Daybell-Vallow trial

[Calm]

Jury selection for the first trial has started.  No cameras in court.

These are the two top reporters on this Imo, been devoting lots of up close attention from the beginning…

Justin Lum (Arizona) is providing details here;

https://m.facebook.com/jlumfox10

day one:  https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02T3B9DtxDNgRyHzUKhqpBKpWRdCimVok7jMNSrQ8JPtSzD8zm7dv4zn1PLz2BkW8Nl&id=100044424966565

Eaat Idaho News (usually Nate Eaton) here:

https://www.eastidahonews.com/2023/04/jury-selection-begins-on-first-day-of-lori-vallow-daybell-murder-trial-day-one/

Edited April 4, 2023 by Calm

[rpn]

I wondered if ID's recent change to allowing firing squad executions was in anyway influenced by this case.   On the one hand, every state is having trouble getting the chemicals timely, that work for execution these days.  On the other hand,  if shedding his own blood is the only chance at Mr. Daybell's eternal redemption (which is how members long believed --- though I'm hard pressed to believe that one's eternal place can be impacted in any way by government choices of how to execute), then why would anyone want to set up a situation in which Daybell potential is better off eternally when  justice calls for anything but.

Then there is the whole question of how in the world anyone gets from where he was to where he ended up (and the thought that if he could do that, no one is immune? (which of course is premised on whether he was ever a good guy or maybe that was a public face alone).

Edited April 4, 2023 by rpn

[Tacenda]

Seeing Chad's former deceased wife on the news with her beautiful smile, kills me every time. That he would want her out of the picture, all for his lust for Lori, is sickening. 

I wonder if they'll have cameras after the jury selection, and interesting that one of the jurors actually didn't know the story, they must have been someone without internet, or never checked the news or anything. 

And the terrifying thought comes to me constantly, that they'll somehow get away with it and pin it on Alex. 

[Calm]

11 hours ago, Tacenda said:

wonder if they'll have cameras after the jury selection,

Not unless the judge changes his mind.

 

 

Edited April 5, 2023 by Calm

[bluebell]

1 hour ago, Tacenda said:

And the terrifying thought comes to me constantly, that they'll somehow get away with it and pin it on Alex. 

I think this is a real possibility, unless they have evidence that they haven’t shared with the public before.  We know the kids and Chad’s wife are dead, but I haven’t seen any evidence to connect those deaths with any one person.

Trying to prove who actually killed them, especially when it could’ve been Alex that killed the kids, it’s going to be hard.

[pogi]

3 hours ago, rpn said:

I wondered if ID's recent change to allowing firing squad executions was in anyway influenced by this case.   On the one hand, every state is having trouble getting the chemicals timely, that work for execution these days.  On the other hand,  if shedding his own blood is the only chance at Mr. Daybell's eternal redemption (which is how members long believed --- though I'm hard pressed to believe that one's eternal place can be impacted in any way by government choices of how to execute), then why would anyone want to set up a situation in which Daybell potential is better off eternally when  justice calls for anything but.

I thought the death penalty was taken off the table for them?

3 hours ago, rpn said:

Then there is the whole question of how in the world anyone gets from where he was to where he ended up (and the thought that if he could do that, no one is immune? (which of course is premised on whether he was ever a good guy or maybe that was a public face alone).

When one believes that they have absolute knowledge of absolute truth, it can lead people to justify the most horrendous things imaginable.  

[blackstrap]

I'm not sure why they worry about chemicals for the death penalty. Fentanyl seems effective and is available everywhere. 

[Durangout]

1 hour ago, blackstrap said:

I'm not sure why they worry about chemicals for the death penalty. Fentanyl seems effective and is available everywhere. 

You beat me to it.

[rpn]

1 hour ago, pogi said:

I thought the death penalty was taken off the table for them?

The death penalty was removed from consideration for Lori Daybell (because she had not waived her right to a speedy trial and therefore it was that or toss the entire case against her).    But Mr. Daybell waived that right, so there isn't a speedy trial concern to bargain with.

