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A chameleon was allegedly what Allen Fisher, Michelle’s father, called Jason. He is to have said Jason was what you wanted him to be.
I have to wonder if his feet hurt during those hours Jason Young allegedly stayed at the motel in Virginia. When they photographed his feet, he had blisters on them and that, according to a podiatrist, is usually from wearing improperly sized shoes. Was he wearing his size 12 Hush Puppies then or the alleged size 10 shoes? I don’t know. (Well at least we won’t hear tales of Bruno Magli shoes!) They discovered bloody prints of Hush Puppies and size 10 Franklin athletic at the crime scene on Birchleaf Drive in Raleigh, NC where he’d resided with his wife.
The Hampton Inn in Hillsville, Virginia was where Jason Lynn Young says he was at the time his wife, Michelle Fischer Young, was brutally murdered. But, he is seen leaving a side door heading toward a stairway exit of that motel around 11:58 PM on November 2 2006 and at or about that same time he allegedly made a phone call. And a newspaper carrier saw an SUV that looked similar to Jason’s vehicle parked near the Young’s home at an angle like it was there to load or unload something. This sighting was between 4 and 5 AM on November 3. The carrier also stated all the inside and outside home lights were on, which was unusual.
Security camera videos in the lobby area show him twice wearing ‘different clothes’ within hours of each other. (Hmm, another flashback there, Nelson Serrano was twice seen on lobby security cameras in Atlanta, GA., only he was wearing same clothing!) The first viewing of Jason was 10:49 to 10:51 PM and he was wearing a light colored, long-sleeve pullover shirt with buttons. Another viewing shows him wearing different clothing. Still, at 11:59 pm they see him again in the front desk area wearing a dark colored long-sleeve pullover with a lighter colored thin stripe on the chest area. And he is headed toward the side entrance on the southern end.
However, it seems the hotel exit door from the southern end (which led to the parking lot) was kept open by a rock (Blast, yet another flashback! Does Misty Cummings and the brick ring a bell?). These videos were from November 2 2006 and November 3 2006, the latter was the day Michelle’s body was discovered. Also on that fateful day of November 3 it was dicovered that someone had pointed the security camera, that would’ve shown who used the stairwell, up toward the ceiling. So anyone going up or down the stairs couldn’t be seen.
The state contends that Jason Young left Virginia, drove back to his home in NC, heavily medicated his 2-year-old daughter with a liquid extra strength adult Tylenol (her DNA was found on the dropper) then brutally beat his pregnant wife to death in their bedroom. They discovered two different bloody shoe prints on a bed pillow. I look for defense to heavily question this evidence and use the 911 call where her sister states she moved a pillow. One was from a Franklin style athletic shoe which had a number 10 inside in the bloody print; they declared the other print unidentifiable until 2008 when it was found to be a Hush Puppies brand shoe. The Hush Puppies style had been discontinued and could have been either a ‘Sealy’ or ‘Bellvile’ model of the Hush Puppies. Later discovered was that the out sole design of the shoes was also used in the Hush Puppies ‘Orbital’ model. Records show that Michelle and Jason purchased a pair of Orbital Hush Puppies In July 2005; these shoes were size 12. We know he was back at the hotel at 7:40 AM November 3 because he made a call to Meredith Fisher at 7:40 AM.
Other conundrums in this case are at the crime scene. When Meredith Fisher received a call from Jason asking she go to his and Michelle’s residence and check for fax printouts about a purse he’d purchased, she did so. The purse allegedly was bought as a belated anniversary gift for Michelle.
(How sweet of him to consider giving his wife an alleged non existent purse since he was allegedly having an affair and phoned or text his mistress 980 times within a month from Oct 4 2006 and Nov 3 2006. )
Back to the conundrums, when Meredith arrived at Birchleaf Drive she discovered Michelle dead and tiny footprints all over the bedroom, she also found the baby under the sheets of her mother’s bed. Michelle’s baby girl had apparently walked all around her mother’s deceased decomposing body and the room. Of course Meredith called 911. Over the next few days, weeks, months and years police discovered more about what had taken place in and outside the home prior to and before the murder. One conundrum was the bloody shoe prints on the pillow. Another was the amount of blood in the bathroom and a trace of blood found on the hallway carpet between the baby’s bedroom and Michelle’s bathroom.
Also, a set of Meredith’s car keys was found on the hood of Michelle’s car parked in the garage. They discovered Michelle’s car keys in the kitchen on a counter. And too, bloody shoe prints were found on planks of the deck boards and these prints were from a Franklin athletic shoe.
Even more confusion is that the baby’s feet had little to no signs of blood on her feet when she was found inside the home with her deceased mother.
Much evidence will be heard in this trial. Including eye witness account of Jason purchasing gas but driving off without getting his $5.00 change. And evidence of Jason’s DNA on the master bedroom wall sixteen inches from the floor and that could show it was put there as he and Michelle fought during the beating. Also, his DNA was found on a jewelry box. Computer evidence will be a big part of the trial also since Jason allegedly did searches on anatomy of a knockout, head trauma knockout, right posterior parietal occipital region, and ischemia. The one he should have carefully read (if he’s the killer) was the search query on ‘divorce.’ I’ll be interested how many clicks he made on that particular search and how long he stayed on each site/article.
This will not be a dead-on-cue trial for sure. It’s one filled with circumstantial evidence and one where the jurors will have to pay close attention to all the evidence presented to reach a verdict.
I pray for eventual Justice for Michelle Young.
Still, guilty or not, I wonder ‘if’ Jason did kill his wife and leave his child to find her body, does he still think his mistress was worth it; since Oct 28 2006 he allegedly stated in one of his text to her- ‘but you are so worth it, even if it's only for a 'blink' in time.’
I forgot to add that jury selection is set for May 31.
ReplyDeleteTigresspen
Seems the chameleon's trial is going to be rather lengthy. Over 200 potential jurors reported today for jury duty. Voir-dire can be tedious. According to wral the selection is expected to last at least a week. I don't know if the chosen jurors will be sequestered but considering the publicity of this case and that it will be televised live, that, to me, wouldn't be a bad idea.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to listening to this one regardless of the month they say it will likely last.
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ReplyDeleteI respectfully disagree with the article.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.wral.com/specialreports/michelleyoung/story/9662345/
Hordes aren't comparing the Young trial to Cooper trial due to length and circumstantial evidence. Many who keep bringing that one up are simply those who believe he was innocent and take every opportunity they can to keep his name in public. The jurors felt differently and I agree with jurors.
The Young trial does have circumstantial evidence, yes, but it also has forensics- DNA and shoeprints. We will hear about affairs, phone calls and computer searches, but again, that is so in many cases. Brad Cooper's wife, Nancy, was believed killed in her home via strangulation and then dumped while her children slept.
Michelle Young was murdered in her home and her baby was left to wake to her bludgeoned body and walk around her decomposing body and in her blood. Besides an attempt to strangle her, the killer hit Michelle several times about the head.
Brad went back home after dumping Nancy's body. Jason Young, the accused and alleged killer, was allegedly out of town in a motel and went back there afterward. There were vids of Brad in a store buying laundry detergent, milk and blue juice. Jason was seen on security cameras in the motel lobby wearing different clothing each time. And was seen headed toward the back exit of the motel.
To compare Michelle's death strickly due to affairs, that it will be lengthy, and computer searches is ridiculous to me. Many cases are circumstantial, including the Casey Anthony trial now happening in Orlando, FL. All we heard so far in it is hearsay. Granted, it's strong hearsay, but so was the evidence heard in Brad Cooper's trial. Circumstantial evidence has sent many kllers to death row and to prison for life, even in North Carolina.
According to wral as of Thursday evening no jurors were seated of the 120 they had as potentials. I do hope they can seat a few today. I don't know if the judge is aiming at 14 or 16 jurors but surely of all them they can find a few who can be impartial and go into this trial nonbias with preconceived thoughts of guilt or innocence. Of course the length they will be without work has to be considered also. Hopefully they have employers who are willing to pay for time off to sit on a jury trial.
ReplyDeleteTigressPen
We will hear OS in this trial tomorrow, June 7, 2011 beginning around 2:30 PM. I'll be watching daily and try to add my thoughts as the trial progresses. The trial is expected to last a month but allegedly the judge has advised both side that if they have issues it will be handled but he will not waste jurors time. Good!!
ReplyDeleteProsecutor Becky Holt talked about Michelle being strangled and brutally beaten. Her unborn child had already been named Rylan. She said after the defendant beat Michelle to death he fled the home and left his daughter, Cassidy, home. Cassidy woke and put a doll beside her mom's head. And her tiny footsteps were in the blood. She talked about how Michelle's sister went to the house at Jason's request to pick up a message about a purse he wanted to give Michelle as a gift. The lights in the house were on in the middle of the day. The backyard gate was open and water was running. She went in through the garage. Michelle's car was in the garage and this worried her. She went inside and called out for Michelle and saw tiny bloody prints in the bathroom and then saw Michelle'd body was laying on her stomach in the bedroom.
ReplyDeleteShe picked up the phone to call 911 when Cassidy came from under the covers.
Holt walked the jurors through Jason and Michelle's marriage, its troubles and Michelle's attempts to save it. Michelle didn't want to go through the type divorce her parents did. She said Linda Fisher told Jason to not mess up his marriage the way she did hers. She talked about how Michelle had discussed with her mother how mom could make an apartment on the 3rd floor and help her with the children.
She said Jason didn't want that. Jason didn't want Linda to go woth them to Brevard to see his parents over the holidays either. He wanted to live as if he were single, to go to parties and games to tailgate with his friends.
She continued with how Jason had a plan to murder his wife, get away with it and get on with his life, on his terms. She talked about how a hour after he checked in he was on camera wearing different clothes and carrying 2 bottles of water. She talked about how after killing Michelle and on his way back to Hillsville he stopped for gas but the pumps weren't turned on so he had to ask the woman to turn on pumps. And how he became irate when she said she'd need some form of ID. Holt said he threw a 20 at the woman and cursed at her. His actions and anger made the woman remember him.
Again she said, 'Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, the defendant had a plan.' What a tremendously powerful statement! Then Holt talked about how he used the motel back door to leave, unplugged the camera, propped the door open leading into the parking lot with a rock and how the camera was facing the ceiling.
'Listen to the evidence in the case that's presented over the next couple of weeks. Find the defendant guilty of first-degree murder. Don't let him get away with it,' she said as her final closing words.
I loved Holt's OS. It was short, to the point and detailed in few words. Those words were precise and kept me intrigued with what is to come in this trial.
Defense attorney Mike Klinkosum held up his hand, palm toward jury, and said, 'none of you can say you see my hand.' The reason I say none of you can say you can see my hand is because you can't see it until you see the other side of it and then showed the front side of it. (alluding to state has one side- defense another) He said Jason Young didn't kill his wife.
ReplyDeleteHe talked about the hair at the residence that hasn't been identified to any known person. And this hair was found by someone hired by the family. He talked about the footprints found. He said they found 2 cigarette butts and those didn't match Jason but 2 different unknown persons. He talked about how Michelle's family found her tooth after LE had released the crime scene. He said someone went into Jason's closet near where Michelle's body was found. He said whoever did it, rifled through her jewelry box. He said the DNA found doesn't match Michelle or Jason but 2 other individuals.
'This case is not solved,' he said.
Klinkosum said, Jason Young was not a good husband. He acted like an immature jerk. But that does not make him a killer.
Klinkosum said Jason loved his little girl and she loved her dad. And the state wants them to believe he killed his wife and left Cassidy there to walk around in the blood? It didn't happen, he said. He talked about how Jason wanted to surprise his wife with the Coach purse for their anniversary. And described what happened when he was told Michelle was dead when he reached his mother's house. He said the evidence shows 2 people were at the house and killed Michelle Young.
