This Memorial Day brings together millions of families. Some will gather to celebrate the three-day weekend, others will gather to honor those who have served. In our particular case, throughout this entire ordeal, the one constant that has remained is the role of family — both good and bad.
Family has defined this case from...
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The Support Staff
We’d be even more confused by the legal wrangling if we didn’t have the help of Intern Sean. A recent law school grad from the area, Sean found us in a serendipitous way, by trawling through wiki for unsolved murders one day. That took him to Robert’s page and then to wmrw.com.
The timing was...
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And Justice for God’s Sake.
Our continued thanks goes out to courtroom artist William J. Hennessy, Jr. for allowing us to republish his works, and to the local TV stations for the many screen grabs we’ve pulled.
After the jump, more of Mr. Hennessy’s work along with some some rarely seen crime scene photos, courtesy of WJLA-TV,...
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Several thoughts crossed my mind this week, while attending the trial:
Stabbed in the back: Remember last week when Joe Price called Kathy Wone and told her Robert had been stabbed in the back, well it looks like that could be taken several different ways. One, the way Kathy seemed to take it, was Joe...
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Bruton, Crawford, Carpenter, Thomas and Michael Price
Today’s afternoon session saw the end of Doug Deedrick’s mind-numbing testimony and cross examination. The former FBI trace evidence analyst had a tough Thursday and a slightly better Friday, thanks to his manager, AUSA Rachel Lieber.
Ward counsel David Schertler’s cross continued at 2:15pm, after today’s lunch recess.
Schertler again...
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5:00pm Update
Adjourned until Tuesday morning. The cross and redirect of trace evidence expert Doug Deedrick continued for most of the afternoon.
Things took a more interesting turn late in the day when we saw MPD Detective Gail Russell-Brown retake the stand. But only for a minute before she was excused, for the second time this...
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Knife Fight
The morning was spent trying to determine whether or not two key tests performed by semi-retired FBI trace evidence analyst Douglas Deedrick would be included.
The tests involve his work on fiber transfers from an eight pound pork loin, meant to simulate human tissue, and his fiber imprint test using a substitute white cotton...
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1:45pm Update
The first witness called today was retired FBI hair and fiber analyst Douglas Deedrick. This longtime trace evidence expert testified in the O.J. Simpson criminal case…a lot of good that did him.
Deedrick didn’t get very far before his credentials were called into question by defense counsel David Schertler and Bernie Grimm.
At issue isn’t...
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A Judge’s Lack of Patience and a Detective’s Hardball Tactics
The after-lunch session started off fairly stormy. Judge Lynn Leibovitz scolded the government attorneys for nearly a half hour on their failure to make clear how they intend to present and use the defendants’ statements - for truth or not.
AUSA Rachel Carlson Lieber took the brunt of...
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3:30pm Update:
The after-lunch session kicked off with a mildly exasperated Judge Leibovitz. Fifteen minutes later it was a very, very exasperated Judge Leibovitz.
Again she schooled the government to get squared away on how they will present statements, whether for truth or not for the truth. “Someone is staying up late tonight, it’s not going...
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On August 2nd, 2006, Washington attorney Robert E. Wone was murdered at 1509 Swann Street. Over two years passed before any criminal charges were filed - and then only conspiracy, obstruction of justice and crime scene tampering charges were brought against the Swann Street housemates, all present in the home on the night of the murder: Joe Price, Dylan Ward and Victor Zaborsky.
On May 17, 2010, a DC Superior Court trial got underway and all three defendants were all acquitted in that bench trial on those pending charges.
Nearly four years later, very little seems clear about what happened that night and who murdered Robert Wone. A cloud of suspicion remains over the Swann Street defendants who have denied any involvement in the murder of their friend or in the alleged cover up.
Judge Lynn Leibovitz found a moral certainty in their collective guilt, but not evidentiary certainty. Civil proceedings in a wrongful death suit filed by Robert's family is the next chapter in this tragic story.
We continue to work together seeking answers to the mystery of Robert Wone's murder and in finding justice for his memory and legacy.
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