This trial started November 24, 2003 and is ongoing.

February 09, 2004
by
dll

9:08am - All attorneys present in court except Marc and Roger.  James brings out the shower doors from the other day.  Puts them against the jury box.

9:10am - SB & AR brought in by three guards.  AR says, "Where's Marc?" to Veronica.  I didn't hear her reply.  SB doing tie/belt ritual.  Guards talking about filing for their tax returns and how you can get them back in 10 days.

9:12am - SB gulping water.  Drinks several cups full.  

9:13am - Judge Mertel comes into the courtroom and addresses Jeff, asks him "if we end at 3:30 would that give you enough time?"  Jeff says yes.  I have no idea what they are talking about but apparently court ends at 3:30pm today!

9:17am - SB, AR and Veronica chatting and smiling with each other for the last five minutes or so.  All three seem to be in high spirits.

9:18am - Roger enters.  Says he was having computer problems.  Everyone laughs.  Marc enters and takes a belt out of his things and gives it to AR.  Says he couldn't find a 30-inch belt, so that is a 32 and he hopes it fits.  It's too big.  Marc takes it back and says he will try again.

9:27am - All rise for Judge Mertel.  Says he is not addressing this to anyone in particular but that he would like everyone to try to be on-time and get things rolling, so the jury doesn't have to wait so long in the morning.

9:30am - Jeff mentions James agreed not to ask witness Sweeney which order the victims were killed in.  Judge Mertel says he is going to instruct the jury that they are breaking from Officer Gomes' testimony to take the testimony of people who are in "out of town."  (I put this particular piece in quotes for a reason, as you'll see later!)

9:35am - Jury enters.  James calls KW Sweeney.  He owns KMS Forensics in Kirkland.  (This is out of town?!?)  In 1994 he worked for the WA State Crime Lab.

9:45am - Sweeney was head of the crime scene techs that were called to the Rafay home.

10:05am - Talking generally about blood spatter (don't call it "spLatter" he says).  Talking about how one can tell trajectory, angle, etc.

10:40am - Sweeney still being questioned by James (prosecution).  Things like, "How many inches would you say this blood stain was from this other blood stain?"  "How many inches wide is the bed?"  "How many inches from bed is the wall?"  "How wide are the closets?"  "Were the closet doors open or closed?"  Nothing note-worthy that I can decipher.  I'm assuming this will be pulled together later by another witness, because I don't see the point of it now.

10:55am - Break.

11:13am - Judge Mertel back in court.  Tells everyone we will go till 12:15pm before taking a lunch.

11:14am - Jury enters.  James continues his questioning of Sweeney.

Noon - More seemingly mundane questions about the size of a door.  Size of the deck.  Shape of blood droplets.

12:18pm - Lunch break.  Everyone back by 1:45pm.  

I missed the afternoon session.  I had to go home and watch paint dry.