[pogi]

5 hours ago, blackstrap said:

I'm not sure why they worry about chemicals for the death penalty. Fentanyl seems effective and is available everywhere. 

And it is dirt cheap and painless.

[Calm]

9 hours ago, bluebell said:

I think this is a real possibility, unless they have evidence that they haven’t shared with the public before.  We know the kids and Chad’s wife are dead, but I haven’t seen any evidence to connect those deaths with any one person.

Trying to prove who actually killed them, especially when it could’ve been Alex that killed the kids, it’s going to be hard.

Idaho has coconspirators as legally responsible for any crime done by accomplices if I understand correctly, so even if murders are pinned on Alex, I believe if the State can prove part of the coverup involved LVD or CD, they can be held responsible for the murders as well, at least to some degree.  It has been awhile since I read the explanation, so I may be wrong.  They may not get life, but I don’t see them getting completely away with it. There is also the shooting attempt of Brandon Bordeaux for both and the murder of Charles Vallow for LVD if these charges don’t convict them.  Worse comes to worse they can get her for neglect and child endangerment and fraud, iirc.  It may not be life, but my guess is she won’t be rejoining society for a number of years and if she does, her lifestyle is going to be minimal because even if she gets paid for books, etc, there will be constant civil suits from Charles Vallow’s family against them both.  The family are not going to let it go if the State fails.  CD….his kids may still back him, so he might be able to live a decent life with one of them, but I don’t see him being able to walk around in public safely. 

They have destroyed their own lives in more than one way.  They don’t have the money to insulate themselves from the consequences.  If they ever get out, my guess is they will be harassed till they die.  Life will be a prison for them in or out of jail.  I can see LVD getting off on the notoriety if she had the lifestyle she kept marrying and divorcing/killing for, but I see that as unlikely.  CD wants to be loved and worshipped and taken care of.  I think people hating him, despising him will be a version of hell for him.  The phone call between them when he was about to be arrested showed how pathetic he truly is imo…and even if she was obvious to reality then, it has been a long time in jail and she has been given significant medical treatment, so perhaps she is not quite so chipper about life at this point.

There is some evidence already shared that shows Alex being on the property at the same time as Chad when JJ was last seen, iirc.  LVD might have insisted Alex do it all on her end though.  I will be shocked if they don’t have trace evidence. 

Edited April 5, 2023 by Calm

[Kenngo1969]

5 hours ago, Calm said:

Idaho has coconspirators as legally responsible for any crime done by accomplices if I understand correctly, so even if murders are pinned on Alex, I believe if the State can prove part of the coverup involved LVD or CD, they can be held responsible for the murders as well, at least to some degree.  ...

This comes with the usual caveat.  I am not a lawyer: I simply "play" one here on MD&DB.  [Sigh!]  Now, with that exceedingly-tiresome caveat out of the way*, I haven't done the research necessary to determine whether your underlying assumption is correct: I'm simply proceeding on the assumption (notwithstanding the old saying about what ***-u-me-ing does ) that it is.  If Idaho law is similar to Utah's in this respect, the Utah Criminal Code doesn't bother with such fine distinctions as "accessory before the fact" or "accessory after the fact": It simply treats everyone who played a substantial enough role in the crime as a principal.**  That way, the State isn't forced into endless debates about whether Defendant A did "C, D, and E" while Defendant B did "F, G, and H" (or vice-versa, and, potentially, ad infinitum).

_____________

*I think I'll just get a tattoo, and/or put it in my signature or something.  

**In other words, it treats everyone who plays a substantial enough role in the crime the exact same way it treats "The Dude(tte) Who Actually Did It."

 

[Calm]

6 minutes ago, Kenngo1969 said:

the Utah Criminal Code doesn't bother with such fine distinctions as "accessory before the fact" or "accessory after the fact": It simply treats everyone who played a substantial enough role in the crime as a principal.** 

That was my impression 

[Calm]

If they blame it on Alex Cox and claim he forced them to stay quiet out of fear, my guess is that claim falls apart once he was dead and they kept lying about it, so accessories, not victims. 

