Hannah Graham Body Located: Sources Say Tip Led To Her Recovery
Breaking News: The body of Hannah Elizabeth Graham has been recovered.
Press Conference involving multiple agencies to be held momentarily.
Thoughts and prayers are with Hannah, her family and friends this evening.
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The discussion of campus sexual assaults is interesting, but probably needs its own topic as it only indirectly relates to Hannah Graham. She was attacked off campus by a person whose ties to UVA are mostly coincidental.
The only way JM could have been stopped prior to the Fairfax rape and two Charlottesville murders would have been if he had been successfully prosecuted for one or both of the two campus rapes. The two colleges that expelled him both took the most drastic avenue available to them, expulsion.
Even then, if he had been convicted, he would have likely received a relatively short sentence, but exited prison with the same warped personality.
Philosophically, I find it difficult to determine fair punishment for sex crimes. A person like JM appears to be can never be rehabilitated and will always be a threat to society. On the other hand, there are “offenders” who are not actually “bad people”, but have moments of poor or impaired judgement who should not be locked away for life, and in some cases should not even be listed on a sex offender registry. Obviously, the latter group would not including gang rapes and acts of violence.
I would like to point out another issue- had JLM not been allowed to plead down the felony charge against him in June 2009- his DNA would have hit to the Fairfax assault and Morgan Harrington and Hannah Graham would likely be alive.
I am having a very difficult time getting past that issue specifically.
That said- I would seek to review the files and data the DA used in his decision which are unavailable due to the instant matters before I reach a firm position on that- but it should be part of the scrutiny, imo.
Wrt to sex offender convictions- there are many, many factors that determine punishment- but equally as important are the PSR’s (pre-sentence reports) because they will outline (among other things) risk. Very often SO profiles are non-responsive to rehabilitation and the only goal should be to remove them from society but sometimes the law limits what we already know. It becomes critically important that part of the sentencing process includes in-depth clinical interviews and testing as part of the considerations by professionals specializing in sexually motivated crimes.
The problem with the system- and this is a HUGE one- is that the PSR is based on the charge- so if one is allowed to plead down or entitled to what is called a downward departure from standard guidelines- the weight of it is considered as to the final charge. That is problematic for sex offenses for a myriad of reasons.
B
@ Georgia Dad, it may be just a coincidence that this individual ended up working for UVa hospital but I think its is quite likely more than coincidence, in fact the tea leaves are lining up to paint the picture that JM was in UVa hospital as orderly due to the unpaid hospital bill that his punching Attorney Wilkes ran up. I don’t have the facts on this, and the system is not putting any background of that employment in the news. But it appears possible to be the result of the plea bargain worked out.
If true this plea bargain not only put Hannah and Morgan in mortal danger, it put many other people in that hospital in mortal danger as well. Then I’ve gone on before about the strangeness of an investigation where all taxi drivers on premises were not questioned in Morgan’s case. As has Blink. Then we have heard nothing in the news about “modifications” to ABC policy in Charlottesville where the bars are left alone while Water Buying College Girls are persecuted with false charges and police harassment. All around it is time for some investigations, which seem hard to come by. The tentacles between law enforcement and University might be a problem. Virginia as a culture is long on reputation and protecting the crown jewels of its university system. This whole mess is crying for oversight and investigation which is in short supply.
Heart u but feel free to post that on SM, lol.
B
Well Said Susan!
When an organization as powerful as a State University decides to play protect my reputation regardless of the bad acts of those in contact with the public, this is the result. The entire community is put at risk and some will pay a heavy price.
http://www.nbc29.com/story/27761694/matthew-moved-to-fairfax-for-hearing
I am really really really curious why you will not let.me post…i have said or done nothing that i can figure out…yet you delete my posts….as a cville resident i thought my input was.of value….baffled and honestly hurt
Change your name back to your original hat- I did it again for you- I will not in the future. Your posts will be automatically deleted if you do not because I have been kind, I have been patient, I have been impatient and finally back to kind but my rules are my rules and they are based on the integrity I promise other readers and posters and it is non-negotiable. One name. Absolutely last response to this.
