Roll those eyes at me all you want. I'm not the only one with this opinion, apparently the 12 jurors and judge shared it. I know as much as anyone else that has followed this case from the beginning.
You're right, no one does this. It's too bad he can't find it, but that does not makle him guilty. There's also the coincidence of the one day the convenience store camera goes on the fritz, just happens to be the day of the murder. Well, I don't smoke cigars, so I can't comment about that specifically, but when I used to smoke cigarettes, I would indeed brave 30° weather with wind gusts. Convenience? How close was the side door to his room compared to the lobby door? You have declared him guilty and have then begun the process of fitting the circumstances so align them with your belief. For someone who is so clever, why didn't he have his car already filled so that he wouldn't have to stop, and potentially get photographed, remember the convenience store camera was usually working, just not on the day of the murder. As I said, I really don't know if he's guilty or not. What I do know (as a spectator), is that there is nothing, no evidence that I'm aware of, that puts Jason Young in Raleigh at the time of Michelle's murder, except the testimony of a witness who admitted on the stand that she had memory problems. There are, on the other hand, curious evidence that seems to point to someone else, such as finger and palm prints in the bedroom and on the jewelry box that don't belong to anyone associated to the case. There is that mysterious clump of hair in Michelle's hand that does not match Jason, as was testified to by the forensic specialist. There are witnesses who claim to have seen a vehicle in the Young driveway that does not match Jason's vehicle. You shouldn't convict someone with only circumstantial evidence, and that's the only evidence that the state had (except for the store clerk with self admitted memory problems). Philandering does not make you a murderer. A person's looks does not make them a murderer. A persons reactions to news of the death of their spouse does not make them a murderer.
It's three plus hours. Remember he's sneaky, he's not going to speed in case he should get pulled over. So, that's a six hour round trip, plus he needs time to have a cigar at the hotel, not to mention stop for gas along that way.
Just like everything else in this media saturated nation, most of you just read (and believed) what tidbits the news paper and/or tv portrayed. I watched both trials start to finish and he absolutely, without a reasonable doubt, murdered that woman. As the judge said, and I believe, after about the 2nd blow to the head she was dead and he continued to hit her over 30 times. While his child was there and re-enacted to her pre-school teacher, the event she witnessed. The SOB did it. Justice has been served.
Cool. You're the first I've met who did watch gavel to gavel. So, what evidence irrefutably proved his guilt?
:lol::lol: I agree. Just want to say to clif that it's not one thing that convicted him, it's a ton of things that don't make sense. It DOES NOT take 3 plus hours to get to Hillsville, Va. I've been to Hillsville before to stay at my father's mountain cabin. 2 1/2 hours max if you're not driving like an old woman but not speeding to get you pulled over either. We can argue all we want, I believe Jason was involved and that someone helped. Let's just agree to disagree.:cheers:
Tis a pity. Apparently you're the only one who could answer any questions, considering you're the only one to have watched gavel to gavel. It's a ton of things that doesn't make sense that causes me to question whather or not he's actually guilty. I've listed several, I'd ask what y6ou have but you have decided that you don't want to discuss it. The defense, the prosecution and Google maps all disagree with you.
You have to put the pieces of the puzzle together....also, it's 169 miles from Raleigh to the hotel he stayed in. Would that take you over 3 hours to drive? I highly doubt it. I have been to Hillsville and I don't speed so I don't need you to tell me how long it takes to get there. Thank you.
I understand that. But when the puzzle pieces don't fit, it's difficult to do without a utility knife to trim the pieces a bit. At 60 MPH, 169 miles takes 2 hours and 49 minutes to drive. You won't be driving at 60 MPH the whole trip either. Most of it is freeway, sure, but there is some byways that you'll have to drive. Plus, there is some uphill after you pass through Winston-Salem. Then there's the stop for gas. And remember, a murderer is not going to want to stand out by speeding and potentially getting a ticket. You're welcome.
Absolutely listen to Judge Stephens. Not a shred of doubt in his mind that Young is guilty. http://www.wral.com/specialreports/michelleyoung/video/10813551/#/vid10813551
Unfortunately I cannot listen to it at work. But a lot of people do believe beyond any doubt the Jason Young is guilty. And, if forums are to be believed, an equal number of people believe that the state has not proven it's case sufficiently to warrant a verdict of guilty. I fall into the latter group. Now, admittedly, I did not see the whole trial (see my first sentence in this post). But what I did hear/read/etc., things don't add up to the absolute judgement of guilty. He's a cad, certainly, but not all cads are murderers. So I'm curious as to what the other side heard/saw that convinced them of his guilt. So far the only thing I've heard from those who are so convinced of his guilt is an emotional decision, not one based on the evidence presented. Example 1 - KellBell Claims to have listened to the entire trial (which I don't dispute). But when questioned about what she heard that convinced her, she responds that she's not going to join a pee-ing contest. Example 2 - busymama Claims she can drive the distance between Raleigh and Hillsville, VA in less than two and a half hours. I'm sure this is possible but I don't see it as likely considering we're also supposed to believe that Mr. Young is a smart, calculating murderer. As I said in my previous post, to drive the 60 MPH takes 2 hours and 49 minutes. Of course one doesn't drive 60 MPH on side streets to get from home to the freeway and from the freeway to the hotel (not to mention the gas stop), so the actual time is even more. Much closer to the three hours claimed by the defense (and not disputed by the prosecution) giving Jason Young only a one hour window to kill, clean, drug the daughter and leave. I believe these people believe in his guilt, I just don't see it myself. I see too many holes in the prosecutions case that no one is willing or capable of filling in.
A portion of Judge Stephens' remarks about the verdict The court's assessment of the evidence in the case is actually pretty simple. This is a domestic violence homicide case. If you believe the State's evidence in this case, and apparently the jury did, the fingerprints of domestic violence are all over this case. They create a very unmistakable and all too predictable pattern of conduct from the evidence. This woman wasn't just murdered, she suffered a beating the likes of which we seldom see. He (Young) had not only motive and opportunity to commit the crime, but circumstances at the crime scene point DIRECTLY to him. I have no quarrel with this jury verdict.
Smart judge!! I'm sure he has heard many cases of domestic abuse and murder. Like you, I respect his comments!
Not so fast...possible juror misconduct. :? http://www.wral.com/specialreports/michelleyoung/story/10820046/
And if true it looks like at one point the majority of the jury leaned "Not Guilty". Never paid attention to this before, but it sounds like decisions were made on emotion and a lack of evidence.
