I will have the transcript from the trial, but until then, all we can do is try to piece as much of the trial together as we can via newspapers. I'm not going to try to map out the entire trial here from newspaper reports but I am going to post the things I found most interesting.
*Cecil Mills Jr. (state prosecutor) said that the jury should focus on a 4-hour window on August 12.
*Tammy (Jessie's mother) described the actions she and daughter Cheyenne took to try to locate Jessie, she stated that she drove from Hawkins County to Jessie's mobile home off of Baileyton road and then to Smith's house after Jessie did not return phone calls or texts. Smith also did not return phone calls made by Tammy.
*Vonda's attorney said that when her car was returned to her property it was left unlocked, which created the possibility that someone could have put the victim's blood inside. So they (Vonda and her attorney) thought someone placed Jessie's blood all over the car in an attempt to frame Vonda.
*Vonda's attorney objected to post-autopsy photos of Jessie's unborn child and to crime scene video that was more than 4 minutes long and spent what Scot calls "an inordinate amount of time" focusing on Morrison's body and graphic views of her injuries to her head and other parts of her body. Judge Duggar agreed and directed Mills to redact the video to shorten it so it does show the injuries but doesn't linger on the body.
*Other than being a blunt object and not a firearm, it is unknown what the murder weapon was
*Smith lost her composure and began crying during the crimes scene video and later during the murder weapon discussion.
*Dugger ruled that photos showing the victim's possessions found on Betsy Ross Road several miles from the crimes scene would also be allowed, but children's toys will be excluded.
*Vonda's attorney (Gene Scott) objected to allowing a letter and CD (containing the John Michael Montgomery song "The Little Girl") which had been given to a detective by Vonda.
*Actual site of murder was never determined.
*Trial testimony by Ealey and several others indicated that Vonda became deeply upset when she learned that Jessie planned to marry Ealey and start a family.
*Vonda Smith wiped tears from her eyes during her sentencing hearing on June 25, 2018.
*The jury returned a verdict after 6 hours of deliberation.
*Smith showed no emotion as the verdict was pronounced.
*The letter Smith left the detective expresses concern about the well being of her grandson and her ability to have access to him in the future. "I'm just trying to save my Grandson." she wrote in a passage.
*Scott asked whether a bill of particulars prepared by the state identifies other possible suspects. Mills told Dugger that the prosecution has no proof of any other person playing a role in the killing of Morrison. The prosecution has 'some proof' that another person may have assisted the killer after Morrison died.
*Sherrif's department detectives testified that they also found personal papers and other property owned by Morrison discarded on Betsy Ross Road in Afton.
*Detective Randolph, now retired, said he found Morrison's driver's license, a bloody paper towel, children's shorts and hospital discharge papers for one of Jessie's sons on Tyne Gray Road. Several hundred yards from her body.
*Gene Scott made a motion to dismiss the indictment against Vonda when information was revealed that Morrison's phone had been tracked to Tyne Gray Road. This evidence was not presented in discovery. Scot argued they had no opportunity to hir and expert and said that the Greene County Sheriffs department can't find the document on the phone tracking done by Danny Ricker.
*Gary Ealey testified that Jessie drove him to work that morning in the couples Acura Sports Utility vehicle and that he later had contact with Jessie and Vonda for several minutes around 3pm when they arrived to switch out vehicles.
*Gary testified that Smith asked him if he had money for lunch, and testified that he thought she also offered Jessie money. He said he did not observe anything unusual about Morrison and Smith that day.
*Groceries were later found in Morrison's home on the kitchen floor with no bags
*Gary testified that he went home after work expecting to find Jessie there. He said later Jessie's father and sister, Cheyenne came to the trailer looking for her. Jessie's mother, Tammy, also came.
*Assitant District Attorney David Baker told the jury that "This case is about a boiling point and Vonda Smith reacher her boiling point and on that day Vonda turned physical and went violent with something that resulted in death"He also said, "Smith was overtaken by an obsession which drove her to the point of no return on August. 12, 2016"
*At least 2 defense witnesses that testified lived near Jessie in the Cross Anchor Trailer park but did not know Jessie or her boyfriend, Gary. Both told Scott they saw Morrison at the trailer late that afternoon before she left with an unknown male in a white van.
*Sharon Burgner testified there were no blood stains when Smith arrived to pick up Emma.
*Graphic photos of Jessie's injuries were shown at trial. In addition to severe wounds to the back of Jessie's head, she also had bruising and abrasions on her arms and what appeared to be a broken finger on her right hand, indicating a defensive struggle before her death.
*Gene Scott asked Detective Ricker if there were any cuts or marks on Smith's arms. His response was, "No"
*The jury saw video clips of Vonda, Jessie, and her boys pull into the Snapps Ferry Road lot of Food city shortly after 3pm, walk through the parking lot into the store, purchase items at checkout about 3:30 pm and pull out of the parking lot in the white Pontiac at 3:43 pm.
*Jessie was found barefoot.
*Smith told detective Ricker she did not know how the blood stains ended up in her car.
*Trial testimony showed that someone had attempted to use Clorox to wipe the front passenger side window clean.
*Other testimony centered around Smith telling others that a cat had urinated in the car and she had tried to clean the interior to remove the smell. Witnesses gave conflicting dates about when they were told about the cat by Smith.
*Ealey testified that Smith usually took Morrison's sons to stay with her each weekend, but was unable to do so over the previous several weekends because the couple had other plans. He testified that Smith appeared upset. He also testified that she asked him if he had a problem with her keeping the boys.
*Her blood-spattered jeans were unbuttoned, an indication that they no longer fit due to pregnancy.
*TBI forensic Scientist detailed to the jury what was shown in dozens of photographs, including apparent blood stains on the seats, other interior areas and on the exterior of Smith's car. She also pointed out fingerprint samples found all over the exterior.
*Blood stains were found on the passenger seat of the car and floorboard area, in addition to on the passenger side door, center console, and elsewhere in the car.
*Mills told the jury that a drug user or robber would not have inflicted such extensive injuries.
*Baker said that some type of confrontation 'may' have happened at the Davis Valley Road home of Vonda.
No comments:
Post a Comment