B
a situation like Mathews’ Newport after Liberty
http://www.oregonlive.com/ducks/index.ssf/2015/01/university_of_oregon_and_dana.html#incart_2box
Thanks Rose
This involves three basketball players one of whom transferred from another school with a dismissal for sexual reasons and the Oregon team accepted him. This is going to involve the university and the local police department for allegedly hiding information and some efforts at cover up of the facts. Several members of the college athletic department should be removed for these acts.
All of the alledged perps should have been investigated by the police as the police said and charged with sexual assault. Instead, they are still walking around free and one is playing for a Jr. College in Florida.
Just more proof that Title IX does not work as intended.
The Oregon situation demonstrates the ridiculous nature the Federal Government has created for Title IX. None of these athlete’s have been charged for ANY crime in relation to this or the Providence incidents. Since the government does not know how to deal with these situations, bureaucrats have dumped enforcement of the law unto universities.
Although I have no respect for any coach who recruits an athlete who was kicked out of another program who cannot explain in detail what initially happened and what the athlete has done to reform himself; in the coach’s partial defense, Providence University and its local law enforcement failed to provide important information.
What bothers me most is the quote from the Oregon prosecutor that implies that he feels the three men are definitely guilty, but the victim is an unreliable witness with conflicting versions and actions. If the prosecutor thinks he has an unwinnable case, what is the university to do?
My job involves campus recruiting. I have been interviewing 5-10 UVA new grads each week. I can’t help but wonder if any knew Morgan or Hannah. It’s creepy and sad.
I have a friend sending their beautiful blonde daughter the UVA where she will begin her Freshman year this Fall. Although the main threat has been removed, it still shakes me to the core to think about her there.
Starsky
I don’t know how well you know the young daughter of your friend, if at all. If you know her well enough to write her an e-mail explaining your concerns about her safety, it could benefit her and her classmates.
Young women of that age are often ignorant of the real conditions at a school, nor do they have the mental tools to protect themselves.
Since Morgan was not a student at UVA, those that you interview may not know her nor know her story. Hannah may be a different matter.
Starsky,
I don’t think you need to worry about your friend’s daughter attending UVA any more than any other school. Sending 18 year olds off into the world has always been a frightening experience.
UVA seems like a dangerous place because many of us have followed Morgan Harrington’s case since the beginning and are attuned to events at UVA. Much of the attention paid to the Yeardley Love murder was due to its relation to Morgan’s case.
In summary, we know of 2 apparent murders at the hands of a serial killer who is now in custody, one case of domestic violence, and a rape hoax. At this point, I doubt UVA is any more dangerous than any other campus.
This year, there has been a death at Clemson during a “pledge run”. The University of South Carolina has ongoing problems with violence on the edge of campus. The Citadel is still having repercussions from sexual abuse issues during a summer camp a few years ago. Bob Jones’s issues have been discussed on this board. The College of Charleston has had allegation of rape cover-ups. This does not mean that South Carolina is a particularly dangerous place, it is just that as the father of a 16 year old daughter, I am well attuned to these issues. I am sure that others in other states can related similar issues.
In fact, Department of Justice statistics appear to show that college-age women who don’t attend college are more likely to report a sexual assault than college students. (Statistics for these things are difficult to interpret for multiple reasons so I don’t want to start a debate on this issue.)
Blink, since the judge denied a gag order, and the media has full access to what is going on. What is going on? Are they talking about what he did to Morgan yet? Any news on what they found in the taxi? Why is this moving so slowly? The Fairfax case first. He plead not guilty. What a creep. His father was in the courtroom. What happened to him to make him such a monster?
alexandra- I would not say that media has full access to what is going on- I can tell you I have personally been denied re some record requests citing “open investigation”. VSP has jurisdiction over Morgan’s investigation and it is my opinion they will seek a bill of particulars (gj indictment) based on some of the information that comes out of the Fairfax case.
