2012年9月28日 星期五

ABC News: U.S.: Man Guilty of Flight Attendant's 1995 Murder

ABC News: U.S.
// via fulltextrssfeed.com
Man Guilty of Flight Attendant's 1995 Murder
Sep 28th 2012, 19:27

Jurors have found Waseem Daker of Georgia guilty of killing a flight attendant, Karmen Smith, in 1995 and stabbing her then-5-year-old son 18 times.

Jurors at the trial in Marietta, Ga., started deliberations at 9:21 a.m. and came back with a verdict at about 3 p.m.

Daker was found guilty of felony murder, burglary and aggravated battery and stalking.

Prosecutors argued that the crimes were revenge against Smith's roommate, Loretta Spencer Blatz, who helped send Daker to prison for harassing her.

Daker, who acted as his own attorney, had long been a suspect in Smith's murder, but it wasn't until 2009 that, according to authorities, tests showed hairs found on Smith's body matched Daker's DNA.

Daker and prosecutors fought over those DNA tests from the scene of the crime that police say cracked the case and led to his arrest.

In the courtroom, Daker questioned homicide detective John Dawes and asked why police did not submit every piece of evidence for DNA testing.

PHOTO: Waseem Daker is on trial in Marietta, Ga., for the murder of Karmen Smith, who was found strangled to death in 1995.

ABC

Waseem Daker is on trial in Marietta, Ga.,... View Full Size
PHOTO: Waseem Daker is on trial in Marietta, Ga., for the murder of Karmen Smith, who was found strangled to death in 1995.
Stalker Murder Trial: Judge Reportedly Fed Up With Defendant Watch Video
Georgia Stalker Murder Trial: Defendant Represents Himself Watch Video
Stabbing Survivor, Stalking Victim Cross Examined by Accused Attacker Watch Video

Dawes explained that once officials had Daker's DNA linking him to the crime scene, there was no need for more tests, to which Daker asked, "Which is more expensive? Doing a DNA test or sending an innocent man to prison?"

During the trial, prosecutors played a 17-year-old recording of a phone call between Blatz and Daker, who Blatz who met while participating in a paintball group when she was 30 and he was 17.

"I don't know why you get so freaked out and you frighten me, and you know you frighten me and I don't appreciate it," Blatz was heard saying on the call.

Daker responded, "Maybe you're scared of me but ... you always think I'm going to kill you. You know you're lying because you know I got better things to worry about than you."

Jurors were presented with 12-year-old emails that prosecutors said proved Daker obtained disturbing materials before the murder. The "how-to" titles were "How to Get Away with Murder," and, "Kill Without Joy."

Blatz and Karmen Smith's son, Nick Smith, now 22, both took the stand during the trial, which made for some awkward questioning as they were grilled by Daker.

Judge Mary Staley nearly lost her cool a few times in this case, clearly annoyed with Daker's courtroom antics.

"There are numerous occasions during the trial that your veracity has been in strong question by me. Strong!" said Staley. She added, "And you don't try cases by ambush."

On Sept. 14, Blatz took the stand and was clearly rattled having to be grilled by the man imprisoned for stalking her and accused of murdering her roommate.

You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com.

If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions

沒有留言:

張貼留言