condecending towards the judge....
Now before I go forward let me explain as clearly as possible that the defense is trying to create the narrative that Edgar Diaz was driven by his father to follow Yaser and the girls the night of the murders and in a fit of jealousy killed both girls. So keep that in mind please and also recognize I do not share that opinion. I am merely relaying information for you all.
Edgar Diaz takes the stand to start Day 2 for cross examination. The State tries to grill him about allowing Tissie, Eric, and the girls his fathers truck, Where Tissie found the money to take the trip, Storing Tissie's car in his parents garage, and signing the lease for the apartment found in one day in Tulsa. He handles this line of questioning pretty well in my opinion. They then go into asking if he knew Amina was in constant contact with her ex boyfriend Joseph throughout his relationship with him, including calling him 1 day before returning to Dallas. Edgar replies that he had no idea and didn't invade her privacy like that. Amina stays the first night back at Edgars and doesn't return home but Tissie shows up the next day and "forcefully" removes her from Edgars home. So the defense really grills him about how he would do everything he did but allow Amina to forcefully be taken from his home by her mother. Also revealed was a picture of a text Edgar received from Sarah to Edgar telling him to have Amina call mom. There's alot to unpack here, he also admits to noting his steps after it was recommended by an Officer during the initial investigation. Edgar goes on to say after Amina is taken by Tissie, Amina tells him he failed her. Edgar says "after that what can you do, my dad convinced me we had to move on with our lives." so Edgar and his father go to the police station to bail out a family member from jail. This is where they (in Edgars words) Coincidently end up behind Yasers cab moments before the murders, but he goes on to say he did not follow them the whole way, but turned off onto a different route after a few minutes. He is asked if he was at all questioned during the investigation, he says once. He is asked if he was ever asked to be printed, to deliver a DNA sample, or checked for residue, and he says no YUP, can't make this stuff up! I am just wondering what a person with no knowledge of this case once so ever would take from this testimony. Edgar got argumentative with the defense and constantly say "That's a question for somebody else, not me" in response to some questioning. He didn't do the State any favors here, and we still have Tissie's testimony coming eventually.
The next witness was Detective Kevin Hubbard who took the 911 call from Sarah the night of the murders. This excruciating tape is played three times for the jury. Yaser gives no real reaction but mannerisms his ears a bit. It will be interesting if the jury interprets him covering his ears during the call, or trying to hear it more clearly. So it's revealed that Hubbard was just taking overtime this night and did not have training on dispatcher protocols nor could he identify anybody on the recording which made the defense attempt to eliminate this evidence, which let's be honest is the most damning evidence the State really has. Bombshell number 2 happens here, they have two versions of the tape, the original and one with transcripts on the bottom. The one with transcripts on the bottom is the one used so the jury can read along with what is being said on the tape. The State wants Detective Hubbard to say exactly what is on the screen the first time, but he doesn't. In fact when the defense asks him what is being said after the first playing he says all he hears is "I'm dying, I'm dying". It's not til the third playing that Detective Hubbard says I hear "My dad shot me, I'm dying, I'm dying". So the defense calls him out for reading it off the screen and not actually hearing those exact words.
Officer Rocky Causey took the stand next who was the officer asked to check the residence after the murders for a welfare concern. Quick one with not much substance here.
After Technical difficulties we return to a long time employee from the hotel being questioned. He gives the layout of the crime scene with pictures, and also furthers the conversation of how dark it was, and how easy it would be to not be seen if you knew the layout well.
Next up is Officer Bracey who was the first to respond to the crime scene. He basically lays out the fact that the girls bodies weren't located for almost 2 hours after the call. The defense asks him if anyone from the apartments across the street were interviewed, Bracey says no. Same question about the hotel Staff/Guests, Bracey says no.
Next is crime scene investigator Steven Hazard who goes through the scene and pictures taken from the scene which included shell casings and a magazine full of the same bullets. This testimony was mostly done to make sure things are done by proper policy and protocol measures. It was also discovered during this testimony that due to the projectiles of some of the shots the murders were not committed where the car was found. I found this interesting because as far as I have known in following this case it had been assumed that Said pulled up to the cab lot and that was where the shootings had happened. They go through the evidence collected where it is revealed that 3 different types of shell casing were found in the vehicle. Next the reconstruct the back seat of the vehicle for the jury to see. And that's it for Day 2... The defense will get to cross exam tomorrow
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Post by phishakid10 on Aug 4, 2022 9:13:39 GMT -5
I appreciate the break down and amazing details but respectfully this feels at times like we're discussing how the Washington Generals can beat the Harlem Globetrotters. (And we don't know if people will agree with your assessment or not on who scored points or won with certain witnesses). We're trying to create drama where the fact remains- Sarah and Amina said on the 911 call their dad shot them. They were in his taxi. He fled right afterwards. I will of course gladly eat crow here but there is no way on God's green Earth Yaser is getting found not guilty. If he does, the DA's will replace Marcia Clark and Chris Darden as the worst of all-time. This isn't a self-defense argument case. It is still interesting and I appreciate you watching for us. I appreciate your input and I don't at all mean at all to word anything the way you have taken it... I want this guy found guilty as well trust me |
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Post by Scumhunter on Aug 4, 2022 9:16:28 GMT -5
I appreciate the break down and amazing details but respectfully this feels at times like we're discussing how the Washington Generals can beat the Harlem Globetrotters. (And we don't know if people will agree with your assessment or not on who scored points or won with certain witnesses). We're trying to create drama where the fact remains- Sarah and Amina said on the 911 call their dad shot them. They were in his taxi. He fled right afterwards. I will of course gladly eat crow here but there is no way on God's green Earth Yaser is getting found not guilty. If he does, the DA's will replace Marcia Clark and Chris Darden as the worst of all-time. This isn't a self-defense argument case. It is still interesting and I appreciate you watching for us. I appreciate your input and I don't at all mean at all to word anything the way you have taken it... I want this guy found guilty as well trust me Thanks I understand now and I really do appreciate you watching the trial for us! |
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Post by outlawtaco on Aug 4, 2022 9:39:55 GMT -5
Watching the trial live I'll let you know what happens
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Post by Scumhunter on Aug 4, 2022 12:00:41 GMT -5
I love the semantics of arguing he's reading off the screen what everyone in the room can clearly hear. Talk about grasping at straws lol.
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Post by Bendeko on Aug 8, 2022 12:52:40 GMT -5
Watching the live trial now...
Yaser's lawyers have so far offered no legal objections to anything....
A few things they could have but looks like they're resigned to losing
Lets hope so  |
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Post by Bendeko on Aug 8, 2022 13:25:26 GMT -5
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Post by vigilanti on Aug 9, 2022 7:33:34 GMT -5
I watched Yaser’s testimony and was not highly impressed with his explanation of the events of January 1, 2008, but it will be up to the jury to decide. Both sides have rested their cases and the closing arguments are scheduled for 9 Central time (10 Eastern, 8 Mountain, and 7 Pacific) this morning. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a verdict in the hours thereafter, but we shall see.
As we have said many times, I think the 911 call is what will seal the deal here, but only time will tell.
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