Theodore Wafer Trial
The trial of Ted Wafer began this morning. I want to get this up quickly so those interested can watch and know where to follow comments.
There is live stream at http://courtchatter.tv/wafer3.htm.
If there are videos later, I will embed them here.
(A Special thanks to Mothman for locating the live stream)
Croakerqueen makes a note:
Due to the fact that they showed a juror’s face, the video has been edited. The stream went down not too long after she was shown. I will see what I can do about blurring her out, and reuploading.
Part 1
Part 2
Posted on 07/23/2014, in Cases, Renisha McBride, Videos and tagged Detroit, Renisha McBride, Ted Wafer, Theodore, trial. Bookmark the permalink. 141 Comments.
We Hold These Truths To Be Self-Evident 
Renisha McBride’s mother is on stand as the first witness.
LikeLike
mom is monica mcbride. dad is walter simmons. mom says mcbride worked as temp worker (contract) for ford motor company..mom getting emot.
renisha lived with mom, grandmom, sister and nephew
prosecution showing pic of renisha’s home on whitcomb that is a bungalow which family lawyer says very similar to wafer’s home
mom testifying about her last minutes with her daughter nov. 1..she says renisha left home about 11:15 not long after mom got home from work
LikeLike
monica mcbride police came to her home around 8 a.m. Nov. 2 to tell her her daughter was dead. mom called dad to tell him
LikeLike
confusion in date from testimony on whether renisha was at home on nov. 1. hopefully the confusion will be cleared up in further testimony
LikeLike
This was a tweet (above)
LikeLike
@Yahtze, I must tell you how much i appreciate & look forward to your transcripts:)
I think I even retain more from reading your notes than watching! I also like them because i don’t have to pay so much attention to every single minute &/or not even watch certain parts!
your transcripts are the best thing EVER!
so much info so quick XOXOXOXO thank you sooooooooooo much!!
LikeLike
mcbride’s dad’s phone number given out in open court but judge admonishes media not to give out to public. it was asked by defense atty
LikeLike
mom says renisha was a “social” drinker who wld climb into bed w/ her when she was drunk.
renisha’s mom Monica will remain in court now that her testimony is over. she’s being comforted by renisha’s aunt as she takes frontrow seat
LikeLike
Mom is trying to hold her composure. It’s tough on her.
LikeLike
LikeLike
I am aching for Renisha’s mom.
LikeLike
this is just so sad..
LikeLike
renisha mcbride’s best friend amber jenkins taking stand
jenkins being questioned by asst wayne co pros terry anderson.
LikeLike
Went to store with Renisha, bought fifth of liquor, returned to Renisha’s home and played drinking game, consuming half of the fifth of liquor (vodka)
LikeLike
Renisha was sore loser and wanted to quit game….
LikeLike
smoking marijuana …a cigar emptied of tobacco and replaced with marijuana=blunt
consumed 3 of them
She stayed for 2 or so hours
LikeLike
Left Renisha’s home around 8 or 9 pm
Had known Renisha
LikeLike
Doesn’t know if Renisha was on the phone texting or anything like that
LikeLike
Wafer attorney now cross examining Amber Jenkins
LikeLike
wafer atty cheryl carpenter showing renisha best friend some txt msgs btwn the pals.
wafer atty cheryl carpenter showing renisha best friend some txt msgs btwn the pals.
LikeLike
Clarifies that the 2 male friends decided not to go along with her
LikeLike
Renisha’s grandmother was in back room.
Amber had not had alcohol but had smoked marijuana during the day.
She did not know if Renisha had smoked marijuana before Amber arrived because marijuana would not affect Renisha’s actions so that there was no way to know.
LikeLike
blunts they had together were quarter of an inch thick and 3 or 4 inches long.
LikeLike
alcohol and blunts they had was consumed in an hour and a half
LikeLike
left because Renisha was a sore loser
LikeLike
left house because she did not want to play with Renisha anymore…not because she thought Renisha’s behavior was going to escalate because of being a sore loser.
LikeLike
first written statement says she didn’t want things to escalate…but now she clarifies that if did not mean what defense was looking for as far as an argument
LikeLike
Now prosecution re-cross
He asks for her phone # at that time
LikeLike
I am going to take a break
LikeLike
You picked a good time for your break, they are now going to lunch for one hour (or so?).
LikeLike
Court is breaking for lunch. I’m breaking for coffee. 🙂
LikeLike
I am going to take a short nap.
LikeLike
Live streaming back on.
LikeLike
Court back in session.
judge on bench: court back in session.jurors coming in. next witness carmen beasley, who tended to mcbride after the car crash
beasley being questioned by pros terry anderson
beasley lives on street where single car accident occured nov. 2
LikeLike
beasley says she heard loud noise/ and called 911 because ” i knew something had taken place”.anderson wants to play 911 call.def. objects
LikeLike
LikeLike
jury has returned
LikeLike
Beasley’s 911 call being played for jurors: “she looks like she’s hurting going away ” says Beasley in the call
LikeLike
Thanks for posting the trial videos above, Xena.
LikeLike
I can’t seem to get it to stream on my PC – works fine on my phone.
LikeLike
LikeLike
Follow
Cathy
@courtchatter
#TheodoreWafer #RenishaMcBride back from lunch. Stream is a little jumpy right
Croakie @croakerqueen 18m
@courtchatter so yours is freezing every 2 seconds too/
Cathy @courtchatter 17m
@croakerqueen Haha yes! Are you as done with today as I am?! 🙂
Croakie @croakerqueen 16m
@courtchatter Yes!4 hours sleep, haven’t eaten and stream issues left and right. If comps weren’t so expensive I’d take a baseball bat 2 it
LikeLike
The Trial File @TheTrialFile · 11m
The #livestream of the #RenishaMcBride trial is enough to make you want to hurl
LikeLike
Oh so maybe it’s not me?
