Monday, August 17, 2015

August 17th 2015. Another Tentative Date in the upcoming 'Grim Sleeper Trial'....... Really?

At 8.59am, Lonnie David Franklin was walked in to the Courtroom by the Bailiff, this time with his head turned towards the family members of the victims.  Usually his head is firmly in a downward position but today it was strangely towards the Gallery.


He, like the rest of us, including the family members of the victims, have been coming to this Courtroom over the past 5 years, 1 month and 10 days.   It is an absolute disgrace and yet another miscarriage of Justice in this 'so-called' American Justice System!  

Always sitting next to me, usually all together on the same row, are the loyal families to each of their loved ones who were so brutally killed for no reason at all.   Quite possibly by the very man whom they were/are sitting only feet away from.   How I often wonder how much restraint they all have not to jump up and attack the man that has been charged with these brutal crimes.   How they sit there silently never making any rude outbursts as I'm sure they wish they could.   They faithfully show up like clockwork every time Lonnie Franklin appears in Court, some of them using numerous forms of public transportation, some in failing health and others taking time away from their jobs.  

All this disruption and unnecessary chaos in their lives due to a person who chose to selfishly murder their loved one, for no reason at all other than who or what he perceived her to be.   Combine that with the Defense using their 'never ending' shenanigans to stall/delay the Trial of the person charged, so far for 5 years one month and 10 days!   How much more can these family members take?   And what have they done to deserve this.... Absolutely nothing!

Today's Proceedings were the usual total disrespect to Judge Kennedy, mainly on the part of the Defense and then the Prosecution... the main woman on the Prosecution side, who is never at a loss for words, told the Judge, "You keep  falling in to the Defense's trap!"  To which she snapped back "I am not falling in to anyone's trap Ms Silverman!"



It was clear that the Defense was up to his usual games and even the Judge admitted that he is using his 'gamesmanship' to delay the case as much as he can.   She then asked the Prosecution 'Why don't you call his bluff'.   Call his bluff?  What kind of professionalism is going on here?  None in my humble opinion.   The only professionally behaved people in the Courtroom seems to be those of us that are sitting in the Gallery.   In all the Trials I've sat in on, never have I ever seen such childish behaviour which makes a mockery of the already broken Justice system here in the US.   Why is the Judge letting this happen?  Is this a game by all of them at the expense of the tax payers and the victims family members?  Or is it to gain publicity for this Case or what?  Judge Kennedy seems like a very nice lady, she has a good reputation of being strong too.  However, there is nothing strong about the way she is dealing with the main person who is speaking on behalf of the Defense, Seymour Amster.

Judge Kennedy does her best to stand up to him but as soon as he spits and splutters and screams and shouts, she completely backs down and waits to get a word in.  Surely she should be the one ruling the roost.

As the morning proceeded, it was established that the Defense feel that they will be 'ambushed' by the Prosecution during the Trial, so they want to keep their cards close to their chest.  The words 'ambushed' was thrown around quite a bit today, which was Mr Amster's stalling tactic of the morning, so that he could be cagey about the witnesses that he may or may not use.  The Judge was looking back and forth in horror, as she always does, at both the DA and Amster like a tennis match that never seemed to end!

The hate between the Ms Silverman  and Mr Amster is so apparent that you could cut the atmosphere with a a knife.  Apparently there was another 'Death Penalty case' that they were on together and Ms Silverman eluded to another Defense Counsel having to step in.. to which Mr Amster lost the plot.....again.

It concluded with Judge Kennedy saying "Well apparently there is no love lost between the two of you."  Amster responded "I will stipulate to that one".   Ms Silverman said "And I will agree with Counsel for the first time."   Amster again responded "Well at least we can agree on something".

So, yet again, as of today there is now another Trial date set for October 14th 2015.  That will be exactly 5 years, 3 months and 7 days since the day that Lonnie Franklin was arrested for being the 'alleged' Grim Sleeper.  Let's see if this date is the real date for the Trial to begin.... we will see, because I highly doubt it!

Please stay tuned.....