He talked about why Jason got a lawyer before he talked to LE. And that Jason was a suspect.
(Hello! Family and spouse are 'always' the first LE looks at when murder happens. The have to rule him and all family members out first.)
He talked about the affair Jason was having. And that he talked to her on the way to Hillsville, VA.
I felt Mike Klinkosum gave an excellent, thought grabbing OS in defense of Jason. And that said, I think Judge Stephens is going to run a tight trial. He appears to be a no nonsense judge.
Day 2 Jason Young trial June 8 2011
ReplyDeleteMeredith Fischer was first witness. She said she lived in NY with her sister, Michelle, and her parents until she was 15 and her parents divorced. She then lived with her mom. And with Michelle too until summer of 1995 when Michelle went to college in Raleigh, NC. Meredith studied psychology. Meredith said she came to visit Michelle before she moved to Raleigh. She said she met Jason in person was at her college graduation in 2002. Meredith said Michelle was pregnant when she and Jason married in 2003. She said when Cassidy born in March of 2004 she stayed with them for about three months until she could find a job and apartment and sit with Cassidy. And continued to sit for them on and off as needed. She said Jason day traveled and made some overnight trips. In summer of 2005 Michelle and Jason moved to the home where she died. Cassidy was in daycare.
Meredith said she did marriage mediation for them (she was considering getting her masters in counseling). She said pettty arguments and Jason's silent treatments happened in their marriage. Michelle wanted to make her marriage work and wanted Jason to be more involved, responsible and understand her. Meredith said Jason told her he thought about divorcing Michelle but said he thought it would be worse being divorced from her.
Meredith had tears during her testimony but really cried when shown pictures of Michelle. One was of Michelle with her growing belly showing taken not long before she died.
She said when Jason and Michelle were dating they enjoyed tailgating but after Cassidy came Michelle couldn't do so as much, but Jason always went. This was one of the frictions in the marriage. Jason said if she'd allow him have a woman on side then it'd be easier. (he did have a girlfriend!)
Meredith said the relationship between Jason and her mother was tense also due to how he treated Michelle.
Day 2 Jason Young trial June 8 2011
ReplyDeleteThe Pros walked Meredith through her testimony to where Meredith went to the house and found Michelle's body. She found lamp post lights were on, the gate to back yard was open and she heard water running and heard the dog make a loud whimper. She entered the home through the garage and immediately knew something wasn't right. Michelle's car was in garage and her purse was on floor inside kitchen. She began calling for her sister. She went down the foyer and went up the stairs. She said she looked to the right, and saw reddish dark stains, what she thought was hair dye, everywhere in the bathroom and just outside it.. She said her thought was ohh, Michelle is going to be pissed, Cass has gotten into the hair dye. After she saw to the right she looked to the left and saw Michelle lying on the floor of the master bedroom. She said Michelle was on her stomach and she saw a lot of blood.
At that time, she said it wasn't processing and she didn't know what to think, and started to panic. She said she went to the right side of bed and picked up phone to call 911, then Cassidy looked up from under the blanket and kinda just stared at her. Cassidy crawled up on the bed and hugged her like a Koala bear. Meredith called 911. The operator wanted her to assist Michelle by applying CPR. She said she tried to put Cassidy in her bedroom but she wouldn't stay; Cassidy kept trying to pull her into the bathroom for bandaids and a washcloth for her mother. Cassidy told Meredith.. 'mommy has boo boo's everywhere.'
She explained when she went to try and move Michelle she felt the small of her back and Michelle was ice cold. When she tried to roll Michelle over a pillow was under her leg, between them and she pulled it out in the attempt. She left and took Cassidy outside per the instructions of the officer she was talking to on the phone. A firetruck came and she and Cassidy went to sit in it. She said she called a friend, her roommate, and told her to get to Michelle's house. And then called her mom. She said she spelled dead to her mom so Cassidy wouldn't hear the word again and told her just to get there.
(Meredith is making a lump form in my throat.) She is crying. She said Cassidy had no diaper on and was saying she was hungry. She wasn't allowed to go back inside or leave in her car since it was considered part of the scene now so a police officer took her, Cassidy and her friend, Colleen, to Target. They purchased diapers, something for Cassidy to wear and something for her to eat.
Day 2 Jason Young trial June 8 2011
ReplyDeleteMom arrived that evening but Jason hadn't made it back home yet. She said it was after 9 when Jason came to her house. She said he had no luggage. His mother, sister, and brother-in-law was with him. She let him know Cassidy was sleeping in her bed. She said he didn't ask anything about what happened to Michelle. He was wearing dress pants, a shirt over a waffle type pullover shirt. Jason went into the bedroom where Cassidy was and police came shortly after that.
The police wanted to talk to Jason and her mom and the others. She said, they asked if Jason would come talk as well. He wouldn't without a lawyer. He did go to the back deck with her to talk with her though. She asked him if there were any weapons in his house and he said a rifle was in the closet. The conversation went general then with can't believe this is happening type things. And he hugged her, shook as if he was crying but it was fake to her because when he pulled away there were no tears and his eyes weren't red. And he wouldn't talk to police, until he talked to his attorney. She said late that evening she left to go down to police station. The police told her it was a homicide and she had her suspicions about what happened. Although at first she did think it may be suicide even knowing Michelle wouldn't do that with Cassidy in the house. Her suspicions were that Jason had killed Michelle after the way he acted with no tears at her apartment and refusing to talk to police.
She said she asked Jason several times during that time and asked why he wouldn't go talk to police. And he'd say my attorney told me not too. Allegedly, Michelle had a $1 million insurance policy on her life. Meredith said an attorney friend told Michelle that was excessive.
Day 2 Jason Young trial June 8 2011
ReplyDeleteThe ME is on the stand. Meredith will be back on the stand after this witnesses testifies. He is being called out of order due to scheduling. Michelle suffered multiple blunt force injuries and there was evidence of strangulation. She had 2 linear fractures on back of her skull. Fingernail marks on left side of Michelle's neck. He said extensive hemorage in the left side of soft tissue (muscles and thyroid gland) of neck. She fought apparently since the scratches show she was trying to get her attackers hands off her neck. She had many lacerations on back of her head. On the left side of her head just inside and below the ear is a linear in shape fracture and it was close to the base skull fracture. He said the lacerations were deep. Wounds on right side of back of head was result of 2 different possibly 3 blows to the head. She suffered at least 30 blows. 8 or more blows to left side of head. For most of the wounds a weapon was used. The mouth wound could have been done with fist. The mandible injury maybe by fist but he thinks it unlikely and was from blunt force trauma. He believes her hands were used to deflect blows and that is how they were bruised; The back of her hands were discolored, from bruising.
The ME said Mcihelle died as a result of blunt force trauma and that was the cause of death. The manner of death was homicide. (To me, her injuries show her attacker was someone she knew. Rage.)
Defense asked about the stragulation and the fingernail marks. ME said they were probably from her nails. That was all he asked about.
Day 2 Jason Young trial June 8 2011
ReplyDeleteMeredith was called back to the stand. Defense is being nice guy to her. He asked about her looking over her statements - she said no. He asks what time she called 911. She said she thinks it was after one. He asked about a female officer Tanner. She said yes, she was the one who took them to Target and back to her home. He asked about a Detective named David, and Spivey, a few others and how often she spoke with them. She said she was at sheriff's dept a lot and most of her interviews were at SO and spoke with different officers.
He asked her about therapist and that Michelle went to one and Jason and she went together to another. He asked if she gave as good as she got in the arguments. Meredith said initially yes she did. The lawyer is more or less testifying for defense and basically Meredith is simply agreeing. The defense lawyer asked if Jason offered to pay for Michelle's funeral. She said he did.
(He was attacking her testimony in every way and actually, to me, appeared to try and make her testimony about her actions that night and whether she was at Michelle's suspicious.)
She had gone out that for dinner and drinking. She was with friends and was at there about 5 hours. She said around 2 ish in the morning she sat in her car for a while talking to her friend, to make sure she was able to drive safely. She told her friend that if she felt she couldn't she'd stop at Michelle's after she dropped her off. But she said she didn't stop. She felt she could make it home safely. And she is seen in a convenience store on security video in a store making a purchase.
(It's been reported a set of her car keys were on top of Michelle's car in the garage but she doesn't remember and nade a statement that alluding to being very car conscious. I think it'd be out of character for her to put them there. However, she was already suspicious due to the lamp lights being on, the back gate being opened and hearing water running plus the dog whinning and may not have realized she had. Just as she couldn't remember seeing the dog in the home but called for him to come go outside with her when she and Cassidy exited the home.)
Holt in redirect asked what she meant when she said initially with their fights. Meredith said Michelle's fight diminished over the years. She'd get the silent treatment. She said Jason encouraged Michelle to go see a counselor like it was her fault the marriage was failing. Then when they went to one together Jason said after a few visits, that he didn't like the counselor- she was pretentious and he made a statement about the car the counselor drove.
(I will say, I think Meredith held up beautifully under defense questions and innuendoes. She did not get flustered are act angry with him. Meredith, to me, came across as completely honest with her testimony.)
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ReplyDeleteDay 3 Jason Young trial Thursday, June 9 2011
ReplyDeleteI haven't written much on what was heard in court today due to other matters taking precedence.
We heard from several witnesses.
Scott Earp was the first officer to respond and told us about what he saw and did. He also saw the water running outside, verifying Meredith's hearing slow running water. He said the spiget was on and the water wasn't running fast. He said Michelle's purse was in the kitchen floor and upright (not laid over as it was shown in photographs to Meredith yesterday) She too, had said it was upright when she saw it.
Ryan Hughes was the paramedic. He described the scene in the bedroom and what he saw when he went upstairs. And he said there was a copious amount of blood around Michelle’s body. Also he described the positioning of her body. Her feet seemed to be tangled in the bed cover like she'd rolled off the bed. He also said he checked Cassidy to make sure she was okay and not dehydrated while she was sitting in the firetruck.
Daniel Morgan, a hotel employee, was the one on duty when Jason checked in. That night was his last night working at that hotel.
Keith Hicks was an employee who found the rock holding door open and noticed security camera unplugged a few minutes later found it was turned toward ceiling.
Elmer Goad is the maintenance man who replugged the camera in and checked key cards for LE when they arrived. Jason only used his keycard once and the other usage was by house cleaning.
Jennifer Marshall is the general manager. She was shown vids of Jason at the motel and discussed positioning of security cameras. Of interest is after that incident they added different cameras that run continuously and not snap shot style. Also they put a bubble around the rear door camera so no one can unplug or moved the camera again.
All the above witness testimonies were more detailed than I've relayed here. But, I won't add more to it at this time.
The most eerie evidence was from Shelly Schaad, Michelle's friend. She visited Michelle on Nov. 2, 2006. Jason was home but she hadn't expected him to be. And she noticed how dark it was outside. (The lamps were not turned on- remember we heard from Meredith they were on when she arrived.) She mentioned how cold it was in the house, she kept her jacket on. Michelle told her the unit had gone out and insurance was to pay for it.
But she also said Jason was affectionate with Michelle. She said he'd hugged Michelle, it wasn't a bear hug thing. And he said, "My wife's crazy, but I love her." This was just before he left on his trip.
