Wednesday March 30th
I knew that the Grim Sleeper Trial would be slow today for 2 reasons: 1) because Seymour Amster, the Defense, is presenting his case and 2) because he is still comparing the Sorenson Lab's DNA results to the State's DNA Lab results. He takes 10 times the amount of time to cover one issue than Beth Silverman, along with his racing back and forth across the Court with a sour look on his face as if he's just bitten in to a lemon.
So I went down the street for the 2nd (full) day of the Tanaka Trial. It starts an hour before the Criminal Court so I was there by 8am as I will be almost every day. I spent the entire day in that Trial which ends at 1.30pm with no lunch, then came back to the CCB and went in to the Grim Sleeper Trial right after they come back from lunch at 1.30pm. I asked my sources what went on today (most of my sources are Sheriff's who sit in on the Trial most days, not the bailiff I might add) and I was right it was just DNA testing and also he called back a lady Witness by the name of Detective Benjamin. She testified before I arrived there.
When I arrived, soon after 1.30pm, Detective Dupree was on the stand. For what reason he had no idea of, which is what he'd told me yesterday. He had no idea why the Defense would be calling him and he was laughing as he said it. So I was so glad to be there for his testimony.
After much shuffling and racing back and forth, Amster finally slammed his binder down on the podium and asked Detective Dupree:
Amster: "Now I'm not going to ask exactly where you lived when you grew up in South Central as I wouldn't do that, I want you to tell us the vicinity in which you lived in the1985."
Dupree responded with his full address. That didn't surprise me as he is as honest as the day is long and not afraid of anything. He also likes to help in anyway he can, so to stop Amster from bumbling further, he responded quietly and strongly with the full address where he resided as a teenager in the 80's.
Detective Dupree explained about the gangs in that neighbourhood and after repeating the names of the gang a few times he missed the first part (I will explain this in my book), the Judge came back with "you mean........ .... Gang?" to which Detective Dupree responded with a laugh "Thank you Judge!" A truly classic moment!
This will be continued in my book....
After Detective Dupree left the stand, a very pretty lady came to the stand by then name of Doreen Hudson. She was an employee of the LAPD for 39 1/2 yeasrs. Mainly she has worked for the Crime Lab.
To be very much continued......
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
Monday, March 28, 2016
Grim Sleeper Trial ~ Week 6. Not very interesting today... DNA analysts yet again...
Monday March 28th
Lonnie arrived wearing a very bright yellow shirt and black trousers. The Courtroom was very empty today presumably because most people know that testimony of DNA and ballistics experts can be quite boring and repetative.
Going back to last Monday (the 21st March), after Mr Amster completely lost the plot, his opening statements in front of the Jury was quite good, I might add.
Amster listed a number of victims and the areas in which each were tested for DNA. He went on to explain that the DNA Lab which they/he used which confirmed that Lonnie Franklin’s DNA was not found on a number of areas which were tested. This of course raises doubt in the minds of the Jury.
The few days that I missed of Trial last week were, according to my sources, very much the same testimony and the questioning was repetitive. Today we continued dealing with the Defense’s Witnesses and most of last week (and also today) consisted of various Analysts from the Sorenson DNA Lab which are located in South Salt Lake, Utah.
Today, Emily Jeskie from the Sorenson Lab was on the stand all day long giving her testimony of how she and her colleagues collect and analyze the DNA.
She talked of the analyzing process which her Lab undertook for 3 of the victims: Barbara Ware, Enietra Washington and Jenecia Peters.
To Be Continued....
Anyway, it was a long day and a long week prior, as we were still covering the private Lab that the Defense hired to do the DNA testing. Sorenson Lab.
Tomorrow I will be in the Paul Tanaka Trial
So, tomorrow, I will be juggling my day between the Federal Building and the the Criminal Court Building, thankfully the hours are slightly different so I hope to gain as much information in both places, as I can.
To be continued.....................
Thursday, March 24, 2016
Grim Sleeper Trial: More shocking outbursts from the Defense ~ Seymour Amster should be held in contempt of Court!
March 21st was the first day of Opening Statements from the Defense ~ Seymour Amster
~ and his out of control outbursts.
At 9.15am when we were all seated in the Courtroom, excluding the
Jurors, the Judge said that The People could state their concerns before the
Jury would be brought in. And she ~ Beth
Silverman ~ certainly did that!
Over the weekend, as
I’ve warned this Court over the last several years, this is going to be a Trial
by Ambush by the Defense..... This went on and on.... (the rest will be saved for my book)
This went on and on… Ms Silverman was absolutely brilliant and
articulate in her delivery of what we have all been thinking for over 5 ½ years. Thank God someone said all that and she
should be commended for her strong yet exasperated speech. She spoke for everyone especially the
victims’ family members and law enforcement.
In a monotone voice, Mr Amster got up slowly this time from his
seat. This time with his hands firmly
placed on the desk, not flailing around as usual, he responded with:
Amster: Your Honour one of
our Witnesses was not responding to us … so at that point we decided to have Mr
Wanderlust (spelling?) testifying. If there is an issue we are happy to
postpone and we are happy to co-operate with The People. As far as Mr Spiegleman, he was never
considered by the Defense…….
Ms Silvmeran interjected with “And
never disclosed to us. Right?”
Amster then shouted to the Judge to block her interruption, “May I your Honour?”
Judge, “Well I don’t know a Mr
Spiegleman?”
Amster’s tone went up a full octave and doubled the decibels and
he screamed, “I KNOW THAT, SO IF I MAY
RESPOND, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT!”
This went on and on as he railed on the Prosecution and also
stated something in the lines of being overworked and underpaid. This was not the wording he used, but it was
implying this fact. The Judge then
interrupted with, “I never said anything
like that. I…. SAID.. THAT … YOU … HAVE
… BEEN … WELL… FUNDED!”
(This unprofessional banter from Amster, continued for a long time... the actual words will be written in my book)
Screaming in a very elevated way he then slammed his chair in to
the desk head protruding even further, all the Sheriffs gathered around with
their hands on their hips and guns. Less
than a foot from the raving lunatic who is called Mr Amster… Yet he continued
and went on to say,
Amster: “I’VE STATED WHAT
I’VE STATED! WE ARE NOW RESTING! WE ARE RESTING… WE ARE RESTING!! I HAVE A LIST OF WITNESSES THAT ARE COMING IN
AND I NOW NEED TO CALL THEM ALL OFF!!!”
Judge: “Stop yelling at me!
STOP IT! STOP IT!”
She went on to say that he has to ‘narrow it down’ and she said
this numerous times that he must narrow
it down and not be so broad. To which he
continued to scream back at her continuously.
The Sheriffs were all still standing around and Amster, still screaming
and screaming and screaming he went on with,
Amster: “The Court has no
Defense! The Court just lost its’
Defense!”
Ms Silverman: Your Honour,
can we take a break?”
Amster: “NO!!”
The Court became so out of control that the Judge didn’t even stop
him from shouting back and Ms Silverman.
It was so out of control which is something I have never seen in my life…
I will continue over the next few days with what happened the rest
of the day with the Defenses’ opening statements…….
Monday, March 21, 2016
WEEK 5 IN THE GRIM SLEEPER CASE..... Shocking behaviour by the Defense that beats all of his other lunacies from before..
March 21st
First day of Opening Statements from the Defense.
At 9.15am when we were all seated in the Courtroom, excluding the Jurors, The Judge said that The People could state their concerns before the Jury would be brought in. And boy they/Beth Silverman certainly did that!
One of her main concerns is: the complete lack of ‘ethics’ ‘professionalism’ and ‘respect’ shown by the Defense. She went completely off, and quite rightly so, on the way that Seymour Amster has conducted himself over the years and up to this point. The Defense are bringing in Witnesses in the ‘11th hour’ to testify yet not even disclosing them to The People.
DA Silverman: “The Defense Counsel do not follow the rules and also the Law. I think that these two Attorney’s just don’t give a damn about ethics, the rules, professionalism. How can you trust anything that comes out of his (Amster's) mouth? This is a Trial by Ambush by the Defense.
Ms Silverman was completely correct on everything she said and she certainly didn’t hold back. It was about time someone stood up to this lunatic ~ Seymour Amster ~ and there was no better person to do the job than Ms Silverman.
You could see Amster squirming in his seat and waiting to interrupt, as he always does, but for most of the time he waited. I, of course, was thinking this would finally put this buffoon in his place and he would shrivel up and possibly apologize. Much to the contrary.
After Ms Silverman finished pointing out every area where the Defense have ‘lied’ ‘been lazy’ ‘unethical’ 'disrespectful' etc, she finally rested. Then the Judge let Amster speak.
Amster shot up like a bullet from a gun, hands flailing all over the place, his face so red it looked like he could explode, saliva flying out of his mouth, his neck protruding out from his shoulders and his mouth protruding even further out than that.
Amster screamed back at Silverman with all sorts of excuses as to why he is a raving lunatic. None of which made any sense. The Courtroom were all looking around at each other as if to say how come someone isn't restraining him or, better still, throwing him out of the Courtroom.
Amster went on to say that he is “very upset that there are people in the audience that are laughing at him and the Witnesses”. He told the Judge that "she 'should control her Courtroom' and not let people laugh at him.”
Judge Kennedy stated that the audience in her Courtroom are all being very well behaved and that “it is YOU Mr Amster that is laughing at all the inappropriate times.”
To which he screamed more and more and more… hands waving around so much he almost hit Dale Atherton in the head…. Then Silverman interjected… then the Judge said to her “Quiet.. BE QUIET MS SILVERMAN…. you’ve had your turn”!
It became so much worse than this.... Amster threatened that he was about to have a stroke! Then the Judge told him to “Take a seat Mr Amster, it is me that is about to have a stroke with your behaviour, not you. You just need to do your job!” Then Amster continued on and said:
“That’s it! I’m done. The Defense has rested. We are done. Mr Franklin can get a new Attorney, I”m walking off the Case now.”
