Replies

I believe that after five years of this disgraceful and ludicrous fiasco there is an unspoken understanding that the trial must conclude with a verdict from the panel. That’s why the sudden adjournment confuses me. I will take a stab here about what happened (and if it did, it can never be confirmed):

I believe that judge David Jones, upon seeing yet another piece of the prosecution’s case (Mendoza) crash and burn, rolled his eyes and decided he had seen enough. I believe he called a sudden adjournment so he could take the two sides into “chambers” and thoroughly dress down the prosecution and tell them their case was like the clown car at the circus. The clowns never stop coming out of the little car. He then told them to wrap up this embarrassing fiasco as quickly as possible. He may also have asked the Wuterich team if they were even going to bother putting on a defense or go straight to closing arguments.

I strongly suspect that if this circus had not been in town for five long freaking years Jones would direct a verdict of “Not Guilty” and smash his gavel down so hard it splintered, or he would simply dismiss the case outright... and smash his gavel down so hard it splintered.

In any event, I see absolutely no way Wuterich can be convicted of anything. One prosecution witness is known by the panel to have PST and other “issues” (you know, the witness who stated on the stand that he had failed a lie detector test), another witness who claimed she must have gotten “mixed up” about what “hostile” means (this was the woman who gives ROE lectures to deploying Marines), and now a witness who states on the stand that NCIS coerced his prior statement by threatening to deport him.

This trial continues to plod on? Is somebody freaking kidding me?

Interesting perspective, LH. Hopefully Judge Jones is as clear-minded as you suggest.

Good assessment and I hope you’re right.

Thanks for the ping, maybe Walker sees the handwriting on the wall.

You make valid points about judge Jones and the inept witnesses. I see no way the prosecution can win this case and at this point would hate to see SSgt Wuterich make a deal.