B
http://www.nbc29.com/story/27924950/prosecutor-jesse-matthew-not-a-match-to-dna-in-murphy-case
Not surprising, however, it is protocol to fully exclude unknown sampling on forensic evidence. I would like to see that done and run through CODIS if appropriate.
B
Is it not protocol to run DNA through CODIS that was found in a missing person case and a trial for murder? Particularly where an unknown sample was found. If it isn’t, then LE are loosing a valuable tool for the potential of solving other cases.
Not automatically, no. I asked why the sample was not run through CODIS, but stayed within the State system years ago- my query was ignored. I will say that it may have to with the actual DNA report result- in terms of how many loci were quantified and whether or not they needed amplifications- or issues with the source of the sample.
I know, frightening and disheartening.
B
I just read a post on the Free Republic web site that Gil Harrington has met with the Virginia legislators with a proposal to collect DNA from people who are charged with misdemeanors and convicted or pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge.
This would have caught JM from the Fairfax case and put him in jail.
I don’t have a reference to the language proposed, so it may be broad enough to catch some that have slid under the radar.
The real problem is allowing pleas to a lessor charge when an assault has been committed. This IMO is important when an LE officer or officer of the court is the victim in an assault.
Then again if VSP had taken the advice of many of us who posted and interviewed all cab drivers and private car (limo) drivers operating the evening of the Metallica concert, JM would have been found.
http://m.collegian.psu.edu/news/campus/article_0e3a8e10-a844-11e4-84b7-0b64982622ab.html?mode=jqm
a new University model?
I find it oppressive.
If my dau were assaulted on campus, I’d tell her
1) go to the leading hospital,
2) call the police & talk only to the rape specialist
3) she has no obligation to talk to any member of the U bureaucracy
and should decline any campus-based adjudication process.
There’re a lot of good well-intendedpeople in U bureaucratic systems.
None are equipped to deal with criminal rape or sexual assault charges.
Anything said in early interview to an effective lay person
can later hurt a criminal case.
ATG:
HB 1928 was prefiled on January 13, 2015.
Here is the summary:
DNA analysis upon conviction of certain misdemeanors. Adds offenses punishable as Class 1 or Class 2 misdemeanors under § 16.1-253.2 (violation of protective orders), Title 18.2, with certain exceptions, Title 19.2, or § 20-61 (desertion or nonsupport) to the list of offenses for which a person convicted of such offense must have a sample of his blood, saliva, or tissue taken for DNA analysis, provided that the person was sentenced to a term of incarceration, regardless of whether such sentence is suspended in whole or in part. The bill also requires such sample be taken from every juvenile convicted of or adjudicated delinquent of such misdemeanors who has been committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice and every juvenile convicted of or adjudicated delinquent of a violation of § 18.2-67.4 (sexual battery), subsection C of § 18.2-67.5 (attempt to commit sexual battery), or § 18.2-130 (peeping). Under current law, a sample is not taken for DNA analysis from juveniles convicted of or adjudicated delinquent of any misdemeanor offenses and is taken from adults convicted of only five misdemeanor sex offenses: (i) § 18.2-67.4, (ii) § 18.2-67.4:2 (sexual abuse of a child 13 years of age or older but under 15), (iii) § 18.2-67.5, (iv) § 18.2-130, or (v) § 18.2-370.6 (penetrating the mouth of a child under 13 with the tongue). The provisions of the bill apply only to persons convicted or juveniles adjudicated delinquent on or after July 1, 2015.
You can read the full text and track the bill here:
http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?151+sum+HB1928
A word of caution, the Bill may not survive completely intact as some members may have a problem with particular proposed provisions (especially those dealing with juveniles). If it passes, the new provisions will not likely become effective until 2016 in order to give the relevant government agencies sufficient time to implement the changes.
Thanks for the link Starbucks
The Virginia Bill Tracking system is helpful. Not all states do a good job maintaining legislative activities to keep the people informed.
While some may object to the juvenile inclusions, I think they need to drop the age level one year and keep them in the DNA loop.
The other thing is the LID (Local Inmate Database) and the fees charged for collecting the data and maintaining its integrity. As presently written, one-half of the fee goes to the state for inclusion in the General Fund. Not a good idea to pull half the fee away from the LE/court activities.
