And Why This Doesn’t End With Today’s Decision
It can be easy to lose sight of the reason so many of us have returned, repeatedly, to the unanswered questions of Robert Wone’s murder on August 2nd, 2006.
It can be hard to keep clear sight – through the tangle of facts, allegations, evidence and challenges – of what is known, and what is mere allegation.
It can be easy to point fingers, accuse, and lose temper when confronted with facts or ideas that don’t fit preconceived notions or carefully considered opinions.
It can be hard to keep our ears open and minds clear when given new ideas that challenge our beliefs. It’s easy to believe the worst in people. It’s hard to extend the benefit of doubt.
This community has undertaken a 19-month journey: from the 2008 indictment of Dylan Ward to the closing arguments of two extraordinary legal teams, both engaged in a legal joust to prove the rightness of their case. It has been exhausting for all involved – the Wone family, the Swann Street family, and for all who have come here.
Yet the truth is that this does not end today. Yes, there will be decisions and findings of fact by Judge Leibovitz as to the charges brought against Joseph Price, Victor Zaborsky and Dylan Ward.
But that’s not the end.
If any guilty verdicts are returned, there will be appeals. Simultaneously the wrongful death civil suit brought by Kathy Wone will begin soon – a trial where much of what was not ruled relevant in this case will be admissible.
And there is the hammer of prison. If any of the Swann Street housemates are found guilty, they will be facing serious prison time. There’s nothing like the promise of two decades in jail to loosen tongues.
No murder charges have yet been brought – but that could change, depending on verdicts, knowledge, and the willingness of anyone to come forward to admit the truth and get right with Robert.
Know this: we are not going anywhere, and will continue to provide a place for all those who seek justice for Robert to come, engage, discuss, disagree…and perhaps, contribute to the answer of who murdered Robert Wone.
And to everyone who comes here, regardless of your support for defense or prosecution, we can all agree one of the best tributes to Robert Wone is a contribution to the Robert Wone Memorial Trust Fund.
channel 7 coming up live at noon from the courthouse
Price very likely altered knife, judge says
What the hell is taking so long?!?
“Price very likely altered knife, judge says”
From Rend Smith: “Price very likely altered knife, judge says”
“Very likely” doesn’t sound like “beyond a reasonable doubt” to me.
But cannot find beyond reasonable doubt
omg
OMG, not good…
“But cannot find beyond reasonable doubt”
Joe acquitted on tampering.
But not beyond reasonable doubt???? Oh shit.
I feel sick
Not beyond a reasonable doubt. Just as I suspected.
SCREWED.
“Murderer wasnt an intruder”… Im convinced she’ll find guilty on the conspricy and obstruction (which is really the biggy – max punishment is 30 yrs) Tampering was the smallest of the three.
Nope. Burden too high.
This is over.
How can she say the murderer was not an intruder – i.e. the murderer was one of the three, and then not convict on any charges?
We shall see. She said that Price likely altered the knife but not beyond a reasonable doubt. That is an awfully high standard, that is how. But we shall see.
God I hope so….
From Rend Smith: “But cannot find beyond reasonable doubt”
And there it is.
Joe is off on tampering it seems.
Sounds like they will at a minimum lose the civil case.
They are all going down for this, as I expected and hoped for.
Michael Price not murderer, says judge
What the fuck is taking so long to get this out?!
“Michael Price not murderer, says judge”
She’s finding them not guilty of everything. Holy cow.
yeah. what is the deal with the timeliness of the reading of this info???
Burden too high. I don’t know how she knows that MP is not the murderer. Is she under any obligation to say? Or should I just assume it’ll be all there in the text of her decision.
I can’t believe she is making all these announcements like this. How does she know MP is not the murderer?
I think she is saying one of them is the murderer.
I just hope that means conspiracy for all.
Not guilty!
“Not guilty” WTF!!!
Yep. Dream on people. Beyond a reasonable doubt means just that. Open and shut.
Shit.
rendsmith : “Not guilty!”
Who??? And of what??? WTF.
oh my god.