LikeLike
No, it’s not, Rachael.
I am hearing one word about every 15 seconds.
LikeLike
beasley says renisha was driving her white taurus and she cld tell renisha was a female as the teen walked toward warren ave in detroit
prosecution showing a Google earth photo of Beasley’s home, outside where Renisha got into single car accident
LikeLike
beasley said she asked mcbride is she was okay and she said yes and “i just need to go home.” mcbride later walked towards nearbychurch
pros now showing pics of mcbride’s smashed up white taurus w/extensive front passenger side damage. mcbride was alone
The Trial File @TheTrialFile
·
52s
Beasley is asked to identify foto of her home. Identifies tree next to home that her husband’s car struck as a result of the car accident
The Trial File @TheTrialFile
·
39s
Beasley says rear end of vehicle damaged as well as front passenger side
LikeLike
The Trial File @TheTrialFile
·
9s
Beasley testified she asked #RenishaMcBride if she was OK.
Renisha replied: “Yes, I just need to go home.'”
LikeLike
beasley said mcbride cldn’t find her cell phone. there was blood on 1 hand. she also staggered and had her hands cupping her head
LikeLike
The Trial File @TheTrialFile
Prosecution is now showing pictures of #RenishaMcBride smashed up white Taurus which had extensive front passenger side damage.
LikeLike
beasley said she told mcbride that she was hurt and that beasley said she needed to call an ambulance for mcbride. playing second 911callnow
LikeLike
I’ve been on the phone and just got back. Looks like live stream is down.
LikeLike
beasley tells 911 that mcbride is bleeding and had been drinking. she called 911 twice
Beasley said as she tried to get McBride to stay w/her after crash but teen kept saying she needed to go home. says she walked away 3rdtime
beasley cries as she looks at the smiling picture of mcbride: she seems like she was scared and wanted to go home. she wasn’t beligerant.
LikeLike
The Trial File @TheTrialFile · 30s
photo of #RenishaMcBride is being shown. Prosecutor asks Beasley who it is. She starts crying & said it’s the lady she talked to that night.
LikeLike
beasley says of mcbride: “she just wantd to get home. that was her goal to get home.”
LikeLike
Here’s a good live stream
http://courtchatter.tv/mctear.htm
LikeLike
That’s the murder trial of McTear. But, it’s the same channel that we watched this morning. The problem must be on the court’s side of things.
LikeLike
beasley says she told ems and police when they arrived to circle block to look for the wandering mcbride “cause she wasn’t moving that fast”
prosecution done with beasley. cross exam by wafer atty cheryl carpenter now
LikeLike
https://twitter.com/TheTrialFile
Beasley said she thought that if emergency crew had circled the block, they could have located #RenisaMcBride
“She wasn’t in a good condition so she couldn’t have gotten too far,” Beasley testified. #RenishaMcBride
LikeLike
The Trial File @TheTrialFile · now
So essentially EMS/Police just blew off circling the block? #RenishaMcBride
LikeLike
opps sorry wrong trial
LikeLike
🙂
LikeLike
It’s okay Dreamer. At least that tells us there is nothing wrong with the channel itself. The problem has to be in the courtroom.
LikeLike
wafer atty asking about beasley’s neighborhood showing a map of area where car accident occured. mcbride walked back and forth to area 3X
wafer atty asking how long mcbride in the alley and whether beasley checked the alley. beasley says no
LikeLike
https://twitter.com/TheTrialFile
Beasley testified that the 911 operator asked her to keep #RenishaMcBride at the scene. Beasley said she “assumed she was drunk.”
Beasley testified #RenishaMcBride didn’t know where she was and couldn’t give her a phone number.
wafer atty asking how long mcbride in the alley and whether beasley checked the alley. beasley says no
the accident occured on brammell near warren..about a mile from wafer’s home. beasly says she assumed teen drunk cause of ax, lack of mem.
Beasley said she tried to convince McBride to stay but she said “as a mother I can understand” why she wanted to go home.
LikeLike
Oh great. So the defense’s argument is that Beasley is responsible for Ted killing Renisha. I think they call that reaching for straws.
LikeLike
It is nutty!
And, did you notice that at trial here in opening comments his defense attorney said that Wafer couldn’t find his cellphone. Remember, how the judge at the hearing said that he should have called 911 and waited for the police instead of going to the door with his shotgun if he was so scared?
Well, now the defense is putting out this new excuse that Wafer could not find his cellphone to do that.
LikeLike
A variation of GZ’s defense;
“While standing face to face with the suspicious person, I couldn’t find my cell phone and he punched me.”
“While hearing the banging, I couldn’t find my cell phone so went for my shotgun instead.”
LikeLike
Yes, Xena!
I was just coming here to post this:
anne hillebrand @annehillebrand2 · 1h
Wafer didn’t realize his phone was in his pocket. Sounds familiar? GZ #RenishaMcBride
LikeLike
Funny how he was able to find it immediately after the shooting.
LikeLike
towerflower, I think they call that selective memory. 🙂
By the way, I found the case involving the warning shot. The man’s name is Orville Lee Wollard. There is also another case; Ronald Thompson. I pulled some links, including one of a change.org petition for Wollard. Would you like to guess blog on both or one of the cases?