They have her on tape telling a friend to lie to the police, CD gets on the phone, so it proves he knew LVD was telling Gibb to lie. 
 

I just don’t see how they can avoid being connected to the killing. 

Edited April 5, 2023 by Calm

[Calm]

Opening statements start Monday.

I have never watched a trial from the beginning, this was going to be my first.  But no cameras in the courtroom.  They will have audio, but not live.  Link also has daily digests…

https://www.eastidahonews.com/news/daybell/daybell-trial-audio/

Jury selection updates were every ten minutes, so it looks like they intend reporting to be very detailed…one reason I am sticking with EIN. 

Edited April 6, 2023 by Calm

[Tacenda]

9 hours ago, Calm said:

Opening statements start Monday.

I have never watched a trial from the beginning, this was going to be my first.  But no cameras in the courtroom.  They will have audio, but not live.  Link also has daily digests…

https://www.eastidahonews.com/news/daybell/daybell-trial-audio/

Jury selection updates were every ten minutes, so it looks like they intend reporting to be very detailed…one reason I am sticking with EIN. 

Thanks for the link, it will be interesting to listen as well, not as good, but better than nothing and only seeing bits on the news.

[smac97]

On 4/4/2023 at 7:49 AM, Tacenda said:

Seeing Chad's former deceased wife on the news with her beautiful smile, kills me every time. That he would want her out of the picture, all for his lust for Lori, is sickening. 

I wonder if they'll have cameras after the jury selection, and interesting that one of the jurors actually didn't know the story, they must have been someone without internet, or never checked the news or anything. 

And the terrifying thought comes to me constantly, that they'll somehow get away with it and pin it on Alex. 

I have, for some time now, been opposed to the death penalty.  My opposition is not as much about a philosophical objection to the idea of the State being able to end someone's life.  I think the State has and can exercise that power, as stated in the United States Constitution (emphasis added) :

Quote

The clause in the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution provides:

No person shall ... be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.

The clause in Section One of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution provides:

...nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.

See also the Idaho State Constitution (the jurisdiction that will be putting Daybell/Vallow on trial for their lives) (emphasis added) :

Quote

SECTION 13. GUARANTIES IN CRIMINAL ACTIONS AND DUE PROCESS OF LAW. In all criminal prosecutions, the party accused shall have the right to a speedy and public trial; to have the process of the court to compel the attendance of witnesses in his behalf, and to appear and defend in person and with counsel. No person shall be twice put in jeopardy for the same offense; nor be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself; nor be deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law.

So as long as "Due Process" is observed, the State can execute persons within its jurisdiction.

I also do not have a religious/moral objection to the death penalty.  From The Encyclopedia of Mormonism:

Quote

Capital Punishment

Ancient scriptures indicate that capital punishment is an appropriate penalty for murder. God said to Noah, "And whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed; for man shall not shed the blood of man" (JST Gen. 9:12). And to Moses the Lord said: "He that killeth any man shall surely be put to death" (Lev. 24:17). Thus it is clear that when the civil and religious authorities were combined, as in the days of the Old Testament prophets, capital punishment was the directed result.

 

In modern times with the separation of church and state, the power to take physical life is reserved to the state. Modern revelations do not oppose capital punishment, but they do not direct its imposition to civil government. In the same revelation where the Lord instructed the Prophet Joseph Smith, "And again, I say, thou shall not kill; but he that killeth shall die," the Lord made the application of capital punishment contingent on the laws of civil government: "And it shall come to pass, that if any persons among you shall kill they shall be delivered up and dealt with according to the laws of the land…and it shall be proved according to the laws of the land" (D&C 42:19, 79). In a headnote to the published account of this revelation, the Prophet specified the revelation embraced "the law of the Church," which might indicate that even when capital punishment does not result from murder the murderer dies as to things pertaining to the Spirit.