Does the State of Virginia have certified labs on contract for DNA processing? There is provision in the current language to use facilities other than state labs.
Someone or several someone’s should put together scenes of activities associated with the new bill language and try to find potential trouble spots. This would be helpful in creating better language and the regulations that will have to be developed for LE and the courts.
ATG,
I should point out that there are other versions of the DNA Bill filed in the Virginia General Assembly (see HB1617 and SB1187). These bills are being hashed out in the appropriate subcommittees and committees. In fact, SB1187 has already been voted out of the Senate Courts of Justice Committee (11 Yes and 3 No) with some minor amendments. The Bill has now been referred to the Senate Finance Committee.
The two House Bills (HB1617 & HB1928) were supposed to be considered today in the Criminal Law Subcommittee of the House Courts of Justice Committee.
If you have something to offer on Bills before the General Assembly, you, or anyone else with an interest, may testify. Just show up at the subcommittee/committee hearings — dates and times are on the website. You may also submit your written comments to the assigned committees and subcommittees. Virginia residency is not required. It’s not too late to submit your comments to the House Courts of Justice Committee, but I would hurry.
Your issue with splitting fees is really not part of the proposed Bills, this is the law as currently written.
As you may have discerned, when you look at the Bills on the website, the proposed changes to the current law are either in italics or struck out. The regular text is the current law.
The Senate Bill as it stands know, raises the fee from $25 to $62 for the withdrawal of the sample.
Here is a link to the current version of 19.2-310.2:
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+coh+19.2-310.2+700025
We also have a statute dealing with the collection of DNA upon arrest for a violent felony:
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+coh+19.2-310.2:1+700025
I just read an article on the Forbes site where twenty-eight professors at Harvard Law School have written an open letter to the US Dept. of Education objecting to the provisions/regulations in Title IX that essentially says that those regulations are all illegal under our method of justice. There is no link to the actual letter, so it will be necessary to do some research to find it.
Thanks again Starbucks.
I am unable to appear in person to make suggestions regarding the proposed bills. It is over 1,000 miles from my location to Richmond.
It appears that my idea of having the legal age for collecting DNA reduced to age 13 has merit in light of the recent case of Middle School students ages thirteen and fourteen has be brought to light, where they had a sex orgy at the home of one student and posted photos on the internet. No parents were present.
The original statute for collecting DNA is from 1989 or 1990. Very early in the use of DNA for identification in our Criminal Justice System.
This new effort is to extend the collection of DNA to some level of misdemeanor charges so as to not let a plea bargain reduce the charge and no DNA would be mandated. This is exactly what happened regarding JM. He would have been identified from the fairfax case had not the DA allowed the plea to a lessor charge and both Morgan Harrington and Hannah Graham would be with us today. Sometimes we have to learn lessons of this type from hard experience.
It is imperative that plea deals do not change the DNA requirement and if they do- it should be required oversight and accountability.
B
ATG,
You do not have to appear, you can submit your written comments to the House Court of Justice Committee. Here is Dave Albo’s (committee chairman) email address: DelDAlbo@house.virginia.gov
Here is a link to the opted by the Harvard Law Professors:
http://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2014/10/14/rethink-harvard-sexual-harassment-policy/HFDDiZN7nU2UwuUuWMnqbM/story.html
You might also read Emily Yoffe’s article at Slate:
http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/doublex/2014/12/college_rape_campus_sexual_assault_is_a_serious_problem_but_the_efforts.html
I totally agree with the concept of not allowing a plea deal to remove the requirement for DNA collection and processing where a felony charge is plead down to a misdemeanor. If the felony charge carries a DNA requirement the plea should Not remove the requirements for information that the original charge required.
Starbucks
You are apparently really interested in correcting the problems regarding Title IX overreach on college Campuses. I thank you once again for the excellent links.
The Slate article is very thorough and raises many good points about what is going on and how people with ignorance and agendas are muddying the process,thus making it unconstitutional under our laws of criminal justice.