LikeLike
https://twitter.com/TheTrialFile
Defense asks Beasley why she didn’t make #RenishaMcBride, who appeared to be drunk, stay at the scene
Beasley testified. “I can’t make anyone do anything,
Beasley said she tried to convince #RenishaMcBride to stay but she said “as a mother I can understand” why she wanted to go home.”
Defense is asking about injuries #RenishaMcBride sustained. Beasley saw only blood on right hand, nothing else.
beasley said mcbride enough blood on her hand that she was concerned. she said she cldn’t tell if teen was wearing seatbelt
LikeLike
In effort to find another channel with the live trial, I Googled “Ted Wafer” “trial” “live stream.” The first page results were for this blog. LOL!
LikeLike
Xena, not live, but I did find this, with a live commentary on going at the bottom of page.
http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2014/07/live_mother_of_renisha_mcbride.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+detroit-news+(Detroit+News+-+MLive.com)
LikeLike
That’s an excellent page. Thanks, crustyolemothman!
He seems to be using a computer instead of tweeting for his commentary.
LikeLike
yahtze, Because this twit does not twitter, I have to do it some other way… Yes, he seems to be doing it via computer or smart phone live and in person… it is much easier for me to follow that way… It’s an old worn out brain thing, I suppose.. 🙂
LikeLike
There’s also live tweeting on Court Chatter, but it’s not the same as watching. I’m going to catch up on some of the over 1,000 emails as I check back and forth to see if live coverage has continued.
LikeLike
That is so fun, Xena!
LikeLike
https://twitter.com/TheTrialFile
re-direct by terry anderson: asking Beasley again about McBride cupping her head w/her hands and whether she had closed head injury
anderson asking for transcripts of beasley’s 911 to be admitted into evid. judge says they’ll be admitted w/spec. instruction
beasley done testifying. jury taking 5 min break
LikeLike
There must be Cheez-it crumbs in the air affecting the live streaming.
LikeLike
Wild about trial is also offline. I’m watching Twitter to see if anything is reported about the live stream.
http://www.wildabouttrial.com/one_off/theodore-wafer-trial-live-steam/
LikeLike
https://twitter.com/TheTrialFile
Defense attorneys and prosecutors are back in the courtroom currently talking with Judge Hathaway.
Carmen Beasley is back on the stand. #RenishaMcBride hit her husband’s parked car.
LikeLike
https://twitter.com/TheTrialFile
Cpl. Ruben Gonzalez, from the Dearborn Heights Police Department, has taken the stand to testify. #RenishaMcBride
LikeLike
Gus Burns | fburns@mlive.com just now
(Oops, they started to replay an earlier feed. Beasley is not back on the stand. They figured out the glitch.)
Dearborn Heights Police Corporal Reuben Gonzales called. He’s been in Dearborn Heights since 2002 and spent two prior years with Detroit Police Department. He was on patrol the night of Nov. 1,carrying over to the morning of Nov. 2.
LikeLike
https://twitter.com/TheTrialFile
Gonzales was on patrol between 11 pm and 8 am on Nov1-Nov 2, 2013. Fully uniformed, in a marked vehicle, alone.
gonzalez at telegraph and warren when he got call about shooting and the deceased on porch of home. gonzalez says about 2-3 addtl cops there
Gonzalez testified he arrived at location within 3min of receiving the call. Says other officers were arriving on the scene when he arrived.
LikeLike
Gus Burns | fburns@mlive.com just now
Gonzales (sp?) is being questioned about the call he received about 4:43 a.m. Nov. 2.
“The caller had shot a subject and that subject was lying on the porch,” he recalls as the nature of the call.
He said he responded to Wafer’s address in a matter of 2-3 minutes. A total of 2-3 were on scene when Gonzales arrived.
(Defense entering photo of Wafer’s house on W. Outer from the night of the call)
LikeLike
gonzales looking at picture of wafer’s home on nov. 2 at around 4:45 in morning.
gonzales being shown map of wafer’s home..west outerdrive near warren and where other officers were when he showed up at scene
LikeLike
gus Burns:
2:26 p.m. Gonzales parked. Said “we get multiple bogus runs” so he wanted to first confirm it was legitimate.
Gonzalez: “It was obvious and unfortunate that she was deceased.”
Says porch door was closed. There was a shotgun in the foyer and he observed Wafer walking outside the west side of the home.
Posted on Live: Mother of Renisha McBride takes stand in trial of Theodore Wafer
7/23/2014 2:30 PM
https://twitter.com/TheTrialFile
Gonzalez just testified he saw #TedWafer walking down the sidewalk.
dark pics being shown in open court of wafer’s home where mcbride laying on the porch. monica mcbride leaves courtroom
LikeLike
This has me so upset. I can’t stop crying. Here this child was hurt and wanted to go home. She needed help, instead she was shot. I can’t believe it. What if that was my kid? OMG OMG!!!
LikeLike
I know Rachael, it breaks my heart. Dead at the age of 19 because of Wafer’s jumping to conclusions and shooting for no valid reason at all.
Did you hear his attorney say that Wafer saw a “shadowy” figure on his porch. Shadowy??? A word close to implying “shady” …..I don’t like his lawyers wording.