Beth Silvmeran retorted: “He’s just bluffing”
Judge Kennedy: “DON’T INTERRUPT MS SILVERMAN. I WILL DECIDE THAT.”
All the Deputies and the Bailiff all gathered around Mr Amster as it looked as if he was going to completely ‘lose the plot’ right there and then in the middle of the Courtroom. With an unbalanced lunatic like Mr Amster, one really doesn’t know what to expect so the Sheriff’s were correct in swarming in on him as he continued to flail and scream in a high pitched wail showing the true individual that he really is and always has been.
This went on and on and I will update my blog in its entirety by this coming Wednesday 23rd, there is just too much to say here right now. We are on a lunch break right now and I wanted to update the Proceedings from today as best I could for now…
To be, very much continued………..
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
Grim Sleeper Trial. Week 4....The 'alleged' serial killer MISSED THE BUS today and the 2 lead detectives testified
Criminalist/Ballisitics Expert ~ Alison Manfreda was on the stand again, as well as last Friday, giving her testimony very well indeed. Lonnie Franklin was wearing a deep blue, almost denim looking shirt staring straight ahead.
Seymour Amster using his usual demeaning and derogatory when cross examining the Witness. He was challenging her in almost the same way as he had with Criminalist Daniel Rubin who was on the stand all day on Thursday, even using the same redundant questions:
"How many tool marks did you see on the bullet?" "How many striations did you see on each bullet you tested?" "Did you see how many marks there were when you tested it under the microscope?" "Did you measure the area of the markings?"
To which her answer was continuously, "No I did not." "As I've said before I don't count the tool marks." "I'm going to try and make sense of that question.:
The Judge often interjected with: "Did you understand that question?" To which the Witness responded with "I did not... No." The Judge then said, "Apparently not, we better try that one again Mr Amster."
Amster continued challenger her by asking if she 'utilized physics' when comparing the bullets. Which she didn't. He then asked if she 'considered the velocity' in the determining if the bullets matched, which she had not. He even asked if she used 'kinetic energy' when comparing the bullets, which of course she didn't.
Continually Amster went on with his same redundant question of 'how many'? How many striations were there on the bullet? Knowing full well that they don't count the striations. He asked how many patterns were on the bullet knowing full well that nothing is counted per say.
Amster: Did you take a photograph of the test fired bullets?
A.m: No I did not.
Did the microscope which you were using have the ability to take a photograph?
A.M: Yes it did
Amster: Yet you still didn't use it to take a photograph?
A.M: I didn't need to as I could see it with my eyes.
Amster: How many clusters of striations did you find on each bullet.
Judge: Mr Amster she has told us repeatedly that she ...DOES.. NOT... COUNT... THE... STRIATIONS... NOR THE CLUSTERS.
This went on an on and Ms. Manfreda really held her own on the stand with the Defense continually asking the same question after being repeatedly told not to. It's as if he doesn't quite hear the Witness when each time they even tell Mr Amster the same answer nor does he hear the Judge when she tells him to stop asking that question.
After lunch recess we came back to the Courtroom and Ms Manfredo was on the stand again. The Judge walked in with her robe gaping open showing that underneath she was wearing a very brightly coloured striped outfit.
Amster: So what do you look for when examining the bullet.
Judge: You have asked that I don't know how many times Mr Amster (she said with a long sigh)
Amster: Ok so you believe that you eyeballs can determine the exact height, width, weight and all the characteristics of the bullet then? And you believe, withdraw the question, so you are certain that the 2 bullets have the exact same tool marks as each other?
This went on and on all day so it really wasn't very interesting at all which is why I won't elaborate much anymore.
March 15th.
I arrived later today at 10.30am and saw most of the Jury sitting on the benches along the hallway and the Detectives talking with each other at the end of the hallway. Detective Dennis Kilcoyne was talking to Detective Dupree. Kilcoyne is a very tall man with a grey moustache. He has a very large presence and I'm sure can be very intimidating when he wants to be. He was the lead detective in the hunt for the Grim Sleeper for years before Franklin was arrested and was a big part in forming the serial killer task force in 2007. He has since retired, I think for the past 3 years at least. My guess was that he will be called upon to testify today as this was the first day I had seen him since the Trial began.
I was confused as to why everyone was in the hallway so I assumed that the recess had started early. Detective Dupree informed me that, "We are starting late today because Lonnie had missed the bus!" Whatttt? The 'alleged' serial killer had 'missed the bus'?? Somehow that statement sounded hysterically funny to me as I was imagining Lonnie running down the street chasing a bus that had pulled out from the curbside and left him standing there at the bus stop. After a short moment I realized he must have been referring to the Sheriff bus. But really how could the Sheriff bus really have left without him? I told Dupree that if I'd known, I could have picked him up on the way as I drove my car in today. He laughed.
Lonnie Franklin was wearing the same dark blue shirt and grey tie and black trousers as he had worn the day before. His glasses were firmly on and his eyes were fixed straight ahead.
Detective David Holmes was called to the stand. He has been with the LAPD for 18 years and is currently assigned to the RHD ~ Robbery Homicide Division.
DA Rizzo: On July 7th 2010 were you assigned to investigate series of murders that took place in the late 1980's to 2007.
Det: Yes I was
DA: And you were partnered up with Detective Dupree?
Det: Yes I was
DA: And do you see the Detective in the Court today?
Det: Yes I do
Det. Holmes described Detective Dupree and pointed to him where he was sitting in front of him in the Courtroom. He spoke of how he, Detective Holmes, transported Franklin from the jail at 77th Division to RHD which is located downtown LA at LAPD Headquarters. The Detective identified the Defendant in Court describing what he was wearing ~ a blue shirt and grey tie. Holmes waited with Franklin in the Interview room for Detective Kilcoyne and Detective Coulter to arrive. He took Franklin to the restroom first then, after the interview was taken, he then assisted in taking swabs of from the inside of Franklin's mouth then took him down to the LAPD jail where his blood was then taken too. Both were placed in an evidence envelope and then brought back to RHD and given to Detective Coulter.
On the Elmo, DA Rizzo placed a photograph of an evidence envelope with 3 vials of blood. This photograph was described and confirmed by Detective Holmes.
There was 'nothing further'.
Judge: Mr Amster?
Amster then flew up out of his seat and blurted out loudly, "At anytime you were with Mr Franklin did you read him his Miranda Rights?"
DA: Objection. Relevance.
Judge: Sustained
Amster: I have nothing further.
Detective Holmes was then released.
At 10.24am the next Witness called to the stand was Lt. Michael Oppelt.
Testimony for this will be in my book...
The next witness who was called to the stand, was my favourite ~ Detective Daryn Dupree.
Dupree has been with the LAPD for 26 years and with RHD (as a Homicide specialist), where he is assigned as a Detective currently, for the past 10 years. Dupree is a very good looking black man who looks about 40. However, that would mean he began with the LAPD when he was 14... very doubtful. Anyway, going on the amount of time he's worked with the LAPD I can only guess that he might be 50.
When he began at RHD, and for the first 4 years, he was assigned to the Redrum unit (which is Murder spelt backwards). Throughout his career, Dupree worked gangs and homicide units and some units were both gang and homicide units. Most of his time with the LAPD has been a Detective with both gangs and homicide divisions.
DA Silverman: Detective Dupree, where did you grow up?
Amster: Objection. Relevance.
Judge: Sustained
DA: Are you familiar with the South Central area?
Det: Yes
DA: How?
Det: Because I grew up there.
DA: Were you there in the 1989's
Det: Yes
DA: Was there a problem with crack cocaine at that time?
Det:Yes
DA: Are you familiar with prostitution in that area?
Det: Yes
DA: Are you familiar with the hotels in that area that was described by Det. Trujillo in the area of Western Avenue?
Det: Yes
DA: What are the names of those hotels that Det. Trujillo was describing that is known for high business of prostitution?
Det: The Mustang Motel (inaudible) Fox Motel
DA: Did you review all of the cases that are being prosecuted for this Trial?
Det: Yes
DA: What is your relationship to this case?
Det: I am the last remaining member of the task force. I week prior to the Defendant's arrest I joined the task force.
Detective Dupree went on to say that soon after he joined the LAPD in 1991 he was immediately assigned to the gang unit as he grew up in the area. When questioned about the crimes, Dupree confirmed that 'none of them were gang related.' Much to the Defenses' dismay.
There were a lot of 'Objections. Vague or Irrelevant' coming from the Defenses' table in reference to Silverman referring to the crime scenes as 'crime scenes'. All of them were 'Overruled' but the Defense seems to have a problem with the places where all of these dead women were found being called 'crime scenes'.
Ms. Silverman found these 'Objections' to be as ridiculous as the Judge did, especially as every picture placed on the Elmo clearly has always stated the words 'crime scene' somewhere written to describe each picture.
Therefore it was all 'Overruled' and Silverman was able to use the correct wording when referencing each of the 'crime scenes'.
The DA went back to question Detective Dupree regarding the distance from the Defendant's residence and each of the crime scene locations.
At 11.58am we broke for lunch.
At 1.36pm, Detective Dupree was already waiting on the stand when we returned after the lunch break.
DA Silverman asked Dupree about the 4 VHS tapes which have now been converted to DVD's which is part of the evidence. He had reviewed them all. On the Elmo was still photograph of the video which we were about to see. It was a tape without audio and then it was played.
All we saw for about 7 minutes was a man, who was identified by Detective Dupree as the Defendant Lonnie Franklin, who was sexually playing around with a woman. It was clear that he had set up a hidden video camera to record the event that was about to take place. You see a woman undressing herself and Lonnie Franklin's mouth on her chest area. Then you see Franklin taking his clothes off only from below the waist and then she reached her hand in to his groin area. Tissues/paper towels were used too. It seemed that he didn't penetrate this woman but a sexual act did take place in the 7 minutes we watched this awful video. The location where the video was shot was not a recognizable location to Detective Dupree. Did that mean it was not at Franklin's home I wondered. Or did it mean that Dupree didn't recognize it to be Franklin's home although it may well have been?