More interesting is that when she arrived she just had a weird feeling there. She said, later sitting in front of open windows it was an eerie feeling. She mentioned it to Michelle and Michelle said, if someone wants to come in and kill you they will get in anyway. When she left that night she asked if Michelle would walk her to her car. Michelle did, they hugged before she left. She mentioned that she'd called her husband Ryan and talked to him the whole time she drove home. (premonitions can be powerful at times. I can't imagine all the what ifs' & 'if onlys' she's had since that fateful night)
Shelly told more about Michelle and Jason's marriage. Basically the same as Meredith had testified too with all the arguments and points of contention. One story was about him urinating on their (Shelly and Ryan's) floor and when Ryan took him upstairs so he shower he came running out the bedroom in his birthday suit. She said that wasn't unusual for him.
Day 4 Jason Young trial June 10, 2011
ReplyDeleteThe 'Chameleon', Jason Young, was identified in court by store clerk!
Gracie Dahms (Aka: Gracie Dahms Bailey)was a clerk at the convenience store (Four Brothers) with an attached McDonalds. She worked the 12-7 AM shift- she worked alone except on Mondays when more would work due to a truck coming in. She said from around 9 PM customers had to go inside to pay. The store was just as you exit on Hwy 52. Four Brothers was the first station. She said McDonalds opened at 6 but employees were there about 5 or so.
On Nov 3 2006 she said a man came in driving a white SUV between 5 and 5:30 AM. She couldn't see plates because he pulled into the farthest side of the pump. He was the only car on the store lotat that time.
She said when he was at the pump, he punched the gas to turn on pump and a buzzer went off inside. She hit ignore. After he tried about 3 times a customer opened the door told him it was best he come in to pay.
Gracie said he asked what's up and when she told him he had to leave money or credit card before she could turn on pump. He was face to face with her and cursed her and threw a bill at her told her 20. He was angry. She put 20 in gas into register but he only pumped 15 then left driving around the McDonalds without coming back for his change.
(Maybe while pumping he felt guilt for his actions and decided to give her a 5 as tip! )
She was shown a video of pics and explained entrances and exits to and from the station with one showing the pump Jason used.
When asked if she could identify the man who was in the store she identified Jason and described what he was wearing.
The defense asked about what the detectives spoke with her about, the SUV and about her other customers around the same time of morning and she couldn't remember any other customers.
She commented when Pros asked why she remembered Jason so well on redirect , “I don’t forget anybody that cusses me." She went on to explain that her ex husband had cursed her and she doesn't forget something like that. Only one other person had cursed her when she work at that convenience store.
Day 4 Jason Young trial June 10, 2011
ReplyDeleteLt. Scot Ikerd talked about the trip made to Hillsville and how they stopped at every convenience station along the route to see if Jason had stopped at any of them. It was during that canvassing they stopped at Four Brothers in King where Gracie Dahms worked. He showed her a picture of Jason and she advised he'd been at the store at between 5 and 5:30 in the morning on Nov 3 2006 and described what had taken place. After leaving Miss Dahms they went back to the Hampton Inn and spoke with Elmer Goad. Mr. Goad took him room 421, the one Jason had been given on Nov 2 2006 about 11 PM. Mr Goad used the keycard reader and showed the officers how many times the room had been entered on that night and next day. Jason's card had only been used once and that was just after he checked into the hotel. The next usage of the door to the room was unlocked was at 11:41 AM on the third and that access was by housekeeping when they came to prepare the room for the next guest. That's very interesting because Jason claims when his wife was murdered he was asleep in his room at that Hampton Inn.
However, even I beg to differ or at the least question his claim, because at 11:59PM Nov 2, 2006 Jason is seen at the front desk with 2 bottles of water and wearing different clothes than the ones he'd worn at check in. Also he is seen headed toward the area of the back door where the camera was unplugged and door blocked by a rock. Oddly the clothes he's seen on camera wearing has never been found. He never produced them to LE. An he never reentered his room with his keycard.
(I think if he actually did committ this horrific crime, that he took time to remove clean clothing from his closet at home and shower. He could have come in, medicated Cassidy, killed Michelle, showered and been gone in plenty of time to be back in Hillsville before daylight. Then he not only discarded the bloody clothing on the way back to Hillsville but the murder weapon also- it, too, has never been found)
Day 4 Jason Young trial June 10, 2011
ReplyDeleteKeith Patterson from AT&T educated us on how cell phones work.
(Good Lord with all these computer and cell phone evidence being brought in trials, we all could become techs!)
Paterson was given a list of Jason's calls and text messages and we heard about his calls, the time and date they were made, how voice mails was made, checked, and what time some text messages were sent and received.
On Nov 2 2006 his last call was to a sorority sister of Michelle's named Michelle Money (Maybe with both girfriend and wife with same name, he wouldn't oop when talking to one or the other) this call was at 11:42: 57 p.m.and lasted 114 seconds.
The next call was on Nov 3 2006 to Brevard (his hometown) at 7:40:52 AM and it lasted 155 seconds - he made another call at 7:48 AM then called Miss Money a few minutes later and it lasted 8 minutes.
He called his voice mail at 8:56:31 AM on the 3rd and at the same time received the voice mail and both lasted 7 seconds.
Defense asked a lot of questions about call and text message storage, voice mails, and towers. (In 2006 Young used Cingular back in 06 but that company is a part of AT&T)
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On November 2, 2006 a call was made at 10:41:30 to Michelle and it lasted 592 seconds. Defense was questioning the tower that call bounced off. And if that call could have bounced off more than one tower, which tower it was. Patterson told him he didn't have that information but it could be gotten- that one call could bounce off different antennas on same tower. He gave the example- if a tower had a fence around it and he made a call then walked around that fence his call would bounce off each antenna on that tower and he'd be in the same geographical location..
Defense asked about the 10:58:48 Nov 2, 2006 call also and the tower information and what all the tower numbers mean. If the closer the numbers are in numerical sequence the more likely they to be closer together geographically?
Patterson explained it to him - He used the Nov 3, 2006 7:40.52 AM call as example: The cgi #s are 41-10361-33483- the 41 is associated with a large geo area (a significant area of southeast) - 10361 is a narrower geo area (it covers a large defined area)--- the larger last number 33483 covers a larger geo area- which could have maybe several hundred towers.
Day 4 Jason Young trial June 10, 2011
ReplyDeleteMike Galloway with the City-County Bureau of Identification (CCBI) was called as witness. After explaining what his job is at the scene and other places, they showed a video of the crime scene. Then still photographs that was taken of the scene. This video is very very graphic as are the pictures. He detailed everything and we heard the verbal explanation of what was discovered.
The jurors watched and were told what each little thing was and how it was related to the crime inside and outside. We, the trail listeners, heard all the details in all their gore though we couldn't see any of it...From the small bloody foot and sock impressions of Cassidy to the battle that obviously took place between Michelle and her attacker.
We saw in our minds, as the jurors saw live with implicit verbage of how her body was bludgeoned to death and how she was left in a pool of blood. Jurors saw pics of the teeth that had been knocked out. At one point Galloway held her bloodied head in his hand and showed her face with the busted and swollen lip and missing teeth, and she had a large cut on her face. He also said it appeared her nose was broken. He showed her arm and how it was twisted back with her leg under the bed. He showed all the shoeprints including the ones on the pillow. He showed how the baby doll was placed next to her. There was 2 of those.
We heard of blood spatter and smears on all the walls and doors. He showed the jury the fingerprint dust and explained how they removed parts of the sheetrock and the door facing. And how blood had gotten on top a lamp shade. When the closet doors were shut he showed how the blood was continual in a pattern. So the door had to be shut during the beating. He said the body had to have been moved to open the closet and said she was first attacked in her bed.
They showed every room and items in them, including the sonogram on the refrigerator of her son she was carrying. (Tears welled in my eyes and a lump built in my throat with that.) Jurors saw the outside of the home, the deck and water spiget that was running when Meredith arrived and was still running. They also saw the whole driveway with the lamppost and vehicles.
I have an image in my mind that is still with me- one more vivid of a battered intact pregnant woman than the one put in my mind of Caylee's skeletal remains that I heard before this trial went live today. (I listened to the half day of Thursday's testimony) This Young scene is so angry, so violent and bloody. I can't imagine anyone leaving a small child in such an appalling scene as Cassidy awoke too. It was a bad scene even before her tiny sock and bare feet tracked over to her mother and around that room, back to the bathroom and hallway.
I cannot imagine what the jurors are dealing with in their minds tonight. I hope they are watching a beautiful movie - one of peace and contentment. I hope her mother and Meredith are having a peaceful night also. Meredith saw the scene live but her mother got a birdseye verbal view today. I noticed they had walked in front of camera as they moved the still pictures to the big screen so I assume they went outside the room. God be with them.
Jason Young trial Monday June 13 2011
ReplyDeleteWe heard Galloway's continuing testimony today. He talked about the sheetrock pieces they removed with impression on them and the door frame they removed, the pillow, and other items were brought into evidence. A fingerprint card was added to evidence with prints they removed at the scene on it. A vid of the car was seen. Luggage, mapquest printout and a newspaper was shown inside the vehicle.
He didn't collect these items- other LE did. He was searching for forensic evidence. He talked about going to the motel and photograph and process the camera. The SO in that area had processed it for prints.
Another 30 minute video was shown. This one of motel was taken on Good Friday this year to better show jurors the layout of the motel. And to show location of security cameras. One thing we saw was the sign stating the door would be locked from 11PM until 6AM. So, if Jason did do this, (and did put the rock in door) he must have intended being back at the motel by 6 AM.
I think if he did kill Michelle then the murder took longer than he'd expected since there was an attempt to strangle before the bludgeoning.
Defense asked about the pics of Jason's body taken November 7 2006. His legs and hands, front and back views, his sideview profiles and frontal and back profiles among others. They asked if he had any bruising, scratches, cuts, lacerations, abrasions. I noticed they didn't mention the pics of blisters on his feet in all this 'he did not have' questions.
They went on to the Ford Explorer and his inspection of it stressing no blood evidence was found. However, defense forgets, someone went into the closet so Jason could have showered and changed, then washed his feet outside at the water spigot if he got anything on his feet as he left. He could have also easily gotten out the house since the baby had not yet walked through her mother's blood. The clothing he was wearing in that video of him with 2 bottles of water at 11:59 PM June 2 2006 has allegedly never been located. I personally feel it would fare better for him if his clothes had been found.
Defense attacked the latent prints from security camera and Galloway stating in direct he didn't have anything of him collecting prints from that camera in the notes with him. But defense lawyer showed him paperwork with his signature showing he did collect prints from the camera. But Galloway handled it wonderfully. I like this agent.
Defense stressed how. other than on the floor, no blood was found inside closet. So far, defense isn't giving me a wow with this cross.
Detective Brent David testified to what he did and didn't observe at the crime scene. He said he didn't notice any signs of forced entry to the house. He talked about the messages on the phone. A male caller who identified himself as J or Jason said he was aware of a doctor's appointment at 9 o'clock and said he was going to Brevard.
Det David also explained his talks with Meredith Fischer and said she provided some initial information and agreed to go to SO for an indepth interview. He said Meredith willingly gave them information and did a walk through with him so they could ascertain what she saw when she was there. She said on 1st floor a vase may be missing, on 2nd floor a wall hanging appeared to be missing in Cassidy's room, a glider chair was in wrong position, it was usually upright. A jewelry box was missing but investigators had taken that- (it was the one with 2 drawers missing.) He said she asked almost daily what was being
done with the investigation.
Jason Young trial Day 5 cont'd Monday June 13 2011
ReplyDeleteDetective David also said this case was his primary responsiblity for about 6 months. He spoke with Michelle's mother and father several times. Both answered all his questions willingly. He said he had learned Michelle's engagement and wedding rings was missing and never found. He said Meredith had advised she never made it to the office to pick up the papers Jason had wanted her to retrieve on the
3rd. A printout from ebay of pocket books and purses was found. ( no printout showing he had bid on a purse was mentioned at this time.)
