Woman testifies that Carrs killed her friends in a soccer field [Wichita Massacre Day 3]

The Wichita Eagle ^ | 10/10/02 | Ron Sylvester

[KS Flyover]

From todays Topeka Capital-Journal/AP article:

The courtroom identification was a major setback for the defense of Reginald Carr because the woman had been able to identify only his brother during a preliminary hearing last year.

She told jurors she had been unable at that time to identify Reginald Carr because he had changed his appearance since the attacks. He had shaved his head and intermittently wore glasses at the hearing.

Reginald Carr before and after:

[Iron Eagle]

That's not jury nullification. That would be a hung jury. In that case, they could be re-tried. Jury nullification is most often used in when the defendant's are sympathetic. (e.g. husband kills man who raped wife while man is on trial -- husband is charged with murder. Defense will try to use facts to get jury to ignore the law and set free the husband).

Here, it sounds like the defense's theory is simple. Man, this was one horrible crime. And so many horrible things happened to this woman and her friends, but the truth is she can't really be sure that it was my client. And while we may want someone to pay, we want the right person to pay, otherwise this tragedy is made worse.

Defense will use the inconsistencies to draw reasonable doubt. At the end of the day, failing to make a positive ID of the suspect could be fatal. It sounds, however, like she rehabilitated herself and made that ID.

This is one of the most horrifying crimes I have ever heard of.

[KS Flyover]

Added to ping list.

[BlessedBeGod]

Please add me to your ping list. Thanks !!!

[Paradox]

Put me on this ping list... I would personally like to kill these guys myself, as awful as that sounds, as terrible a person as it makes me...

[martin_fierro]

Please add me to your Wichita Massacre Ping List to keep abreast of this story -- since the "Mainstream Media" refuse to report on it.

[KS Flyover]

Gotcha added

[contessa machiaveli]

the mainstream media salivate if it's a white on black crime, i'm sure this horror was a great disappointment. think of all the hand-wringing and "racism in america" BS 24/7 if the races were reversed.

[AnnaZ]

A 25-cent plastic hair clip may be responsible for pulling together the capital murder case against Jonathan and Reginald Carr.

The hair clip helped save the life of a woman who on Wednesday identified the Carr brothers as the men who raped and robbed her and four friends before shooting them and leaving them for dead in a snowy soccer field.

I think it would be appropriate to call this a miracle.

[Dante3]

It sure is a miracle.

[Fausto]

Thanks for adding me earlier KS Flyover.

In all the articles I've read I get the ideas this could be a pretty fast trial. Since you're closer to it has there been any talk on length of the trail? It's about time this get underway...it's almost been 2 years since the event!

[KS Flyover]

... has there been any talk on length of the trail?

I've heard four to six weeks.

[Black Agnes]

Unbelieveable. I say we just ship the Carr's to the LATimes editor's neighborhood and tell them there's good 'huntin' there.

[republicman]

---That's not jury nullification. That would be a hung jury.

Yes, I suppose getting techinical, if 1 or more jurors decide to nullify based on racial grounds that will make it a hung jury.

--Jury nullification is most often used in when the defendant's are sympathetic.--

Sympathetic also often means black to certain black jurors.

--but the truth is she can't really be sure that it was my client.--

the jury should of course realize that he looks quite different without head, facial hair, and a pair of glasses. I hope the prosecution will be smart enough to do what KS did here and put the before and after side by side.

--Defense will use the inconsistencies to draw reasonable doubt.--

more likely to try and draw racial doubt from one or both of the black jurors.

---This is one of the most horrifying crimes I have ever heard of.---

Agreed, its also, thanks to the media, one of the most horrifying crimes many more people will never hear of.

[republicman]

Exactly he looks quite different, the defense has for all practical purposes disguised him.

Of course a reasonable juror will know that, I guess it all comes down to whether we will have twelve reasonable jurors or not.

[VOA]

This is one of the most horrifying crimes I have ever heard of.

I once read some cases in a law school book from a friend going to law school.

This sort of hideous event happens more often that any civilized person would want to contemplate.

As I read some of the cases in the textbook, I realized that it was good I never had the
physical stamina to be a police officer.
Because I'd surely go to jail for what I'd do if I ever caught somebody like the
Carrs "in the act" or as they were walking away from their crime.

[VOA]

Defense will use the inconsistencies to draw reasonable doubt. At the end of the day,
failing to make a positive ID of the suspect could be fatal.

If the prosecutor shows the jury the "before" and "after" photos...
the Carrs will be on the express to a slab in the morgue.

Trust me...I spent about every other weekend in Wichita visiting relatives until
about the age of 18...

[Auntie Mame]

I say we just ship the Carr's to the LATimes editor's neighborhood and tell them there's good 'huntin' there.

I like the way you think. ; - )

[Coleus]

Hate Crime Ping.

[Luis Gonzalez]

The authoritiers should release the Carr's after they are found guilty.

Drive them to an open field and let them go.

Make sure that the victim's friends and families know the exact place and time, and make sure they all have good hunting dogs and plenty of ammo at their disposal.

That would be justice.