BY LAURA BAUER AND KAITLYN SCHWERS lbauer@kcstar.com
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Some of the bones found two days ago in rural Cass County have been identified as those of missing Raymore woman Jessica Runions.
Kansas City Police notified the Runions family Wednesday evening, according to a release from the Cass County Sheriff’s Office. Runions, 21, was last seen on Sept. 8.
Forensic specialists were called in after a mushroom hunter found human bones Monday afternoon near a quarry in rural Cass County. One skull was found the first day of the search and a second the day after.
Originally Posted by Coach:
Life in prison with a possibility of parole in 30 years is the highest for the Murder 2. 15 max for the manslaughter, so it will come down how they will adjudge him on his sentencing.
I still stand by that he got off lightly. This should have been Murder 1.
I would agree.
I would of thought Murder 1 for the Kopetsky case. He planned it out, picked her up at school, and then killed her. Seems premeditated to me. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Coach:
Honestly, he got off lightly. I strongly felt it should have been murder in the 1st degree (it carries an automatic life sentence).
Hoping the sentencing phase pops him life.
The Jackson Co prosecutor is notoriously bad at her job [Reply]
Originally Posted by Al Czervik:
I would agree.
I would of thought Murder 1 for the Kopetsky case. He planned it out, picked her up at school, and then killed her. Seems premeditated to me.
You don't want to overshoot your mark and "Casey Anthony" this piece of shit.
Hang him on murder 2 and manslaughter.
Make him tattoo it on his queer fucking face. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Coogs:
Whew! As long as this was taking, I thought this turd was going to get off on a hung jury thing! Hopefully this dude never sees freedom again.
I sat on a jury for a major trial once. It's hard to understand what it's like for the jurors because they're not privy to all the same information that you are. We had a pair of scumbags that engaged in multiple armed robberies, aggravated sexual assault, kidnapping, torture, etc. There were 57 counts and we were only able to agree to convict them on about 20 counts. It's unbelievable how much some people are absolutely unwilling to convict without 100% certainty that the accused is guilty. [Reply]
Originally Posted by RedinTexas:
I sat on a jury for a major trial once. It's hard to understand what it's like for the jurors because they're not privy to all the same information that you are. We had a pair of scumbags that engaged in multiple armed robberies, aggravated sexual assault, kidnapping, torture, etc. There were 57 counts and we were only able to agree to convict them on about 20 counts. It's unbelievable how much some people are absolutely unwilling to convict without 100% certainty that the accused is guilty.
Well, that goes both ways.
One could find it unbelievable that some people are absolutely willing to convict without 100% certainty the accused is guilty.
There's this thing called "reasonable doubt" and our legal system relies on it. [Reply]
Originally Posted by RedinTexas:
Reasonable doubt allows for convicting people without 100% certainty. You can have doubt about their guilt, just not reasonable doubt.
It also allows for acquitting people without 100% certainty.
Originally Posted by RedinTexas:
Seriously? You're pointing out that it's ok to acquit when you have doubt about someone's guilt?
Yeah, seriously.
Originally Posted by :
A doubt especially about the guilt of a criminal defendant that arises or remains upon fair and thorough consideration of the evidence or lack thereof.
All persons are presumed to be innocent and no person may be convicted of an offense unless each element of the offense is proved beyond a reasonable doubt.
NOTE: Proof of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt is required for conviction of a criminal defendant. A reasonable doubt exists when a factfinder cannot say with moral certainty that a person is guilty or a particular fact exists. It must be more than an imaginary doubt, and it is often defined judicially as such doubt as would cause a reasonable person to hesitate before acting in a matter of importance.
There is doubt and there is reasonable doubt. If doubt is not reasonable, then it is ok to convict. Therefore, it is ok to convict even with some doubt and there is not 100% certainty. [Reply]