Det. Dupree was part of the tactical team that cleared the residence but wasn't part of the team that did the search. However the location which the video was taken was not mentioned.
After the video was played, it was time for the Defense to cross examine the witness.
Mr Amster, shot up and fired, "You were part of the tactical team that was there on the day of the search?", Detective Dupree responded with "Yes.".... Amster then asked him if there was a Detective also there besides Dupree, to which the response was that the other Detective was not there on that day.
Detective Dupree was free to leave the stand and Mr Amster demanded to the Judge that he must still 'remain on call' for the entirety of the Trial. This is always confirmed each time a Witness leaves the stand. The Judge responded sarcastically with, "Yes I think he'll be around." Obviously Dupree will 'be around' as he sits right in front of the Judge every day and he will do so for the duration of the Trial. Again that was a daft question from the Defense which allowed Judge Kennedy to keep using her great sense of humour which she clearly has.
At 1.54 Detective Dennis Kilcoyne came to the Witness stand and was sworn in. Kilcoyne was the main lead detective in the Grim Sleeper case from the very beginning. As I stated earlier he is a very tall man with a grand presence with a kind face.
DA Marguerite Rizzo questioned the Witness about his testimony from before where Kilcoyne was the head of the task force in 2007 which culminated in the arrest of the Defendant Lonnie Franklin. This was confirmed by Detective Kilcoyne. He was asked to point out the Defendant in the Courtroom and state what he was wearing. He pointed to the man at the end of the Counsel table and said he is wearing a blue shirt, a grey tie and black glasses. Det. Kilcoyne told the Court how he interviewed Lonnie Franklin on the day of his arrest back on July 7th 2010 on the 5th Floor of the LAPD Headquarters which is where RHD is located. The video taped interview was with Detectvie Paul Coulter and Lonnie Franklin and it began at 12.50pm in the afternoon. The interview was 40 minutes but the video tape was rolling for approximately 3 hours. We then were about to see the 40 minute version in Court.
The highlights of this interview for this interview will be in my book.
During the showing of the video we see Detective Holmes come in and take the handcuffs of Defendant Franklin and then he asked if he needed anything to which Franklin responded that he needed to 'urinate... go to the bathroom'. So Holmes walked Franklin down the corridor and all we saw was a blank video with 3 empty chairs and a table for a few more minutes.
DA Rizzo paused the video after we sat and watched the blank room for those minutes and then asked Detective Kilcoyne what Franklin was doing at that time. he said "I assume he was going potty!" The Courtroom all laughed.
Detective Coulter did most of the talking throughout the interview and at a quarter of the way through he started to take out a photograph of each victim, one by one, saying directly to Franklin that his DNA 'juice' is on each and every one of these women who turned up dead. Franklin kept denying ever knowing any of these women to which Detective Coulter really heated up and strongly stated that Franklin was 'insulting his intelligence' by denying ever knowing any of these females. Some of them Franklin even referred to them as 'butt ugly'! When Detective Kilcoyne started to talk, he came in for the kill right away... please excuse the pun.
"Mr Franklin you have a major problem, ok?" Kilcoyne said, "July 7th 2010 and up to 25 years ago. You've had this problem, at least that we are aware of for 25 years. You creep out, you pick up these ladies that work Western and Figuroa in the middle of the night. You have sex with them, you kill them and you dump their bodies in alleys throughout the City of Los Angeles, mostly not too far your house. You see the number of faces here, (pointing to the photographs on the desk) that's how many families are affected by this. Families that have been suffering with this for 25 years.
More testimony will be in my book.....
We know an awful lot about you, much more than you have any idea of. Especially with the comment you made a while ago saying you 'don't creep at night'? We know that you cruise Western Avenue looking for whores every night."
This went on for a few hours longer and will be notated in my book and possibly my next Blog....
To be continued..
Seymour Amster using his usual demeaning and derogatory when cross examining the Witness. He was challenging her in almost the same way as he had with Criminalist Daniel Rubin who was on the stand all day on Thursday, even using the same redundant questions:
"How many tool marks did you see on the bullet?" "How many striations did you see on each bullet you tested?" "Did you see how many marks there were when you tested it under the microscope?" "Did you measure the area of the markings?"
To which her answer was continuously, "No I did not." "As I've said before I don't count the tool marks." "I'm going to try and make sense of that question.:
The Judge often interjected with: "Did you understand that question?" To which the Witness responded with "I did not... No." The Judge then said, "Apparently not, we better try that one again Mr Amster."
Amster continued challenger her by asking if she 'utilized physics' when comparing the bullets. Which she didn't. He then asked if she 'considered the velocity' in the determining if the bullets matched, which she had not. He even asked if she used 'kinetic energy' when comparing the bullets, which of course she didn't.
Continually Amster went on with his same redundant question of 'how many'? How many striations were there on the bullet? Knowing full well that they don't count the striations. He asked how many patterns were on the bullet knowing full well that nothing is counted per say.
Amster: Did you take a photograph of the test fired bullets?
A.m: No I did not.
Did the microscope which you were using have the ability to take a photograph?
A.M: Yes it did
Amster: Yet you still didn't use it to take a photograph?
A.M: I didn't need to as I could see it with my eyes.
Amster: How many clusters of striations did you find on each bullet.
Judge: Mr Amster she has told us repeatedly that she ...DOES.. NOT... COUNT... THE... STRIATIONS... NOR THE CLUSTERS.
This went on an on and Ms. Manfreda really held her own on the stand with the Defense continually asking the same question after being repeatedly told not to. It's as if he doesn't quite hear the Witness when each time they even tell Mr Amster the same answer nor does he hear the Judge when she tells him to stop asking that question.
After lunch recess we came back to the Courtroom and Ms Manfredo was on the stand again. The Judge walked in with her robe gaping open showing that underneath she was wearing a very brightly coloured striped outfit.
Amster: So what do you look for when examining the bullet.
Judge: You have asked that I don't know how many times Mr Amster (she said with a long sigh)
Amster: Ok so you believe that you eyeballs can determine the exact height, width, weight and all the characteristics of the bullet then? And you believe, withdraw the question, so you are certain that the 2 bullets have the exact same tool marks as each other?
This went on and on all day so it really wasn't very interesting at all which is why I won't elaborate much anymore.
March 15th.
I arrived later today at 10.30am and saw most of the Jury sitting on the benches along the hallway and the Detectives talking with each other at the end of the hallway. Detective Dennis Kilcoyne was talking to Detective Dupree. Kilcoyne is a very tall man with a grey moustache. He has a very large presence and I'm sure can be very intimidating when he wants to be. He was the lead detective in the hunt for the Grim Sleeper for years before Franklin was arrested and was a big part in forming the serial killer task force in 2007. He has since retired, I think for the past 3 years at least. My guess was that he will be called upon to testify today as this was the first day I had seen him since the Trial began.
I was confused as to why everyone was in the hallway so I assumed that the recess had started early. Detective Dupree informed me that, "We are starting late today because Lonnie had missed the bus!" Whatttt? The 'alleged' serial killer had 'missed the bus'?? Somehow that statement sounded hysterically funny to me as I was imagining Lonnie running down the street chasing a bus that had pulled out from the curbside and left him standing there at the bus stop. After a short moment I realized he must have been referring to the Sheriff bus. But really how could the Sheriff bus really have left without him? I told Dupree that if I'd known, I could have picked him up on the way as I drove my car in today. He laughed.
Lonnie Franklin was wearing the same dark blue shirt and grey tie and black trousers as he had worn the day before. His glasses were firmly on and his eyes were fixed straight ahead.
Detective David Holmes was called to the stand. He has been with the LAPD for 18 years and is currently assigned to the RHD ~ Robbery Homicide Division.
DA Rizzo: On July 7th 2010 were you assigned to investigate series of murders that took place in the late 1980's to 2007.
Det: Yes I was
DA: And you were partnered up with Detective Dupree?
Det: Yes I was
DA: And do you see the Detective in the Court today?
Det: Yes I do
Det. Holmes described Detective Dupree and pointed to him where he was sitting in front of him in the Courtroom. He spoke of how he, Detective Holmes, transported Franklin from the jail at 77th Division to RHD which is located downtown LA at LAPD Headquarters. The Detective identified the Defendant in Court describing what he was wearing ~ a blue shirt and grey tie. Holmes waited with Franklin in the Interview room for Detective Kilcoyne and Detective Coulter to arrive. He took Franklin to the restroom first then, after the interview was taken, he then assisted in taking swabs of from the inside of Franklin's mouth then took him down to the LAPD jail where his blood was then taken too. Both were placed in an evidence envelope and then brought back to RHD and given to Detective Coulter.
On the Elmo, DA Rizzo placed a photograph of an evidence envelope with 3 vials of blood. This photograph was described and confirmed by Detective Holmes.
There was 'nothing further'.
Judge: Mr Amster?
Amster then flew up out of his seat and blurted out loudly, "At anytime you were with Mr Franklin did you read him his Miranda Rights?"
DA: Objection. Relevance.
Judge: Sustained
Amster: I have nothing further.
Detective Holmes was then released.
At 10.24am the next Witness called to the stand was Lt. Michael Oppelt.
Testimony for this will be in my book...
The next witness who was called to the stand, was my favourite ~ Detective Daryn Dupree.
Dupree has been with the LAPD for 26 years and with RHD (as a Homicide specialist), where he is assigned as a Detective currently, for the past 10 years. Dupree is a very good looking black man who looks about 40. However, that would mean he began with the LAPD when he was 14... very doubtful. Anyway, going on the amount of time he's worked with the LAPD I can only guess that he might be 50.
When he began at RHD, and for the first 4 years, he was assigned to the Redrum unit (which is Murder spelt backwards). Throughout his career, Dupree worked gangs and homicide units and some units were both gang and homicide units. Most of his time with the LAPD has been a Detective with both gangs and homicide divisions.
DA Silverman: Detective Dupree, where did you grow up?