The First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles affirmed this position against murder in an official declaration dated December 12, 1889, written in response to rumors perpetrated by enemies of the Church that it taught its members that they were not bound by the laws of the United States. Included in that official declaration is the proclamation "this Church views the shedding of human blood with the utmost abhorrence" (MFP 3:183).

Church leaders have frequently made statements consistent with the scriptures and declarations quoted above. Elder Orson F. Whitney said in the October 1910 general conference, "To execute a criminal is not murder" (CR, Oct. 1910, p. 51). Elder Bruce R. McConkie wrote, "Mortal man is not authorized, except in imposing the requisite death penalties for crimes, to take the blood of his fellow beings under any circumstances" (McConkie, p. 257).

In summary, capital punishment is viewed in the doctrines of the Church to be an appropriate penalty for murder, but that penalty is proper only after the offender has been found guilty in a lawful public trial by constitutionally authorized civil authorities.

My concern about the death penalty, then, is not about the legality of it, or its basic religious/moral premise.

Rather, my current broad and generalized objection to the death penalty is threefold:

1. Incompetent Administration of Death Penalty by the State

My primary concern has more to do with skepticism about the fundamental competency of the State to properly mete out capital punishment.  A person wrongfully convicted can be freed.  Property wrongfully taken can be returned.  Compensation can be given for such things.  But there's really no way to fix the execution of an wrongfully convicted person.  Per the Equal Justice Initiative, "190 people have been exonerated and released from death row since 1973."  See also this information from the Death Penalty Information Center:

Quote

EARLIER THIS summer, we published a study of the death penalty in this country. Our findings were disturbing and have provoked strong reactions. Two months later, it is time to look at some of those reactions, clarify misunderstandings and underline our central claim that the death penalty system is deeply flawed.

Looking at thousands of death verdicts reviewed by courts in 34 states over 23 years, we found that nearly seven in 10 were thrown out for serious error, requiring 2,370 retrials. For cases whose outcomes are known, an astonishing 82% of retried death row inmates turned out not to deserve the death penalty; 7% were not guilty. The process took nine years on average. Put simply, most death verdicts are too flawed to carry out, and most flawed ones are scrapped for good. One in 20 death row inmates is later found not guilty.
...
Errors leading to reversal are not “technicalities.” Virtually none were police seizures of reliable evidence. Where known, 80% were egregiously incompetent lawyering, police suppression of evidence of innocence, faulty jury instructions and biased judges and jurors ¯ errors that courts and studies have found are likely to put the wrong people on death row.

"{N}early seven in 10 {verdicts resulting in the death penalty} were thrown out for serious error."

"82% of retried death row inmates turned out not to deserve the death penalty; 7% were not guilty." 

"One in 20 death row inmates is later found not guilty."

Yeesh.

See also this information regarding racial disparities (also from DPIC) :

Quote

• Jurors in Washington state are three times more likely to recommend a death sentence for a black defendant than for a white defendant in a similar case. (Prof. K. Beckett, Univ. of Washington, 2014).
• In Louisiana, the odds of a death sentence were 97% higher for those whose victim was white than for those whose victim was black. (Pierce & Radelet, Louisiana Law Review, 2011).
• A study in California found that those convicted of killing whites were more than 3 times as likely to be sentenced to death as those convicted of killing blacks and more than 4 times more likely as those convicted of killing Latinos. (Pierce & Radelet, Santa Clara Law Review, 2005).
• A comprehensive study of the death penalty in North Carolina found that the odds of receiving a death sentence rose by 3.5 times among those defendants whose victims were white.  (Prof. Jack Boger and Dr. Isaac Unah, University of North Carolina, 2001).
• In 96% of states where there have been reviews of race and the death penalty, there was a pattern of either race-of-victim or race-of-defendant discrimination, or both. (Prof. Baldus report to the ABA, 1998).

See also here (concerns about capital execution of those with diminished mental capacity).

2. Lack of Deterrent Effect

My second concern is the mixed bag of evidence regarding the efficacy of capital punishment as a deterrent (see, e.g., here and here).