LikeLike
Gus Burns:Based on a search of the Internet, it appears the witness is Corporal Ruben Gonzalez. He received the 2007 Dearborn Heights Police Department Chief’s Unit award: http://www.pressandguide.com/articles/2010/04/02/news/doc4bb232e93efbf788051881.txt
Posted on Live: Mother of Renisha McBride takes stand in trial of Theodore Wafer
7/23/2014 2:32 PM
2:32: Gonzalez: Wafer ID’s himself as the shooter and 911 caller. Gonzalez patted him down for weapons, which he said is routine. Wafer was not armed. Gonzalez informed Wafer he would be detained pending investigation. Wafer is placed in the back of Gonzalez’s scout car.
Gonzalez asked sergeant if detective bureau would be taking over due to it being a homicide. The Sgt. confrimed.
Posted on Live: Mother of Renisha McBride takes stand in trial of Theodore Wafer
7/23/2014 2:34 PM
https://twitter.com/TheTrialFile
Gonzalez said he heard #TheodoreWafer say he was the 911 caller to report the shooting. Wafer was patted down and put in squad car – alone.
gonzales said he heard wafer say he was the 911 caller to report the shooting . wafer patted down and put in squad car alone.
LikeLike
Gus Burns:Based on a search of the Internet, it appears the witness is Corporal Ruben Gonzalez. He received the 2007 Dearborn Heights Police Department Chief’s Unit award: http://www.pressandguide.com/articles/2010/04/02/news/doc4bb232e93efbf788051881.txt
Posted on Live: Mother of Renisha McBride takes stand in trial of Theodore Wafer
7/23/2014 2:32 PM
2:32: Gonzalez: Wafer ID’s himself as the shooter and 911 caller. Gonzalez patted him down for weapons, which he said is routine. Wafer was not armed. Gonzalez informed Wafer he would be detained pending investigation. Wafer is placed in the back of Gonzalez’s scout car.
Gonzalez asked sergeant if detective bureau would be taking over due to it being a homicide. The Sgt. confrimed.
Posted on Live: Mother of Renisha McBride takes stand in trial of Theodore Wafer
7/23/2014 2:34 PM
LikeLike
https://twitter.com/TheTrialFile
Gonzalez said he heard #TheodoreWafer say he was the 911 caller to report the shooting. Wafer was patted down and put in squad car – alone.
gonzales said he heard wafer say he was the 911 caller to report the shooting . wafer patted down and put in squad car alone.
LikeLike
LikeLike
https://twitter.com/TheTrialFile
Front entryway door was open but the screen door closed, the picture showed. The shotgun was in the foyer area, Gonzalez testified
gonzales went over to mcbride’s body. he says he did not search her body.
LikeLike
https://twitter.com/TheTrialFile
Front entryway door was open but the screen door closed, the picture showed. The shotgun was in the foyer area, Gonzalez testified
gonzales went over to mcbride’s body. he says he did not search her body.
LikeLike
Whoops, there goes the defense’s story about her tearing off the screen door… They need to back up and try another story, that one does not fly….
LikeLike
Remember how the forensic guys just left the screen at Wafer’s house and only later went back to retrieve it from the basement where Wafer had put it?
LikeLike
I remember that quite well, but the picture showing it still in place and the testimony of the officer would in the real world blow their story out of the water. Then again this is not the real world and some how they will say that the screen went back into place after he shot the victim, it was an AOG, right? You feel the jury should have been sequestered, I agree in principal, but in reality, with the ability that the Zimmerman defense team and supporters breached the security of that jury, I would suggest it would be only an exercise in futility and would actually accomplish little. Have a great night, enjoy your time with the family….
LikeLike
I am so glad they have the photo!
LikeLike
Did anyone hear the defense’s opening? did they say the screen door was torn off by Renisha? because i also heard mention of this theory before trial, but are they using that lie at trial i wonder?
seems, you know they get to make up their story, change their story as time goes on in the media so much nowadays. like the absurdity of Zimmerman’s outrageous lies.
first Trayvon was running, then skipping. or that Trayvon circled the killer’s car story that they conveniently left out of the trial since it didn’t coincide w evidence. or zimmer’s initial lie about Trayvon jumping out of the bushes w/the 70s gansta speak. Since you know, once he got to go back and try to match his lies up better, like the 40ft stumble & disappearing bushes and all..
LikeLike
Shannon…
Right now, I am working on transcribing the State’s opening statement.
Here are the the tweets I posted from this site (https://twitter.com/oralandar_DN
defense atty cheryl carpenter says wafer sleeping that morning on a dark chilly nov morning. says 55 yr old wafer lives alone.
defense atty cheryl carpenter says wafer sleeping that morning on a dark chilly nov morning. says 55 yr old wafer lives alone.
carpenter says wafer always keeps his front screen door locked.
wafer atty says he was sound asleep the heard “boom, boom, boom, boom” (shouting loudly) about noise she says he heard
wafer cld not find his cell phone, defense atty says. he goes to the kitchen..he is not armed..looking for cell phone..”‘his heart is racing
wafer atty tells jurors you’re going to have to figure out what was going on in ted’s head
atty says he didn’t know if renisha was african american, arab, hispanic when he shot her to death.
wafer atty: he’s cooperative, he makes a statement and he’s taken back home (from police department)
it’s not stand your ground, wafer atty tells jurors. it’s castle doctrine law application. “we need castle doc. to keep us safe”
sidedar: pros. objecting during defense opening statements saying “i think we’ve stumbled into arguments” we’re supposed to be giving open.
mi self defense law does not have a duty to retreat if attck in their own home, says wafer atty
wafer looks outside and sees not 1 person but 2/ more people..the door was shaking..people were trying to get in, wafer believed, says atty
ted is thinking they’re coming to get me..they’re breaking into my house, says wafer atty.
