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Telly addicts

Louise Woodward The Killer Nanny. did she do it?

790 replies

HeckinMiffed · 09/01/2022 21:08

This was such a huge case when I was younger. Anyone else watching?
I always thought she didnt deliberately kill the baby.

OP posts:
ENoeuf · 10/01/2022 22:02

Watching it now, her laughing made me think she was remembering something from when they practised it.

Onlinedilema · 10/01/2022 22:03

Bloody hell that verdict was shocking.
How on earth can you convict someone of murder when you don't fully believe they did murder someone?
That isn't acceptable at all.
I hope (if the verdict was overruled) LW could sue for the time spent in prison.
I wonder if we find out what happened.
Did the brother do it or one of the parents of was it done thing else?

MyDarlingWhatIfYouFly · 10/01/2022 22:03

I can't remember much about the case at the time, but with the limited evidence that I saw I would say that there looked to be reasonable doubt. The fractured skull made me think that she did it after yesterdays episode, but the fact that it was partially healed (only revealed tonight) totally changed my mind. Also the fact that she was charged with murder instead of manslaughter was ridiculous.

Whatever the truth of it, a beautiful baby boy died and I feel like the victim is sometimes overshadowed by the media frenzy around these cases.

MyDarlingWhatIfYouFly · 10/01/2022 22:04

@Onlinedilema

Bloody hell that verdict was shocking. How on earth can you convict someone of murder when you don't fully believe they did murder someone? That isn't acceptable at all. I hope (if the verdict was overruled) LW could sue for the time spent in prison. I wonder if we find out what happened. Did the brother do it or one of the parents of was it done thing else?
We were saying this, could his brother have accidentally dropped him? We'll never know.
Onlinedilema · 10/01/2022 22:07

So did they ever prosecute anyone else?
If LW was released that imply someone else killed him, unless the evidence is not strong enough at all to implicate murder. I'm thinking maybe Matthew had an illness or something. Unless , and I don't mean to sound harsh, but unless it's a case of oh well the parents are both doctors, middle class etc etc so let's leave it.

Sunbird24 · 10/01/2022 22:08

I don’t see how it would be possible for anyone to shake a baby that size in the way the prosecution said without leaving any bruises. The defence’s argument for a re-bleed of an old injury makes most sense to me, especially with the skull fracture showing signs of healing.That naturally introduces reasonable doubt on her being responsible as it completely opens up the timeline.

Dulra · 10/01/2022 22:09

The juror even admitted she didn't think she killed him intentionally but manslaughter wasn't an option. Well surely then you have to find them innocent because you don't think they're guilty of murder not find them guilty of murder because he died in her care Hmm

Sunbird24 · 10/01/2022 22:10

I believe the conviction was changed from murder 2 to involuntary manslaughter, with a sentence that equated to the time she’d already served so that she could go/be sent home.

Wheresmywoolyjumpers · 10/01/2022 22:10

There is often a lot of negotiation about charges before the trial in the US and also a lot of decision making by the prosecution about the exact charges to bring. Sometimes the Assistant District Attorney wants to make a name for themselves (since a lot go into politics). Because trials are expensive, there is sometimes a period of discussion between prosecution and defence to try and agree what the client will plead guilty to. It can be in the defences interest to have a higher charge, because they feel it is more likely their client will get off. It is surprising the jurors were so adamant though.

Dulra · 10/01/2022 22:12

Onlinedilema from what I remember the conviction stood but she was sentenced to time served so was free to go home

Slingingcontest · 10/01/2022 22:12

@Strawberry33

That laugh tells me all I need to know. That’s more than a nervous slight half giggle that was pure joy and delight. Gave me chills. Not normal at all. She may not have meant to do it but she did. Even more mysterious is the willingness and obsessiveness of her supporters who decided she was innocent before they even had any facts at all and just ran with it.
I genuinely thought her laugh was a surprised/nervous reaction to her lawyer who sounded as if his voice was breaking with emotion when he asked her if she had hurt the baby. It through her off balance because she wasn't expecting it.

And sorry but I know quite a lot of nineteen year olds and they can appear emotionless on the outside, and they do laugh inappropriately sometimes, when underneath they are nervous.

Slingingcontest · 10/01/2022 22:13

Sorry, gah, "threw" her off balance that should say!