Amster: Objection. Relevance.
Judge: Sustained
DA: Are you familiar with the South Central area?
Det: Yes
DA: How?
Det: Because I grew up there.
DA: Were you there in the 1989's
Det: Yes
DA: Was there a problem with crack cocaine at that time?
Det:Yes
DA: Are you familiar with prostitution in that area?
Det: Yes
DA: Are you familiar with the hotels in that area that was described by Det. Trujillo in the area of Western Avenue?
Det: Yes
DA: What are the names of those hotels that Det. Trujillo was describing that is known for high business of prostitution?
Det: The Mustang Motel (inaudible) Fox Motel
DA: Did you review all of the cases that are being prosecuted for this Trial?
Det: Yes
DA: What is your relationship to this case?
Det: I am the last remaining member of the task force. I week prior to the Defendant's arrest I joined the task force.
Detective Dupree went on to say that soon after he joined the LAPD in 1991 he was immediately assigned to the gang unit as he grew up in the area. When questioned about the crimes, Dupree confirmed that 'none of them were gang related.' Much to the Defenses' dismay.
There were a lot of 'Objections. Vague or Irrelevant' coming from the Defenses' table in reference to Silverman referring to the crime scenes as 'crime scenes'. All of them were 'Overruled' but the Defense seems to have a problem with the places where all of these dead women were found being called 'crime scenes'.
Ms. Silverman found these 'Objections' to be as ridiculous as the Judge did, especially as every picture placed on the Elmo clearly has always stated the words 'crime scene' somewhere written to describe each picture.
Therefore it was all 'Overruled' and Silverman was able to use the correct wording when referencing each of the 'crime scenes'.
The DA went back to question Detective Dupree regarding the distance from the Defendant's residence and each of the crime scene locations.
At 11.58am we broke for lunch.
At 1.36pm, Detective Dupree was already waiting on the stand when we returned after the lunch break.
DA Silverman asked Dupree about the 4 VHS tapes which have now been converted to DVD's which is part of the evidence. He had reviewed them all. On the Elmo was still photograph of the video which we were about to see. It was a tape without audio and then it was played.
All we saw for about 7 minutes was a man, who was identified by Detective Dupree as the Defendant Lonnie Franklin, who was sexually playing around with a woman. It was clear that he had set up a hidden video camera to record the event that was about to take place. You see a woman undressing herself and Lonnie Franklin's mouth on her chest area. Then you see Franklin taking his clothes off only from below the waist and then she reached her hand in to his groin area. Tissues/paper towels were used too. It seemed that he didn't penetrate this woman but a sexual act did take place in the 7 minutes we watched this awful video. The location where the video was shot was not a recognizable location to Detective Dupree. Did that mean it was not at Franklin's home I wondered. Or did it mean that Dupree didn't recognize it to be Franklin's home although it may well have been?
Det. Dupree was part of the tactical team that cleared the residence but wasn't part of the team that did the search. However the location which the video was taken was not mentioned.
After the video was played, it was time for the Defense to cross examine the witness.
Mr Amster, shot up and fired, "You were part of the tactical team that was there on the day of the search?", Detective Dupree responded with "Yes.".... Amster then asked him if there was a Detective also there besides Dupree, to which the response was that the other Detective was not there on that day.
Detective Dupree was free to leave the stand and Mr Amster demanded to the Judge that he must still 'remain on call' for the entirety of the Trial. This is always confirmed each time a Witness leaves the stand. The Judge responded sarcastically with, "Yes I think he'll be around." Obviously Dupree will 'be around' as he sits right in front of the Judge every day and he will do so for the duration of the Trial. Again that was a daft question from the Defense which allowed Judge Kennedy to keep using her great sense of humour which she clearly has.
DA Marguerite Rizzo questioned the Witness about his testimony from before where Kilcoyne was the head of the task force in 2007 which culminated in the arrest of the Defendant Lonnie Franklin. This was confirmed by Detective Kilcoyne. He was asked to point out the Defendant in the Courtroom and state what he was wearing. He pointed to the man at the end of the Counsel table and said he is wearing a blue shirt, a grey tie and black glasses. Det. Kilcoyne told the Court how he interviewed Lonnie Franklin on the day of his arrest back on July 7th 2010 on the 5th Floor of the LAPD Headquarters which is where RHD is located. The video taped interview was with Detectvie Paul Coulter and Lonnie Franklin and it began at 12.50pm in the afternoon. The interview was 40 minutes but the video tape was rolling for approximately 3 hours. We then were about to see the 40 minute version in Court.
The highlights of this interview for this interview will be in my book.
During the showing of the video we see Detective Holmes come in and take the handcuffs of Defendant Franklin and then he asked if he needed anything to which Franklin responded that he needed to 'urinate... go to the bathroom'. So Holmes walked Franklin down the corridor and all we saw was a blank video with 3 empty chairs and a table for a few more minutes.
DA Rizzo paused the video after we sat and watched the blank room for those minutes and then asked Detective Kilcoyne what Franklin was doing at that time. he said "I assume he was going potty!" The Courtroom all laughed.
"Mr Franklin you have a major problem, ok?" Kilcoyne said, "July 7th 2010 and up to 25 years ago. You've had this problem, at least that we are aware of for 25 years. You creep out, you pick up these ladies that work Western and Figuroa in the middle of the night. You have sex with them, you kill them and you dump their bodies in alleys throughout the City of Los Angeles, mostly not too far your house. You see the number of faces here, (pointing to the photographs on the desk) that's how many families are affected by this. Families that have been suffering with this for 25 years.
More testimony will be in my book.....
We know an awful lot about you, much more than you have any idea of. Especially with the comment you made a while ago saying you 'don't creep at night'? We know that you cruise Western Avenue looking for whores every night."
This went on for a few hours longer and will be notated in my book and possibly my next Blog....
To be continued..
Friday, March 11, 2016
Grim Sleeper Trial. The hatred between the D.A. and the Defense can no longer be hidden....
Well the last few days have been interesting more so with the contentiousness between the D.A. Beth Silverman and the Defense Seymour Amster. On Wednesday the underlying hatred the two of them have for each other came to the forefront and nothing was going to stop them attacking each other publicly in front of the Jury.
Quoting below from LA Time Reporter ~ Stephen Ceasar who put it very eloquently:
District Attorney, Beth Silverman is an attractive, tough yet brilliant woman and to watch her in action you can't help but respect her. Seymour Amster on the other hand is.... I didn't think I'd write it publicly but.... let's just say some might call him 'the Village Idiot'. At least they would where I come from. There is nothing professional or 'attorney-like' about him. This is compounded by all his games, stalling tactics and complete lack of professionalism which is why this case has been delayed for so long. At the present time and since we are now in full swing of the Trial, he seems to want to delay it even further by asking the same redundant question over and over again. (I will get to this later on as it happened again in the Courtroom today).
Every day the Alexander family are in the Courtroom patiently waiting for Justice to be served. They seem like a very close knit, loving family who sadly lost their precious daughter back in 1988, Alicia "Monique" Alexander at the tender age of only 18 years old. So far they have not missed one day of Court since the Pre-Arraignments all began over 5 1/2 years ago. God Bless them all.
And after flapping his arms about so much with his elbows firmly at his side (as if trying to take off). And after referring to items by the wrong names and being corrected by the Judge numerous times. And after putting the wrong photographs on the Elmo...... Mr Amster finally gave up and said that he had 'nothing further'. You could hear a subtle sigh of relief from everyone in the Courtroom.
Quoting below from LA Time Reporter ~ Stephen Ceasar who put it very eloquently:
The defense and the prosecution clashed Wednesday over whether prosecutors should have previously disclosed that an earlier witness had a conviction for attempted murder. The witness, Ray Davis, a former friend of Franklin's, testified that he once saw Franklin with one of the victims in the case.
Defense attorney Seymour Amster complained that he had never seen such an oversight by a prosecutor and called the late notification "egregious." Davis' testimony, he argued, should be stricken from the record.
Superior Court Judge Kathleen Kennedy rejected his request, saying Davis could return to testify about his conviction.
"She doesn't matter enough," the defense attorney responded. "I feel pity for her, but that's as far as it goes.""I know you and Ms. Silverman don't much care for each other," Kennedy said, referring to Deputy Dist. Atty. Beth Silverman.
Some in the audience gasped and others laughed.
Silverman shot back, asking the judge to silence Amster for his comments and allow her a chance to respond. Nothing improper had occurred, and Amster was engaging in pointless, personal attacks, she said.
"I don't care what he thinks," Silverman said.
Amster complained that the judge was characterizing his personal feelings toward the prosecutor, but Kennedy interjected.
"I haven't been living under a paper bag for the last five years," Kennedy said. "I have observed hours and hours and hours of your conduct, her conduct, everyone's conduct — personal attacks, raising your voice."
It is quite shocking as to how this has been going on in the Courtroom for over 5 1/2 year between these two. Sometimes the Judge has even thrown them both out until they can come back in and 'leave their egos at the door'. She has told them both, in no uncertain terms, to basically grow up. However this was the very first time that the Jury had to become part of their ongoing hatred for each other. Although this doesn't help the case at all, I suppose it does add some humour to a very dark subject that they will are forced to endure for at least a few months more.
District Attorney, Beth Silverman is an attractive, tough yet brilliant woman and to watch her in action you can't help but respect her. Seymour Amster on the other hand is.... I didn't think I'd write it publicly but.... let's just say some might call him 'the Village Idiot'. At least they would where I come from. There is nothing professional or 'attorney-like' about him. This is compounded by all his games, stalling tactics and complete lack of professionalism which is why this case has been delayed for so long. At the present time and since we are now in full swing of the Trial, he seems to want to delay it even further by asking the same redundant question over and over again. (I will get to this later on as it happened again in the Courtroom today).