The US Department of Education has truly overstepped their original reason for being regarding Title IX and needs to be reigned-in by the Schools complaints and congress. I think it is time to shut down this agency.
Thanks for the heads-up about using E-mail to comment on the bills under consideration.
One of my ancestors, a woman, arrived in Virginia as the wife of a gentleman making up the original Jamestown colony. Both perished because of ignorance and poor management. Other members of my ancestry arrived in Virginia over time and I still have family in the state. Therefore, I am extremely interested in things happening in the present.
Albemarle County has announced there will be a press conference 11AM local time Tuesday morning.
Thank you Chris
B
http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/10/us/jesse-matthew-hannah-graham-case/index.html
1st degree murder charge – Hannah Graham
http://wtvr.com/2015/02/09/sources-jesse-matthew-charged-with-first-degree-murder-of-hannah-graham/
Blink, please help me understand how he is free from the death penalty and why no charges in the death of Morgan. His DNA was found on Morgan; is this evidence not enough?
VSP holds jurisdiction in Morgan’s case, although I do believe it will be adjudicated through Albemarle County as well.
Capital Murder is the only crime in VA one can be executed for. What I believe is that under the statute, the Commonwealth does not believe it can prove a capital case. I have some theories as to why that is but I am going to hold off as the CA did not wish to discuss it.
As I have said all along, unfortunately the link to Matthew in Morgan’s case is no slam dunk to his prosecution for her murder- I SERIOUSLY HOPE that the VSP is spending all their energy on preparing her case for a true bill.
B
The lack of a capital murder charge is worrisome. Without the threat of the death penalty, LE has little leverage against JM.
Unless there is compelling evidence of which I am not aware, I doubt he could be successfully prosecuted for Morgan’s murder. The only direct evidence seems to be that his DNA was found on her shirt a log way from her body and found days later. It would be very hard to overcome reasonable doubt.
Can you please explain what a ‘true bill’ is in layman’s terms?
A true bill is exactly the same as a criminal indictment by a grand jury- some jurisdictions call them indictments, true bills or bill of particulars. It simply means the case was presented by the prosecutor to either a sitting or empaneled grand jury and the charges they recommend then are filed by the prosecutor.
B
https://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+18.2-31
I think they could have charged if and asked for death but opted not to for some reason. Wonder what the psych tests revealed?
Albemarle County prosecutor Denise Lunsford said that the state will not seek the death penalty, and that Graham’s family has been informed about the state’s decision.
Lunsford declined to say why Matthew was not charged with the higher count of capital murder. The abduction and first-degree murder charges are punishable by up to life in prison. Matthew, 33, was already charged with abduction with intent to defile the 18-year-old.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/02/10/murder-charges-reportedly-filed-against-jesse-matthew-in-hannah-graham-case/
And I meant to add this:
http://deathpenalty.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=4919
Blink Says:
As I have said all along, unfortunately the link to Matthew in Morgan’s case is no slam dunk to his prosecution for her murder
———————————–
Perhaps that is why they are trying the other cases first, to set a precedence. Reasonably, with prior convictions, I could not see a jury acquitting JM in Morgan’s case. I also believe JM’s patterns were similar in both Hannah’s and Morgan’s cases. We will obtain A LOT of insight into Morgan’s case through Hannah’s trial.
However, alone, with only the shirt DNA, a conviction would have been quite difficult, especially if he had no felony convictions prior. The fact is, it WAS ultimately Hannah’s case that brought JM out and exposed him, the evidence is stronger. He was apparently questioned in Morgan’s case, at a prior time, but obviously no red flags were present… He was just a “squeakily clean” cab driver with no record.
Cat- prior bad acts (prior convictions) are not permitted at trial in a different true bill or criminal matter by the prosecution.
