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Original poster

Joanna Yeates case - why is this happening at all?

739 replies

Ponders · 11/10/2011 17:20

It seems clear that he did kill her, & I don't see how he can claim it was unintentional, so why do her poor parents have to be put through such harrowing evidence?

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SheCutOffTheirTails · 24/10/2011 19:16

The cops would only know about previous convictions in the Netherlands if they asked for them. And there would be a delay in them arriving too, so a bit silly to presume there aren't any.

Of course he's entitled to a defence. But any defence that hinges on his credibility is weak.

This comes down to whether it is credible that you can kill a person by strangling/compression of the neck without intent.

Some find that plausible, others (myself included) do not.

It is possible to listen to his defence, give it a fair hearing, and still think it is bollocks.

PercyFilth · 24/10/2011 19:37

I'm still not sure where all these Tabak apologists are hanging out. I haven't come across any.

wannaBe · 24/10/2011 21:04

actually, the fact that his whereabouts can be accounted for over the past decade or so (i.e. studying at x/y universities, obtaining phd) is fairly sound proof that there is at least no serious conviction in his past for which he would have served a significant prison term.

Original poster
Ponders · 24/10/2011 21:20

\link{http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1349615/Joanna-Yeates-murder-Vincent-Tabak-charged-murder-court-Monday.html\this is interesting} - DM piece just after he was arrested in January

a) it includes a photo of him looking like a normal bloke (unlike the ones that are generally used Hmm)

b) his family are quoted, & sound completely flummoxed. I would have thought that if there was anything dodgy in his background in Holland they would have kept quiet.

c) 'Mr Tabak lived with girlfriend Tanja Morson, 34, in a flat next door to Miss Yeates. He returned to the UK after the New Year, according to a friend. It is understood he had separated from his girlfriend, but Mrs Tabak said she believed he had been enjoying his life in the UK' (my italics)

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wannaBe · 24/10/2011 21:41

You have to feel for his family too don't you. I can't imagine what it must be like to discover your son/brother is capable of killing someone.

I wonder who the phone call came from? And why they were not called for the prosecution if their call was so vital as to lead to the arrest?

But I have to say I was Hmm at this:

"Speaking at his £600,000 home in Ampfield, near Romsey, Hampshire," in reference to Jo's father - really, what does the price of his house have to do with anything? Hmm

Original poster
Ponders · 24/10/2011 21:46

oh the DM always does that house price thing (often a made-up price) regardless of the issue, wannabe - it's one of their many reporting fails

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sozzledchops · 24/10/2011 21:47

i feel more sorry for her family, especially if the verdict is manslaughter. I'd imagine it would be very hard for them to deal with.

wannaBe · 24/10/2011 21:54

But his family are victims too.

Whatever our thoughts of what he has done, they didn't do anything wrong. And to find out that your family member is capable of this when you had no inclination this could be the case... I really can't imagine what that must be like.

sozzledchops · 24/10/2011 21:59

i do feel for his family but I feel more for the JY's family who have to sit and listen while he tells of how their daughter flirted with him and that her death was an accident. His family have not had to attend his funeral yet.

Original poster
Ponders · 24/10/2011 22:00

oh sozzled, I have massive sympathy for Jo's parents, brother & boyfriend. They have lost their lovely girl & all this will hang over them for the rest of their lives, whatever the verdict.

but as wannabe says, VT's family must be suffering too. He has a brother & 2 sisters; I have 2 boys & 2 girls, & can't imagine how horrific it would be for the rest of us if one of my boys was in VT's position.

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wannaBe · 24/10/2011 22:11

yes exactly ponders.

And feeling sympathy for vt's family does not take away from the sympathy one would feel for JY's family.

The devastation must be different - to lose a child in that way doesn't bear thinking about.

But I think if my ds killed someone I would feel as if I'd lost a child. Especially if that revelation came out of nowhere with no prior warning signs iyswim. Equally I don't know how you come to terms with that.

And JY's family will always receive sympathy. But often the families of murderers etc are ridiculed along with their family member - made guilty by association.

PercyFilth · 24/10/2011 22:30

"I wonder who the phone call came from? And why they were not called for the prosecution if their call was so vital as to lead to the arrest?"

There may never have been any such phone call, it was only ever reported in the tabloids. What about the famous CCTV tape of the car carrying Jo's body being driven across Clifton Suspension Bridge? That was clearly not true. Some of these things are either made up to sell papers or are just misunderstandings or fake tip-offs.

SheCutOffTheirTails · 25/10/2011 07:43

His family are not "victims", what an outrageous thing to say.

You can feel sorry for them, and think they deserve nothing but sympathy for this situation in which they find themselves, without giving them victim status.

Do you want them giving a victim impact statement? Maybe a bit of compensation for their loss?

PMSL at doing a PhD giving any indication at all about your whereabouts. :o

The constant wittering and speculation about his blameless past is just as much bollocks as any other speculation based on supposition and bias.

Original poster
Ponders · 25/10/2011 11:03

from skynewsgatherer

Lickley suggests that Tabak told the jury he moved Joanna's body to cover up the fact that "something" happened in the bedroom.
Lickley reminded the jury of the evidence given by Joanna's boyfriend Greg that he found her earring in the bed.

I had completely forgotten that little detail...they didn't make a big thing of it at the time either, at that point it showed why Greg began to worry

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pickledsiblings · 25/10/2011 12:11

Two earrings were found in the bedroom. Was JY wearing these in the CCTV footage?

pickledsiblings · 25/10/2011 12:15

Have just checked, and yes, she was.

Original poster
Ponders · 25/10/2011 13:41

One was in the bed though - the other may have been on the floor?

Greg said she would always put them down together in a specific place when she took them off

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Original poster
Ponders · 25/10/2011 13:50

'he found a pair of his girlfriend's earrings in the bedroom. One was in the bed and the other earring was on the floor under some clothes. Greg said that he only found one of the fasteners and that usually when she removed her earrings she left them on the bedside table.'

this is actually pretty damning, isn't it?

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Original poster
Ponders · 25/10/2011 13:52

and also

'A close-up image of Miss Yeates' face ... was shown on screens. Her eyes were closed and one of her earring studs was in place.'

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pickledsiblings · 25/10/2011 13:56

ponders, where are you quoting from now

Original poster
Ponders · 25/10/2011 14:00

2 newspaper reports from the trial. (I googled Jo Yeates earrings)

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member · 25/10/2011 15:21

Well, prosecution & defence QCs have done their summing up. Judge will sum up tomorrow before sending the jury out to consider the verdict.

pickledsiblings · 25/10/2011 15:30

I think the defence did a better job than the prosecution, what do you think Ponders?

SheCutOffTheirTails · 25/10/2011 15:49

The defence needed to do a better job to give themselves a shot.

They've certainly raised questions that should make this tough for the jury.

Best of luck 12 good people and true.

JaneBirkin · 25/10/2011 15:50

I really hope there is stuff that was said that was not reported to us. If we heard the whole lot, it was dreadful - far too quick - not nearly enough information covered.

I mean if I had heard what was tweeted by Sky, I wouldn't have a clue what to think.