Every day the Alexander family are in the Courtroom patiently waiting for Justice to be served. They seem like a very close knit, loving family who sadly lost their precious daughter back in 1988, Alicia "Monique" Alexander at the tender age of only 18 years old. So far they have not missed one day of Court since the Pre-Arraignments all began over 5 1/2 years ago. God Bless them all.
Over the past few days we have seen numerous Criminalists testify, Henry Tuazon, Jeffrey Lowe and Daniel Rubin. Tuazon and Lowe found all sorts of womens' underwear strewn across the garages at the back of Franklin's residence. Yesterday a good friend of Franklin's testified, Ray Davis, however it upset the Defense a lot due to his criminal background. He was not on the stand for long and might return if he is called upon again.
Today, Witness Daniel Rubin took the stand again and for the entire day this poor man was under scrutiny and abuse generated by Seymour Amster, once he was allowed to cross examine him.
Mr Rubin is a tool mark expert and Criminalist. He sounded as though he is either from back east somewhere or Chicago. My guess would be that he is from Brooklyn New York due to his strong accent and very apparent disdain for Mr Amster's antics. After being questioned by Amster for hours and hours with redundant, degrading, offensive and an argumentative line of questioning, his demeanor made it very clear that often time he would like to reach over the Witness stand and strangle him.
After withdrawing the question over a dozen times and being told by the Judge repeatedly that his line of questioning makes no sense, Amster continued breaking down Mr Rubin's very professional examination of the bullet with:
Amster: Did you identify one of the bullets from the test fire with some type of number or something you could refer back to for comparison purposes?
Rubin: Yes
Amster: And what did you call them?
Rubin: I called them test fire 721A
Amster: How many reproducible marks did you find on 721A?
D.A: Objection.
Judge: Sustained. Mr Amster he's told you already several times that he doesn't count marks.
Amster went on to ask the same question again 8 more times in different ways and it was clearly making Mr Rubin more and more frustrated. Finally he just turned to the Jury and shook his head and wiped his brow all in one motion. What made it more outrageous was when Mr Rubin had to answer the same question and he did it with the same answer each time. It got to the point that he would then put a period in between each word of his answer when he spoke. For example, "I have answered this question numerous times before, I... DID... NOT.. NEED.. TO.. COUNT.. THE.. MARKS.. ON... THE .... BULLET!"... And again Amster, who refuses to ever give up, keeps pressing on with:
Amster: Ok so the bullet you..... I withdraw the question... I want to confirm that the bullet that you were examining was from a 25 calibre hand gun, right?
Rubin: Yes
Amster: So how many 25 calibre firearms..... I withdraw the question... How many firearms in the County of Los Angeles could this bullet have been placed in to could have discharged that particular bullet?
Rubin: I .. DO ... NOT ... KNOW!
Amster: Is the 25 calibre automatic firearm a readily accessible firearm for purchase?
D.A: Objection. Irrelevant.
Judge: Overruled
Rubin: Well that would depend on the circles that you travel with.
And the Courtroom erupted in laughter, to which Amster relished the attention and laughed for the longest time as if he'd just received a standing ovation for his performance at the Comedy Store.
More of this testimony will be in my book.....
Amster: And you cannot say that the pattern you saw on the Jackson bullet number 4 that you felt existed on the Wright bullet number 111 was the same pattern you saw on the Washington bullet number 10?
Rubin: Correct
Amster: Nor on the Alexander bullet number 14?
Rubin: CORRECT!
Amster: Nor on the Sparks bullet number 57 ?
Rubin: CORRECT!
Amster: Nor on the Lowe bullet number 3
Rubin: C.O...RRRR...E...C..T!!
Amster: Nor on the Ware bullet?
Mr Rubin became stronger and stronger with each obvious answer. He then rolled his eyes yet again for the umpteenth time facing the Jury. This time he was wiping his brow in a very overt way showing his complete exhaustion from Mr Amster's unrealistic questions.
After more lengthy and repetitive questioning by the Defense, which went round and round all day. And after 'withdrawing his question' numerous times. And after breaking down and roaring in to uncontrollable laughter at nothing.
The Judge looked at D.A. Beth Silverman to see if she wanted to ask the Witness any more questions... and she did.
D.A: Mr Rubin at some point in the Defense questioning I think there was the question that asked .... that long question.... whether or not you know the number of firearms in Los Angeles County that could have fired this unique bullet that you matched to this gun, what was your answer?
Rubin: ONE!
D.A: Ok, as I wasn't sure what your answer to his question was. So as you understood the question regarding how many guns there were whether we're talking about Los Angeles County or all of California, you're saying there's only one gun that could have fired that particular bullet, right?
Rubin: Yes!
D.A: And that would be that Titan FIE 22 calibre handgun that we looked at yesterday and today. The only gun we've looked at?
Rubin: Yes!
Defense: Objection. Vague
D.A: Of all the guns that exist in the world how many guns could have fired that particular bullet that was pulled out of the body?
Rubin: One! The only gun that we have examined here in the Court. YES! (he blurted out as clearly as he could).
She went on to confirm the answers that Amster had asked him but in a much clearer way, to clarify the main points for the Jury. In the 5 minutes she asked the questions, she made more sense to everyone in the Courtroom than Amster has done throughout the entire Trial so far.
Most of his responses were a firm, "YES!"
She had nothing further.
And if you can believe it possible.... Amster got up again to ask more questions even though it was at the end of the day. I couldn't take another minute of his drivel, even though we had only 4 minutes to go, so I left.
To be continued.....
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
Updates in the Grim Sleeper Trial + Video Blog.... from March 8th 2016
March 8th (yesterday)
Ricky had called me early yesterday morning saying that the Defense had subpoenaed both him and Paul to be in Court that day and for me to hurry up and get there. I arrived by 9.45am as I knew that we weren't going to be in session until 9.30am yesterday due to the Judge having other cases.
As soon as I got there I see Ricky and Paul were talking to the Defense Investigators. I'm not going to say anymore here as I've been asked by certain people not to. But what I can say is what happened next with Ricky!
Ricky came bouncing down the corridor to greet me in his usual way and then we sat down to talk quietly when he told me that he is not going to accept the subpoena due to the fact he doesn't want to be a witness for someone who probably committed the crimes. He was very serious about this and wanted to go in to the Courtroom with me. As you know he has already been banned from the Courtroom by the Defense due to him being a potential witness. He doesn't want to be a witness of any kind.
So, I told him that we could go in and sit together and see if he can stay. As we walked down the hall, he pointed to a man and started laughing and then he said "Hey, hey Vic.. I want you to meet someone... This guy here, this guy.. this guy is me, he's me!"
I didn't know what he was on about as an elderly light skinned black man was sitting hunched up next to a pillar, clearly also not knowing what was going on. I held out my hand to the man and introduced myself, he then said his name was "Richard.... Richard Harris".
Ricky laughed and said "See I tol' you he's me! I'm Richard Harris and this man here's Richard Harris an' he don' know nothin' about this case or why he's even here. He got subpoenaed coz of his name and he din't even live near none of us in South Central LA, he's from the West side!" Laughing in his flamboyant way, he then said, "The Defense subpoenaed the wrong guy!"
I was still holding out hope that the Defense might be improving and before I had even walked in to the Courtroom yet, I found out that the Defense, probably Seymour Amster, called in (subpoenaed) the wrong guy. Clearly Mr Amster hadn't done his homework again and called this poor bugger to testify as a Witness in a case which he knew nothing about.
And the day begun.
I went in to the Courtroom and Lonnie was sitting there in a lime green shirt and beige trousers, looking straight ahead.
Rafael Garcia was one of the Criminalists searching Franklin's house over the period of time from July 7th through July 9th 2010. He was testifying about the ballistics and the 22 calibre gun which was used in the killings. On the Elmo were 3 different photographs of the gun, the magazine and the bullets along with a ruler to measure the length and width of the gun. It was 5 inches long and 5 inches in height which can be easily concealed in a pocket, which are often called 'pocket pistols'.
Marguerite Rizzo was asking the questions.
There were 4 live rounds of ammunition found.
The DA approached the Witness (Garcia) with a large white envelope with red tape around it. She asked him to carefully open the envelope and explain what he was doing. Garcia then pulled back the red seal which is known as the LAPD evidence seal, he reached his hand inside and pulled out the Titan 22 calibre gun which was tied with a zip tie to prevent it from being discharged along with another small envelope inside.
The Judge then explained to the Jury that the reason for the zip tie is for safety any time a weapon is brought in to a Courtroom so that there is no way of it being accidentally discharged.
Garcia had also found an Army jacket in the hallway and inside was a drivers license, business cards, a Vons club card amongst other items. The drivers license was placed on the Elmo and it said: A0612197. Lonnie David Franklin Jr, DOB 08.30.1952. 1728 W. 81st, Los Angeles 90047. 5ft 7". 170lbs.
After a short recess, we all came back in to Court, Paul was sitting next to the Defense Investigators and Ricky and I were sitting only a few seats away. Seymour Amster looked over at Ricky and kept shaking his head and whispering to his co-Defense lawyer ~ Dale Atherton, getting redder and redder as he spoke. Something was about to happen and it did.
"One second your Honour, I have a Mr Paul Williams in the Courtroom today who has been subpoenaed by the Defense and I've placed him on call." Amster stated
Judge Kennedy then looked at Paul and said "Sir, Mr Williams, do you understand what it means to be placed 'on call'?" To which he responded that he did. She said that if he changes his phone number he must let the Defense know and that he is on call for the duration of the Trial. "Ok thank you" she said and he was free to go.
Then Mr Amster said "Your Honour we also have here in the Courtroom Mr Ricky Harris, we were unable to serve him with a subpoena and I don't want to get in to it, but he is a potential witness in this case. He's in the Courtroom right now and I..."
"Ok, who's Mr. Harris?" The Judge asked as Ricky raised his hand "Mr Harris? Ricky Harris?"
"Richard Harris." Ricky said to which the Judge apologized and called him Richard Harris. This entire time, Lonnie had turned around fully in his chair and nodded to me very subtly and then looked over to Ricky and then back to me again. I didn't respond in any way.