Not Guilty!! according Rend Smith
There is no justice in this world.
FUCK this verdict!
I’m going to throw up now.
Fuck this shit
http://wtop.com/?nid=25&sid=1991463
all 3 acquitted on all charges…channel 7
So sad-I can’t believe it.
Dylan and Victor did everything Joe told them to do, and apparently it worked, at least against these charges.
I am truely disappointed by this. They all know what happened and as far as I am concerned that makes them all guilty of the charges and should throw murder in just for covering up.
OMG!!!
News 8 says “Not Guilty on All Counts in Wone Trial”
http://www.news8.net/news/stories/0610/750502.html
Well, Joe was right. I guess that he is smarter than everyone else. Stick with the script, stick together, don’t waver and no one will go to jail, and it worked. Amazing.
The evidence was simply never strong enough. I’m surprised that the lawyers in this group were unable to set aside personal passions and look at this objectively. The conjecture and armchair sluething that folks were doing on this blog was an interesting “whodunnit” exercise, but that’s not how a judge must reach her decision. Until the legal system comes up with something better, it doesn’t matter what actually happened. What matters is what you can prove.
Jeff, bullshit. What matters is that a young man with a family and friends had his life cut short. Justice matters. The bastards that did this will never know any peace – and shouldn’t!
As much as I am convinced that at least one of these three committed the murder, that all were involved in obstruct and a conspiracy, I’m sure that the Judge applied the law correctly. I was a great supporter of her before these verdicts, and I refuse to change my opinion simply because I do not like the outcome of this case.
As painful as it is sometimes, I do believe that it is better to let a guilty person (or persons) go free than to convict an innocent person.
Much easier to say when it is not YOUR loved one dead in the ground at the hands of another!
I suspect they will fare less well in the civil trial where the burden of proof is based upon the preponderance of the evidence and not beyond a reasonable doubt.
The prosecution just didn’t do a good job. Simple as that. If Bea was the prosecutor, they’d be locked up.
Even Bea would have to work with the evidence presented here. I thought strong arguments were made for conviction on obstruction at a minimum. I think the Judge allowed Joe and his minions a “reasonable doubt” pass for their bizarre, suspicious behavior and non sequitur, nonsensical statements.
Robert Jaffe had it right from the first time! Innocent, Innocent, Innocent! You all are twisted, you think that because you watch a TV show (law and Order) you know the law. Taxpayers money down the drain again over something that could notbe proved beyond a reasonable dought. I hope you all get a life and go back to your real jobs.
Kudos to the judge, who as much as said that she thinks they killed Robert, but hewed to the law and found that not even obstruction, conspiracy or tampering were proven. If accused one could hope for nothing less than an honorable jurist.
WTF happened? I have been mentally prepared for a not guilty verdict, but felt certain Price would be found guilty of something. Regardless, there is no rejoicing either way, because Robert is still dead.
This is another horror for the Wone family to face. At the same time, it seems that the judge is pointing her finger in the direction of the killer.
the prosecution never could follow up on the arrest affidavit. everything else was down hill for them, including most of their trial days. though i am surprised at the outcome, this seems like the right result based on the evidence that was summarized on this site. i never thought the judge would do the work that so many on her did to reach a guilty verdict.
Given the evidence as it has been reported, I really think this was the right decision from a legal stand point. I posted it before but will say it again – we have these high burdens in place to protect the citizenry. Sometimes it may make us angry but I think in this case, if you are angry or you think someone got away with something, there is one place to look – the MPD. This type of shotty investigation can never sustain a reasonable doubt verdict, even with the best AUSAs. I think it is good that the general public has seen what happens in police investigations.
If you are angry I would present that anger to MPD and demand a more fair, less prejudiced and more affective police force. I do believe that in this case “justice” as it is applied via our constitution was done, given the evidence available.
To me, the truth is more important than the punishment. I hope we can get more truth out of the civil trial.
This is another horror for the Wone family. At the same time, it seems the judge is pointing her finger in the direction of the killer.
Unbelievable!! Very sad and disappointing.