Sgt.Al Sternberg (is now an evidence custodian) was a financial investigator in 2006- He said he joined the investigation on Nov 11 2006 and did a financial investigation of the Youngs. He discovered how much they owe on their notes, what insurance policies they had, 401K payouts etc.. He checked on the ebay transaction with paypal. He discovered the doc was printed out at 7:08 PM on Nov 2 2006.
So it was done just before he left home that night...
He learned they had assets, 2 homes. He went to Young's home on Nov 14, 2006 and was there all day. He said a purse was on the floor in the kitchen and found Michelle's DL and a calendar. He said he opened it to Oct 2006 when he packaged it. On Oct 7 she had noted 'J to Wilmington'. (that notation will come clear later I hope) He also found several credit and gift cards in her purse. He said a citi card was among the cards and at a later time he paid attention to DSW shoeware rewards program card. He received records of their account after getting court order warrants.
Sgt Sternberg said a recent bank statement in Jason Young and his mother's name was in a reycle bin. He discovered a card that was an anniversay card and the name on it was Jason. In the master bedroom he collected several documents including a financial plan in Michelle's handwriting. He discovered a check payable for Jason Young for over 17 thousand dollars. It was a rollover type check from
10/04/2006 that was moved into another account.
Jason had claimed mileage for Nov 2 and 3 of 2006. On that claim he said he started his odometer to 0 at the start of his trip. (One was over 400 miles and another over 200- I've forgotten the exact mileage they mentioned)
Defense asked about what he didn't collect from vehicle - one was a pair of shoes and Sternberg said they were not there when he collected items. He did collect another pair of shoes. They also questioned that he didn't have the mapquest printout with him. Basically this afternoon was covered in exhibits being added to evidence setting. Mr. Sternberg's testimony moved from one item to another so fast it was hard to keep up. I didn't think we would ever hear when that ebay printout was done and we never heard if a transaction was done on the computer to purchase it. (maybe with a computer tech we will -- IIRC no bid was made on it by Jason and the bidding had closed the day before.
In closing, Monday was actually quite boring.
Day 6 Tuesday June 14 2011
ReplyDeleteAl Sternberg was back on to identify a luggage tag that was taken from the suitcase. As was the two gas receipts for fuel from Nov 3 2006.
That covered his testimony for Tuesday.
And along came the Girlfriend!
Michelle Money was called by state. She explained how she and Michelle became friends and continued to be friends and meet a couple times a year.
She said she'd opened up to Jason and another friend about her marital problems. In September 06 she went to the football game in Raleigh and met up with the group.They arrived on Thursday and the game was on Saturday. They left on Monday morning. On Friday they'd played hiding-go-seek and she and Jason began talking and Jason asked about her marriage and seemed supportive. She told him she was still worried about her marriage and her husband was being unfaithful. Jason told her he'd seen several interactions of an inappropriate relationship with another woman and her husband.
He was a good one to talk!
She said one weekend Oct 7 and 8 of 2006 Jason came to her home and her husband was at a Nascar race in Orlando. (Now we know why state stressed the Oct 7 'J to Wilmington' on Michelle's calendar!) He stayed and they had been intimate. After that weekend their relationship was phone calls and text although they did want to set up another weekend together, it never happened.
She told the jury about how on Nov 3 2006 she'd talked to Jason after his VA meeting and he was a little distracted and frustrated. But she had put his frustrations off on his not getting the account he'd gone to VA for.
She said she went to Raleigh after discovering Michelle was killed and LE came to her home a couple weeks later to speak with her. She said she was considered a suspect too. Communication between them dwindled but in 2007 they met also and talked about the case and other things. Jason told her that he had a good support group and they discussed what internet folks were saying. She said she'd needed the meeting due to what had happened with her and the media. She said she was traumatized by it all, scared to go anywhere alone. And hid behind the door of her home when media would knock . She said they continued talking on phone but it was not intimate, just friendship. She said he was dating someone at that time. In Jan. 2008 she cut off contact with Jason. SBI agent had came to her home and advised she was and 'idiot' and going to get herself into trouble. So she texted Jason and said she needed to put her life first and he wrote back that he understood.
Defense asked about the SBI agent talking to her and she said he told her he'd take her down with him and she'd be charged as accessory. Now whether she meant the agent said 'he'd take her down with him' meant Jason could take her down with him- or they would- I don't know.( guess I wasn't listening as carefully as I thought)
Defense tried to play down their relationship as if it was nothing more than a one night stand thing. But Pros cleaned that up quickly on redirect.
Personally, I felt Michelle Money was as scared as was nervous when she sat in the witness chair. She still wanted to help Jason but wanted to be truthful at same time. She would close her eyes as if in thought between questions and you could see her take a deeper breath than normal. I found myself feeling for her. I know what she did was wrong but I don't feel she was involved. She said she never asked Jason if he killed Michelle - maybe deep inside she was scared of the answer.
Day 6 Tuesday June 14 2011
ReplyDeleteJennifer Remy a forensic scientist and a hair and fiber analysis expert testified also. She said the hair found with root in blood on pillow, the one in her left hand, one on her wedding photo, and on the floor under her body were all forceably removed.She also did the testing on the trace taping sent to her from the crime scene, the floor in closet, carpets from home and motel, Michelle's clothing, and Cassidy's clothing. She said she found no consistent fibers from hotel to fibers from the Young home. She said she tested a piece of carpet from the home and did tapings of it herself . But, she didn't find any fibers from hotel carpet on it...
(That doesnt bother me though, he could have changed the shoes he wore before going into the home and back into his after the murder.)
Agent Holley was a serologist but now in DNA analysis - In the Young case he did analysis on the blood found on items of evidence from the home and sent them off for DNA analysis.
I admire that the state is bringing everything out that they did and had tested, whether they resulted positive or not. The DNA testing on Jason's jeans and belt goes toward them not finding the clothes he was wearing in the hotel video. He never gave the clothing to them either.
Defense named off all the clothes they tested of Jason's, from his suitcase, and put emphasis on no blood found on them. ( Again Sir defense attorney, that could mean he discarded the clothing he wore that night. Bring them out and show no blood on them and up the bar with your case.) Defense also asked Holley about the shoe swabs taken and that blood was positive for blood inside the right shoe.
(From the boo-boo maybe) The left shoe was negative. Pros went back to the sheetrock and asked if the chemicals used on it before he tested could've had an effect on the outcome. It could destroy evidence but not always.
Day 6 Tuesday June 14 2011
ReplyDeleteDavid Freeman works at the NC state crime lab and is assigned to forensic biology section. He testified to his results on the samples serologist Russ Holley sent him.
He found DNA from the sheetrock swabbing and found it was matched Jason Young. Did not match Michelle Young.
On the door molding DNA was a mixture and the predominate profile was Jason. Michelle was excluded in the lower profile. Additional peaks he couldn't account for was with someone other than Michelle or Jason.
(No wonder defense was so high on questioning the handling by Holley on sheetrock and doormolding!)
The jewerly box swabbing was partial DNA profile. No full profile could be produced - 2 of the 16 genetic markers Jason could not be excluded. Michelle could be excluded.
The water sprinkle was consistent with multiple contributers. So no one could be included or excluded.
The swabs on the rock from VA was a weak profile- no conclusion could be concluded as to contributors.
He received cheek swabs from Cassidy Young and generated a DNA profile.
Freeman said he performed DNA on the bulb and tip end of medicine dropper and found partial profile matched from Cassidy but did not match Michelle or Jason Young.
The DNA from the bed pillows,comforter, sheeting etc matched Michelle's profile.
He said someone could touch something and not leave enough skin cells for DNA. He said some people are more shedders than others.
Defense asked about known standard and question samples. Known is when you know who that standard came from. He again went back to the sheetrock taken from near Jason's closet.
(He appears to really wants doubt in jurors minds about that one! But continual asking about it highlights it to my mind. Makes me wonder why he is so concerned that Jason's DNA was found on a wall near the floor since he had a wound on his big toe. )
Defense emphasized that you'd expect to find Jason's DNA in his own home- same with door molding. He asked if the swabbing had contained her blood you'd expect to find her DNA. Defense said she was excluded in minor profile but if she had touched that area then her profile would have been included.
Defense asked about the hall bathroom floor swabs and stressed that none matched Jason. Freeman said correct.
He asked if he did the population frequency data was done on the 2 of 16 markers on the jewelry box DNA. And Freeman said no he did not due to it being so low a marker match.
Pros reiterated the known standards and also he had Meredith Fischer's DNA standard and none of the markers on the dropper matched her either. He said no they did not match Meredith Fischer.
Day 7 Wednesday June 15 2011
ReplyDeleteWe heard a lot of hair and fiber evidence before the state moved on to shoe testimony. However, because I was also multitasking during the testimony I don't want to state anything definite with my opinion on the state's witnesses. I will say I think they have a good case from all I did give my full attention throughout this trial. Of course, my opinion doesn't count because I'm not a juror, don't live in the state of NC. But I am a believer in justice for the victim. And defendants deserve a fair trial. Here's hoping truth prevails when it's all said and done.
Once I relisten to some of the testimony of yesterday when my thoughts was into other things as well as the testimony then I'll feel better in my own mind about what I hear. I will say Michelle Hanon's testimony with the hair profiles caught my full attention. Cigarette butts are iffy for me at this time. Other reasons they were there can be explained but..... there is that 'but' hanging around in my head so I want to rehear that part.
Day 8 Thursday, June 16 2011
ReplyDeleteAgent Morrow showed the jurors the shoe and sock impressions found in the home. Her presentation with overlays painted a clear picture!
She visited the crime scene and checked footware impressions. Including the prints that were on the deck boards and the impressions were left in staining. This was about a year after the crime. She couldn't say how long the impressions had been there. They cut out the boards and she photographed them. She identified the impressions through a footwear database and it wasn't the Franklin shoes. (my oipinion is they are not relevant to crime at all)
Defense used the contracting and expanding when questioning the physical shoe impression sizing. (Can anyone hear - If the glove don't fit!)
Greg Tart is a special agent in charge of one of the district offices that covers Wake. He is associated with the crime lab too and assisted with the case. He first met with SO in March or April of 07. He said Jason had moved to Brevard. Tart was present in searches at the residence of Heather and Joseph McCrakin's home. (Jason's Sister and BIL) and a storage facility. Tart said Joseph was present also
but his wife was at work. Jason Young resided in Brevard at his mother's home. They went to the parents home to do a search for the Hush Puppy shoes and Franklin shoes, Reebok shoes, Adias shoes and clothing items. The pullover,is the one he was wearing in the video of him. They did not find the pullover during the any of the searches. The mens casual Orbital Hush Puppy shoes were ones purchased from DSW and they were not located during the searches. He said they were also looking for the other shoes purchased the same day.
They located one pair, the Rebox shoes. They went to the place Jason was working on that day also (day of search at Mrs. Young's home) to see if he was wearing the shoes they were searching for and he wasn't. They did find a shirt that looked similar to one he was seen wearing on one of the videos but they weren't sure if it was actual shirt.
Defense asked about his meeting with Gracie Dahms and her memory. Tart said he did meet her but he didn't ask her specifically about her memory. They went to get a good phone number for her since she'd had some trouble in her marriage and they needed a way to reach her. Defense asked questions in particular about photo lineups and showing Gracie a picture.
Defense also stressed that Gracie didn't mention what person in store was wearing, or his weight, or hair color and she didn't remember if she saw a picture when LE first talked to her. Tart answered yes she did say it... but he didn't ask her either.