3. Expenditures in Meting Out Capital Punishment

My third concern, which is far less important than the first two, is the exorbitant costs associated with execution as compared to lifetime incarceration (see, e.g., here, here, here).

---

My assessment of the foregoing matters is not set in stone, but  if there was ever a topic about which we should "err on the side of caution," Capital Punishment is it.

Having said all this, I am here expressing an exception to my general opposition to the death penalty, and state that I think it would be an appropriate and just punishment for Daybell and Vallow.  The evidence of guilt will, I think, be shown to be overwhelming.  Daybell and Vallow are white, so the "racialization" aspect of the death penalty is absent.  And as for their executions having a deterrent effect, I don't care about that in this instance. 

Instead, I choose to focus on societal retribution, which is often cited as one of the moral justifications for capital punishment.  While I maintain the presumption of innocence for Daybell/Vallow in a de jure sense, I fully anticipate they they will be duly convicted of killing those kids, and also Daybell's wife.  Such depravities must be punished to the utmost.

Thanks,

-Smac

Edited April 6, 2023 by smac97

[Calm]

Add the fact that death penalty appeals (one has to be mentally fit before getting killed) keep victims revisiting the case for possibly decades.  Ron Lafferty ended up dying in prison before his execution at the age of 78 almost 35 years after the sentencing,   The sister of Brenda Lafferty became a passionate anti death penalty advocate because of what the ongoing appeals did to her family, keeping it an open wound.  She had the perfect situation to judge which was most healing for the family too in that Dan Lafferty got life.

Quote

It was three months before her 16th birthday, the morning that she found out her 24-year-old sister, Brenda Lafferty, and her niece, Brenda Lafferty’s 15-month-old daughter, Erica, had been murdered.

Weeks said her mother broke the news to her in her bedroom in the basement of their house. The unrecognizable sound, she said, came from upstairs. It was so jolting, she said, it halted her tears.

“I found out after investigating that it was my dad,” Weeks said, her voice straining with emotion. “And he was screaming and crying at the same time.”

She paused.

“Every time I heard Ron Lafferty’s name,” she said, “I felt the same feeling that I had when I heard my dad.”

For 35 years, his name and that feeling tormented her. With each court date, with each appeal hearing, she said it never seemed to end.

Ronald Watson Lafferty, convicted for the brutal killing, was supposed to die by execution on or around July 19, 1996 — what would have been Brenda Lafferty’s 36th birthday, Weeks said. For years, Weeks wanted him to die by execution to give her family justice and relief for his horrific crimes.

But that didn’t happen.

Now, Weeks has positioned herself as one of the state of Utah’s most powerful voices against the death penalty. And she has some allies on Utah’s Capitol Hill, including a pair of influential conservative Republicans.

She knows what happens to families of victims in the years — decades — after a convicted killer is sentenced to die. That’s why she said she wants to give a “gift” to other future victims’ families by taking the death penalty off the table.

“I don’t want another human to suffer what I know will be their suffering,” she said. “If a death sentence is given, it will start the process of their own personal hell.”

 

Quote

It was 2013 when Sharon Wright-Weeks first chased away the thought that scared her most.

A federal judge had ordered the latest inquiry into Ron Lafferty’s mental fitness, and Wright-Weeks began to wonder if he’d ever be put to death for the murders of her sister and niece almost three decades earlier.

When her 82-year-old mother peacefully drew her last breaths in 2016, Wright-Weeks says her fear became a reality.

“Within 90 seconds of her passing away, the thought popped into my head that she was not able to see full justice while she was here,” Wright-Weeks said in a recent interview, crying. “It eclipses everything else that you do in your life. It is always there.”…

“She brought to me a perspective from a victim standpoint that I hadn’t really considered,” Rep. Lowry Snow, R-Santa Clara, said of his constituent. “Is it really worth the best use of our resources to pursue something that we can’t get, in order to satisfy people’s demand that there be that kind of retribution?”…

Decades removed from the initial jury’s decision, Wright-Weeks wishes she’d known at the time what a death sentence would truly mean for her family.