"I don't feel I have control over him to make sure he stays out of the Courtroom, we will do our best to serve him a subpoena."
The Judge then said "Mr Harris, the way it works that when someone is a Witness and not one of the Detectives testifying in the case, are not permitted to be in the Courtroom when other Witnesses are testifying. Mr Amster has identified you as a potential Witness for the Defense... I see you are shaking your head but it's up to him not you to decide. So you are not going to be allowed to remain in the Courtroom. You can remain in the hallway if you like but you cannot be in the Courtroom."
"Ok, I'll go, bye bye." Ricky said to the Judge.. He then turned to me and said "Call me later." I of course acknowledged to him that I would.
I did call him later, as I do every day, to give him the updates of the Trial and to remind him (as I always do) to please not to talk to any media!
I know Paul won't, he's a very private man and I trust him a lot, but Ricky just looovvvvvesss to talk, very much like me. I just don't want to lose his exclusivity (on his story and Lonnie for over 3 decades) which he's given to me.
(Garcia's Testimony will be in my book)
The next Witness to the stand was an a tall attractive black lady with very short hair, Tracey Benjamin. She was sworn in and started to explain her job as a Chief Detective with the LAPD when Amster interjected with something I couldn't quite hear, but he was asking if he could have a few more minutes to review something.
D.A Beth Silverman was asking the questions and asked how long she'd been with the LAPD which was 26 1/2 years and she's been with RHD for about 10 years.
D.A. Were you one of the Detectives who assisted in a multi-day search warrant from July 7th 2010 to July 9th 2010 at the location of 1728 West 81st street in Los Angeles?
T.B: Yes
D.A. What area were you responsible for searching?
T.B: The dining room.
Det. Benjamin found her items on the china cabinet in the dining room. The picture shown on the Elmo was of a person (from her investigating team) wearing a mask pointing to something at the top of the china cabinet with 2 notebooks of 2 of the field officers placed in the air next to the item. One of the items she collected was a box of photographs.
Amster cross examined the witness about the official police note books that were in the picture which were in the picture as part of the evidence collected. He wanted to know if she'd looked inside the notebooks, who's hand writing was in the notebooks, who provides these notebooks? How the notebooks are purchased by the LAPD? Who else could manufacture them and how they were manufactured. He wanted to know if anyone tried to swab or take latent fingerprints of those notebooks. Amster ask this question to a lot of witnesses regarding evidence collected. After he had to withdraw his question at least 4 times in this one short cross examination he went on to ask if there were any other documents that she might have seen on the Credenza that she had been searching in the dining room. She replied that she did not.
No further questions
The next witness was called to the stand. Lisa Mowery was sworn in.
D.A. Silverman: Could you tell us how you are employed please?
L.M: I work for the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation. I've been employed by the City for 24 years and with the Bureau of Sanitation for 17 years.
D.A: What is your position with the Bureau of Sanitation?
L.M: I am theChief Financial Officer with oversight of our financial, administrative and personnel programs.
This includes all Personnel records everything from employment applications, to reviews, to emergency appointments as well as assignments for Personnel. The D.A. asked her if she reviewed the Personnel records of an individual by the name of Lonnie David Franklin Jr. She replied that she did. When the DA read out the information belonging to Franklin she confirmed that it was correct but the Judge would not allow her to read out the social security number belonging to Franklin.
According to the D.A., there were 3 address in Franklin's Personnel file including his main residence of 1728 W. 81st in Los Angeles.
There was also an address of 1707 W. 85th street in Los Angeles and 443 W. 111th Place in Los Angeles. The Witness confirmed that these 3 addresses were in Franklin's file. She also confirmed that the first date of Franklin's employment with the City was in April of 1981 until June 30th 1982 and his job title was a Garage Attendant. He was assigned to the LAPD Central facility downtown LA in the central garage. Franklin's duties included vehicle maintenance and towing disabled vehicles. On July 1st 1982 Franklin had a new job title of Maintenance Laborer which is unskilled labour, picking up bulky items riding with a truck operator on any of their refuse trucks. From June 1985 until February 1989 Franklin was a trash truck driver in the City of LA.
He would have worked at the South Central Collection Yard. Including picking up trash, debris and large objects from alleyways and all other areas in non-commercial areas of Los Angeles.
In the 1980's they went from 2 person teams to 1 person teams. 1 man Truck Operator was the title given to a one man truck. The location of the land fills, that were open for operation at that time, was in the San Fernando Valley called the Lopez Canyon Landfill. This was where the trash truck operator would make their dumps at this location.
The D.A. showed a photograph on the Elmo of a few truck operators standing amongst refuse at the Lopez Canyon landfill.
Nothing further.
Judge: Cross
Amster: Good afternoon Ma'am. Do you have the Personnel records of Mr Franklin from June 1985 until February 1989?
L.M. No
Amster: Do you have any record of where Mr Franklin was traveling at that time?
L.M. No
Amster: Do you have any record of who he was traveling with at that time?
L.M. No
Amster: Do you have any.... I'll withdraw the question.. Do you have any record of what hours he worked on any given shift?
L.M: No
Amster: Would the driver have been given a designated route if he worked for the sanitation department between the time of June 1985 until February 1989?
L.M: Yes
Amster: Ma'am you stated that............ some of the....... some of the refuse dump areas in the City of Los Angeles during this time period was the Lopez Canyon Dump correct?
L.M: Yes
Amster: So how many people worked at Lopez Canyon Dump on any given shift?
L.M: I don't know
Amster: What is the procedure when someone drives a truck to the Lopez Canyon Dump and how do they unload it?
L.M: At that time there would be someone directed to a portion of the landfill that was active on that particular day so that they would know where to empty the load.
Amster: At that time was the City of Los Angeles concerned about potential health problems on a load that a sanitation truck driver unloaded?
D.A. That's irrelevant
Judge: Overruled
L.M: No
Amster: So the City of Los Angeles would not be concerned if an individual truck driver would bring a dead body and have it contained in his truck?
D.A. Objection
Judge: Sustained
Amster: Are there standard operating procedure for the City of Los Angeles to have an inspection concerning the items dumped at a particular location?
L.M: I don't know
Amster: Are there any procedures done to ensure that a dead body had not been dumped at the Lopez Canyon Dump during the period of June 1985 until February 1989?
L.M: I don't know
Amster: During the period of June 1985 until February 1989 did the City of Los Angeles maintain a log of what driver would check out a truck that they were utilizing and and then check back in when they were done using it?
L.M: I don't know. I know we have similar procedures today but I cannot speculate what exactly they were doing back then.
Amster: Were you employed by the City of Los Angeles during the period of June 1985 to February 1989
L.M: No
Amster: Are you familiar with how Personnel records were maintained by the City of Los Angeles for the period of time between June 1985 until February 1989?
L.M: No
Amster: Are you familiar with how Personnel records were maintained by the City of Los Angeles for the period of time between April 1981 to June 30th 1982?
L.M: No
Then, Amster suddenly got very red in the face, waved his hands around more frantically this time and shouted:
Amster: So all the information you've given us today has been based upon information and procedures that you do today but not procedures that even existed back in the 1980's?
L.M: The information was based on the information contained in the documents that I reviewed.
Amster: But you are not familiar with what the record keeping procedures were back in the 1980's, were you?
L.M: No
Amster: So all your information is not based on personal knowledge it's just what you reviewed in that file?
L.M: Yes it is from my personal knowledge of what is in that file.
Amster: So you are just speculating that the procedures used today are the same way they were used in the 80's correct?
L.M: No, I never stated that.
Now, he was getting to a fever pitch and raising his voice as loud as he could with spit flying out of his mouth from all angles, his head was protruding out from his neck and his hands were now placed firmly on his hips and he continued to basically scream at the poor Witness.
Amster: Are you familiar that from time to time your department is required to maintain records in a different way depending upon what the Controller's Office wants by the City of Los Angeles?
D.A. Objection ~ Irrelevant
Judge: Sustained
Amster: You have absolutely no idea what the requirements were, or how records should have been maintained, or how they were even preserved back in the 1980's do you?
Amster: No further questions!
D.A. Beth Silverman asked her final questions to the Witness about the records in a much clearer and more concise manner. The Witness was able to explain clearly how similar all the procedures and documentations were from current day to back in the 80's just that a different person was conducting the checks back then and she was reviewing those documents in the Courtroom as the person who had documented everything has since passed away.
Amster went up one final time and asked a number of redundant questions to which her answer was 'No' on every one of them.
Nothing further and the Witness was excused.
At 2.19pm the next Witness was called to the stand. Detective John Luke who has been employed by the LAPD for 28 years and has been with the RHD for 7 years.
D.A Silverman: Did you assist in a search warrant at 1728 W. 81st street in Los Angeles on the dates of July 7th, 8th and 9th of 2010?
Det: Yes
The Judge looked at Seymour Amster and said "Well if you make a face like that I don't know what it means." Judge Kennedy was referring to some kind of a face that the Defense pulled when they motioned that, yet again, they wanted to go to the side bar. She then turned and faced the Jury and said with a smile, "This is how I keep my girlish figure folks." Meaning that the amount of times she is called to the side bar every day is keeping her extremely fit. They all laughed.
This testimony was similar to the other Detectives from the Robbery Homicide Division of the LAPD and he explained his findings and what he booked in to evidence.
Then the next witness was called at 3.03pm by the name of Sharlene Johnson. She's been with the LAPD for almost 21 years and with RHD since 2006.
She was also part of the team of about 20 that searched the home of Lonnie Franklin over the 3 days starting on July 7th through July 9th of 2010.
Det. Johnson searched the western garage at the residence on July 8th 2010. In this garage was a Toyota Corolla. There was a photograph of the western garage placed on the Elmo.
The Witness explained to D.A. Rizzo that the moment she entered the garage all she could see was "It was total chaos! The hood of the car was partially open, there was stuff under the hood, there were things all over the car, under the car, on the trunk, on the walls, things hanging from the ceiling, bicycles, bicycle tires, a refrigerator, cabinets stacked on top of things. There was stuff everywhere."
