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Lawyer's Illness Delays Huguely Trial

One of George Huguely's lawyer was absent for the second day due to "projectile vomit illness". No testimony was heard yesterday, and today Huguely objected to moving forward without both of his attorneys present.
His other attorney, Francis McQ. Lawrence, said to the judge, “Mr. Huguely told me, ‘I don’t feel comfortable. I don’t feel protected'". But Judge Hogshire told the defense to move foward, and several non-expert witnesses were called.

The judge seems determined to finish with testimony in the case on Saturday, and if possible have closing arguments and jury instructions as well.

It could well go late into the night.

WaPo story here.

Prosecution Rests, Defense Begins

After calling several friends of Huguely and Love to the stand and introducing as evidence the bodybag tag and a photo of Yeardley Love's bruised and battered face the commonwealth rested.

The defense led off with a couple of experts that testified about Yeardley's blood alcohol level and the injury to her brain.

George Huguely has paid close attention, but shown little emotion this week.

Wapo story here.

A Day of Medical and Forensic Experts

A neuropathologist, blood stain pattern and fingerprint analysts, a toxologist and trace evidence and DNA experts all testified today at Huguely's trial, as well as the coroner who returned to the stand for the second day. Here are just a few:

WaPo story here.

An Emotional Day

Detective Lisa Reeves took the witness stand Friday and told the jury how she had brought Huguely from his apartment to the police station for questioning as a potential witness. Noticing that Huguely's knuckles were severely bruised and that he had a fresh cut on his arm she came to have a "reasonable suspicion that he may have committed this crime".

The interview was videotaped, and the taped played in court. Huguely, sounding still a bit inebriated, admits to drinking all day long the previous day and going over to Yeardley Love's apartment around 12:45 p.m. "to talk" after an incident the week before when Yeardley went to his apartment and hit him with her purse, accusing him of texting other girls. On the videotape Huguely describes what happened at Yeardley's apartment over and over for about thirty minutes telling the detective that Yeardley was "freaking out" and "got really aggressive". He admits shaking her and throwing her on the bed before leaving the apartment.

Finally Detective Reeves says "I have to tell you something. She's dead. You killed her." After a long silence Hugulely says "she's dead . . . HOW?" The detective responds "I think you know" Huguely then becomes very upset saying "she's dead? how the fuck is she dead? She's dead?...she's dead?...she's dead?? I don't believe it...I didn't hurt her...I don't believe she's dead...I want to see her!"

In the courtroom Huguley began to weep, wiping away tears. It was the first time during the trial that he has shown any emotion. 

In the afternoon Detective Michael Flaherty was called to testify and introduce into evidence photos and items taken from the crime scene including the apartment door that Huguely broke through.

As the detective described photos of the body laying on the floor Yeardley's sister Lexie wept as her fiancee tried to comfort her.

Many others in the courtroom were overcome with emotion as well.

WaPo story here.

 

 

A Few More Sketches

Another day of dramatic testimony at the Huguely trial. Here are a few of today's sketches:

George Huguely taking notes during testimony.

The first EMT to take the witness stand.

Dr. Brady, who reviewed the EMT's work.

The Honorable Edward L. Hogshire.

Witness demonstrating chokehold on the Commonwealth's attorney.

You can read about it here.

Opening Statements and Witness Testimony

The jury today heard opening statements from the Commonwealth and the defense followed by testimony from the first witnesses.
In his opening prosecutor Dave Chapman told the jurors about an email Huguely sent to Yeardley Love that read in part, “I should have killed you.”

But defense attorney Francis McQ. Lawrence said Huguely only wanted “to talk, to make up, to work things out."

Eight witnesses testified today, including Yeardley's mother and sister, but the most lengthy testimony came from Yeardley's roomate, Caitlin Whitely.

WaPo story here.

 

 

Jury Selection Begins In Huguely Trial

George W. Huguely V, appearing in court for the first time since being charged in May 2010 with beating his former girlfriend to death, and pled not guilty.
The six-foot-two, 200lb University of Virginia lacrosse player appeared much diminished today having lost some weight and sitting in a chair notably lower than the ones his lawyers sat in.
Jury selection got off to a slow start with opening arguments now not expected until Wednesday at the earliest.

WaPo story here.

Justices Puzzle Over Indecency

The highlight of yesterday's lively argument over the government's right to restrict offensive language and nudity on broadcast TV came as former Solicitor General Seth Waxman told the Court, "the commission has pending before it…complaints about the opening episode of the last olympics, which included a statue very much like some of the statues that are here in this courtroom, that had bare breasts and buttocks."

As he noticed Justice Scalia glancing up at the courtroom friezes Waxman said, "Well, there's a bare buttock there, and there's a bare buttock here."

The case is FCC v. Fox Television Stations.

Mike Sacks has the story here.

 

Which Way Out of Texas?

As a result of a large growth in population Texas has gained a number of Congressional and State Legislative seats.

When it came time to draw up new electoral maps the Texas Legislature, which is controlled by Republicans, not surprisingly came up with a map favoring Republican candidates.

 Also not surprisingly the Legislatures' maps were challenged in a federal court in San Antonio under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. 

 Meanwhile, Texas is one of those States that fall under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act and are required to get pre-clearance from either the Department of Justice or a special three-judge court in DC.  The Texas Republicans chose to go to the three-judge court for approval, but the court has yet to act.

So, with primaries looming the San Antonio court drew up its own set of electoral maps that strengthen the Hispanic vote, and presumably help Democrats.  

Texas appealed to the Supreme Court to block the court drawn map, and the Justices today heard arguments in the case.

Mike Sacks' take on the arguments is here.

McQueary Testifies

Penn State assistant coach Mike McQueary gave public testimony for the first time yesterday to a packed Dauphin County courtroom in Harrisburg.

Questioned by Deputy DA Bruce Beemer, McQueary told the court that he saw Jerry Sandusky having sex with a young boy in the locker room showers.

He described hearing a "rhythmic, slapping sound" and saw Sandusky standing behind a boy in the shower "having some sort of intercourse with him".

The defendants are two Penn State administrators, Gary Schultz and Tim Curley, who are charged with lying to a grand jury about what was reported to them. Neither ever reported the incident to police.

McQueary's father, John, also testified. His son called him shortly after witnessing the assault and they also discussed in person what to do about it. “I’m now in the position to say Gary Schultz did nothing about it,” John McQueary testified.

NYT story is here.