(Defense asked no questions about the searches. I find that interesting. (Trying to not highlight it in jurors minds?)
After a short out of jury presence discussion over defense opening door to questions. Pros asked Tart to explain what is and isn't appropriate to show photo line-up identifications. Tart said that it is inappropriate to show a photo line up after a witness has already identified a person either by another picture or in person.
Tom Ryha ( spelling?)worked as the director for mens' product for Hush Puppy. He was contacted by Karen Murrow and Mike Smith about outsoles of Hush Puppy shoes. He said the Sealy and Belville shoes are specific to each pattern- had same outsole. As well as the Orbital shoes made for DSW. The Orbital wasn't sold to any other outlet than DSW. He said they had a request to get an Orbital shoe to determine size to sole. So he contacted the factory and they made a pair of size 12 for them and sent them to Karen. He was shown the purchase orders for Orbital that was being sent to DSW before they were discontinued. The Orbital slipon was the only version of those was only made for 18 months to 2 years.
Day 8 Thursday, June 16 2011
ReplyDeleteDefense had no questions for Mr. Ryha (? sp).
Carol Sowerby, was a friend of Jason's since her childhood. Jason was involved in the recreational programs she was in, teaching kayaking. After her college graduation she stayed in contact with Jason as long distance friends. She said she saw him maybe 4 times total when she came home to east coast.
In 2006 she came to Raleigh to visit and attend a class; before that trip she had talked to Michelle but never met her. She said she was picked up by Jason at the airport and they went to Jason and Michelle's home. Michelle wasn't home because she was tending to work business out of town. On her first night there they were talking, had a couple beer and he put Cassidy down for night and she fell asleep on sofa. Jason woke her laughing and told her to go look in mirror. While she was sleeping someone had drawn a face on hers with a permanent marker. It was a joke but she wasn't happy.
The second night she said Cassidy was put to bed and they had a couple drinks and she and Jason had sex on the couch. (she was crying) This was in Oct of 2006 near Halloween. She said that she'd told Jason that she didn't want to hurt her husband or Michelle so they couldn't tell. (She finally told her husband within the last month.)
(He couldn't even be faithful to his girlfriend Michelle Money!)
Carol told the jurors Michelle returned after the second night and when they were having dinner and conversing Jason asked see her ring. He pretended to or did swallow her ring. He gave it back to her the next morning. But she still doesn't know if he actually did swallow it or not. She said after her visit with them she went to Charlotte and then back to Montana. She learned of Michelle's death when a mutual friend called her and she tried to reach Jason because she felt bad for him.
She said when Jason came to Montana to visit, she didn't ask him if he killed Michelle but did asks who he thought might want to do something like that. He told her he didn't want to talk about it and he'd been told not to talk about it at all. She tried a couple times to get him to talk about it but she got a feeling no discussion was to be had with it.... Carol cut off all contact when her father asked her to after LE visited him. She and her sisters did so.
Defense asked her about discussing the case with Jason and if she remembered saying he choked up. She answered no. But that she does remember saying Cassidy meant everything, and that he said Michelle was an unbelieveable mother, he'd also told her that being a dad was an amazing experience.
Pros began re direct and asked about her meeting Michelle - She said she remembers Michelle brought home little clothes for the baby but was crying so hard that Pros said no more questions. Sowerby was dismissed.
I pray Carol Sowerby and her husband can move forward together and get past the mess Jason made of their life. Yes. It takes two but I think Jason is a user and he used Carol.
I'm not saying he killed Michelle because I haven't decided yet how I feel. But I surely do not like him as a person.
Day 8 Thursday, June 16 2011
ReplyDeleteAnd now we hear of his violent side!
Genevieve Cargol was Jason's ex fiancee - she said he was violent toward her. She met him in Raleigh at University Towers when she was an Asst. Gen. manager and they began dating early 97.
On Oct 3 of 99, he gave her an engagement ring and they planned their wedding for 2000... In 1999 they went to a wedding in Grapevine, TX. -She said on Friday all the guys were going on a sporting outing to celebrate with groom and were to met back with the others for lunch.
During that lunch one of Jason's friends challenged him to go beer to beer with each other. After the beer they had a couple shots. She wasn't happy with him becoming intoxicated, Jason had agreed that he wouldn't drink so much when they were together because his behavior became out of control.
When they returned to the room.. Jason passed out on one of the beds and she rested in the other one next to window. After about an hour she said he seemed to be okay and she asked if he remembered what happened at lunch and their agreement. She said she was trying to be calm because she didn't want to fight. But he became agitated with her when she remidned him about their agreement...
Genevieve said he commented something like if he was going to make such a terrible husband then give his ring back. She couldn't do that because they had never had it sized and it was a size to small, causing her finger to swell. When she advised him of it again, he started trying to pull it off.
Genevieve described the incident. He was pushing her around the room, throwing her from one bed to another, jumping on her with all his weight and pinning her with her hands behind her. His eyes was glazed and didn't show emotion. She'd be close to floor and would try to get back on bed because that was place to be to not get hurt more... the ring finally came off but it cut her finger...
After that the fight continued for a little longer- she said she climbed on his back and put him in a chokehold - (she'd had training for self defense about 2 wks before the incident) Her arms and rib cage were bruised. She finally got out and went up to the couples room who was getting married and told them what had happened On Sun he gave the ring back but it was after she pleaded and begged... ..
Genevieve went back to Raleigh on Sun... but, a wk or so after the incident he came to Raleigh to see her and she had learned he was making plans to go to a party and she wasn't to be invited. She told him she wasn't happy about it... and she felt she was being ostracise. She said she called off the wedding a couple days later.. she thinks by email and she gave the ring to Josh to give him-
However, they did have an off and on relationship for about a year but no marriage talk. Eventually she moved to Washington DC to make a fresh start but she did see him at a friends wedding in Maryland.
She went to the wedding with Eric (her now husband) but had no interaction with Jason. Jason emailed but she blocked him because he'd made vulgar remarks about Eric... In 03 she saw him again at a NC game she said they talked the morning of game... she met Michelle again at that game too.
I have to say, I was shocked when defense questioned Genevieve they didn't try and impeach anything she said. All they asked was about the beer to beer drinking, clarifying it was the friend who asked Jason to participate. (Hmmm. No questions about the violent incident afterward in the room. Does that mean they accept her story as factual or will they call someone during their case to refute her side of the story)
Day 9 Friday June 17 2011
ReplyDeleteMichelle's mother, Linda Fischer was called to the stand. She said she retired in 06 and soon after that Michelle had loss a child but became pregnant again. She said she did buy a house about 15 minutes away from Michelle... But she'd also offered to pay for fixing the third floor of their home with a bathroom but it was never started. She said she wasn't spending a lot of time in 06 because she was putting her home on market in NY. However, she did plan to take them to Disney after helping with a Katrina mission to New Orleans ... that all fell through because after about a week of planning the trip, Michelle died.
Linda told the jurors that Michelle and Jason's friends were planning to be married and their anniversay was in Oct so they had planned to be alone and she was going to babysit ... she went there on the 10th and spent the anniversary with Michelle because Jason was out of town.
Jason came home on the 12th. She said she drove Michelle to work that day so Jason could pick her up and they could go have dinner out. When Michelle came home after dinner she was crying because she and Jason and her had fought... he'd just dropped her off and left. The fight was about her going to the friend, Shelly Schaad's wedding. He had told her she had to find her own way, he was going with friends. After she arrived home she left to find him but came back home alone, and they talked again. She said Michelle and Jason argued that night after he arrived back home also. Linda said she witnessed a lot of arguments, belittling her and putting Michelle down.
Linda stated that Michelle seemed to be more unhappy than happy. But there was good points and Michelle held on to the good points. During the Oct trip she said Michelle seemed empty. When Jason told Linda that Michelle didn't want to have sex with him,she advsied he didn't want to go down the path of having another woman on side, it would end their marriage. Linda said she also talked to Jason's mother while Michelle and Jason were at Shelly's wedding. She described the scenario with the fight and his mom said he'd just told her that Michelle didn't want sex.
She told the jurors when Jason came to Meredith's home after Michelle died, it was like cold air ... ho hugging, no crying. She said she looked at him and his head was down and he looked like a 5 year-old- boy. And he told her his lawyer said he couldn't talk to anyone not even her, and he also told her, 'I'm gonna take a hit on the house'.
One other thing Linda was asked and answered that I found interesting about him. Linda stated that Jason hated flowers and any card he'd give were joke cards,nothing romantic or loving. (which shows the so called purse from ebay could have been for show.)
To me when defense questioned Linda he played down the arguments as general marital stuff. He asked about Jason being a dad and Linda said he loved to play with Cassidy. He asked if she was
pressuring LE to arrest Jason and she answered that she pressured them to resolve the issue.
Linda's testimony was hard to listen to, as a grandmother, I can relate to her frustration not seeing Cassidy and with Jason being so closed off about Michelle's murder. She added to the motive aspect of his wanting Michelle dead for the state's case to me.
Day 9 Friday June 17 2011
ReplyDeleteBeth Whitney is a forensic computer analyst for CCBI - She noted Ineternet searches in unallocated space... She found search terms on Ask, WebMd, and 2 queries on Yahoo.
Yahoo: 'anatomy of a knockout' and 'head trauma blackout'
Ask: 'head blow knockout'
WebMD: 'head trauma'
Whitney said the searches had no date or time but it's because of the way it was marked. (these searches were not marked URL but was marked RSDR- redirect.) The sites create the redirect to help users pass a script and she said there is no way to discover the date or time.
She also said weekly data from the last week of Oct 23rd -30th 2006 was purged and overwritten. The settings on the computer had been manually changed to not save internet history. For this reason she could not get data on what came up when those terms were searched. She found a deleted and overwritten daily history for Nov 1, 2006.
She gave evidence on the email addresses also and jurors were privy to some of those emails, in particular ones Jason wrote Michelle and her replies.
She did say the computer was used on Nov 2 2006. (this goes toward the printout of bags and purses from ebay)
Of note:
daily logs within the active allocated space history
Aug - 14, 21,
Sept 27,
Oct 15, 16, 26
Nov 2
Michael Smith was called works for SBI with computer crimes. He showed jurors an email from Jason to Genevieve dated for Sept 12 of 06. But we weren't privy to it. (this is the one Genevieve had mentioned during her testimony.) He said all the emails he recovered was from Jason's 'chart one' email account.
Defense asked him no questions. I can't blame them; not after Genevieve's testimony! They'd not want to add stress on it.
Day 9 Friday June 17 2011
ReplyDeleteJason Fitzgerald is an old friend of Jason and Michelle. He said he met Michelle through Shelly's friendship with her. He said they had public arguments but there were good times as well. He said when he and friends were driving to Winston-Salem, to Shelly Schaad's wedding, they stopped at a gas station and Jason was there. Jason left his vehicle and got into the car with them. Michelle was left to finish the drive to Shelly's wedding alone.
Of particular interest is thta he said Jason expressed thoughts of being done with his marriage. He said Jason had been angry before but this time it was on a higher level.
( This was the same trip Linda Fischer said they argued about on the night of their belated anniversary dinner out. And Michelle had told her Jason said he was riding with friends, she'd have to find her own way. Once again he ended having it his way! )
Jason said after Michelle was killed and crime scene had been released, he, Josh, Ryan, and Jason's sister went to the house. He said to secure access, change locks etc... He said he was inside the home too as well as the others. He said he did speak with Jason after that but didn't specifically asks about the murder. And around a month or two after that they stopped communicating.
He aslo said he knew Michelle Money and that he had suspicions Jason was involved with a relationship with her.