Through a source, I do not believe that the tshirt DNA is the only physical evidence they have in Morgan’s case that is a direct tie to Matthew- but again, just as a hypothetical- perhaps it could only show she may have been in his cab- that is not evidence that he abducted, assaulted or murdered her. He could literally say she was inebriated, he became concerned, so he dropped her off the (insert lie) and that was the last he saw of her. They are trying the other two cases first because the commonwealth got to a point where they could present the case to a gj- and a true bill was issued. I DO BELIEVE from an evidentiary perspective- there may be a strategy here to use evidence findings from the Fairfax and Graham cases. Again a hypothetical- perhaps there is a different DNA sample test (stronger sample available and excess for testing could be mtDNA v DNA ) available and let’s again hypothesize the defense stipulates to it’s accuracy through a finding via it’s own experts that matches the State, it is possible that usage of interpretations could benefit the Harrington case. That said- VSP could also be hopeful that by the time the first two cases are finished, that the commonwealth would be anticipating that Matthew would take a plea and then be sentenced accordingly because I am quite certain that he will already be facing a natural life sentence.
VSP is going to undergo some serious scrutiny as to how Matthew was never on their radar for Harrington- MOST SPECIFICALLY when they knew that the suspect was African American and tied to Fairfax- so there’s that.
B
@Eloise. “I think they could have charged if and asked for death but opted not to for some”
Apart from issues of IQ, I suggest the decision was impacted by issues of race in the case, and issues of race on the jury. Imo easier to convict if DP is not a potential sentence. Think of the trial struggle where the DA holds on to DP in Arias, & throw in a racial element. This is a DA OK with life in prison to secure a clean conviction. Imo good sign.
Not charging for capitol murder in the Graham case could be just a waiting game where VSP may gain some valuable information regarding their case against JM for Morgan Harrington and possibly other cases that remain unsolved. Keeping JM alive and able to talk may be important to discovering other valuable information.
Nothing has been released regarding findings in the two vehicles examined. VSP may now have a link to the missing jewelry of Morgan’s.
Juries are important, but in an ideal situation the color of one’s skin should not make one whit of difference regarding a verdict. Having said that, we all know that it is generally not true.
If Hannah’s parents are not proponents of the death penalty (possibly strong Roman Catholic belief or other personal reasons) then there is a great likelihood that the DA will honor their wishes. If her parents are strongly in favor of capital murder charges that changes things.
They may have been neutral. I also remember reading somewhere that Morgan’s mom was not a proponent of the death penalty or did I dream that?
Certainly the beliefs of the victims parents come into play here.
I tend to agree with Blink’s statement that it’s possible that the Commonwealth may feel that they don’t have enough evidence for capital charges. That makes sense.
At the same time, we have no idea what they found in Matthew’s apartment or in his old cab. Clothing? Date rape drugs? Morgan’s Swarovski necklace? Anything is possible. Here’s hoping that they found some very good & very damning evidence. They may well have stronger links to Morgan’s case than we know. Matthew’s first-hand knowledge of Anchorage Farm etc etc
Blink- with everything that has come to light – will it effect…or do you know if The Harringtons are moving forward with the suit?
I believe it has been continued by agreement without any sort of formal motion for abatement pending the criminal trial, etc. I think they are going to have a difficult time getting anyone from the VSP to testify on an open criminal case.
B
Updates:
http://wtvr.com/2015/03/09/jesse-matthew-capital-murder-sexual-assault-case-documents-unsealed/
Highlights>
* Newly unsealed documents reveal new information in the Jesse Matthew attempted capital murder sexual assault case in Fairfax.
* Matthew’s defense has retained Dr. Dan Krane of Wright State University.
* Fairfax judge denies request for cameras during Jesse Matthew sexual assault trial
http://wtvr.com/2015/03/09/jesse-matthew-capital-murder-sexual-assault-case-documents-unsealed/ well Fairfax is calling it attempted – capital – murder. but Hannah isn’t capital murder. i am stuck on the psychological aspects. how much progress has science,medicine made since ted bundy?
Blink, have you looked into at all the Anjelica Hadsell disappearance? She’s a student at Longwood University (50 miles south of Charlottesville) from Norfolk.
Have not Chris, sorry.
B
Susanm
Thanks for your link.
I don’t know what you are really trying to express in you question about science and medicine progressing since the Ted Bundy case.
