Have you guys been following the Thurber murder trial?
Nothing much has been said on here, but it is all over the place.
Most of what is coming out, came out during preliminary hearings over a year ago.
The defense has not done very much cross examining. It will be interesting to hear their case.
Ive not heard it talked about all that much in the street either. I wonder why that is.
Is it just too hard to talk about?
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33 comments:
What is there to be said.
The graphic details of the murder that have been released by the court, and reported to the public serve no public good.
Why should the family have to be exposed to that time and time again. Why do I need to know exactly what the perpetrator did and how he did it?
Our culture has turned murder into entertainment. Shows like CSI, Cold Case, Missing, Numbers..., and movies like Saw, Hostile and the like, have numbed and desensitized us, and made it impossible to seperate fantasy from reality. We do not need to know the details of the Sanderholm case, (it serves no public good,) but we want to know. It titilizes us, it fills some prurient need within us, but it is wrong. Let the trial play out. Let the jurors find Thurber guilty, and let the family and the community try to heal the best they can...
Why don't we give it a rest until the jury is out. Those people are amongst us and maybe influenced by this blog even though they are not supposed to be reading it.
I can imagine how difficult it must be for them. It will be over in a few days. It will be what it will be. Let's cut them some slack.
I see your point.
And we have decided at the paper to not describe lurid details, body parts, or other things that might be disturbing.
They have described in court how certain things happened - or how they think they happened. Those details do not need to be out there. There does come a point when it is just sensationalism and not news.
It does serve a public good though.
If there were no media watching the courts, and if the public were not allowed to know what was going on, people could be shipped off to jail, or even executed, for no reason at all.
Not at all saying our local courts have ever done that. Just that it could happen.
But that is the public good. It serves as a protection of sorts for those that might be accused unjustly.
In some countries people are just taken by the authorities. No charges, no nothing, even the family never knows what happened to them.
And often that is political, getting rid of one's opponents.
Public coverage and access to trials prevents that to a large degree.
Its part of the public's right to know. That doesn't mean the information will be pleasant.
I am curious about the defense's strategy. They have not cross examined people who have said things they could have disputed, but they just let everything go. What possible reason could they have for taking it this far if they have no defense?
They HAVE to have somehting cooking. I bet they will shock everyone with something when it is their turn. Either that, or they are just lazy, and have resigned themselves to the fact that he is guilty. Maybe they plan on Thurber appealing on the grounds that his attorney's didn't do enough? Thereby causing a retrial, and getting a plea with no death penalty then? That would be a horrible thing to do to the victim's family, but who ever said defense attorney's had high moral standards?
yes, that is why i think the defense case will be so interesting.
to see what they say.
It's talked out... it's played over and over.... kinda like the
BTK thing.
It's in the courts, let them deal with it. I'm sure whatever the outcome, it won't be enough, and then it starts all over.
Let the Family be. Why does the travler have to have a link to everything they wrote about Jodi right above the Arkahala links. Does anyone else see that as disrespect? List her murder right next to the town festival, for two years. I hope after the trail the paper will allow her and her family some rest.
You know.... Charles has a really good point in his editorial. There is still not a bottom indicated to this recession. There are a lot of folks in Ark City with financial problems.
Why not do this?
Take the $50 disconnect fee and the $50 dollar reconnect fee and apportion them as follows:
$0 for disconnection. $100 as a deposit to re-open the account.
Disconnect them at the point they are past the value of their deposit, which is what 90% of all cities in the U.S. do.
By the way, it insures Ark City will get paid.
Why does the current city government want to be so mean-spirited and punitive anyway?
"K.S.A 21-3711:
Making false information.
Making false information is making, generating, distributing or drawing, or causing to be made, generated, distributed or drawn, any written instrument, electronic data or entry in a book of account with knowledge that such information falsely states or represents some material matter or is not what it purports to be, and with intent to defraud, obstruct the detection of a theft or felony offense or induce official action.
Making false information is a severity level 8, nonperson felony"
So you send a bill that doesn't really have to be paid, your bill doesn't reveal that fact and you continue collection efforts as if it had to be paid, etc. That is against Kansas law too!!!
The cops could just go ahead and arrest themselves. How cool.
"Ive not heard it talked about all that much in the street either. I wonder why that is.