he’s thinking go away..leave me alone..he goes to get his shotgun.it’s not his first decis. he doesn’t know what else to do, wafer atty says
he sees a shadowy figure and he shoots..he didn’t know anything before he shot except there are multiple peo coming in my house
wafer atty cell phone was in back jean pocket in bathroom all the time
atty says he didn’t know if renisha was african american, arab, hispanic when he shot her to death.
wafer atty tells jurors you’re going to have to figure out what was going on in ted’s head
wafer atty says front door peep hole broken shattered..screen door to wafer’s front door brought into court now
right here is the shotgun blast, wafer atty says pointing to hole in black screen door for jurors
wafer atty says screen door was tampered with ..unhinging it about 7 to 8 inches..when he opened the door none was there..
then shadowy figure came from side of porch for ”sudden attack” says it really doesn’t matter what renisha was doing that night
wafer attys says there was broken peep hole, clasps that hold front screen door in place and footprints on back AC unit..
there is evid there are peo on side (of wafer home)..how many??wafer atty says she doesn’t know. carpenter showing jurors pics of wafer home
carpenter going over legal requirements with jurors for self-defense ..reasonable fear of life and imminent danger
it’s not stand your ground, wafer atty tells jurors. it’s castle doctrine law application. “we need castle doc. to keep us safe”
sidedar: pros. objecting during defense opening statements saying “i think we’ve stumbled into arguments” we’re supposed to be giving open.
mi self defense law does not have a duty to retreat if attck in their own home, says wafer atty
wafer attys says case a tragedy all way around and sad that 19 yr old woman dead but that ‘we have to put that aside and look at the law’
wafer atty says ‘what ted did is justified’
wafer atty says investigation into wafer shooting botched..fingerprints at scene taken 4 days after nov. 2 fatal shooting.
why he shot her..he shot her because of the fear, wafer atty in opening statements he was reacting to escalating fear. law says ted just.
five minute jury break
LikeLike
Well that sounds like a bunch of who shot john BS lies! i wanna hear what he said when cops get there. it sounds so ridiculous the door was shaking there’s shadowy figure, the door was off the hinges, came from the side for sudden attack…mean while it’s exactly 1 person who was knocking on the door,not multiple. if he could see all this drama why didn’t he just scream out and say who’s there? or i gotta gun get outta here the police are on the way. he wasn’t ATTACKED he attacked! you can’t just open a door and open fire any ol time someone’s knocking on your door!
he cldnt find his phone?? but he lives alone and he’s the only person who touches his phone?? this is total BSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!! i hate liars! he’s a damn liar&murderer! and he BETTER NOT GET OFF! he went after the girl w. a gun and attacked her, just like Zimmerman went after the boy w a gun and attacked!
LikeLike
Yep.
Now take a look at the prosecutor’s opening statement that I transcribed and posted below (bottom of page)
LikeLike
O/T. Michael Dunn’s girlfriend, Rhonda, has written him a letter saying that she has a new boyfriend and that he is Black.
LikeLike
Well, I imagine that Dunn is peachy happy for her……./s/
LikeLike
Xena, Wow, talk about Karma striking him… You do owe me a new screen because I was drinking a cup of coffee when I read that… 😉
LikeLike
Hahaha. That’s great!
LikeLike
John Phillips reports that someone other than Rhonda sent the letter to Dunn and it’s a fake. Still, it gave me a laugh for today. 🙂
LikeLike
And a good laugh it was!
LikeLike
https://twitter.com/TheTrialFile
Gonzalez says report says he searched #RenishaMcBride’s body for weapons, but he states he searched #TedWafer. (More botched police work)
Gus Burns:
2:38 p.m. Gonzalez says he saw a shotgun near McBride inside the home. He did not see any other weapons or potential robbery tools, such as a crowbar.
Hagaman: “Did you see anything out there except her body on the porch?”
Gonzalez: “No”
Posted on Live: Mother of Renisha McBride takes stand in trial of Theodore Wafer
7/23/2014 2:39 PM
2:34 p.m. Assistant Prosecutor Danielle Hagaman-Clark questioning. Gonzalez said the report is inaccurate. It states the officer searched McBride, not Wafer, as is what actually happened.
Gonzalez says he “may have” had more contact with McBride’s body but he’s not certain.
He asked Wafer for consent to conduct a search of Wafer’s home. Wafer consented.
Posted on Live: Mother of Renisha McBride takes stand in trial of Theodore Wafer
7/23/2014 2:37 PM
LikeLike
https://twitter.com/TheTrialFile
Gonzalez states he saw shotgun inside of the home. He states he did not see any weapons outside of the home.
Gonzalez testifies that #TheodoreWafer was cooperative.
Gus Burns:
(Mack Carpenter, the father of lead attorney Cheryl Carpenter, now questioning)
Gonzalez says Wafer was “absolutely” cooperative during the Nov. 2 investigation.
Gonzalez did not notice the front screen was broken from its frame. “I recall it was in place,” he said “There was a bullet hole”
Posted on Live: Mother of Renisha McBride takes stand in trial of Theodore Wafer
7/23/2014 2:41 PM
LikeLike
Gus Burns:
(Mack Carpenter, the father of lead attorney Cheryl Carpenter, now questioning)
Gonzalez says Wafer was “absolutely” cooperative during the Nov. 2 investigation.