If you are referring to the processing of DNA as science, there has been a great deal of work in that area to make it more accurate and less expensive. New work is constantly going on to make processing of “dirty” DNA possible and I recently found a piece that indicates the use of DNA to identify the color of skin, eyes and the general construct of the body.
If you are referring to the psychological aspect of medicine regarding the criminal behaviors of people, there probably has not been a great improvement. Perhaps when the mapping of the brain project supported by Paul Allen (one of the founders of Microsoft) has reached its goal, we will be able to begin to learn the causes behind criminal behavior and how it progresses.
Thank you susanm and Eloise for your link. Always good to hear from both of you.
http://wavy.com/2015/05/05/judge-expected-to-set-new-trial-date-in-uva-slaying/
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP/WAVY) — The man charged with abducting and killing a University of Virginia student could now face the death penalty if convicted.
NBC12 in Richmond reports Jesse Matthew Jr. now faces capital murder in Hannah Graham’s death.
Takeaway from #JesseMatthew capital murder announcement – Charlottesville prosecutors believe their case is incredibly strong. #HannahGraham
— Mike Valerio (@MikeNBC12) May 5, 2015
Capital murder defined in VA “willful, deliberate & premeditated killing” prosecutors say #JesseMatthew meets criteria in #HannahGraham case
— Mike Valerio (@MikeNBC12) May 5, 2015
With the new capital murder charges, I got curious and did some digging. A hobby of mine is looking through older websites on the Wayback Machine, and it occurred to me to check the Liberty site, since a lot of athletics departments put rosters and athlete information online.
http://web.archive.org/web/20020817043233/http://www.liberty.edu/athletics/football/players/Matthew.htm
I don’t know if this had been said before, but according to Liberty, Matthew was an honor roll student at Monticello High. He ain’t no dummy.
Very interesting Chris, and I am a wayback person from, well, way back. That is very interesting because that would be incongruent with some that actually tutored him in college- maybe a deterioration issue?
B
Read this today:
update from Jane Lillian Vance, the Vice President of Help Save the Next Girl, who was apparently there in person at the trial:
Commonwealth Attorney Denise Lunsford confirmed that it is NEW EVIDENCE, rather than some change of heart in the Grahams, for instance, that escalated The Commonwealth’s charge today from 1st Degree Murder to Capital Murder in the case of Jesse Matthew regarding Hannah Graham. If this case goes to court (meaning, if a plea isn’t offered and accepted before), the Commonwealth Attorney WILL NOW definitely be seeking the death penalty.
In the courtroom, Gil Harrington sat with John and Sue Graham, Hannah’s parents, and Trina Murphy, Alexis’ aunt. What a row of power and pain. These people are each accomplished and magnificent individuals who will spare no expense in forwarding safety, education, and justice. If you sit as a suspect in a courtroom against them, you must have brought hell to earth, and yet their righteous fire will extinguish yours, no contest and no question.
Defense Attorney Camblos is out of the picture. If you recall Jesse Matthew’s earliest video conference with a Judge in Fairfax, you recall him clinging to Camblos. That security blanket is gone now. Camblos is not qualified to defend in a capital murder case, so he is no longer Jesse’s attorney. The Judge had Camblos replaced and he then sat in the audience.
The new attorneys, two of them, raised a question about whether the Judge has a conflict of interest since she has a daughter who is a second-year student at UVa. Hannah was also a second-year student at UVa. However, the Judge’s daughter did not know Hannah or her friends. It is my understanding that the Judge will hear the new attorneys’ concerns and then decide if their arguments merit her recusing herself–stepping down from the bench in this case–or not. They regather on June 25th, and on that date, the Judge will announce her position on recusing or not, and a trial date will finally be set for beginning the Capital Murder case of the Commonweath v. Jesse Matthew.
Meanwhile, June 8 begins the separate Fairfax trial against Jesse Matthew. There, he is accused of ATTEMPTED Capital Murder, because after he abducted this victim (her name is so far withheld) but before he could allegedly finish strangling and sexually assaulting her with a foreign object, a stranger interrupted him and Jesse allegedly ran away. That victim, I call The Phoenix, because she rose from the (near) dead. Under her fingernail was his DNA, and her unbelievably great collaboration with the police artist yielded the famous Sketch that is the spitting image of Jesse Matthew.
