Lonnie Franklin, Jr., during closing arguments, 5/2/16
Photo Credit: Pool Camera, Mark Boster, LA Times
Tuesday, May 3, 2016
About ten minutes to 4:00 pm, DDA Beth Silverman completed her closing arguments to the jury in the Lonnie Franklin, Jr. murder trial.
Judge Kennedy read the final jury instructions and ordered the jury back at 9:00 am Wednesday to being their deliberations.
The jurors will have their work cut out for them. Franklin is charged with ten counts of felony murder and one count of attempted murder. The jurors will need to decide on each count. There are also special circumstances of multiple murders and murder with a firearm. Franklin is facing the death penalty.
I will be sitting verdict watch in this case. Although I do not have permission to broadcast from inside the courtroom, I will periodically give updates throughout the day as to what's going on in Dept. 109. If a verdict is reached, I will publish as soon as I step outside the courtroom.
Posts
3 comments:
Thank you for your outstanding reporting, I have no beef with you, Sprocket.
However, I must repeat what I've said many times before: Franklin does NOT have the distinct pockmarks on his face (across both cheeks), as described by Enietra Washington to the LAPD back in 1988. The police sketch that was made from that description was re-released to the public in 2009 and is widely available for viewing on the Internet.
The defense briefly mentioned this, but could have made a much stronger case from this fact: they could have brought in a respected dermatologist to testify about Franklin's skin to verify that he does not have any distinct pockmarks and could have also certified that he has not had his skin professionally "sand blasted" at a doctor's office to remove scars.
And once again: Franklin is too old, too short, is not good looking, is not articulate and also does not fit a "preppy and neat" type, as described by Ms. Washington. Franklin may be a pervert, he may be a petty thief (chop shop mechanic), etc. etc, but that does not make him a serial killer. He was judged guilty by everyone long before the trial finally began.
He's been held for almost six years,m has never confessed as serial killers usually do, delighting in giving gory details to the cops once they know they've been nailed. And DNA can be planted, evidence can be planted.
Next time, it could be you, me or any other person who is falsely accused, held, tried and thrown in jail or put on death row.
The victims and their families deserve better than this farce of a trial.
http://mynewsla.com/crime/2016/05/03/did-mystery-man-commit-grim-sleeper-killings/
Franklin’s attorney told jurors that Washington’s testimony marked the only direct evidence in what was otherwise a “circumstantial evidence case,” and questioned why she was only shown a photo of Franklin — and not photos of other men — when she was asked to identify her assailant.
Amster said there was inaccurate information on an evidence envelope containing the photo of her after it was seized, and called question to DNA and ballistics evidence that the prosecution contends links Franklin to the killings..
Misidentification.
A photo of Enietra Washington was found inside a wall in Lonnie Franklin's garage. The photo of Enietra clearly shows she is sitting in the front passenger seat of a car, one of her breasts was exposed, and she'd been shot. I saw this photo in closing arguments.
Please explain how police found the above photo of Enietra and planted it inside a wall in Franklin's residence? How did they find that photo, to plant it?
Serial Killers often confess.
That's a misconception that serial killers often confess. Michael Hughes has not confessed. Wayne Williams has not confessed. Chester Turner has not confessed. Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. Just because Franklin has not confessed is not indicative of Franklin's guilt or innocence.
DNA can be planted.
How would that have happened in this case? Really. Please spell it out for me how that happened. In detail.
Back in 1985-1988, nobody knew about DNA. It was barely being investigated in crime labs.
Lonnie Franklin wasn't identified and arrested until 2010. Franklin was "found" through a familial DNA hit.
Post a Comment