She found a polaroid camera on top of one of Franklin's cars and a box of bullets on an open cabinet. A photograph of the polaroid camera was placed on the Elmo for us to see.
D.A. Rizzo walked up to the Witness and handed her an envelope for her to describe to the Jury what was inside. Det. Johnson explained that it has her name, her serial number and the usual red LAPD 'evidence seal'. Inside was the polaroid camera that she had seized at the location on 81st street back on July 8th 2010. She confirmed to all of this.
On cross examination, Amster asked if she was a Detective with the LAPD, despite her explaining this in great detail in her testimony with the D.A. previously.
After withdrawing his questions a number of times, he asked, "Did you direct the Criminalists to collect the biological evidence when you were in the garage?" To which she responded that she did. He asked if she directed anyone on the team to collect any latent fingerprints which she had not. He asked if she had moved anything from the roof of the car to see the camera. She said that she didn't remove anything but it's possible someone else in the team might have removed items to make the camera more visible. Amster asked if there were items on top of the polaroid camera or if it had any stuff on the camera. She placed the camera back in the envelope and was released.
At 3.37pm the next witness was called to the stand. Lieutenant Michael Oppelt was sworn in. He is a Lt. with the LAPD and has been with the LAPD for 35 years next month. He's been a Lt. for 6 years. He is the acting commanding officer for criminal gang homicide division in South LA. He's worked the same position in other divisions and for 8 years he's been in charge of the homicide division.
D.A. Silverman: On July 7th through July 9th of 2010 did you have a role to play in a search warrant that was performed at 1728 W. 81street in Los Angeles?
Lt. : Yes
D.A: And what was your role?
Lt: My role was to be the officer in charge of the event directed by the two main detectives that had the case ~ Detective Kilcoyne and Detective Coulter.
The centre of the photograph showed the arial shot of the location of Franklin's residence on 1728 W. 81st street. It showed the LAPD's 'easy up' and the command centre which was an RV. He explained the reason for having a command centre, the RV, so that there was a main point of contact to take and examine property taken from the residence, from vehicles and from the garages.
A lady by the name of Doreen Hudson was the commander and the person in charge, with Lt. Oppelt, of assigning the tactical team to carry out the search warrant of various areas of the residence on that Monday morning. They decided to have a team of 3 searching outside of the residence and a team of 3 searching inside. (Of course there were many others, this is just the 2 teams of Investigators that Hudson and Oppelt assigned). On top of that there were someone from fire arms unit, component unit, photographers, SID support person and an RHD detective.
There were 8 vehicles on Franklin's property in his garages at the back of the house, including a Winnebago, outside of the garages and also on the street. These were all impounded and subsequently searched in order to accommodate the actual searches of the various garages. This occurred more so on July 7th and 8th so that Investigators could navigate around more easily when searching inside the garages.
D.A. Silverman went on questioning the Witness for a while longer until we adjourned for the day just after 4pm.
To be continued.... (This is an example of the details of the Trial which will be in my book. More detailed testimony will there too)
Ricky had called me early yesterday morning saying that the Defense had subpoenaed both him and Paul to be in Court that day and for me to hurry up and get there. I arrived by 9.45am as I knew that we weren't going to be in session until 9.30am yesterday due to the Judge having other cases.
As soon as I got there I see Ricky and Paul were talking to the Defense Investigators. I'm not going to say anymore here as I've been asked by certain people not to. But what I can say is what happened next with Ricky!
Ricky came bouncing down the corridor to greet me in his usual way and then we sat down to talk quietly when he told me that he is not going to accept the subpoena due to the fact he doesn't want to be a witness for someone who probably committed the crimes. He was very serious about this and wanted to go in to the Courtroom with me. As you know he has already been banned from the Courtroom by the Defense due to him being a potential witness. He doesn't want to be a witness of any kind.
So, I told him that we could go in and sit together and see if he can stay. As we walked down the hall, he pointed to a man and started laughing and then he said "Hey, hey Vic.. I want you to meet someone... This guy here, this guy.. this guy is me, he's me!"
I didn't know what he was on about as an elderly light skinned black man was sitting hunched up next to a pillar, clearly also not knowing what was going on. I held out my hand to the man and introduced myself, he then said his name was "Richard.... Richard Harris".
Ricky laughed and said "See I tol' you he's me! I'm Richard Harris and this man here's Richard Harris an' he don' know nothin' about this case or why he's even here. He got subpoenaed coz of his name and he din't even live near none of us in South Central LA, he's from the West side!" Laughing in his flamboyant way, he then said, "The Defense subpoenaed the wrong guy!"
I was still holding out hope that the Defense might be improving and before I had even walked in to the Courtroom yet, I found out that the Defense, probably Seymour Amster, called in (subpoenaed) the wrong guy. Clearly Mr Amster hadn't done his homework again and called this poor bugger to testify as a Witness in a case which he knew nothing about.
And the day begun.
I went in to the Courtroom and Lonnie was sitting there in a lime green shirt and beige trousers, looking straight ahead.
Rafael Garcia was one of the Criminalists searching Franklin's house over the period of time from July 7th through July 9th 2010. He was testifying about the ballistics and the 22 calibre gun which was used in the killings. On the Elmo were 3 different photographs of the gun, the magazine and the bullets along with a ruler to measure the length and width of the gun. It was 5 inches long and 5 inches in height which can be easily concealed in a pocket, which are often called 'pocket pistols'.
Marguerite Rizzo was asking the questions.
There were 4 live rounds of ammunition found.
The DA approached the Witness (Garcia) with a large white envelope with red tape around it. She asked him to carefully open the envelope and explain what he was doing. Garcia then pulled back the red seal which is known as the LAPD evidence seal, he reached his hand inside and pulled out the Titan 22 calibre gun which was tied with a zip tie to prevent it from being discharged along with another small envelope inside.
The Judge then explained to the Jury that the reason for the zip tie is for safety any time a weapon is brought in to a Courtroom so that there is no way of it being accidentally discharged.
Garcia had also found an Army jacket in the hallway and inside was a drivers license, business cards, a Vons club card amongst other items. The drivers license was placed on the Elmo and it said: A0612197. Lonnie David Franklin Jr, DOB 08.30.1952. 1728 W. 81st, Los Angeles 90047. 5ft 7". 170lbs.
After a short recess, we all came back in to Court, Paul was sitting next to the Defense Investigators and Ricky and I were sitting only a few seats away. Seymour Amster looked over at Ricky and kept shaking his head and whispering to his co-Defense lawyer ~ Dale Atherton, getting redder and redder as he spoke. Something was about to happen and it did.
"One second your Honour, I have a Mr Paul Williams in the Courtroom today who has been subpoenaed by the Defense and I've placed him on call." Amster stated
Judge Kennedy then looked at Paul and said "Sir, Mr Williams, do you understand what it means to be placed 'on call'?" To which he responded that he did. She said that if he changes his phone number he must let the Defense know and that he is on call for the duration of the Trial. "Ok thank you" she said and he was free to go.
Then Mr Amster said "Your Honour we also have here in the Courtroom Mr Ricky Harris, we were unable to serve him with a subpoena and I don't want to get in to it, but he is a potential witness in this case. He's in the Courtroom right now and I..."
"Ok, who's Mr. Harris?" The Judge asked as Ricky raised his hand "Mr Harris? Ricky Harris?"
"Richard Harris." Ricky said to which the Judge apologized and called him Richard Harris. This entire time, Lonnie had turned around fully in his chair and nodded to me very subtly and then looked over to Ricky and then back to me again. I didn't respond in any way.
"I don't feel I have control over him to make sure he stays out of the Courtroom, we will do our best to serve him a subpoena."
The Judge then said "Mr Harris, the way it works that when someone is a Witness and not one of the Detectives testifying in the case, are not permitted to be in the Courtroom when other Witnesses are testifying. Mr Amster has identified you as a potential Witness for the Defense... I see you are shaking your head but it's up to him not you to decide. So you are not going to be allowed to remain in the Courtroom. You can remain in the hallway if you like but you cannot be in the Courtroom."
"Ok, I'll go, bye bye." Ricky said to the Judge.. He then turned to me and said "Call me later." I of course acknowledged to him that I would.
I did call him later, as I do every day, to give him the updates of the Trial and to remind him (as I always do) to please not to talk to any media!
I know Paul won't, he's a very private man and I trust him a lot, but Ricky just looovvvvvesss to talk, very much like me. I just don't want to lose his exclusivity (on his story and Lonnie for over 3 decades) which he's given to me.
(Garcia's Testimony will be in my book)
The next Witness to the stand was an a tall attractive black lady with very short hair, Tracey Benjamin. She was sworn in and started to explain her job as a Chief Detective with the LAPD when Amster interjected with something I couldn't quite hear, but he was asking if he could have a few more minutes to review something.
D.A Beth Silverman was asking the questions and asked how long she'd been with the LAPD which was 26 1/2 years and she's been with RHD for about 10 years.
T.B: Yes
D.A. What area were you responsible for searching?
T.B: The dining room.
Det. Benjamin found her items on the china cabinet in the dining room. The picture shown on the Elmo was of a person (from her investigating team) wearing a mask pointing to something at the top of the china cabinet with 2 notebooks of 2 of the field officers placed in the air next to the item. One of the items she collected was a box of photographs.
Amster cross examined the witness about the official police note books that were in the picture which were in the picture as part of the evidence collected. He wanted to know if she'd looked inside the notebooks, who's hand writing was in the notebooks, who provides these notebooks? How the notebooks are purchased by the LAPD? Who else could manufacture them and how they were manufactured. He wanted to know if anyone tried to swab or take latent fingerprints of those notebooks. Amster ask this question to a lot of witnesses regarding evidence collected. After he had to withdraw his question at least 4 times in this one short cross examination he went on to ask if there were any other documents that she might have seen on the Credenza that she had been searching in the dining room. She replied that she did not.