Charges are forthcoming in the case of my student Morgan Harrington. When they are announced, Jesse will be in even deeper trouble. Morgan will have a nice slice of our hot Justice pie. Steaming hot.
Court proceedings take time and I correct myself when I become impatient. The fact is that Help Save the Next Girl, law enforcement, and media have finally collaboratively drummed and pushed and agitated until we located the suspect whose DNA says he may be one of the most brutal serial killers in American history. There is no one interested in the cases against Jesse Matthew who does not feel anguish that Hannah Graham was the sacrificial lamb to stop a monster. Everything we have all worked to do was to prevent it being another murder that finally broke this case, but it was another murder, and it was Hannah, and no one will ever stop suffering her loss. God save the Grahams.
Gil Harrington reported that Jesse wasn’t staring so much today the way he did when she first saw him. This time, she said that the court proceedings seemed to befuddle him, as though, she said, he was watching the shell game where deft hands are switching shells around and you aren’t fast enough to keep up with all the agility so you don’t know which shells are empty and which holds what.
I am full of faith.
Morgan is participating. I think she loves the shell game.
end comment
I am a huge fan of Lillian Vance, the Harrington’s and mostly- Our shiny girl. It will forever break my heart that I have always felt that Morgan, in her beautiful and brightest of ways beyond the grave has been doing her best to prevent what happened to Hannah. I realize that as an analyst I don’t really have the luxury of waxing sentimental- but part of my charter has to be pointing out the areas of “preventable”. The goal has to be zero of our finest future ladies being victims to such a beast. That’s going to mean growth from mistakes- so help me, it does.
B
Society has to stop feeding the beasts within it. They need to be identified as early in life as possible and steps taken to insure they are not able to hurt themselves or others.
The enablement of people with feel good programs when they are not behaving in the normal range is not helpful. When that happens, it only encourages out of bounds behaviors.
Thanks for sharing the Jane Vance writing Mom3.0
She is still hopeful that the courts will have enough evidence to convict JM of all three cases. New charges for JM regarding Morgan are indicated. This is good news as is the news about Camblos being unable to represent JM. It take away his security blanket.
Because a judge has a daughter attending UVA as a second year student should have nothing to do with the court doing its job. I hope the judge will simply tell the new attorneys that she has no reason to recuse herself.
@Chris “I don’t know if this had been said before, but according to Liberty, Matthew was an honor roll student at Monticello High. He ain’t no dummy.” If you’re in special ed classes in VA, or even a special ed student in simple mainstream classes, it’s real easy to be a B level honor roll student. Imo it is the norm to give these kids Bs in high school to keep parents happy & quiet about services not received. Could still graduate barely able to read & write.
Your are so right about the grade system in present use in public and some private schools Rose.
The guy could be unable to read or write or do anything else at grade level although he may be quite capable of learning basic football or wrestling moves and holds. This is a major gripe of mine. Students should not be getting feel good grades that they did not earn and then made to feel good with a pumped up sense of accomplishment. This is very destructive when they have to face the real world outside the classroom.
The time is coming when college grads will no longer be employed based on a transcript. Businesses will have to depend on tests in the area of employment to determine if they are qualified. When a portion of society looses credibility, then it is had to get it back. This is the current patten of advanced education in the USA.
No problem TGF-
I agree the school may have just passed him- although IME it is harder to just “pass” if one was taking Honors classes-
If true it is strange that a once honors student would then be known as struggling w all classwork-
This would have been a red flag that the student needed help-that something was amiss-
health wise homewise-
or peer wise
Something was up-
TGF,
I hope you are doing ok out there in Texas-
we are all worried-check-in if you can
AJMO Peace
Mom3.0
Thanks for your concern. We are all ok. It was not my intent to ignore your concerns. An update to Firfox changed some settings that prevented the comment from loading. I think I have it fixed.