Gonzalez did not notice the front screen was broken from its frame. “I recall it was in place,” he said “There was a bullet hole”
Posted on Live: Mother of Renisha McBride takes stand in trial of Theodore Wafer
7/23/2014 2:41 PM
LikeLike
Well they are thru for the day. Back at 9:00 am tomorrow. Hopefully we will have a real live stream to watch then, but if not, we will do the best we can to follow this, that is if poor Yatzee does not have a coronary by then from the stress of keeping up with this trial… I for one appreciate the hard work she and Xena have put forth to keep us up to date and following this trial as good as is possible…
LikeLike
Yahtzee is doing all the work, being the great organizer that she is.
Thanks for your work, dear sister.
LikeLike
YW, Xena 🙂
LikeLike
Our family will be visiting….don’t know how much posting I will be doing tomorrow.
LikeLike
Enjoy your family. If it live streams tomorrow, I’ll watch and comment. If it doesn’t live stream I just might do a recap after all info is reported.
LikeLike
Gus Burns:
We’re moving a little quicker than I originally anticipated, Hagaman said. Court over for the day. We’ll be back at 9 a.m.
Posted on Live: Mother of Renisha McBride takes stand in trial of Theodore Wafer
7/23/2014 2:47 PM
2:43 p.m. Gonzalez says he did not handcuff Wafer when he placed him in the patrol car
Gonzalez took Wafer to station and turned him over to a detective.
Mack Carpenter concludes questioning.
Posted on Live: Mother of Renisha McBride takes stand in trial of Theodore Wafer
7/23/2014 2:46 PM
LikeLike
https://twitter.com/TheTrialFile
Court is done for the day. The trial will resume at 9 a.m. tomorrow (Thursday 7/24) #RenishaMcBride
I’ll say it again. It is a HUGE mistake of Judge Hathaway to not sequester these jurors
HUGE
LikeLike
dabwellsinstitute @idabeewells · 50m
There is no wifi here in the courthouse. Using my mobile phone as a hotspot, tweeting from laptop. Keep us in your prayers …
LikeLike
LikeLike
I don’t know where to post this April 8, 2012 video…guess I will just post it here.
” Tribute to Black Men & Women Wrongfully Murdered, Shot, Incarcerated”
Created and posted by Kathy Roberts
LikeLike
Sometimes when I see/learn something like this video I feel like I’m just gonna die or wanna die, I cant explain it, from this pain. i hate it. last night on twitter I stumbled upon a pic of a dog, i guess something like a muzzle was around her mouth but she was facing the camera because her eyes. and her legs tied together and she was strapped down to a table like a horror movie. it was a meme protesting Denmark’s legal bestiality. i went through a range of emotions from shock & disgust to rage to nausea to pity to horror to hate to despair &hopelessness that ended in exhaustion, this world just sucks.
i remember when i was about 6-8 yrs old,i was waiting in another part of a building/home w.my baby brother while my parents were in a church meeting one night & one of those child hunger fundraising shows on TV & i remember just being traumatized, crying so hard because those kids were starving to death.
but i was anxious for my mom to come back so i could show her because i just knew as soon as they found out about this that she and all the rest of the family, friends and ppl in the church would call that number and send those kids all the money and food they needed. we had plenty of food here to send them! smh.
of course it didn’t work out like that. but that night was my first experience of this world’s sad truths and i’ll never forget it.
i hate when ppl say the world isn’t fair. why can’t it be? there’s ways or things we can do to at least stop the things that are preventable. but we don’t.
LikeLike
Shannon,
It’s because we have compassion for the helpless, the innocent, and creatures in bondage both human and animal, that we are here. Your heart was built like that from birth.
What we are witnessing are people who are guilty of taking the life of another human being, desperately trying to be found not guilty so there are no consequences at law. We question their conscience. We question their remorse, and we question if they will do the same thing again because they have no conscience and no remorse.
We are also witnessing that our nation has become a nation of fear worst than animals who live on instinct. Even the strongest, carnivorous animals on earth do not bully other animals for the sake of making them submit, but we find that badges give some people legal right to bully and kill.
That is why I enjoy sharing the blogs of others than bring a smile to our heart; address love as the driving force that we should live by, and is the only way to peace. It helps lighten our burdens and reminds us that not everyone on this planet is out to pick a fight and kill.
Know this — I love you and your spirit.
LikeLike
I am crying now, shannon…..by your telling of your emotions, you have helped me release so much that I have been feeling inside. I can’t explain it, but you have helped to articulate the emotions that have been running inside me that needed to be expressed and let out so that I can refuel with positive “food” and be ready to continue in the “cause”.
Maybe, sometime, I can explain this better.
LikeLike
Yahtzee, we ARE different i think from some ppl in that we feel deeply for others sufferings. it does something to us. and, just now w/Xena’s comment above, i believe she’s right when she says we were born this way as opposed to some environmental type thing or ‘home training’. Xena just solved that biological vs environmental argument scientists have been studying for years in one sentence! lol
bc if i hadn’t just read what xena wrote i probably wld’ve said maybe like me, you’ve experienced death/loss of someone and/or something traumatic/life altering happened to you or someone you loved, that maybe caused or could be responsible for this “thing” in your personality. bc until today I’ve always believed & been told by psych doctors, that I’m like this bc i’ve lost 2 of the most important ppl in my life. BUT it wasn’t until i was several years older than 6 or 8 that i lost the 1st one & #2 was just 7yrs ago.
xoxox
LikeLike
I tend to look for the truth in what was not created by man, in order to understand mankind’s creation. From childhood, I wondered why I was different than other children in that I had no fear of any animal, had compassion for kids who were bullied, and if I wanted ice cream and my friend didn’t have money, I used more of my allowance to buy my friend ice cream. And, I always spoke up when I saw a wrong. That didn’t gain favor from my sister who thought of me as a “tattle-tale.” LOL!