The death penalty proved to be “a counterfeit promise,” she said. And while she has nothing to gain from seeing it repealed now, she hopes to prevent the families of other victims from embarking on similar, painful journeys.

“I wanted my leadership to know and understand that we were suffering,” she said. “And we were suffering in silence.”…

Supporters of the measure say inevitable rounds of appeals after a death sentence make killers even more notorious and reopen wounds for victims’ families. 

 

If you are going to have the death penalty, it needs massive doublechecks to make sure it is not happening to an innocent or at least not as guilty as believed individual…and we haven’t managed that very well even with more than a decade of appeals being attached before an execution or overturn and likely more than two decades of just sitting on death row at this point.  Making it more just is more than likely going to extend that time, making life an unresolved hell for the families and friends.  I can’t see it as healthy, mentally, emotionally, or physically to have to relive the most painful experience in their lives over and over for so long a time and to see their loved one more or less forgotten while their killer gets more attention, etc. even if they are pushing for execution.

The clinical side of me would like to see a long term comparison of the lives of victims’ families (would have to include how committed or opposed they were to the death penalty) after a life sentencing vs death penalty to see which most likely allows the family the best outcome.  One more intrusive thing in their life though.

I have never been philosophically opposed to the death penalty.  If someone is truly that despicable I don’t care about protecting their rights on principle….the problem is ensuring that is the case.  I am anti death penalty for very practical reasons, not only doesn’t it work for anything but a sense of revenge imo, the effects on the people involved and on a society that allows it seem to me to be destructive, the negative effects way outweighing any positives achieve in the sense of security or emotional feelings of justice being satisfied.  I suspect I would be a better person if I did care, but growing up in a society that saw death as an appropriate punishment appears to have left me indifferent on something that should matter…and if I, a pretty nice and compassionate person, am like this, makes me wonder how it has affected my society over the years.  Maybe we have more victims because of the way we treat killers, not only because potential killers don’t want to risk getting caught leaving behind witnesses***, but because of our general attitude towards the value of life.  The comments I heard from those wanting to see LVD and CD executed from what appearing to be caring and intelligent people turned my stomach at times.  Those are not feelings and ideas we should be nurturing in ourselves as a people.

***Murder rates tend to drop in countries and states that abolish the death penalty.  This may be for other reasons, of course.

https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/news/study-international-data-shows-declining-murder-rates-after-abolition-of-death-penalty

***Murder rates tend to drop in countries and states that abolish the death penalty.  This may be for other reasons, of course.

https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/news/study-international-data-shows-declining-murder-rates-after-abolition-of-death-penalty

Edited April 6, 2023 by Calm

[rodheadlee]

If there is no doubt about being guilty or not the death penalty should be applied within 2 weeks of the end of that trial. I believe it would cut down on murders.

[bsjkki]

Following the trial. Too gruesome to post here. 

[Calm]

https://www.eastidahonews.com/2023/04/live-updates-opening-statements-begin-in-lori-vallow-daybell-trial/
 

New info:

DNA traces found on items in CD’s backyard. 
 

Quote

Blake says when Alex first moved to Rexburg, he texted Lori and set the wifi password to “too many kids.” Lori responded, “Funny.”

Quote

Blake talking about the day a gunman approached Tammy Daybell in her driveway on Oct. 9, 2019. Originally thought to be a paintball gun. Blake says Lori was mad that night after incident — and said/texted someone, “He can’t do anything wrong” referring to Alex. 

Now if she had said “he can’t do anything right” that would be easily understood seeing as how he missed Brandon.  I will be interested in how they interpret this. 
 

Quote

10:07 a.m. Blake says after Tammy died, Lori met Chad’s kids and they were “all over each other.” Chad told his kids that Lori had a young daughter who recently died but there was no mention of JJ and Lori never said anything.