Defense asked about the time at Ryan and Shelly's wedding and what he noticed about Michelle and Jason after the car incident. He said they seemed to be getting along again. He asked if Jason talked about the new baby coming. And Fitzgerald said they seemed excited. Fitzgerald also said in comment to a defense question that when they were in the home Jason's sister had found a tooth, he wasn't present when she found it though.
Michael Schawski is a lawyer who was contacted by the Fischers about rights to see Cassidy. He said their contact by spring of 2008 had depleted. So he wrote Jason a letter on their behalf and asked if his lawyer could contact him to construct some sort of visitation. He received a response with a family lawyer of Jasons. Ultimately it was decided that they'd send a prearranged visitation schedule
agreement. The response was that Jason would agree to arrange visits ( hence the hotel visitation in Oct) but he wasn't willling to sign an agreement. They finally filed a lawsuit for custody and a requirement in that suit was that he have mental health evaluation. (this wasn't unusual). Jason never signed any of the paperwork so a meeting happened and as a result of that meeting, he thinks on Jan 23rd., Jason
offered that Cassidy's custody be changed to the Fischers. The custody agreement changed the efforts to get a mental evaluation of Jason which also meant no discovery attempts could be made. Jason wouldn't have to give depositions and answer any questions.
A reminder: (Linda had told the jurors about a trip they made to Cassidy's daycare. This trip was kept silent because they figured it'd be blocked. But when they got there, the people at the daycare thought Meredith was Cassidy's mother, they hadn't been told about her mother being dead or how she died.) That Jason never wanted to sign legal documents that'd give way to his having to give depositions is very interesting to me. To me it says he did not want to chance saying one thing that could come back and haunt him in the future.
I will remind the readers of this blog. wral.com has copies of the emails, including the last one he wrote to Genevieve back in Sept of 06. And some between Jason and Michelle. They mention and include a few in their update article of the trial on their site:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.wral.com/specialreports/michelleyoung/story/9746078/
Information on the complete case (trial vids. also) is available on wral including pics of the crime scene. The inside of the home and bloody footprints included. The bathroom with the baby's little footprints are heartbreaking.
I haven't written anything yet on Spivey's testimony but I will say WOW! He summed up the whole case and gave us a clear picture of the trips he made to Hilsville and King plus other places he visited that Jason had been.
ReplyDeleteHe explained why they went to Brevard to search mom And sister's homes and the storage building. He reiterated that neither pair of Jason's shoes were ever found nor was the clothing he was wearing when he was caught twice on the video wearing different clothes. He verified a receipt from Four Brothers store where he purchased gas at 5:27 AM on Nov 3rd. She had 2 purchases for gas with cash payment one was for 20. and the other 15 within a couple minutes. Both were allegedly Jason's - she'd punched in 20 when he told her he wanted 20 in gas then did the 15 after he finished pumping... That gives credence to Gracie Dahms' testimony that he was there.
He also spoke about the medicine on Cassidy's Hutch shelf and said they had the dropper tested and it showed traces of Dihydrocodeine, a prescription drug that causes drowsiness.
Spivey laid the whole investigation out.
State rested their case and after the jurors viewed all the exhibits of state's case the defense began their case.
ReplyDeletePat Young, Jason's mother was their first witness. She talked about Jason as a child and stated his father had passed when he very young. But he still had father figures in his life. And while talking about him, she made him an angel with a touch of mischievousness. At or about age 12 he mooned his grandmother but she said grandmother laughed and pretended to be shocked by falling to the ground like she fainted. She said Jason just laughed and loved it. Grandmother, according to Pat Young, was laughing about it also.
She talked about how she first met Michelle and said she liked her a lot. Michelle loved to cook and so does she so Michelle would sit in the kitchen with her. She said she'd make Michelle her favorite food as she does anyone else who visits, and Michelle loved banana pudding so she tried to have it when she was there visiting.
She also showed pictures of Michelle and Jason and one of him with his hand on her growing tummy. She spoke of how excited Jason was of being a father and how he stayed at the hospital with Michelle and called her excited that he had changed his first baby diaper.
She stated on the day Michelle died she'd gotten a call that Michelle had been killed in a homicide and didn't want to call and tell Jason while he was driving so they (she, her now husband, and a friend) decided it was best to wait for him to reach her home before he was told. She said he exited his vehicle, reached in and took his jacket out, threw it over his shoulder then reached down to pet the dog and by this time they had all reached him. He looked up and asked Mom what is wrong, she said her friend just told him Michelle was dead. He turned pale, and just dropped to the ground in tears. Saying no not Michelle, where's Cassidy? She said they thought Jason was going into shock so they got him to a bench then inside and in a recliner. She went and got him something to drink and a wet cloth and washed his forehead.
I am going to say, I thought Pat Young's testimony very odd. Some of her testimony didn't come off as truthful to me. Even while she professed to really like Michelle so much she enjoyed time cooking with her and making her favorite dish, she never even choked up, cried, or showed any saddness with the memory of Michelle's spending time with her. Mrs. Young seemed, to me,to enjoy her testimony. She enjoyed talking about how great a dad Jason was and how he got Cassidy to eat foods that was good for her by planning games and telling her that her mother loved it. And then Cassidy would love it too. During all this she never even sighed. It was off to me. And I don't believe that Jason asked about Cassidy. If he did it was for her sake. If he cried and carried on then it was for mom's sake also because he didn't cry when he and they reached Meredith's house that night. All he said was I can't talk about it, even to you and I'm going to take a hit on the house to Linda Fischer. And he told Meredith the same thing. I can't discuss it. He kept telling them he'd go talk to LE with his lawyer and he never did.
( I am wondering where she got homicide idea from. IIRC Meredith didn't use the word homicide nor did Linda. What they knew was that she was murdered.)
Pat Young claimed Jason called her so many times on the 3rd because he was having a problem getting through. But also said she didn't have the phone with her all the time because while she was at the home with her mother feeding her, she'd left it in the car.
The only time during this trial that Jason has shown any emotion was while his mother was on the stand. He smiled.
I am not saying I don't feel bad for Mrs. Young. I do. When a murder happens it doesn't just effect the victim's family and friends. It also effects the accused family and friends too.
Pat Young's testimony will continue on Tuesday.
June 21, 2011 Tuesday day 10
ReplyDeleteThe defense brought many witnesses to the stand today, and then showed the jury their exhibits. I think they are confident. I'm not so confident as they are.
First Mom Young finished her testimony. More of what a good father Jason was and pictures of him with his family. Also more of the strained relationship between Jason and Linda Fischer. She talked about how Jason touched Michelle's hand at the funeral and then touched the little mound that was the baby.
And poor Jason cried with that testimony.
After the funeral they got Cassidy and they saw Allan Fischer and then his sister and her hunband left and Cassidy went with them.
She spoke of how he lost his job but he got another job that lasted about a year. She said Jason still lived with her and Gerald. She talked about how they became afraid the Fischer's would take Cassidy and run with her and the Fischer's were talking about not seeing Cassidy to media.
The only time Pat Young choked up like she wanted to cry was when she talked about Jason being arrested. She never cried when talking about her daughter-in-law being bludgeoned to death and Cassidy finding her body.
Pros Hoyt asked Pat Young about before the murder on Nov 2. She said that was the first she knew Jason was coming for a visit and she stated it was her who didn't want Linda Fisher to come. Yeah right!
Pros asked about her speaking to LE and they asked if she knew Michelle Money. Linda said it sounds like they read her Christmas list. Linda said that it wasn't Michelle Money... it was Michelle-money because Michelle had told her just to give her money. (Again I say, yeah right, Michelle wasn't in financial straits so I really not sure I believe that tidbit either.) She'd previously stated she was ashamed of him for having the affair.
She stated Jason rode in the back seat with her on the trip to Raleigh on 3rd. and slept or had his eyes closed. He lay his head in her lap. She also said Jason never took anything from his suitcase out his vehicle or took anything out of it while at her home.
Her jolly attitude and smiles changed considerably while being questioned by Pros. Pat had to stop and think of when his and Michelle's anniversary was. Pros asked if Jason mentioned the coach purse on Nov 2 and she said no... ( Interesting) First he mentioned the purse to her, was on 3rd.
She said he'd told her on 3rd he called and requested she call Meredith and ask she go get printout too. Pros asked her about saying the Fischer's need to stand up for Jason and Linda repeated the media story where they talked about him. And she said she didn't remember if she told Jason that Linda told her she needed to talk to Jason and she had questions she wanted answered. (Hmm)
June 21, 2011 Tuesday day 10
ReplyDeleteGerald McIntyre was called, he is Jason's stepfather, said he spent time as often as he could with Jason when he was growing up. He also stated he told Jason not to speak to LE without a lawyer. He also said Jason called early mornign Nov 3rd and told him he was coming to get a washstand. She said they were devasted when Michelle died. He said part of Jason died that day also. Defense ask about Jason's reaction when he was told Michelle was dead. At first he said he didn't know cause all he could see .. and put his own hand to the back of his head... then he Jason stated crying. And he was deeply concerned about him because he didn't know if Jason was going to hold up. He was asked baout who was going to drive and who was going back to Raleigh and he said he knew there was some discussion but he was just concerned about Jason. (That's all he testified too)
Pros asked about the warrants and searches. And he said he remembered. He said he didn't pay no attention to what they told him. He said he had told Jason not to speak of the situation unless he had representation. He was asked if he stated he would stick with his family to the death and he said he remembered saying that.
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Heather McCracken is Jason's sister. She spoke to the same things as mom and others did. He was an imp - tease her and their sister, always made jokes, he was a people person and could never stay mad long because he'd have you laughing.. She too, smiled and happily spoke of Jason and talked how she met Michelle and said Michelle was very sweet and pretty and talkative. She claimed Jason and Michelle was playful together around her when they met. She said it was hard to have a lot of time together with them due to distance between each other. Even she said sex was an issue between Jason and Michelle.
She cried when talking about Jason when Cassidy was born. She said when they went to Meredith's that evening they talked about maybe Michelle had fell and hit her head. I think Meredith knew by then she was killed and had not fell.
Pros asked bout her saying she had suspicion about what was said in the 911 call. ( Heather was demeaning Meredith! Making Meredith look bad. Argh! ) She said she thinks she'd have immediately helped her loved one and disagreed with taking Cassidy out the room. Meredith didn't want Cassidy there in the room with her mother! I agree with Meredith asking Cassidy to stay in her own room for a few.
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ReplyDeleteJune 21, 2011 Tuesday day 10
ReplyDeleteJoe McCracken is Heather's husband. He talked about the same things others did about Jason. (Repeat.) He said he saw them argue once but it wasn't heated. During the trip to Meredith's house on the 3rd, he said they got calls but Pat handled all them. (Mom taking charge.)
His facial expressions made me laugh when he was trying to remember when he and Heather met and married.
Defense asked if anyone was smoking when they went to Jason and Michelle's home to move furniture about a month after it was released and he said no.
Pros asked if that was when someone was there to fix the garage door. And he said no. Jason Fitzgerald wasn't there nor was Kim and her husband. He asked if he saw Jason take luggage out his vehicle and he said no. He was asked about LE searching his home and search the storage unit. He said yes, and nothing was taken out them.
( Of note: LE did get a warrant and removed several items from the storage room. including 3 pearl necklaces, a brown paper coach bag with white rag and ribbon paperwork, a pair of child's pink flip flops and a cream colored structure brand sweater size XL)
Defense asked condition of interior of Jason's car when he drove them back to Merediths. He said it was dirty. It didn't look as anyone had tried to clean anything out it.