Some of the answers that worked for me is in astrology. I am double-Aquarius, sun and moon with lots of water in my chart. Roderick did my chart for me and I promised to share with him where it is right and where I think it is off. I haven’t forgotten to do that — just behind.
Not everyone born with the same sun-sign is alike because where all of the planets are at their time of birth makes up their personality.
LikeLike
Recap of case and opening statements posted on Huffington Post.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/23/renisha-mcbride-theodore-wafer-trial_n_5614481.html?ir=Black%20Voices&utm_campaign=072314&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Alert-black-voices&utm_content=Title
LikeLike
Have the results of Renisha’s alcohol or drug levels been released?
Thanks for the hard work, Yahtzee.
LikeLike
Sidewinder,
They have been reported, which is why it is known that Renisha was intoxicated and marijuana in her system. But, just like in Zimmerman’s case, the real question is, was their alcohol and/or drugs in Wafer’s system?
LikeLike
Thanks. I was wondering, though, what the levels were at 4 am? If the numbers were released. I agree about the gz case and now Wafer.
LikeLike
YW, sidewinder 🙂
I agree with you, Xena, both gz and Wafer should have been given blood tests to determine if they had any alcohol/drugs in their systems.
LikeLike
i want to thank you all for providing running commentary. i was not able to ‘view’ the trial in real time and was hoping i would find such video. damn shame there is none to be found. thanks, especially to you, yahtzee for all of your considerable effort.
i should be able to catch real time coverage tomorrow and if yahtzee is unable to provide ongoing updates, i will do my best. (i am also doing my best to not be creeped out that the father/daughter defense team has the same first names as my brother and i. yuck.)
i have only been able to see about 1.5 hours of video for these 2 first days. does that reconcile with what the rest of you have been able to view? this is totally frustrating. i am glad to see a responsive prosecution team who objects appropriately in a timely fashion. so we’ve got that going for us.
LikeLike
Hey faux! There are so many reports regarding the live stream that change by the hour. The latest is that because a juror’s face was caught on video, that the judge will no longer allow live stream. Wild About Trial reported a technical difficulty — not that the judge said no more live coverage.
With those reports, I guess that tomorrow is a wait-and-see.
The 2 videos posted here are from this morning. They are not full coverage from today’s hearing but all that I know is available.
LikeLike
YW, faux. 🙂
Xena, I heard those explanations, also.
One tweeter commented that the court does not have WiFi but I don’t think that would affect getting the filming out, would it?
LikeLike
Not having Wi-fi would not stop live streaming. Wi-fi is internet connection between devices such as cell phones with internet access, or computers to the internet.
LikeLike
Screen door shown during opening arguments- – –
Hat tip to Michael Skolnik
LikeLike
Whew! I am back on my internet thanks to my granddaughter!!! 🙂
LikeLike
I imagine that within the next two days that the prosecution will be calling Renisha’s friend whose last name is Bines.
Here are some points of his testimony at the preliminary hearing in December 2013 where the judge decided that this case should go to trial:
Mr. Bines
He worked together since July with Renisha July 2013
Good friends
Well spoken girl, great person
Did not date
Once drank with Renisha
Her demeanor was just laid back when drinking
We will probably be hearing the same info this week.
LikeLike
Using two video “captures” of the State’s opening statement I have been able to transcribe the opening statement.
First Video:
Assistant Wayne County Prosecutor Danielle Hagaman-Clark:
Good Morning.
This was Renisha McBride before November 2, 2013.
This was Renisha McBride in the early morning hours of November 2, 2013.
(Both photos were projected on court screen for the jurors.)
This is why:
(Wafer’s 911 call now played for jury.)
DISPATCHER:(?) emergency.
WAFER: Uh, yes. I just shot somebody on my front porch with a shotgun banging on my door.
DISPATCHER: What’s your address?
WAFER: My name, uh, address is 16812 West Outer Drive
DISPATCHER: Okay what city are you in?
WAFER: Thank you.
DISPATCHER: What city are you in?
Prosecutor continuing opening statement:
The evidence in the facts that you will hear in this case deal with how Renisha McBride ended up on the defendant’s front porch at 16812 West Outer Drive in the city of Detroit back on November 2, 2013.
You will hear evidence from Monica McBride who is the mother of Rachael that back on November 1, she was at the home.
You’ll hear from a young girl Amber Jenkins who had been friends with Renisha McBride since they were in about 7th grade.
You’ll hear that Renisha was about 19 years old, and that she was living on Whitcomb Street in the city of Detroit with her mother, her grandmother, and her sister Jasmine.
And, that on November 1, 2013, Amber Jenkins and Renisha McBride decided that they were going to get a pint, between a pint and a larger bottle of vodka. And, they were going to play drinking games at the McBride household. Amber Jenkins will tell you that they said (stayed) at Renisha’s house and played drinking games for a couple hours and that it was a shot game where they were playing cards or the roll of the dice, something along those lines. And, that when you lost you had to take a shot. And, Renisha was doing most of the losing.
You’ll hear that at some point during the evening around 9:00 or so, Amber Jenkins decides, you know Renisha was getting upset about having lost so many times, and she decided she was going to call it a night. And, she goes outside. Renisha follows her outside and keeps saying things like “You’re going to leave over a deal?” And, Amber says, “Yeah, I’m going home. It;s 9:00, I’m going home. And that when Renisha goes back into the house, she (Amber) believes that that is the end of the night for Renisha as well.