Quote

10:13 a.m. Blake says Tammy Daybell died “at the hands of another and died of asphyxiation,” according to Utah medical examiner. After Tammy died, Alex Cox said, “I hope I’m not their fall guy” (referring to Chad and Lori). Alex died the day after he said that.

I jumped to thinking strangulation, but realize just means she could not get air, which could mean poisoning. 
 

Just an fyi, not new info:

Quote

10:18 a.m. Blake says when you talk about first degree murder, the defendant personally didn’t have to end someone’s life to have committed the crime

Vallow’s attorney:

Quote

 Archibald begins by introducing himself. Says over the past 32 years, he has been assigned to 27 murder cases. “They are difficult cases. I was assigned to this case and I’m paid by the taxpayers so thank you for paying your taxes.”

Wonder if he is trying to not be a bad guy in their eyes. Or maybe he just had to slip in he really didn’t want to be doing this. I really want to know if he typically says this or not. 

added:  another reporter had this “Archibald says being a defense lawyer is a hard job and mentions that eight years ago, his office was bombed.”

Quote

10:36 a.m. Archibald says Lori Daybell was in her Rexburg apartment when JJ Vallow died in the apartment of Alex Cox and was with Melanie Gibb and David Warwick. Archibald says Lori was with Melanie Boudreaux in Hawaii when Tammy Daybell died. That is Lori’s alibi.

For some reason that just makes me ill reading that. 
 

Quote

10:37 a.m. Archibald says publicity has “tainted so many people throughout the state” and stresses media exposure is not evidence. He says if any of the jurors have heard anything, they need to set it aside and start the trial with a clean slate. “You’re here to focus on what she did – not on what Chad Daybell did or what Alex Cox did. You’re here to determine if there even was a conspiracy.”

So my guess is there may not be much new evidence, they are going to have to work to connect the dots for the jury. I think the bottom line is how is the defense going to explain why she did nothing to look for the children, there is no trace of money going to their support or medication essential for JJ, she claims to know exactly where JJ was, they called Tylee dead.  I suspect the defense will be she was told by those she trusted the kids were alright and that Tammy died of natural causes or through cursing zombies, that she had no knowledge that they had been harmed.

There is however that phone call between her and CD when the police and FBI were searching his property, she was the one calming CD down and there is an implication iirc that there was something to be found. Then he takes off right before the bodies are found. 

Edited April 10, 2023 by Calm

[Calm]

Kay Woodcock’s testimony…most of the stuff I have heard before. 

Quote

11:52 a.m. Kay made arrangements to go to Phoenix to pick up JJ and fly him back to his father’s memorial service in Louisiana. Kay was going then fly JJ back to Phoenix. But it never happened – Kay says JJ was allowed to go, but Lori never answered any of her messages to make arrangements. Lori did not go to Charles’s memorial service

I am glad they are getting in Charles’ death at least in this way (talking about JJ’s life and Kay’s connection to the case). I wonder how much they will be allowed to discuss his killing. I would think quite a bit when it comes to Tylee’s death as she was a witness of it, a loose end. 

[Calm]

Brandon Bordeaux’s testimony, general details known, his personal view wasn’t. 

Quote

Brandon says he was close with Tylee, and when Tylee was 8, she asked Brandon to baptize her. He performed the baptism into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

1:44 p.m. Brandon, holding back tears, chokes up when he says his oldest son was very close to JJ, and they spent a lot of time together. JJ loved to hang out with Brandon’s kids, he says. JJ was fascinated with traveling — Lori grins — and he loved hanging out with Braxton, Brandon’s oldest son.

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 Melani began attending “firesides” — meetings — that were not sponsored by the church. “She was coming home with different ideas about what she was going to do to be a faithful member of the church.” Brandon says Lori was at the firesides, but Charles did not attend. Melani told Brandon the firesides were “her thing and was very clear I was not welcome to come.”

1:51 p.m. Brandon says when he first married Melani, her religious level was “low,” and she didn’t enjoy going to church. He says for most of their marriage, he pushed to go to church. In the fall 2018, she started getting “really passionate” about going to church and certain ideas at church.