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Brian Ambrose contributed more on Jason's antics and said he was known be the life of the party. He'd take his clothes off and do genitalia tricks. ( I don't see how this is so funny to these people. surely they felt how inappropriate it was in front of their wives.) Why defense called some of these witnesses is beyond me.
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Josh Dalton told jurors he and Ryan Schaad encouraged Jason to get an attorney before speaking to police. He said Jason was the fun dad, he wasn't the one who disciplined Cassidy, Michelle did that.
Under Pros Hoyt questions of Dalton, he said that Jason had told him that Michelle Money and her husband was trying to get pregnant again and they had joked wouldn't it be funny if it was his kid. He told Josh he was in love with her and had gone to Orlando to see her. He also said most of the group didn't think Jason and Michelle Fischer Young would have married if she hadn't been pregnant. Michelle and Jason's marriage was volatile, heated arguments, and weren't afraid to argue in public.
Josh told jurors that none of them wanted to think that Jason could've been involved in Michelle's murder, he doesn't remember having that conversation.
What really made me say, Um, that is not right! You're bad mouthing the victim! Was during testimony about Jason taking his clothing off at parties. But they all shake their head at the idea that Michelle may have deleted the message from Julie Dalton's saying that she could ride with her to Shelly's wedding!
(This was the wedding trip trip where Jason left his car and she drove the rest of way alone.) Josh said Jason was steaming mad and the argument over it lasted for a while. Jason confronted Michelle in front of him and Julie.
(Can't you see, Michelle just wanted to spend time alone with her husband! She was his wife, and needed his attention too.)
Dalton also played down the incident between Genevieve and Jason too. He said they wrestled her down and taken the ring off her finger. (How could they not think Jason needed help with anger issues!) He stated they had the thought Michelle had deliberately gotten pregnant so he would marry her. He also said Jason had said he was afraid if Michelle got a divorce she'd move back to NY and take Cassidy with her.
June 21, 2011 Tuesday day 10
ReplyDeleteDemetrius Barrett is a friend of Jason's since college. They worked at the University together. He said up until Michelle was killed he spoke to him regular but not since. Jason said he was at a hotel in VA while they talked on Nov 2nd and it was just are you going to game Sat and Jason said yes. He said Jason was the one who said he and Michelle should have another child.
Pros asked about contact they had and he said usually at sports games. He said he did observe arguments. He said Jason wasn't always the most responsible he knew so when he discovered they were having a kid he summed it up as kids raising kids.
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Terry Tiller a newspaper carrier was called and talked about what she saw on Birchleaf Drive on Nov 3rd. 2006. She said she didn't deliver to Young home but she had one home that took NY Times paper to one home further down from Youngs and another even further down received a Financial Times. She said on Nov 3 she saw all the lights were on inside and out. Normally it was dark. She also noticed cars weren't in driveway. This was between 3:30 and 4 AM. She also saw a car in the front of home, an medium sized SUV light in color silver or white, and a mini van, a silver blue or green, on far side of street. She said later she thought she might not have been clear and it could've been on the street. On the way back out she said lights were still on but she didn't see anyone. The next night she spoke to a detective.
Pros asked if she was stopped in front of the Young home. And she said yes. She said she'd told them about it being lit up. She asked if her time varied when she picked up and she said yes it would but it could have been as early as 3 AM. She still isn't clear as to where the SUV was parked she just associated it with that home.
June 21, 2011 Tuesday day 10
ReplyDeleteCindy Beaver is a homeowner who lived in the same neighborhood as the Youngs. She works for postal service. She said she left between 5:15 and 5:30 and typically it is all dark in that neighborhood. She said she noticed the home lights and driveway lights were on. She also noticed a vehicle stopped at the end of the driveway. It was coming out of the drive. She said she had bright lights on because she looks for deer. And her lights hit the people in the car in the face. She said it was a socker mom type car. The passenger had kinda bushy hair and she thought it was a woman. When her lights hit them, the passenger jerked sideways. When she passed them she noticed the driver had his hands on the steering wheel and the dash lights were on. He was a white man with light colored hair.
Cindy stated a van was parked on the right also and all the lights were on in it too. But she realized it was a newspaper van. This was on Blue Sage coming on to Birchleaf.
After seeing a news report she talked to her supervisor and he advised her to speak to LE. And he called for her. LE came within 10 minutes.
Pros asked if the car coming out the drive was a higher type car and she said yes. She asked about the people in car. And Cindy said the man's hair was lighter rather than black and she assumed the passenger was a woman. She said she remembered the man's grip on the steering wheel. And she thought she saw a band on his arm but she couldn't be certain.
Pros asked about the vehicle on Blue Sage and Cindy said it was a different car than one that usually carried News Observer, that it was a substitute carrier. She told Pros she doesn't recall being stopped by LE near that residence.
Pros asked about being interviewed by detectives and if she recalled saying she wasn't sure about what she had seen and when she had seen it. This interview was in Jan of 2008 and Cindy said yes. She said it was different agent and he was more persistent and asked her if she was certain it was that Friday, could it have been another Friday. She said she'd told him she believed it was that Friday but that anything is possible.
She said it weighed on her mind so she called after he left and talked to someone and told him she was 90% sure what Friday but one way to know for certain was to check the newspaper carrier that delivered that day.
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ReplyDeleteWednesday June 22 2011 Day 11
ReplyDeleteThe defendant testified!
If you want to get an idea of what he said.
Go to:
http://www.wral.com/specialreports/michelleyoung/story/9762802/
They have a really good article on his testimony and a video of today's testimony.
How do I feel about his testimony. Pretense, pretense pretense with crying and I don't believe him. What he did was take the answers his friends gave and embellished them. He said he felt guilt for sleeping with Carol and his relationship with Michelle Money as well as emailing Genevieve was wrong and he knows it.
He said a lot more but I so wanted to reach in and demand he answer where are the clothes? How could he not at least demand as soon as he heard Michelle was dead, what LE knew and if she had been killed what were they doing to find the person responsible. That would not have been held against him and he woudldn't have had to answer any questions to ask a few of his own.
After Pros did their cross, and that is a whole new argh for me. Although I realize they could not ask anything that direct hadn't brought out, I feel more questions could've been asked. They did get him rilled though. I hope the jury sees through him!!
Of worry to me is when they were discussing charges they decided to go All or Nothing. Only charge is first degree murder which mean LWOP. Or NG.
Wednesday June 22 2011 Day 11
ReplyDeleteNote: In rebuttal Pros did just what Cindy Beaver suggested. They called Travis Branch, the carrier for News Observer and he said he did not see anything unusual on Birchleaf Drive on Nov 3 2006. He didn't deliver a paper to the Young's home that day but they had in past gotten it.
He also stated he was stopped by LE and he told them then he didn't see anything or anyone. Pros asked if he checked his records for that date and time to make sure he was actually working and he said yes and he let them know he was working that day. He said he normally delivers between 3 and 5 AM - and at that time his entire route was that neighborhood. He drove a white mini van.
Defense asked if one time he spoke to officers was Feb 6 2008 and he said he believed he did. (Intimating that was the only time he spoke with LE!)
Pros came back and asked if he spoke to officers more than once and he said yes. He also said later in same month of Nov 2006 they pulled him over and asked him if he'd seen anything on 3rd, and he told them no.
After the Pros questioning of Jason Young yesterday, I felt argh with Pros Hoyt. But, last night after dinner and all I was quiet, I went outside took a deep breath and thought about all she asked and his replies to her. And I no longer have that argh. She did better than I gave her credit for.
ReplyDeleteI am still concerned about the 'all or nothing' first degree or NG but I can only place full and total faith in the jury. I pray they decide the same as I have as an armchair juror. Guilty proven.
However, I have a new concern with what I heard about charging jurors this morning and how his not talking to LE during the investigative process will be explained to them. Hopefully they fully understand that charge! From what Judge Stephens read, I think it is expalined as best it can be though.
I can't help that I am a worrier when it comes to Justice For Victims! And in this case those victims are Michelle Young and her and Jason's unborn son Rylan.
Thursday June 23, 2011
ReplyDeleteDefense did very good job in their CAs.
Klinkosum was excellent. His voice just demands attention. And he had a way with stressing words and events he wants you to pay particular attention to. Mike Klinkosum borrowed a line from Pros Becky Hoyt's OS early in his CA to deny the state proved their case against the defendant.
He said in The prosecution in their opening statement told you that 'Mr. Young had a plan.' He had a plan to come back to his home, and to drive back to Virginia using the Hampton Inn as an alibi.
He said there was 7 circumstances that show Mr. Young did not kill Michelle Young. He went on to detail his seven circumstances in awesome explanatory verbage.
Defense Collins gave a wonderful CA. He hasn't got the deep attention getting voice that Klinkosum has but he can hold your attention in his way. He told Jason's story and outlined their view of the state's evidence. He said it was completely understandable that police thought Jason did it. Of course they suspected him. You always suspect the husband. No body blames police for suspecting him but the physical evidence didn't fit then and still doesn't. It points away from Jason. He said you can't find evidence of guilt when your suspect is not guilty. He said when they arrested Jason it looked like they just gave up. But even then they kept sending stuff off for testing. That just gave them more evidence that Jason didn't do it.
Thursday June 23, 2011
ReplyDeleteTwo things Prosecutor Saachs stated in his CA that caught my attention and that made me want to applaud him was: Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.
And the other comment was: He is obviously 'Mr. Fantastic.' (speaking of Jason saying he broke a twig off a bush and used it to keep door open while he smoked his cigar- the bush well out of arms reach from the door.)
Those statements were so phenomenal! And perfectly timed in his CA!
Another statement Saacks made and I thought was excellent was when he said - This hotel tells you that you Can Not believe what the defendant is telling you.
Prosecutor Becky Hoyt was absolutely amazing with how she carried the jurors through Oct of 2006 to Nov 3 2006.
She outlined all the arguments and aggravations between Jason and Michelle. What was said and what was (or wasn't) done about each event.
I was exceedingly impressed and admired her greatly as she spoke of what the evidence says. I absolutely can not see how any of the residents of that city and county can't be proud of and applaud having these prosecutors fighting for the victims of crime.
The jurors were sent into deliberations at 3:08 eastern today. At 5PM they recessed until tomorrow morning.
ReplyDeleteI am praying for these 12 individuals. They have a lot to consider and balance before reaching a decision in this case.
I am also praying for Michelle's family. May God be with them and hold them strong. They've waited 5 years- Pros Hoyt stated in her CA that Jason had 1693 to come up with his story, the one he told jurors in the witness chair. And I applauded her for that. It was breathtaking when she opened with that line.
Sadly, the Fischer's and Cassidy have waited 1694 days for justice.
The jurors recessed for the day around 5:30 today without deciding a verdict. They've deliberated about ten hours in total since yesterday. Today they were give the dry erase board and markers they'd previously asked for and today asked to view several items of evidence.
ReplyDeleteThey asked for:
Pics of Jason at the Cracker Barrel that shows the shoes he was wearing.
Pics of the emergency exit door at Hampton Inn.
Pics of Cassidy's bathroom.
A transcript of the 911 call.
Pics of Cassidy's 3rd birthday party.
A DNA lab report.
The email he sent to Genevieve declaring his love for her.
Map quest printout ( the one he printed out and LE found in his vehicle).
And the printout from ebay about the coach purse.
TigressPen
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ReplyDeleteI've been mulling over the trial testimony and CAs and I can't remember if the issue was covered. I know we heard the back yard exit via the garage was locked because Meredith and LE mentioned it. And we know Michelle's blood was found on that doorknob leading from kitchen to inside the garage. So who besides Jason would take time to lock the garage exit door? Someone was in that back yard otherwise the hose would not be running. Would a robber do that? I say no, a robber wouldn't take the time to lock the door.