No further questions
The next witness was called to the stand. Lisa Mowery was sworn in.
D.A. Silverman: Could you tell us how you are employed please?
L.M: I work for the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation. I've been employed by the City for 24 years and with the Bureau of Sanitation for 17 years.
D.A: What is your position with the Bureau of Sanitation?
L.M: I am theChief Financial Officer with oversight of our financial, administrative and personnel programs.
This includes all Personnel records everything from employment applications, to reviews, to emergency appointments as well as assignments for Personnel. The D.A. asked her if she reviewed the Personnel records of an individual by the name of Lonnie David Franklin Jr. She replied that she did. When the DA read out the information belonging to Franklin she confirmed that it was correct but the Judge would not allow her to read out the social security number belonging to Franklin.
According to the D.A., there were 3 address in Franklin's Personnel file including his main residence of 1728 W. 81st in Los Angeles.
There was also an address of 1707 W. 85th street in Los Angeles and 443 W. 111th Place in Los Angeles. The Witness confirmed that these 3 addresses were in Franklin's file. She also confirmed that the first date of Franklin's employment with the City was in April of 1981 until June 30th 1982 and his job title was a Garage Attendant. He was assigned to the LAPD Central facility downtown LA in the central garage. Franklin's duties included vehicle maintenance and towing disabled vehicles. On July 1st 1982 Franklin had a new job title of Maintenance Laborer which is unskilled labour, picking up bulky items riding with a truck operator on any of their refuse trucks. From June 1985 until February 1989 Franklin was a trash truck driver in the City of LA.
He would have worked at the South Central Collection Yard. Including picking up trash, debris and large objects from alleyways and all other areas in non-commercial areas of Los Angeles.
In the 1980's they went from 2 person teams to 1 person teams. 1 man Truck Operator was the title given to a one man truck. The location of the land fills, that were open for operation at that time, was in the San Fernando Valley called the Lopez Canyon Landfill. This was where the trash truck operator would make their dumps at this location.
The D.A. showed a photograph on the Elmo of a few truck operators standing amongst refuse at the Lopez Canyon landfill.
Nothing further.
Judge: Cross
Amster: Good afternoon Ma'am. Do you have the Personnel records of Mr Franklin from June 1985 until February 1989?
L.M. No
Amster: Do you have any record of where Mr Franklin was traveling at that time?
L.M. No
Amster: Do you have any record of who he was traveling with at that time?
L.M. No
Amster: Do you have any.... I'll withdraw the question.. Do you have any record of what hours he worked on any given shift?
L.M: No
Amster: Would the driver have been given a designated route if he worked for the sanitation department between the time of June 1985 until February 1989?
L.M: Yes
L.M: Yes
Amster: So how many people worked at Lopez Canyon Dump on any given shift?
L.M: I don't know
Amster: What is the procedure when someone drives a truck to the Lopez Canyon Dump and how do they unload it?
L.M: At that time there would be someone directed to a portion of the landfill that was active on that particular day so that they would know where to empty the load.
Amster: At that time was the City of Los Angeles concerned about potential health problems on a load that a sanitation truck driver unloaded?
D.A. That's irrelevant
Judge: Overruled
L.M: No
Amster: So the City of Los Angeles would not be concerned if an individual truck driver would bring a dead body and have it contained in his truck?
D.A. Objection
Judge: Sustained
Amster: Are there standard operating procedure for the City of Los Angeles to have an inspection concerning the items dumped at a particular location?
L.M: I don't know
Amster: Are there any procedures done to ensure that a dead body had not been dumped at the Lopez Canyon Dump during the period of June 1985 until February 1989?
L.M: I don't know
Amster: During the period of June 1985 until February 1989 did the City of Los Angeles maintain a log of what driver would check out a truck that they were utilizing and and then check back in when they were done using it?
L.M: I don't know. I know we have similar procedures today but I cannot speculate what exactly they were doing back then.
Amster: Were you employed by the City of Los Angeles during the period of June 1985 to February 1989
L.M: No
Amster: Are you familiar with how Personnel records were maintained by the City of Los Angeles for the period of time between June 1985 until February 1989?
L.M: No
Amster: Are you familiar with how Personnel records were maintained by the City of Los Angeles for the period of time between April 1981 to June 30th 1982?
L.M: No
Then, Amster suddenly got very red in the face, waved his hands around more frantically this time and shouted:
Amster: So all the information you've given us today has been based upon information and procedures that you do today but not procedures that even existed back in the 1980's?
L.M: The information was based on the information contained in the documents that I reviewed.
Amster: But you are not familiar with what the record keeping procedures were back in the 1980's, were you?
L.M: No
Amster: So all your information is not based on personal knowledge it's just what you reviewed in that file?
L.M: Yes it is from my personal knowledge of what is in that file.
Amster: So you are just speculating that the procedures used today are the same way they were used in the 80's correct?
L.M: No, I never stated that.
Now, he was getting to a fever pitch and raising his voice as loud as he could with spit flying out of his mouth from all angles, his head was protruding out from his neck and his hands were now placed firmly on his hips and he continued to basically scream at the poor Witness.
Amster: Are you familiar that from time to time your department is required to maintain records in a different way depending upon what the Controller's Office wants by the City of Los Angeles?
D.A. Objection ~ Irrelevant
Judge: Sustained
Amster: You have absolutely no idea what the requirements were, or how records should have been maintained, or how they were even preserved back in the 1980's do you?
Amster: No further questions!
D.A. Beth Silverman asked her final questions to the Witness about the records in a much clearer and more concise manner. The Witness was able to explain clearly how similar all the procedures and documentations were from current day to back in the 80's just that a different person was conducting the checks back then and she was reviewing those documents in the Courtroom as the person who had documented everything has since passed away.
Amster went up one final time and asked a number of redundant questions to which her answer was 'No' on every one of them.
Nothing further and the Witness was excused.
At 2.19pm the next Witness was called to the stand. Detective John Luke who has been employed by the LAPD for 28 years and has been with the RHD for 7 years.
D.A Silverman: Did you assist in a search warrant at 1728 W. 81st street in Los Angeles on the dates of July 7th, 8th and 9th of 2010?
Det: Yes
This testimony was similar to the other Detectives from the Robbery Homicide Division of the LAPD and he explained his findings and what he booked in to evidence.
Then the next witness was called at 3.03pm by the name of Sharlene Johnson. She's been with the LAPD for almost 21 years and with RHD since 2006.
She was also part of the team of about 20 that searched the home of Lonnie Franklin over the 3 days starting on July 7th through July 9th of 2010.
Det. Johnson searched the western garage at the residence on July 8th 2010. In this garage was a Toyota Corolla. There was a photograph of the western garage placed on the Elmo.
The Witness explained to D.A. Rizzo that the moment she entered the garage all she could see was "It was total chaos! The hood of the car was partially open, there was stuff under the hood, there were things all over the car, under the car, on the trunk, on the walls, things hanging from the ceiling, bicycles, bicycle tires, a refrigerator, cabinets stacked on top of things. There was stuff everywhere."
She found a polaroid camera on top of one of Franklin's cars and a box of bullets on an open cabinet. A photograph of the polaroid camera was placed on the Elmo for us to see.
D.A. Rizzo walked up to the Witness and handed her an envelope for her to describe to the Jury what was inside. Det. Johnson explained that it has her name, her serial number and the usual red LAPD 'evidence seal'. Inside was the polaroid camera that she had seized at the location on 81st street back on July 8th 2010. She confirmed to all of this.
On cross examination, Amster asked if she was a Detective with the LAPD, despite her explaining this in great detail in her testimony with the D.A. previously.
After withdrawing his questions a number of times, he asked, "Did you direct the Criminalists to collect the biological evidence when you were in the garage?" To which she responded that she did. He asked if she directed anyone on the team to collect any latent fingerprints which she had not. He asked if she had moved anything from the roof of the car to see the camera. She said that she didn't remove anything but it's possible someone else in the team might have removed items to make the camera more visible. Amster asked if there were items on top of the polaroid camera or if it had any stuff on the camera. She placed the camera back in the envelope and was released.
At 3.37pm the next witness was called to the stand. Lieutenant Michael Oppelt was sworn in. He is a Lt. with the LAPD and has been with the LAPD for 35 years next month. He's been a Lt. for 6 years. He is the acting commanding officer for criminal gang homicide division in South LA. He's worked the same position in other divisions and for 8 years he's been in charge of the homicide division.
D.A. Silverman: On July 7th through July 9th of 2010 did you have a role to play in a search warrant that was performed at 1728 W. 81street in Los Angeles?
Lt. : Yes
D.A: And what was your role?
Lt: My role was to be the officer in charge of the event directed by the two main detectives that had the case ~ Detective Kilcoyne and Detective Coulter.
The centre of the photograph showed the arial shot of the location of Franklin's residence on 1728 W. 81st street. It showed the LAPD's 'easy up' and the command centre which was an RV. He explained the reason for having a command centre, the RV, so that there was a main point of contact to take and examine property taken from the residence, from vehicles and from the garages. A lady by the name of Doreen Hudson was the commander and the person in charge, with Lt. Oppelt, of assigning the tactical team to carry out the search warrant of various areas of the residence on that Monday morning. They decided to have a team of 3 searching outside of the residence and a team of 3 searching inside. (Of course there were many others, this is just the 2 teams of Investigators that Hudson and Oppelt assigned). On top of that there were someone from fire arms unit, component unit, photographers, SID support person and an RHD detective.
There were 8 vehicles on Franklin's property in his garages at the back of the house, including a Winnebago, outside of the garages and also on the street. These were all impounded and subsequently searched in order to accommodate the actual searches of the various garages. This occurred more so on July 7th and 8th so that Investigators could navigate around more easily when searching inside the garages.
D.A. Silverman went on questioning the Witness for a while longer until we adjourned for the day just after 4pm.
To be continued.... (This is an example of the details of the Trial which will be in my book. More detailed testimony will there too)
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