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2:05 p.m. Brandon says he texted Charles and Lori expressing his frustration. Lori never responded, but Charles spoke with him on the phone. Brandon went to a counselor and spoke with his bishop about the situation. Brandon tears up while saying this was the last time he spoke with Charles. 

2:03 p.m. After an argument, Brandon went on a walk and came home. He says he wanted to break through to Melani and begged her to tell him what was going on. Melani said she had a revelation from God, “she didn’t feel safe with me at the house and accused me of being a homosexual.” It ended with Melani going to sleep, and Brandon was overwhelmed. 

2 p.m. Brandon says in June 2019, he, Melani and his kids went to Utah to stay at Melani’s parents’ home. Brandon’s grandfather died of a heart attack unexpectedly on June 23. Brandon’s mom called to tell him about the death, and Melani said she would not go to the funeral – “she didn’t want anything to do with it.”

There is quite a bit more new info on their relationship as I haven’t seen an interview with Brandon, maybe I just missed it.  He seems to want to protect his kids as much as possible. 
 

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2:33 p.m. Boyce overrules the object and allows Brandon to proceed with his testimony but warns the state that they must show what they have alleged (that there was a common scheme and plan). Jurors are now being brought back in.

2:30 p.m. Smith says the shooting at Mr. Boudreaux is what got law enforcement involved and interested in the case. Thomas says Smith’s argument is “a stretch at best” and asks Boyce to not allow him to testify about the shooting. 

2:28 p.m. We are back from a recess. Judge addressing Thomas’s objection before jurors are brought in. Smith says the information about Brandon being shot at is part of a “common scheme and plan. The defendant with the co-defendant conspired and planned to kill multiple individuals in her world.” Smith says it’s very relevant.

2:10 p.m. Court taking a 15-20 minute recess. Be back shortly. 

2:08 p.m. Brandon says on the morning of Oct. 2, 2019, someone shot at him in front of his house. Thomas objects and says this isn’t relevant to the issue at hand. Attorneys are now meeting in a sidebar conference with the judge

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2:49 p.m. Brandon says “in my gut, something felt wrong.” He contacted law enforcement after he did a Google search for Chad Daybell’s name and found Tammy Daybell’s obituary. After talking with police, he realized nobody had seen JJ or Tylee for some time.

2:46 p.m. After the shooting, Brandon had some beliefs about who did it and he became concerned. He remembered a bunch of emails Charles sent him before he died about the groups Melani was in – the religious groups. Brandon went back to check the emails and most came from a man named Chad Daybell.

2:45 p.m. Brandon met with a detective and remembered that Tylee had a green Jeep Charles had purchased for him with Texas plates. Brandon knew the VIN number so he gave it to law enforcement. Charles gave the VIN to Brandon earlier as Brandon was an insurance agent and ran insurance quotes for all of their vehicles.

 

Edited April 10, 2023 by Calm

[Calm]

I am assuming a strong familiarity with the case. Otherwise, I or someone else would be needing to quote all the testimonies because it is so complicated. For those not familiar with it, but now interested, I suggesting catching up by reading this timeline:

https://www.eastidahonews.com/2023/04/the-latest-timeline-of-events-in-the-vallow-daybell-murder-cases-april-2023/

Edited April 10, 2023 by Calm

[Calm]

For those who want to dissect the case in minute detail, I recommend Websleuths, they limit sources to confirmed or mainstream, so it avoids the weird stuff. They will likely be adding details that might get discussed later in the case, like how LEO know the time of Tylee and JJ’s deaths.
 

Their coverage of the trial starts here:

https://www.websleuths.com/forums/threads/id-doomsday-cult-victims-joshua-vallow-tylee-ryan-tammy-daybell-charles-vallow-arrests-68.671199/page-29#post-18245629

They are posting tweets or something from several reporters at once if you want multiple POV.

Edited April 10, 2023 by Calm