Samantha Murphy Ballarat * Patrick Orren Stephenson Charged With Murder

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The Murder of Rebecca Young - Ballarat

The Murder of Hannah McGuire - Ballarat * Lachie Young charged



Allegedly
 
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Worried some further evidence maybe found🤔 Hence the fast tracking🤷‍♀️
I don't understand. I thought a committal hearing determines whether there's enough evidence to go to trial. Wouldn't bypassing that process mean he needs to wait longer to see what evidence they have?

I don't know how it all works, so this is a genuine curious question.
 

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I don't understand. I thought a committal hearing determines whether there's enough evidence to go to trial. Wouldn't bypassing that process mean he needs to wait longer to see what evidence they have?

I don't know how it all works, so this is a genuine curious question.
There could be several reasons why the defence would prefer to go straight to trial.
  • It's faster, so if they believe they have a successful defence, he is out of custody and free earlier
  • A committal hearing might require them to reveal their defence strategy, which then gives the prosecution time and means to find rebuttal witnesses etc. If the prosecution don't know what the defence is, then they need to be confident their case is water-tight.
  • A committal hearing gives the prosecution opportunity to 'rehearse' and test their case somewhat. Also, by revealing details of the prosecution case, it might flush out additional witnesses or evidence currently unknown to the prosecution. By going straight to trial, the defence avoids this happening.
 
There could be several reasons why the defence would prefer to go straight to trial.
  • It's faster, so if they believe they have a successful defence, he is out of custody and free earlier
  • A committal hearing might require them to reveal their defence strategy, which then gives the prosecution time and means to find rebuttal witnesses etc. If the prosecution don't know what the defence is, then they need to be confident their case is water-tight.
  • A committal hearing gives the prosecution opportunity to 'rehearse' and test their case somewhat. Also, by revealing details of the prosecution case, it might flush out additional witnesses or evidence currently unknown to the prosecution. By going straight to trial, the defence avoids this happening.
Probably just me but it feels like they’re playing a game of chicken with POS. They haven’t got enough evidence and hoping he confesses.
 
Hard to tell. They may be playing chicken. They may be playing chess.
A criminal trial is exactly that; a game of chess played under strict rules for the highest stakes of all in Australia; someone's freedom

The prosecution have to weave a narrative based on the evidence obtained and presented to the jury that the accused wilfully caused the victim's death.

A motive or supposition of a motive is immaterial to the narrative. The evidence has to stand alone and provide the story of what happened that day

It would appear at this stage that the defence is going to be, "I wasn't involved in her death and the evidence suggesting I was present at the time of her death cannot be proved beyond reasonable doubt. I didn't murder her"

The Defence, by choosing not to go to commital, are reducing the possiblity of the lesser charges in lieu of murder being implimented at an early stage.

They're taking a winner takes all approach.

Of course, during the trial, the Prosecution may downgrade the charge or the Judge may direct the Jury to only consider a lesser charge

The onus is on the Prosecution to link the evidence that the accused was there and the victim's death was at his hands with an intent to kill or with intent to cause grievous bodikly harm.

All the evidence to be used by the Prosecution has to be given to Defence prior to the trial, the Defence is under no obligation to return the favour
 
phone pings
cctv footage of him entering and leaving area
maybe visits to certain shops
maybe witness statements of his coming and goings
trace evidence on his shoes, clothes car of things

gona be interesting. they must have a smoking gun
possibly something related to victims body being in car
 
phone pings
cctv footage of him entering and leaving area
maybe visits to certain shops
maybe witness statements of his coming and goings
trace evidence on his shoes, clothes car of things

gona be interesting. they must have a smoking gun
possibly something related to victims body being in car
The police must have absolute masses of evidence if it took the defence an additional three months to process and respond to it.
 
phone pings
cctv footage of him entering and leaving area
maybe visits to certain shops
maybe witness statements of his coming and goings
trace evidence on his shoes, clothes car of things

gona be interesting. they must have a smoking gun
possibly something related to victims body being in car
They still have to prove he has actually committed the murder, her body has still not been found, and he might not have done it ? Pings ? What If someone else or others were with POS when SM was killed, but they had no phones? He has pleaded not guilty and supposedly kept his mouth shut all this time. SM phone will reveal how long it's been in the dam, amazing in good working condition as well, and If it was put there recently after POS was arrested. Could he be protecting another party? Is he waiting to confess this at his trial? Has he/family been threatened to shut up or else ?? We will have to all wait, but boy it's been a very intriguing case and I can't wait to find out what evidence the prosecution has
 