ReplyDeleteToday the Judge called a mistrial in this case. Around 11 today the jurors said they were at an impasse and hung 6-6. The Judge read them the Allen charge and sent them back to the jury room. Later they wanted to have lunch and the foreman told the judge "We have a little bit more work to do, Your Honor." after he inquired about progress. But around 4 another note was received and it advised the judge they weren't going to reach a verdict. They were still hung. 8/4. What the 2 extra were is yet unknown. We will find out only if jurors decide to speak out.
ReplyDeleteMy heartfelt prayers are sent out to Michelle's family. Michelle deserves justice and I pray it will come eventually.
Hopefully we'll learn in July whether Jason will be held or able to bond until his next trial.
I want to thank all those who came in to read the update surmisals I added to this blog piece. I will try my best to keep up with the progress of this case and include what I discover as I can.
ReplyDeleteAgain, God Bless and hold the Fischer family and Cassidy. Keep faith and hold strong.
News is out in this case. They have decided to retry Jason Young in the murder of his wife, Michelle. Perhaps as early as Oct of this year. We shall see if that date comes to be.
ReplyDeleteTigressPen
More news.
ReplyDeleteJason Young may walk outside the confines of jail walls today.
wral.com is reporting that The Young family is at the Wake County magistrate's office and his bond of 900,000 could be paid today.
His new trial is still set for Oct. 10.
A status hearing was held on the retrial and the judge has agreed to a postponment. More on the new date will be known next month. I would have been more surprised had it not been postponed than I am that it was. The state agreed with it. I hope they put their case together more thoroughly this time.
ReplyDeleteI doubt if the case will be heard again this year. I look for it to not happen before 2012 but I could be surprised with a new date set later this year.
I read an article this evening that the case was postponed until at least Jan 2012. So it'll be a while before justice has another try.
ReplyDeleteTigressPen
Youngs retrial has been set for Jan 12. I do hope Pros has set forth a clear and precise case this time. Don't focus so much on sister and mom and mediation of the troubled marriage and more on the evidence that shows Jason could have come back and killed his wife and driven back to VA. Use his testimony from 1st trial.
ReplyDeleteTigressPen
As 2011 moves into 2012 I am hoping Michelles's mom, sister and daughter are dealing with all that happened this year. The trial, verdict and setting of a new trial date can't have made for a great 2011. Justice hasn't been found for Michelle and her unborn child. Hopefully, 2012 will be different and justice will prevail so she can rest in peace and her family can move forward with their lives. My thoughts and prayers go out to them.
ReplyDeleteTigressPen
Jury selection begins today in the retrial of Jason Young. According to wral.com the judge has set Feb 6 as a tenative date for OS to be heard. I do hope pros is particular about jurors they select. They need jurors who can understand the judge's instructions.
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According to newsobserver, potential jurors had to fill out a 3 page questionaire. This is good. Apparently some questions were connected to infidelity which is even better. Jason was definitely not a faithful husband. The night of Michelle's death he was calling and texting a woman- the same woman he'd told he loved her and she was so worth it. This goes toward motive. I'm glad they are doing a thorough examination of potential witnesses, personal bias could interfere with their ability to reach a just verdict.
ReplyDeleteSo far, nine jurors have been seated in Young's retrial
ReplyDeleteI am disappointed that a juror had posted to a internet forum during while he was waiting to be questioned as a potential juror. Such nonsense can create a mistrial if learned during the trial and sway ones way of thinking. Thankfully, he was discovered before the trial begins and has been dismissed.
ReplyDeleteA jury of 8 women and 4 men has been seated! Praying for a fair and just trial. One where each juror uses only evidence heard in trial as a source of their verdict decision.
ReplyDeleteThe OS for State and Defense was lackluster to me. Even Meredith Fisher's testimony leaves something to be desired this time. Something was missing with her statements this time. Sadly. I wasn't impressed with anything I heard on day one of retrial. Hopefully things will pick up for State tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteToday wasn't a wham for Prosecutors but some good evidence did come out. Jason had said previously he'd smoked a cigar outside the motel he stayed at the night Michelle died but Meredith stated that he didn't like smoke from any kind of nicotine and that in the custody papers it's agreed that none would be around Cassidy. We also heard from the man who saw the motel exit door blocked open that he didn't see any debris or sticks, twigs when he found the small flat rock blocking the door. Jason had stated he used a twig to keep the door open during his testimony at previous trial. We'd heard during last trial he didn't smoke and didn't like being around it too but this time it was asked about directly.
ReplyDeleteTestimony is finally leading to the shoe and blood spatter being shown to the jurors. Yesterday Michael Galloway showed jurors the crime scene walk through tape that was made of the scene and bloody shoeprints found on the carpet and pillows. It was a long, tedious day of testimony carefully set up so the state can bring in forensic evidence of the shoe size and type. The jurors saw the actual door frame and pieces cut from the wall with blood spatter and impact marks from a weapon. Jurors also heard how dna swatches was taken from areas in and around Jason's closet. The scene does indeed show the murder was a violent bloody one. Some of broken Michelle's teeth were found beneath her body.
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ReplyDeleteDefense made a big deal today about no blood found outside the Young home or at the motel or in Jason's car. Big deal! He was able to access his closet to change before leaving. The water spiget was left running- who turned it on? I say he did when he washed off before getting into his car and heading back to VA. This murder was brutal and personal to me. And I don't think a strange burglar/robber would've left Cassidy as a witnesss.
ReplyDeleteTo me that Jason continually called his mother on the day his wife was killed and before he was notified that she was dead is suspicious. I'd call it frantic calling- he needed to know if her body had been discovered and he knew his mother would've been notified. I also find it more than interesting that Jason could not be excluded from the DNA found on the wall nor on the stain on Cassidy's clothing. Many things about the circumstances surrounding the night Michelle was killed bothers me and strengthens my belief that Jason killed her.
ReplyDeleteYesterday we heard from 3 exs of Jason's. Genevieve Cargol was the ex fiancee he became violent with when attempting to take the ring he'd given her off her finger. Carol Ann Sowerby the lady he drew a face on and pretended to swallow her engagement ring and Michelle Money the girl friend he was so enamored with he texted that she was so worth it. After these ladies testified the state got back to business of crime scene and called witnesses to discuss shoes.
ReplyDeleteWe've heard much in this trial since I last posted. More importantly, the jury has heard what we have too. The daycare teacher testimony was riveting and telling. Obviously Cassidy witnessed her mother being bludgeoned since she commented to the teacher that mommy had boo boos and she was 'spanked'- The choice of dolls was telling too. This with all the shoe evidence, the clothing Jason wore on that fateful night never being discovered, the shoes he'd purchased matching exact the bloody shoeprints at the crime scene, among other evidence leads me to confirm my original decision from first trial. Jason Young is guilty.
ReplyDeleteThe state closed its case Friday after the Fisher's attorney detailed the custody battle they had with gaining custody of Cassidy. We've heard a trunk full of evidence in this case about Jason and Michelle's marital discord and that in total Jason had 4 million in life insurance on her. Do I think the state proved their case. Yes. When Michelle was killed Jason refused to speak to police from day 1. He'd said he wouldn't talk to them without a lawyer present. That is his right and I can't blame him but I do wonder why he never questioned the investigation, why he never went back to the home and walked through it with them. And more so, where the clothing and shoes are he was seen wearing in the video.
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Pros Cummings did a superb cross of Pat Young. She stood steadfast with her protection of Jason and his violence But Cummings used some of her previous testimony and debunked parts of hers. He rattled her and she contradicted herself. To me, from what I gained from his family, Jason was and still is a momma's boy.
ReplyDeleteThe sticks in the door testimony from defense witness was junk to me. They wasted their money. State's witness already said they used a stick and after a few tries did get it to work. And I loved Holt's cross of the witness.
Brian Ambrose is the friend Jason called in the hour after he checked in and before he was seen downstairs on vids the night Michelle died and told him he was at the motel in VA. They discussed the weekend game and tailgating and Jason's going to his mother's on Friday evening. But Ambrose called Jason a manipulator. I hope jurors pay attention to that. Ambrose said Jason could convince others to do things even though they didn't want to. Ambrose said Michelle made them adults, she was like a den mother and brought order to the tailgaters. The thing is, I think Jason manipulated Michelle too until she finally wised up.
Wed the defense rest without calling their client to the stand for a second go round. Before they did, they called a fingerprint expert named Lodas that showed the jurors a pdf file of prints from crime scene. He basically bored me to sleep. State came back at him, recalling his past mistakes and rattling him.
In rebuttal the state called the newsobserver carrier that said he was there on birchleaf the morning of Nov 3rd, it wasn't some temp driver on his route. State also called Beaver's boss who testified he was indeed the one who contacted LE on her behalf after Beaver talked about what she'd seen. He talked about how she was presistent and sticking her nose into coworkers lives.
The jurors will hear charges this morning then go deliberate Jason Young's fate. CA's were long but I have to say Klink caused my mouth to drop open. He told the jurors it was possible the killer took Cassidy out the home, bathed her and then brought her back. This same killer susposedly was so considerate after bludgeoning Michelle to death he went into Jason's closet and took the Hush Puppy shoes so he wouldn't track the blood throughout her home. Why, the rage he'd felt earlier when he killed Micelle had dissipated so much he even stopped and vacummed! But he didn't vacuum well because mud was left on a step. Oh well, can't find good help these days.But, the kindness of the killer's shoe change kept Jason from having to replace carpet throughout the home before it was sold. That made it less of a 'hit' he had to take after Michelle allowed herself to be killed.
ReplyDeleteThe jury was unable to render a verdict Friday. I hope this is a positive thing and it means they are looking at all the evidence and discussing the facts.
ReplyDeleteThe juros this morning asked to view several items of evidence. Including the crime scene photos before the scene was processed and Cassidy's pajamas, the cracker barrel pic showing Jason wearing a pair of shoes that look like the Hush Puppy brand and the items found in his suitcase/ car when it was taken. Soon after viewing this evidence they took an hour lunch. Later they sent a note that they needed a 20 minute break then around 4 this afternoon they sent a note they'd reached a verdict and a note stating they did not want to talk to anyone after they were dismissed. And asked for police escort to their cars.
ReplyDeleteThe verdict was Guilty first degree murder. One I wholly agree with! Judge sentenced Jason after giving a speech about the brutality of the murder. And agreed with Pros this was a domestic violence murder of rage. Jason was given life without parole effective immediately. He was taken into custody.
Since the verdict the judge has asked theState Bureau of Investigation to look into possible misconduct involving a juror. It seems some person talked on a facebook page of wral stating the jury was hung 7 guilty and 5 not guilty. Allegedly the information originated from a juror. I don't want to believe a juror did text a friend during delibs but I'm not going to be surprised if it's found to be a truth. According to a wral article, jurors are saying cell phones were off per judge's orders.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.wral.com/specialreports/michelleyoung/story/10820046/
I think everything published made a great deal of
ReplyDeletesense. But, consider this, suppose you wrote a catchier title?
I ain't saying your information isn't good., but suppose
you added a title that makes people want more? I mean "Jason Young: A Chameleon In Hush Puppies?" is kinda vanilla.
You could look at Yahoo's front page and watch how they create news headlines to grab people to open the links. You might add a video or a pic or two to grab readers excited about everything've written.
In my opinion, it might make your blog a little bit more interesting.
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Anonymous of 9/22/2012
ReplyDeleteI don't think the title is vanilla. I used it as a question because allegedly that was a comment his father-in-law used to describe him. And considering Jason's personality as I learned more about him, I thought it a fitting description. I title my post as I see they should be, nothing more.