ENoeuf · 10/01/2022 22:16

Gosh that older juror was very unnerving. I wouldn’t want her anywhere near a trial I was undergoing!

mrssunshinexxx · 10/01/2022 22:17

What channel was this on please and what's it called ?

x2boys · 10/01/2022 22:18

Matthew wasn't a tiny new born he was 22lb ,to shake him for the length of time,suggested would have taken some doing and some strength
Having watched all three episodes I find it interesting how different people changed their minds .
I think in one documentry I saw there was an au pair previous to Louise who left because of the toddlers behaviour and they felt they couldn't keep both children safe .

Emerald5hamrock · 10/01/2022 22:18

I believe the conviction was changed from murder 2 to involuntary manslaughter, with a sentence that equated to the time she’d already served so that she could go/be sent home.
Yep, they couldn't admit that they might be wrong.
I can see why there was doubts she admitted shaking the baby.
I'm shocked he had no other injuries on his body when he sustained the injuries to his head and she was charged.
Could she take a case against her conviction with this programme released.

Delatron · 10/01/2022 22:20

I thought it was a very nervous laugh/ whilst trying not to cry. She did seem thrown by the question.

I am not sure telling her to stay calm was the best advice. She was obviously trying so hard that it came across as emotionless when clearly she was petrified. The crying after the conviction was heart renching.

Agree about the older juror.

ENoeuf · 10/01/2022 22:21

I feel as though there is more to know - how old was the healing fracture? How could it have happened?

Cleopatra2022 · 10/01/2022 23:18

@2anddone You and I clearly went to the US with the same agency! The training course was a complete joke. They never checked any of our childcare references and quite a few of the people there at the same time as me admitted faking their experience. When I decided to go home the agency completely abandoned me.

theNumbersStation · 11/01/2022 00:19

The older juror was chilling.

I can’t help but think LW was just dealing with the aftermath of another incident that day.

Toddlerteaplease · 11/01/2022 01:12

I always thought that she'd done it. But after this I don't think she did. And agree that she was dealing with the aftermath of an earlier injury. Why was nothing made of the broken arm , when did it happen? Babies bones take a lot of force to break as they bend first. I found the parents demeanour stranger than LW's. No emotion, and describing a baby as fat and lazy is odd.

Lovemusic33 · 11/01/2022 02:10

I have always believed she was innocent as I said earlier in the thread, I never understood why she was the only suspect. I’m not sure what will be gained from the documentary though other than dragging it all up again? Or maybe she wants people to reconsider wether she was guilty?

I really felt for her at the time and still do. If this went to court in 2022 I feel the outcome would be very different though I’m often shocked by American court cases and how they end.

mathanxiety · 11/01/2022 04:23

I'm guessing that they could have found an older woman with some sense and experience, even if she didn't have perfect English.

It is very important to some parents that the person they hire speaks English fluently. If parents are going to be working long hours, and they want their children to acquire English as a first language in an optimal environment, then hiring someone who speaks Polish or Spanish or non-standard English as their first language isn't going to work.

99% of the people who apply for nanny jobs are going to work out fine. The majority will have multiple references and solid experience. This is because huge number of American teenagers babysit during their teen years and have a lot of experience taking care of babies and children both doing evening babysitting and during the long summer holidays, even when under 16, which is when American teens can be hired by local businesses in many states. Teens who keep up their babysitting clients after that are usually pretty dedicated to the job and enjoy it.

My own DCs did mothers' helping from about age 12-13, progressing to babysitting on their own in the early teen years. They all spent summers taking care of children, bringing them to the pool and home, to the playgrounds, making lunch, bringing them to scheduled activities, and more. Some of the families they babysat for were as big as our own. Sometimes an older sister passed a family down to a younger sister. They all babysat in the evenings throughout the school year, making enough to afford a lot of their clothes, and even laptops, etc.

jamandmarmaladethesecondcoming · 11/01/2022 05:57

The laughing was unfortunate all round, for sure.

I honestly think (and I have laughed at an innaproriate moments before ) that Louise was like a rabbit in the headlights and in such shock and disbelief of being accused that is was a kind of

how on earth could you even think that I would slam a child?
type moment going through her head.

That's what I saw when I saw the 3 episodes

Trial by media is never fair in the name of Justice. It's a circus. How can there possibly be a just outcome. Look at OJ Simpson.

I think that the two doctors know more than we heard.

EnjoyingTheSilence · 11/01/2022 07:36

I also thought the jurors were appalling. They didn’t think she did it intentionally but because they thought she did something they found her guilty. Do they not understand the system at all?

After I was an AuPair, I was desperate to carry on living in the US, I had an amazing time but seeing what has happened to that country and how they treat their citizens, I’m so pleased I was never able to. If my dc ever wanted to do what I did, I would strongly recommend they didn’t do it, which is such a shame.

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