Is it just too hard to talk about?"
It is hard to talk about.
What about the family? What must they be going through, having to relive all the details? Let's let them get through this as best they can. This is a dark blot on our town. I think to a degree, we all are grieving.
I choose to step aside, let the justice system do it's work, and pray.
That's why I haven't said anything.
D.Q.
There is no reason to discuss something that is currently in jury trial. I agree with the other posters give it a rest. We don't want anyone to get a reason for a mistrial. Shhhhhh!
I understand your - everyone's - feelings.
It isn't pleasant for us either.
Then maybe give the trial a little space. Not like everything you write doesn't say the exact samething
I'm with James, I gotta wonder what the defense attorney's game is. I see now that they have decided not to call any witnesses. Either they think they have a great argument for closing, or they are the worst defense attorneys ever, OR they are hoping to appeal on the grounds that they are the worst defense attorneys ever. Closing arguments should be interesting.
WOW. NO closing argument from the defense. No cross examination either.
Worst. Defense. EVER!
Maybe that's their game?
How do you spell APPEAL!
If there is a death sentence, there is an automatic appeal.
We are probably in for a few.
Hey onestone,
Careful who you ask that question. There is a guy on here who would spell it 'uhppeele.' The jury has been out about an hour longer than I thought. Who will break the news first? Thoughts and prayers to the Sanderholms.
they are done today. No verdict. I can't believe the lack of defense. How pitiful. Why didn't the little pr!ck just plead guilty?
cuz he's just like any male who resorts to physical violence vs women. If he cant control the situation, he becomes a scared little prrck who cant fathom taking responsibility. He thought he could get some accomplices to cover his whereabouts, and they all refused. One in particular cracked me up. I forget his name, but he on the stand he said something like "No...I was in Colorado." Nobody would cover for that loser.
Rumor is the defense has tried to plea.
Prosecution is not allowing it because they want the death penalty.
Jodi's folks are much stronger people than I. My wife and I have discussed this and agree the case would not be State vs Thurber, it would be state vs us. That waste of human life would never have made it to trial. I realize that is probably a poor line of thinking, why waste my life for that nut, but look at Manson, Rader, etc. Those guys will be alive for a long, long time. Thurber has already lived waaaay too long.
On February 7, 2009 11:26 AM Traveler Editor said...
I see your point.
And we have decided at the paper to not describe lurid details, body parts, or other things that might be disturbing.
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And yet, that is exactly what your paper did today...
Seriously, you should be ashamed of yourself.
On February 7, 2009 11:26 AM Traveler Editor said...
I see your point.
And we have decided at the paper to not describe lurid details, body parts, or other things that might be disturbing.
___________________________________
And yet, that is exactly what your paper did today...
Seriously, you should be ashamed of yourself.
Why did you feel that the public needed to know those details. DISCUSS!!!!!!!!
What was actually said in court was much worse than what we wrote.
It was bad enough I know, but, it could have been a whole lot worse.
It should have stayed in the court room.
They have a duty to report the news. It is public record.
The editor seems to think salacious details such as this serve some public good.
On February 7, 2009 11:26 AM Traveler Editor said...
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It does serve a public good though.
If there were no media watching the courts, and if the public were not allowed to know what was going on, people could be shipped off to jail, or even executed, for no reason at all.
Why should you be more concerned with the fairness of Thurber's trial than Thurber himself? And, how did your gratuitous coverage ensure that anyways.
Bottom line is you want to sell newspapers, and crap like this sells.
Seriously, shame on you.
What if this was your daughter?
Anonymous said...
They have a duty to report the news. It is public record.
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Just because it's public record doesn't mean it's news, or that it should be reported.
If it was my daughter (and she was a friend) I wouldn't want those details in the paper. Yes, I believe there should be coverage. Should it take up the whole paper NO! Also, the Sanderholms link being next to Arkhalala is disrespectful.
The State put on an excellent case, including Thurber's own witnesses. Therefore the defense had no case to call. They found him sane to stand trial so that defense went out the window. They had no case. I pray for the Sanderholms and hope they find some closure real soon.
onestone said...
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I pray for the Sanderholms and hope they find some closure real soon.
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Pray for the Thurbers as well...
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