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phone pings
cctv footage of him entering and leaving area
maybe visits to certain shops
maybe witness statements of his coming and goings
trace evidence on his shoes, clothes car of things

gona be interesting. they must have a smoking gun
possibly something related to victims body being in car

That's what I've heard. From people in Ballarat. MOO.
 
Is the hearing at SC listed yet? Time etc?
His next appearance will be in the Supreme Court for a directions hearing on Nov 27. Haven’t seen a time listed anywhere yet.

Separately, he’s also due back in court on 2 Dec for those drink & drug driving charges in, but that’s at Ballarat Magistrates Court.
 
His next appearance will be in the Supreme Court for a directions hearing on Nov 27. Haven’t seen a time listed anywhere yet.

Separately, he’s also due back in court on 2 Dec for those drink & drug driving charges in, but that’s at Ballarat Magistrates Court.
What’s a directions hearing?
 
What’s a directions hearing?
Direction hearings deal with all the pre-trial stuff, makes sure everyone is clear on the direction/path to trial - the right paperwork has all been filed, witness availability, costs, etc. so that when the trial starts everything runs smoothly. There are usually a few of these along the way, getting all the ducks in a row, then off to trial.
 
Direction hearings deal with all the pre-trial stuff, makes sure everyone is clear on the direction/path to trial - the right paperwork has all been filed, witness availability, costs, etc. so that when the trial starts everything runs smoothly. There are usually a few of these along the way, getting all the ducks in a row, then off to trial.
Also sets out the witnesses exhibits required and how much time to allocate to each part of the trial. Audio/ video equipment etc.
 
Direction hearings deal with all the pre-trial stuff, makes sure everyone is clear on the direction/path to trial - the right paperwork has all been filed, witness availability, costs, etc. so that when the trial starts everything runs smoothly. There are usually a few of these along the way, getting all the ducks in a row, then off to trial.
It’s the pre-trial so to speak and I remember when I went through mine as witness (victim) the wonderful detective told me it was the worst part of the process and if I got through that ok then trial would be easy , he was right and although trial was completely different to the directions hearing, I knew the kind of questions I’d be up against.
 
His next appearance will be in the Supreme Court for a directions hearing on Nov 27. Haven’t seen a time listed anywhere yet.

Separately, he’s also due back in court on 2 Dec for those drink & drug driving charges in, but that’s at Ballarat Magistrates Court.

I might take a squiz if it's open to the public.

When will the time be released?
 
Direction hearings deal with all the pre-trial stuff, makes sure everyone is clear on the direction/path to trial - the right paperwork has all been filed, witness availability, costs, etc. so that when the trial starts everything runs smoothly. There are usually a few of these along the way, getting all the ducks in a row, then off to trial.
If you read depositions and transcipts of murder trials back the dim dark ages (pre the Russell St bombing) evidence was given by all sorts of witnesses, Surveyors, photographers, a cast of thousands each giving one bit of evidence to support the main witnesses.

Faced with the amount of evidence for the Russell Street trial Justice Frank Vincent took the then unknown decision (at least in Victoria) of getting the Prosecution and Defence into the Court and asking what evidence they agreed upon and would not be contested so the witness list could be culled
 
I might take a squiz if it's open to the public.

When will the time be released?
Hopefully someone will hear something earlier so you get a bit more notice, but otherwise check the Daily Hearing List on the Supreme Court of Vic website the afternoon/evening of the 26th. It will have details for the following day.
 
Hopefully someone will hear something earlier so you get a bit more notice, but otherwise check the Daily Hearing List on the Supreme Court of Vic website the afternoon/evening of the 26th. It will have details for the following day.

I've signed up for notifications of the case so hopefully I get an email/text.
 

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Samantha Murphy Ballarat * Patrick Orren Stephenson Charged With Murder

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