Posted on 05/02/2010 2:05:14 PM PDT by Oshkalaboomboom
A jury confirmed late Friday what authorities suspected all along — a January 2009 house fire near Lake Lanier was arson.
After about three hours of deliberations, jurors found Pamela Morrow Graf, 48, guilty on one count each of first-degree arson and possession of cocaine and marijuana.
Graf, who did not testify in her defense, will remain in custody at the Forsyth County Detention Center until her sentencing May 26.
Forsyth County Superior Court Chief Judge Jeffrey S. Bagley granted a request from Graf’s attorney, Parker McFarland, to delay sentencing until her father and mother, who were out of town, could be present.
Graf’s home at 8075 Lanier Drive, near Lake Lanier in northeastern Forsyth, burned to the ground in the early morning hours of Jan. 18, 2009.
The divorced mother of three had told authorities she and her ex-boyfriend, Steven Edward Strobel, were in Washington, D.C., that weekend for the presidential inauguration.
Graf also claimed that she was the victim of a hate crime and a racial slur and phrase were spray-painted on a fence along her property because of her support of Barack Obama.
Strobel was convicted April 22 of first-degree arson for his role in the incident. As part of his sentence, he must serve 10 years in prison.
The trial, which lasted all week, concluded with closing arguments Friday afternoon.
Chief Assistant District Attorney Sandy Partridge told the jury that Graf burned her house down for drugs and money.
(Excerpt) Read more at forsythnews.com ...
The other piggies went to market and left their nitwit at home.
Her parents must be SO proud. I think they left town on purpose.
“Witnesses for the state testified they found... Graf’s personal items... the items in two storage units Strobel rented for Graf as well as at his house in Winder. They said they also found Graf’s bed, tables and other furnishings.”
Notice to anyone who is going to be stupid enough to burn down their house - any arson investigator worth their salt checks such things. They also check for your pets.
In a case I was aware of, the investigator actually went around the neighborhood and interviewed the neighbors as to the date of recent home improvements.
When we got a verdict for the insurer in an arson case in the U.S. District Court for the Gainesville Division, back in the early 80s, the district judge told us it was the first defense verdict in an arson case that he had ever seen.
But Forsyth County has become almost a bedroom county for Atlanta, although in the outer ring.
We once investigated a ring of thieves who stole furniture and appliances to put INTO homes before they burned them for the insurance money.
Small world. i was in the jury pool for this trial, and rejected by counsel.
OK, I’ll say it: Guilty!
Surely she has to be older than 48! She looks 70 in that photo.
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