John Couey may get away with raping Jessica Lunsford and burying her alive

come on, not again

Why did the judge throw out his confession? Judges are fucking idiots. I am going to go and rob a bank, confess and then get driven home by the police in a Rolls Royce.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/LegalCenter...ory?id=2138504

they have enough physical evidence. he's not getting away with anything.

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/06/30/Ci...confessi.shtml

Judge: Couey confession out, evidence in
By JIM ROSS, Times Staff Writer
Published June 30, 2006

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A Citrus County judge ruled this morning that John Coueyhahaha8217;s confession will not be allowed as evidence in Coueyhahaha8217;s upcoming trial. However, the evidence that investigators collected after his confession -- most notably the recovery of Jessica Lunsford's body -- will be allowed as evidence. Moreover, the judge said that incriminating statements Couey made to investigators and, on another occasion, to a jail guard will be allowed as evidence.

Couey, 47, is accused of kidnapping, sexually assaulting and killing 9-year-old Jessica of Homosassa last year. The trial is scheduled to begin July 10.

The defense noted that Couey asked for but was not provided a lawyer multiple times during an interview with investigators in Georgia in March 2005. As a result, they argue, his confession was unlawfully obtained and should be excluded as evidence. Likewise, all evidence obtained after Coueyhahaha8217;s statements is similarly tainted and ought not be used against Couey, the Public Defenderhahaha8217;s Office argued.

But prosecutors said Coueyhahaha8217;s requests, made during discussion of a possible polygraph examination, were ambiguous. They also noted that Couey had been advised of his rights numerous times before and after his request for a lawyer, and that he waived those rights at every turn.


The state further argued that evidence collected after Couey made his incriminating statements hahaha8212; namely, the discovery of Jessicahahaha8217;s body, which was buried outside the mobile home where Couey had been living hahaha8212; would have been inevitably discovered anyway, since investigators were learning at that point that the victimhahaha8217;s blood was found on a mattress inside Coueyhahaha8217;s room.

The judge agreed with the defense concerning the statements in Georgia but agreed with prosecutors concerning the inevitable discovery of

http://www.local6.com/news/9449935/detail.html

Don't forget that there were several adults inside that trailer who incredulously denied knowing of the girl's presence.

Hopefully the investigators/prosecutors didn't bungle any other part of the case

Blame the police for fucking up.

At least the judge was able to leave the rest of the evidence in.

It really makes me wonder how that defense attorney can sleep at night knowing what he's trying to accomplish?

Even thought recent Supreme Court decisions on knock & announce indicate a trend toward the court wanting to see minor police fuck-ups dealt with as police disciplinary matters and not instant "get out of jail free" cards; this is still a major fuck-up to not follow Miranda when the guy asked for a lawyer.
Not what you'd expect from trained detectives.

I lived about 15 miles from where that happened, at that time. My son and I made flyers up and put them up and down the streets near our home when she was missing. He's 12, and ever since then, he will not go to bed until he checks all the doors and windows to make sure they are locked. It really affected his outlook of safety and caution.

His ass is still grass. Piece of shit....

those dirty fuckers should go to jail too IMO

Yeah the police fuck up and people blame the judge for just doing his job. A judge is supposed to be an oversight. If judges aren't supposed to do anything but rubberstamp what the government does then WTF do we have them for? If they do do something that goes againsst the government then they are "activist" judges.

We live about the same distance (10 miles) from where Canadian schoolgirl killers Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka did their kidnapping, rape and torture of several local girls (Kristen French & Leslie Mahaffey) - and my parents live right around the corner from the house (since demolished) as well.

The abductions and murders made international headlines over a decade ago, and I quite know what you mean about how it affects a person's outlook of safety and caution. With our two daughters we had to walk the tightrope between scaring the hell out of them...and teaching them about what can potentially happen in the world.

I think that they will still burn him.

I watch crime shows all the time, so I am very familiar with them-she even helping him drug and rape her sister, who then died from the drugs. Unbelievable. And she's out already.

It's tough when you have kids..you want them to be aware that not everyone is safe to trust, but you don't want to make them paranoid or affect their sense of security overall. Delicate balance, for sure.

Have two girls of my own and we had to really tighten the reigns with them growing up. It is hard because you want them to be able to do some of the things you did as a kid, like ride your bike around the neighborhood without constant supervision, but you can't. Times have changed and not for the best in many cases.

Well dont think times have changed too much. just 'some' parents seem to think thier children are grown up way before thier time. (nothing intended to anyone's post here but...) i dont know how many times i've seen kids on busy streets unsupervised

I agree, SORT OF-I've seen three or four year old children playing outside with no adult to be seen and that's BS. But when I was a child, I lived on a dead end road, and I could have breakfast, and be gone until dinner and no one ever bothered me and my mom had no reason to worry. Today, my son is older then I was at that time and we live a yard away from where the roads dead end together and I still wouldn't feel comfortable giving him the same freedoms I had.

Things have changed, and if you don't see that, you're in denial. This is an uncaring society today. Even if you are blessed enough to have no predators in your neighborhood, it's unlikely you escape those people who won't slow down when children are playing outside, the people who won't restrain their aggressive animals, the other children who bully younger kids because they have been taught that by others who bullied them.....

Children do need more protection then they often receive. But the reason for that is the fact that this world today is so self-centered and uncaring, and it is worse then it was 50, 40, even 20 years ago.

You're right, to an extent...but I think there are several factors involved as to why you still see many kids playing unsupervised on city streets.

Perhaps some people think, "It'll never happen in MY neighbourhood," or "I've already street-proofed the kid...nothing can happen to him," or possibly its just plain old apathy and inattentiveness on the part of the parents.

We live in an era where too many kids are having kids of their own at far too early an age - and many of them don't possess the benefit of being raised with a sense of good parenting skills. Sure, none of us are 'born parents' (so to speak)...but many of us had the good fortune to be raised by caring parents who showed us the proper way of being a parent later in life. Many kids from this generation aren't receiving that same benefit, for one reason or another.

There is enough evidence to convict him. And as stated before, don't blame the judge for following the law, blame the cops that did not grant his request for counsel.

thats really fucked up

The judge did what the judge had to do. A law is a law and rights are rights. The guy will still fry for this.

Another bang up job by Florida Police officers. They are on a massive role. Infringing on rights, beating a girl for not wanting to shower, arresting people for having sex on camera. What a fucking joke that state is.

he will pay for what he did, any where he goes.

thats the saddest thing ever...and it makes me feel sick to my stomach.
This guy should rot in hell.