[robertpaulsen]

That it certainly a possibility, and would indicate a larger conspiracy. I'm surprised the article didn't question it.

The way I read the article was this: All were arrested on February 5th. All were released on bail (her crime was more severe and she was released, why not the others?). She was to testify later that month, yet was murdered the day before. The prosecution argued to deny bail on the other defendants based on her death. If they were in jail at the time, why would the prosecution argue this way?

Killing her to teach a lesson would make sense if not for the fact that one of the defendants is expected to testify following his guilty plea well after the "lesson" was taught.

[Shermy]

My Tennessee License scandal template:

Feb. 7
Six Charged in Tenn. License Plot [Courtesy of the Tennessee DemocRAT Party]
Feb. 8 (for comedic relief)
Dri ver license fraud case here is a rare incident, state says
Feb. 11
WOMAN ARRESTED FOR AIDING ARABS IN DRIVER'S LICENSE SCAM PRESUMED DEAD
Tennessee finds a cost to easing driver's license rules Some other states, airlines no longer accept (Boston Globe)
Feb. 12
Feds fear license examiner is dead - Memphis Woman's co-defendants tied to 9/11, judge told
Feb. 13:
Body in car identified as license examiner - Update on Memphis, Tennesse License Examiner
Feb. 14
TENN DRIVER LICENSE SCANDAL: FLAMING DEATH NO ACCIDENT, FBI SAYS
TENN DRIVER LICENSE SCANDAL: FLAMING DEATH NO ACCIDENT, FBI SAYS (II)
Flaming death no accident, FBI says - Gasoline found on clothes of license examiner
Feb. 15
New York Times (with Pics of car) F.B.I. Says Arson Killed Woman Accused in License Scheme
Sm ith led low-impact life until arrest, fiery end (Not a thread)
Images of the burned car owned by Katherine Smith * alternate title: How Arabs Kill Witnesses
FBI Agent: Arson Killed Key Suspect (driver's license examiner accused of supplying terrorists)
Feb.16
License suspect had WTC repair pass, but Port Authority did its own work [Tennessee License Scandal]
TE NN DRIVER LICENSE SCANDAL: FLAMING DEATH NO ACCIDENT, FBI SAYS
***FBI checking 5 in illegal-license cases for possible al-Qaida links
Terror Links In Tenn. Mystery? (CBS News)
September 11 link to deadly Tennessee crash? (Black News Weekly - unsure of date)
Feb. 18:
Mourners remember the good deeds of license examiner, not how she died
Feb. 20
State Immigrant I.D. Llicense for Disaster, Foes Say [Tennessee License Scandal - Business as Usual]
Terror in Tennessee? (Front Page magazine)
Feb. 22
Terroris m expert [Steven Emerson] monitors the Mid-South (WMC-TV Memphis 2/23)
Feb. 24:
Caution: Driver license rule-makers at work
Feb. 28
5 men with Mideast ties indicted in license scam
March 6
Patrol says examiner's death not due to crash (+ witness accounts)
March 8
Editorial 3/8: Driver licensing process needs review
***March 13
Three bombs found in MEMPHIS morgue building [ongoing sweep of building]
March 14
MEMPHIS: 'NO HOAX' BOMB FOUND OUTSIDE COUNTY MORGUE
***March 29
S uspect in ID fraud goes free on bond-Dad goes bail; 4 remain jailed (Odtllah has numerous I.D.’s, Child sexual abuse allegation
April 1
Suspect in ID fraud goes free on bond (Tennessee)
April 2
License-fraud suspect denied bond
April 14
D river license suspect denied release
May 11
Licens e plot suspect pleads guilty - Will likely testify against 4 co-defendants

*TN License Scandals

Pics of License Scam suspects

Color Pics of Suspects

Other Stories

I-70 Traffic Stop Turns Up $300K In Cash, Undocumented Jordanian (Al Qaida Operative?) [2/22 Utah] Licenses for undocumented aliens steer legislators both ways - Driving: INS official says passage of bill would make deportation more difficult; proponents say it would give sense of identity (Kansas 2/20)
Immigrant Licenses Debated (ILLEGAL ALIENS... AGAIN )[Kansas 2/20]
***Grass roots, politicians differ on immigration (2/14 plus Grover Norquist Barf Alert)
FBI investigating ‘‘mass destruction’’ inquiry (2/21 Somali asks U. of Memphis professor for weapons advice
GAO Report Finds “Pervasive and Serious Problem”” with Immigration Benefit Fraud Terrorists and Drug Dealers Manipulating Benefits Application Process To Carry Out Criminal Activities
Man on FBI watch list spotted (2/23 Iraqi, with Saddam Connections, in truck with OK lic. Plates, Picking up chemicals in Michigan. Egads!)
Santa Paula Mayor's Wife Target of Probe (Calif. -Selling Drivers Licenses to Illegals)
Phony IDs, Real Danger (CBS 2/26)
NJ Man Charged in Bogus ID Ring Linked to 9/11 Hijackers
Driver's Licenses To Be Easier For Foreigners (New Mex. 2/28)
Nationwide Alert Focuses On Arkansas Document Centers On Fake Ids (3/7)
Man accused of carrying false ID ordered held without bail (Indiana, Pakistan, Guinea 3/13
Jersey City Egyptian Arrested with Fake ID 3/13

And don’t forget the stories about the Microbiologist who “fell” off a Memphis bridge!

[Eroteme]

There could have been a second bail hearing, or, as I suspect, the article is merely confusing. It doesn't state the date on which the men were denied bail, just that they were. Because no date was specified in this article, it misleads the reader into thinking the bail hearing was just recently held.

Previous articles state that the men were arrested on Feb. 5 and denied bail at their hearing a few days later. Smith was killed just prior to that. So as far as I tell, these guys were all in jail when Smith was murdered.

I wouldn't be so quick to discount Smith's murder serving as a message to the other team members. The article only says that this suspect is expected to testify against his "co-defendants." My bet is that he won't give up the larger operation and its orchestrator. (Yep, it was just us 5. Ya got us all.)

Further, prosecutors can "expect" all they want. Ken Starr wasn't the first or the last to be snowed into exchanging immunity for crapola. Less cynically--there is the possibility that word of this "expected" testimony is disimformation. Perhaps a trap using the suspect as bait? (Lessons learned from Katherine Smith?)