Amber Jenkins goes home. And, that’s the last time …she ever has with her best friend, Renisha McBride.
You’re going to hear that Monica McBride her mother was at work until about 9:00 or so. She gets off work and she goes home. And, she gets home around 10:00…10:30 and she sees Renisha sitting at the kitchen table charging her cellphone. She fusses at Renisha because Renisha’s been home this day …it’s a Friday…Friday night. And, Renisha hasn’t done the dishes…she hasn’t done the chores like she’s supposed to, and so Mrs. McBride, as mother, is fussing at her about why didn’t you do these things?
Mrs. McBride goes upstairs to change her clothes and when she comes back, Renisha is gone.
You will hear (Devante) Bines. Devante Bines is 24…25 years old…a young man that knows Renisha. That they worked together previously over the summertime, and that while they never had dated or had any sort of intimate relationship, they would flirt over text messages. You will hear that Mr. Bines and Miss McBride would have text conversations and you will see those text conversations to her cellphone as well as to historical data (?) and that his last contact with her verbally was about ten o’clock or so and he wanted her to come to his house. And he lived in the area of (Faust) and Warren in the city of Detroit.
You’ll hear that when he speaks to her, she sounds different. He’s concerned about her. She sounds like she has been drinking and you will also see from cellphone (?) where Renisha’s phone is at during some of these conversations.
One thing that you’re going to learn about during this case is cellphone and the ability for police officers in this particular case Special Agent Sam Brew to go back and to get phone records from metro PD.
Rest (or most of the remaining) of the opening statement is found here:
Now continuing on to opening statement found on the video at this link—–
http://www.freep.com/article/20140723/NEWS02/307230038/Renisha-McBride-porch-shooting-trial
Hagaman-Clark(Ass’t. State Prosecutor):
The investigation that night will show you that the front door where Miss McBride was laying was still locked. The screen door that she was shot through was STILL locked at the time that the police got there. They enter through a side door.
The investigation will show you that there was NO sign of ANY attempted breaking into this house. There’s no evidence of any prying. There’s no evidence of any kicking. There’s no evidence of any breaking. That the locks of all the entries of the house including the windows were still secure.
You’re going to find out that the screen door, the screen insert…the defendant had a front door…there’s a screen door that has a frame and then there’s an insert that goes into that frame…it can be swapped out for either glass or for screen…that on November 2, this screen insert was what was in the door.
And, when the police arrived, the screen was out of the insert. And, it’s the People’s position that that screen came out when the defendant blasted his shotgun through it.
You will hear evidence in this case that a shotgun was recovered. That it was found immediately on the other side of that door….that locked screen door. There it is..it is a Mossberg with a pistol grip…believe it holds seven rounds.
You will hear that a gun case was recovered in a back bedroom….in the DOORWAY.
You will hear that the ammunition that holds this particular weapon or goes with this particular weapon was found inside of a closet in a secret compartment.
You will hear that this weapon was taken (in place) into evidence by the Dearborn police department the night of this murder. That it was sent to the Michigan State Police and that the firearms ballistic expert, the guy by the name of Det. Sgt. Shawn Kolonich had an opportunity to examine it. He did some testing on it.
You will probably learn more about shotguns than you ever wanted to know during this trial. What he will tell you is that in order for this weapon to fire, it has to be loaded, racked, the safety has to be off…the safety is right at the very front of the weapon, and it’s indicated by a little round red dot….and that the trigger has to be pulled. That this isn’t some sort of hair-trigger device. That it requires at least 6 and a half pounds of pressure in order for the trigger to be pulled back and the gun to be discharged.
You’re going to hear the ( ) of something that is known as a 6 point safety inspection on this weapon. Where he hits it with a hammer. He’ll explain to you all the different tests that he does in order to see if this gun could accidentally discharge. Is it possible that this gun could just go off without having the trigger pulled? And the answer to that question is absolutely NOT.
In order for this weapon to discharge, the defendant MUST have pulled the trigger.
You will hear in this case that the defendant is charged…with second degree murder, and the judge is going to give you the elements…if she already has, but I believe that these cases go along these lines:
First that the defendant caused the death of Renisha McBride. I don’t believe there will be any real argument about that. The defendant was the only person that was home the night of that she was killed. And, he tells you in his 911 call “I just shot someone for banging on my door.”
The issue is what was he thinking at the time that he pulled the trigger?
And, I have to show one of these three things…not all three…just one of these three things that of (mine?)
I don’t have to prove that he intended to kill anyone. And, it’s not the People’s position that he did intend to kill Renisha McBride. It’s the People’s position that he knowingly created the situation where death or great bodily harm was likely to occur.
It’s the People’s position that taking a gun, having it loaded, having the safety off, opening a locked secure door, jamming it in the face of an unarmed teenager and pulling the trigger is a situation that’s created and likely to cause great bodily harm.
The defendant in this case is also charged with manslaughter. The elements are first, that Miss McBride died as a result of a shotgun wound. That the death resulted from the discharge of a firearm, that at the time of the discharge, the defendant was pointing it at Renisha McBride, and that he intended to point that weapon.
He’s also charged with felony firearm which just simply means that he was possessing a gun at the time that he either committed the murder or the manslaughter.
The defendant in this case had other options:
He could have called 911, but he didn’t.
His actions that night were unnecessary, unjustified, and unreasonable.
Because of what he did that night, a 19 year old girl is dead on a porch in Dearborn Heights.
For those reasons, we ask that you find the defendant guilty.
Thank you.
LikeLike